Why You Need Something Different
As of August of 2020, 7 universities across the nation have cut their Men's and/or Women's Swimming and Diving programs in the last 5 months. Most cite lack of funding or losses due to the Covid-19, while for others, it has been along time coming.
So, if you are a swimmer wanting to swim in college, when the recruiting process begins, you need to be prepared to make an impression on coaches.
As the foremost swim photographer in Raleigh, I used the time during the Covid shutdown to learn video in an effort to be able to help swimmers be ready at the opening of their recruiting period. Sure, I could easily film you swimming in a meet from the gallery, possibly even from the deck with enough clearance and walking space. I could splice the video segments together, add some music and send them to you to send to those recruiting you to come join their swim team.
But that's what everyone else is going to do too. So, let's make an impression.
The Making of Your Video
Every swimmer is different. You'll have strengths and weakness. Therefore, every video I make is geared towards focusing on the strengths and not the weaknesses.
Before each video, I talk in detail to the swimmer and their parents to learn about the programs recruiting them or the ones they are interested in. We discuss the video, in general - the feel it needs to have as well as the strokes we are focusing on. We discuss the whether you are a sprinter, mid-range or long distance swimmer and how the differences between the 3 will translate in the video.
Academics
If you're already being courted by schools, they know your times fit the team's profile and you can help fill a need.
However, what the coaches don't know is if you are qualified to be accepted into the school. I deal with this one right off the bat. After your name and swim club/high school team, the next bit of text is most often the academic achievements - GPA, leaderships roles and outside group memberships. Here, we layout everything outside of swimming. Your GPA is what it is - you can work to make it better, but at the time it's a number.
The leadership roles are something different. Coaches want team members who can motivate and challenge their teammates. Whether you are elected class president, are a mentor to incoming freshmen or lead a civic organizations, that quality is something they are looking for. We need to make sure we show it.
Best Times
Not a lot to be said here, but we will put focus on your best times in the likely events for which you are being recruited.
It's important to note that this is based on what you are being recruited for. You may love sprinting, but if you're being recruited or likely to be filling a roll for mid-range swims, then we need to focus on those times.
Swimming Accolades
So, toot your horn here. National Team member for 4 years? That goes here. School record holder? Goes here. Member of the state record relay team? Goes here.
Almost everything else swimming related falls to this area. But don't limit yourself. If you're the local rep for your LSC, list it. If you play multiple sports, you can list them here. This is the area where it can be singularly focused or as diverse as you want it to be.
Interested? Nothing is easier with me than a simple phone call or you can contact me via email. I'm about as laid back as they come, so don't expect me to take time to spam you with, well, anything. I will gladly answer all your questions though.
203 Cedar Key Way, Newport NC - (252) 341-0974 - Call Today