What's Broken About College Sports Recruiting?

About You

Helps us understand who is answering so we can build for the right people

Q1 — I am a... *

Please select an option.

Q2 — What sport? *

e.g., soccer, track, swimming, lacrosse

Please enter your sport.

Q3 — What division level are you targeting or competing at? *

D1 D2 D3 NAIA Not sure yet Not applicable

Please select an option.

Q4 — What year are you in, or when did you go through recruiting? *

Currently in the process (high school junior or senior) Finished recruiting in the last 1 to 2 years Finished recruiting 3 or more years ago I am a parent — my athlete is currently in the process I am a parent — my athlete finished recruiting in the last 1 to 2 years

Please select an option.

The Hardest Parts

We want to understand where people actually get stuck, not just what sounds hard

Q5 — What was the single hardest part of the recruiting process for you personally? *

Getting coaches to notice me in the first place Figuring out which schools were actually realistic for my level Knowing how to communicate with coaches without being annoying or seeming desperate Understanding where I actually stood with a specific coach Deciding when and whether to commit Understanding how scholarships and financial aid actually work Affording camps, showcases, or recruiting services Balancing recruiting stress with school and sport performance My parents and I disagreed on the approach Other

Please select an option.

Q6 — At what point in the process did you feel most lost? *

Before I even started — I had no idea how to begin Early on, when I was trying to get on coaches' radars In the middle, when I was communicating with coaches but could not read their interest level Late in the process, when I was trying to compare offers and make a decision I never really felt lost — I had good guidance I am still lost right now

Please select an option.

Q7 — Describe a specific moment where you felt confused or stuck. What was happening and what did you wish you had? (optional)

This is the most important question on the survey. Even one sentence helps.

Information & Resources

We want to know where people turn for help, and whether it actually works

Q8 — Where did you look for information or advice about recruiting? * Select all that apply

Talked casually with teammates or friends who had been through it Asked my high school coach Asked my club or travel team coach Hired a private recruiting consultant or service (e.g., NCSA, BeRecruited) Used YouTube or social media to find advice Searched Reddit, forums, or online communities Read official NCAA resources Talked to current college athletes I knew personally My family figured it out on our own Other

Please select at least one option.

Q9 — Of the resources you used, which was actually the most helpful? *

Teammates or friends who had been through it High school coach Club or travel team coach Private recruiting consultant or service YouTube or social media Reddit or online forums Official NCAA resources Current college athletes I knew personally My family figured it out on our own None of them were very helpful

Please select an option.

Q10 — If you used a paid recruiting service (like NCSA or a private consultant), was it worth the money? *

This question is critical for understanding whether the paid market is satisfied or not.

Yes, it was worth it Somewhat — it helped a little but not enough to justify the cost No, it was not worth it I did not use a paid service I wanted to but could not afford it

Please select an option.

The Information You Wish You Had

This section tells us exactly what to build

Q11 — What information did you wish you had easy access to during recruiting? * Select all that apply

A realistic sense of what division level I was actually competing at Honest feedback on my highlight tape or recruiting profile A clear explanation of how scholarships and financial aid actually work A sport-specific recruiting timeline — what to do and when Real examples of emails that worked when reaching out to coaches An honest read on whether a coach was actually interested in me What questions to ask on a campus visit or official visit What it is actually like to be on a specific team or in a specific program What to expect in the first year as a college athlete How to balance the recruiting process with school and sport performance Other

Please select at least one option.

Q12 — If you could have had one 30-minute conversation with a current college athlete in your sport during recruiting, what would have been most valuable? *

This is the core product question — it tells us what the first conversation should focus on.

Getting an honest read on whether my level was realistic for specific schools Understanding what coaches actually want to see in emails and communication Hearing what the team culture and day-to-day experience is really like Getting advice on how to compare offers and make a final decision Understanding how scholarship money actually works in practice Just having someone who had been through it tell me what to do next Other

Please select an option.

Willingness to Pay & Engage

We need to understand the business model before we build it

Q13 — If a platform connected you with current college athletes for honest, one-on-one advice about recruiting, what would you expect to pay per conversation? *

Nothing — it should be free $10 to $25 per call $25 to $50 per call $50 to $100 per call I would pay a monthly subscription instead — around $10 to $20 per month I would pay a monthly subscription instead — around $20 to $50 per month I would not use it regardless of price

Please select an option.

Q14 — Who in your family would be most likely to find this kind of platform and pay for it? *

This tells us who to market to and whose credit card we are targeting.

The athlete themselves A parent or guardian Both equally A coach or guidance counselor would recommend it

Please select an option.

Q15 — What would make you trust a platform like this enough to actually use it? *

This is the trust and acquisition question — it tells us what the landing page needs to say.

Knowing the athletes giving advice went to schools I recognize Reading reviews or ratings from other families who used it Seeing that it is affiliated with a university or athletic program Knowing it is NCAA-compliant and will not jeopardize eligibility A free first conversation before committing to anything Knowing the athletes are paid fairly for their time Other

Please select an option.

The Equity Question

One of the most important unknowns for positioning

Q16 — Roughly how much did your family spend on the recruiting process overall, including camps, showcases, club teams, and any consulting services? *

Under $5,000 $5,000 to $15,000 $15,000 to $30,000 $30,000 to $50,000 More than $50,000 I have no idea We could not afford to spend much and it affected our options

Please select an option.

Q17 — Do you think the recruiting process is fair to athletes from all economic backgrounds? *

This validates the equity positioning and tells us how loudly to make that argument.

Yes, it is fairly accessible to everyone Somewhat — money helps but it is not everything No — it significantly favors athletes from wealthier families No — and it was a real barrier for my family specifically

Please select an option.

Open Ends

Three short questions that will give us the language we need for marketing copy

Q18 — What is one question about recruiting that you could never get a straight answer to? (optional)

Q19 — If you were describing the recruiting process to a younger athlete just starting out, what is the one thing you would make sure they knew? (optional)

Q20 — What would have made the biggest difference for you — a tool, a person, a piece of information, or something else entirely? (optional)

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Stay in Touch (optional)

If you'd be open to a 15-minute follow-up conversation, leave your name and email. We will not share your contact information with anyone.

Q21 — Name & Email

Your response is anonymous unless you filled in Q21.
Thank you for helping us build something better.

What's Broken AboutCollege Sports Recruiting?

About You

The Hardest Parts

Information & Resources

The Information You Wish You Had

Willingness to Pay & Engage

The Equity Question

Open Ends

Stay in Touch (optional)

Thank you!

What's Broken About
College Sports Recruiting?