Camp Strategy: How to Pick a Camp That’s Actually Worth Your Time

3 days ago

2 min read

Every summer and fall, families invest real money and entire weekends in recruiting camps — and plenty come home with little to show for it. The problem usually isn’t the athlete. It’s that nobody asked the right questions before registering. A camp is a tool, and like any tool, it only works if you pick the right one for the job.

First, Know Your “Why”

Not every camp is built to get you recruited, and that’s fine — as long as you know which kind you’re signing up for:

To get recruited: choose school-specific camps where the coaches evaluating you actually recruit for their program
To get better: choose skills-focused camps with strong instruction and small groups
To test yourself: choose camps with stronger competition than you see at home
To see a campus: choose a camp at a school you’re genuinely considering

Five Questions to Ask Before You Register

Which coaches will actually be there? Confirm who will attend and work directly with athletes — not just whose name is on the flyer
Were you personally invited? A personal invite from a coach on staff means they want to see you play live, judge your work ethic, and watch how you take instruction
Does the level fit? Match the camp’s schools and competition to your athletic and academic goals
What’s your plan before camp? Email the staff ahead of time with your graduation year, position, academics, team, schedule, and a video link
What’s your plan after? Send a short thank-you that mentions something specific from the day

“A camp can open a door, but it rarely closes the deal by itself.”

What Coaches Are Actually Watching

Camps are mostly used to confirm what a coach already saw on film — not to discover a stranger. That means the evaluation goes well beyond who’s fastest or strongest:

How your tools compare with the players already on the roster
Whether your fundamentals hold up when drills get harder
Your effort when you’re tired — or right after you make a mistake
How quickly you apply feedback, and how you treat the other campers

Consistent quality beats one flashy rep. Listen the first time you’re coached, and recover fast from mistakes.

After Camp: Where Most Families Drop the Ball

The follow-up is where the value is kept or lost. Send a short thank-you within a day or two, restate your interest if the school is still high on your list, and attach something new — fresh film, results, or your upcoming schedule. Coaches may not be able to reply right away because of NCAA contact rules, but they can still read your message. And because coaches network across programs, treat every camp as a multi-school audition, even if it doesn’t lead to an offer.

BEFORE YOU REGISTER FOR ANY CAMP

Write down your “why” — recruited, better, tested, or campus visit
Confirm which coaches will attend and whether you were personally invited
Email the staff ahead of time with your grad year, position, and video link
Plan your thank-you email before you leave the parking lot

Need help with the emails? Download the Parent Communication Templates and Financial Tools guide for ready-to-send coach outreach and follow-up messages.