The key is to attract interest instantly using your best clips first.
Video: Kyle McCord highlights Junior highlights of the 2021 Ohio State commit.
With the sports world at a standstill due to the coronavirus pandemic, making a highlight tape has never been more important for a high school athlete.
Normally, college coaches would be entertaining student-athletes on visits or traveling to schools to visit players and programs around the country.
Even 7-on-7 football camps, another avenue to get noticed by recruiting experts and college coaches, are not an option as daily life has been shuttered.
So, how can a high school athlete, sitting at home, grab the interest of a potential coach or school?
Right now, the best way to gain exposure is making a highlight tape to market yourself and get it in front of as many eyes possible. In order to grab the viewer's attention, however, the tape must be done right — using good footage in a digestible manner.
Kyle McCord, St. Jospeh's Prep
File photo by Will Fagan
Here are five tips to produce your best highlight tape:
1. Use your best plays first
Start with your best play. You might only have 10-15 seconds so it is important to grab a college coach's attention at the beginning. Do not start with a photo. You can add your info (height, weight, position, GPA, contact information, etc.) in the description, your player page or the end of the video.
2. Keep your video short
Make sure you pick your top plays and put them in order — starting with your best. Keep the package from 90 seconds to three minutes long. Chances are a coach makes a decision by the time he hits the 30-second mark. Eliminate all the unnecessary dead space.
3. Social media
It's crucial to get your highlights in front of as many eyes as possible. Social media is the perfect tool. Get it on Twitter, Instagram and other social media outlets. Most recruiting sites and college coaches are on social media so make sure and tag them to watch your video. Also ask your coaches to share your highlight video with college coaches. And remember to keep your social media profiles clean and something indicative of your character.
4. Use a spot shadow
It's crucial to use a spot shadow from the beginning of the play. All positions other than quarterback should be using a spot shadow on every play.
5. Keep it simple
College coaches aren't looking for special effects. They're looking for players who might fit their system and school, so keep it simple by just using your best plays.
If you still need tips and pointers in making a highlight tape, reach out to me on Twitter
@Zack_Poff_MP.
