What You Need to Include in Your Highlight Video to Get Recruited!

If you are a basketball player looking to play college basketball, I don’t have to tell you that you’re going to need a highlight video to send to coaches. In this article we take a look at the ways in which you can go about getting your highlight video made, what you should include, why it is important to have a good video and what is considered a “good” highlight video. Remember, most college coaches don’t just “discover” players, you have to get yourself in front of them to be seen and discovered!

NOTE: A well put together highlight video is crucial and very important to your college recruitment process – you must show off your most IMPACTING MOMENTS straight away.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A HIGHLIGHT VIDEO?

College basketball coaches have their work cut out for them. They have so many highlight video to go through that having a really good, strategically put-together video will make their job easier and, help you stand out. A well-produced and creative highlight film is a must-have for basketball players looking to receive the best college basketball offers too.

Top reasons to really put some time and effort into your video:

• A highlight video is the most effective communication tool out there for players
• Videos are important to give coaches an opportunity to see your skills and abilities without having to watch you in person
• This is your virtual introduction to the many college coaches watching your video
• It is a way for a coach to form an initial impression of you and your abilities and see if you will fit in
• A well put together video will gain good, favorable attention from college coaches
• Having an impressive video is essential for increasing your chance of receiving a scholarship offer
• Video provides an objective way for college coaches to decide if they are interested in talking with you further about you coming to their program
• A great video is going to give you a competitive advantage against every other college recruit that doesn’t have one
• A highlight video will showcase all your skills and incorporates clips that show your athleticism
• A professionally done video is crucial to stand out!
• Whether you want to play division 1, 2 or 3 – a professional, custom, highlight video will get you in front of college coaches and will help in grabbing their attention
• Video has the ability to connect the right players with the right coaches

NOTE: Remember, the first impression you make on a college coach might be the difference between getting their interest in you and getting a scholarship or not.

WHAT DOES A GOOD HIGHLIGHT VIDEO LOOK LIKE?

A good highlight video is one that depicts the true reflection of what you can do on the basketball court. It it a well round representation of all your skills and abilities that the college coach is going to want to see in order to make his decision on you. A highlight video should be attention-grabbing, but not annoying, serious and well thought out – a video that a college coach is going to want to watch!

Here is a list of things that you should get together and include in your highlight video:

• Include examples of ALL your abilities: shooting, passing, ball-handling, driving ability, defense, finishing, blocking shots
• Your video needs to be half court to half court so the coach can see clear examples of all the above skills
• Choose games against your best competition
• Use game footage only
• Show offense first then defense, rebounding and passing the ball (this is what grabs the coaches attention)
• Use spot shadows when necessary so the coaches can spot you right away from your teammates
• Include the following information: full name, height, weight, dob, position, profile pic, achievements
• No music is best but if you want to include music choose something that is instrumental only or, choose professional background music (it is best not to annoy, offend or distract the college coaches watching)
• Make sure it isn’t to long – it is said that around 4 mins of highlights is a good amount

NOTE: College basketball players who get the scholarship offer they were looking for get started in the highlight video process early on and don’t leave it to the last minute.

SHOULD I CREATE MY OWN VIDEO OR GO THROUGH A COMPANY?

A quick search online and you can find a ton of videos which will help you create your own highlight video. They will let you know what software you need and will take you through step by step on how to do this on your own. This is a good option for players who are technically sound and who are familiar with making video and using video and image software. Have the time for this is super important ans making your own highlight video can be very time consuming. If, for whatever reason, this doesn’t sound appealing to you, don’t worry there are other options. Let’s take a look at what the most popular option is for getting your highlight video done …

HUDL Basketball Highlight Video Service:

Hudl is a product and service which provides tools for both coaches and athletes to review game footage. It also allows players to create their own custom highlight video using their platform. There are many high school basketball players that use this tool to create their own highlight video. To learn more about this option CLICK HERE. This is the main service used by players who do not want to make their own highlight video from scratch.

HOW DO I GET MY HIGHLIGHT VIDEO SEEN BY COLLEGE BASKETBALL COACHES?

In an ideal world, College Coaches would go out and see top recruits play in person but unfortunately, most just don’t have the time or budget to see every college basketball prospect in this way. This is why your basketball highlight video is so important. A well put together highlight video can put you on a college coach’s (or two, or three etc.) radar. This will then open up the opportunity for you to be invited to an in-person evaluation at a camp or the school.

There are a few ways in which you can get your custom highlight video in front of the right coaches, let’s take a look they ways in which you can do this:

• Send a personalized email to a specific coach (using his name e.g. Hello Coach Evans) with a link to your video
• Create an online profile on a basketball recruitment site to maximize your exposure
• Use a reputable company or individual to help you identify the right colleges for you to pursue
• Post on social media and connect with college coaches and scouts to open up communication