Leadership and Life Balance
Scholarships and College · Applying
How Do I Make a Recruiting Video or Online Sports Portfolio?
Rhema Adelaja · National Champion & 4x DUX
Keep it short and simple, and make it easy to find. Open with a header showing your name, sport, position and contact details. Show a range of skills in real game situations. Ask the programs you are targeting what they want to see, because advice and formats vary.
The answer
- Ask first. Ask your own coach, and the programs you are interested in, what they want to see. The NCAA says recruiting looks different at every division and in every sport, and that film is part of how coaches see you. There is no single format.
- Film early. Record games across the season so you are choosing from a library, not scrambling at the end. Put it on your calendar: who films, and which games.
- Keep it short. Advice varies: under two minutes from one US college guide, two to three minutes from recruiting experts, up to five from a camera company. Pick the short end, put your strongest clips first, and aim to grab attention within the first minute.
- Show range. Use different skills and situations, not the same play over and over. Choose real game footage against good competition, and moments that show how you react when something goes wrong.
- Keep it simple. Plain editing is enough, and many coaches watch with the sound off. One college guide suggests marking yourself clearly on screen so a coach knows who to watch.
- Start with a short header: name, sport, position, graduation year and club. Put the video and your key details in one place and share one link. Check that it works on another device.
- Send the link in a short, personal email to the coach in charge of recruiting. Say why you like that program. Do not send the same template to everyone. Rules on how and when coaches may reply vary by division and sport, so check the NCAA page for yours.
- If you are under 18, involve a parent or guardian. The NCAA says they often lead the process in the early years, so check with them before you put contact details in a public place.
- Afterwards, ask: what happened, what was in my control, what did I learn, and what is my next action? Then update the video once a season.
For information only. This is general information for student-athletes, not medical, legal, financial or professional advice. Talk to a qualified professional about your own situation. Terms
Rules and amounts change. Check the official source before you act. Last checked: 14 October 2026.