female volleyball player

Eligibility 101 for Freshman Parents (Start Here Before You Sprint)

Recruiting
November 05, 2025•2 min read

The recruiting roller-coaster isn’t just camps and DMs. Eligibility is the part that sneaks up on families—and steals opportunities. We’re not letting that happen in this house.

What “Eligible” Really Means (Plain English)

  • Right classes, right grades, right timeline.

  • Register early with the college sports eligibility center (your counselor knows the site).

  • Keep amateurism clean (read what you sign), and treat NIL like a business: above board, documented, and athlete-controlled.

(Yes, every school has its own policies. Yes, they change. Our strategy is to stay ahead, keep receipts, and ask the compliance office when in doubt.)

high school football players

Freshman Parent Roadmap (Grades 9–12)

9th Grade (Lay the foundation)

  • Meet the counselor; confirm your school’s approved core-course list.

  • Build a one-page athletic résumé (template below) and start a simple recruiting Google Drive: transcript, schedule, measurables, film links, coach contacts.

10th Grade (Get organized)

  • Register with the eligibility center (basic profile).

  • Track core GPA every quarter. If it dips, fix it now.

  • Create first highlight reel; publish and update each term.

11th Grade (Proof year)

  • Unofficial visits, prospect days, and camps with a purpose (fit > hype).

  • Request an academic evaluation from your counselor and keep a PDF copy handy.

  • Know your testing situation (if needed) and timeline; many schools are test-optional, but scholarships/majors may still care.

test written on backboard

12th Grade (Finish clean)

  • Lock courses to meet core requirements.

  • Upload final documents when requested.

  • Keep amateurism clean: read all NIL agreements; keep a folder of contracts/1099s.

NIL, Briefly (Because You Asked)

  • NIL is not “free money.” It’s an agreement: deliverables, dates, compensation.

  • Use a separate bank account and record-keeping.

  • If something feels off, ask the school’s compliance office or a trusted advisor before you sign.

Play to Win Checklist

  • Eligibility center profile created by end of 10th grade

  • Counselor confirms core-course plan (PDF saved)

  • Core GPA tracked quarterly (know the number)

  • One-page résumé + film link ready for emails

  • NIL docs (if any) saved in one folder; parent review complete

Copy-Paste: One-Page Athletic Résumé (Fill-In)

Name: [Athlete Full Name] | Grad Year: [YYYY]
School/City/State: [High School, City, ST]
Positions: [e.g., DE/TE] (Basketball: [G/W/F/C])
Ht/Wt/Wing/Hand: [6’3” 235 | 6’8” wingspan | R]
GPA / Test: [3.62 / N/A]
Coach: [Name, Title, Email, Cell]
Links: Hudl/YouTube [link] | Twitter [@handle] | IG [@handle]
Honors/Stats: [All-Conf, 68 tackles, 10 TFL]
Community/Leadership: [Youth clinic volunteer, Team captain]
Contacts: Athlete [cell/email] | Parent [cell/email]

CTA: Not sure if your 9th- or 10th-grade course plan is recruit-friendly? Send me the list—I’ll flag risks and missing pieces.

recruiting elegibilityparentscollege recuritingfinancingcollege financingcore coursecounselingcore requirements
For over 3 decades, Nicole Henry has been the steadying force behind one of sports' most remarkable families. As a coach's wife for 30+ years, an AAU mom for 15 years, and now an NFL mom for 3 years, Nicole knows firsthand the unique journey athletic families navigate—the triumphs, the sacrifices, and the moments that test your faith.

Nicole T. Henry

For over 3 decades, Nicole Henry has been the steadying force behind one of sports' most remarkable families. As a coach's wife for 30+ years, an AAU mom for 15 years, and now an NFL mom for 3 years, Nicole knows firsthand the unique journey athletic families navigate—the triumphs, the sacrifices, and the moments that test your faith.

Back to Blog