Each year NCAA Division I and II colleges and universities provide more than $2.9 billion in athletic scholarships to more than 150,000 student-athletes. For those lucky enough to obtain an athletic scholarship, the benefits are clear. Reduced or even free tuition. Medical care. The opportunity to continue competing in a sport they love at the highest level. 

But the competition for these scholarships is intense. In fact, only about 2% of high school athletes are awarded college athletic scholarships. So how do you stand out in a crowded field? Obviously, dedication, hard work, and a genuine love of the sport are most important. But more and more, athletes are turning to data to attract the attention of recruiters and coaches.

The Importance of Data

Nearly all student-athletes fill their recruiting profiles with personal highlights and achievements. But more and more, they are turning to data and other metrics to help them stand out. The reason? Numbers don’t lie.

Technology once only available to elite athletes at the collegiate and professional ranks is now available to players and coaches at any level. Today’s athletes have access to a wealth of sport-specific data that can offer insights on strengths and, just as importantly, areas to improve.

Driven by Data

There will always be intangibles in sports. Competitiveness. Sport-IQ. Playmaking ability. But objective, consistent, and accurate performance data is becoming a powerful differentiator for an athlete’s skills.

And when that data comes from a reliable source, coaches and recruiters can have confidence in the information they receive, ensuring it’s both legitimate and credible. When hundreds of colleges use the same data source to run their programs, it elevates the quality of the information, making it a valuable and desirable recruiting source that’s extremely important in validating their decisions.

Helping Your Athletes Stand Out

Today, coaches that use technology to help athletes track performance data are helping athletes showcase their skills. And athletes that begin collecting data at an early age—and tracking their performance gains as they progress—are not only showing their dedication to the sport, but they’re also building a resume optimized for collegiate recruiting. 

It won’t be the only factor in earning a scholarship, but proactively building and sharing a data-driven recruiting profile, can help your athletes stand out in a crowded field.