PROVO, Utah – During the COVID-19 pandemic, college sports saw a historic standstill in personal recruitment. For the past 15 months, Trainers have not been able to interact face-to-face with recruits. This has created some unique challenges on the recruiting path for both the schools and the student-athletes.
These challenges seem to be in the rearview mirror.
On June 1, the NCAA allowed personal recruitment. Giving colleges a chance to receive official visitors, unofficial visits, and perhaps the biggest piece of all for BYU, summer camps.
Summer camps are important to BYU’s recruiting efforts
Summer camps are an important part of BYU’s recruiting efforts in all of its sports programs. But especially in football. There were no camps last year due to the pandemic.
In BYU’s 2021 soccer recruitment class, 12 of these interested parties took part in at least one BYU soccer camp. In 2016, former BYU star quarterback Zach Wilson was once a QB MVP at a BYU summer camp.
The summer camps help BYU to personally identify prospects and give recruits the opportunity to see BYU up close and build relationships with coaches.
On Monday, both the soccer and men’s basketball programs began hosting camps that will feature high school prospects. Basketball camp runs June 7-10, while soccer camp west of LaVell Edwards Stadium on the intramural fields runs June 7-9.
Football will host another high school camp next week June 14-16, while basketball will host two more boys’ camps June 21-24 and June 28-1 July.
Last week, BYU hosted campers for the always-awaited Fathers & Sons camps, but no one in the 9th
A total of 17 different types of camps are offered for children and their families. From soccer to Cougarette Camp, #GirlDad Camp and more.
There have been many cases where children came to BYU camp and delighted coaches and received scholarship offers. A prime example is former Super Bowl champion Brett Keisel.
Side note … I signed up for this camp in 1995. I met Coach Pella and trained with the tight ends. Received a scholarship offer a year later. Get out there and show off your stuff, kids. Never know where it will take you #GoCougs https://t.co/hFFp14kWVF
– Brett Keisel (@ bkeisel99) April 20, 2021
Keisel wrote on Twitter: “I signed up for this camp in 1995. I met Coach [Chris] Pella and trained with the tight ends. Received a scholarship offer a year later. Get out there and show off your stuff, kids. I never know where it will lead you. “
BYU Football currently has six engagements in Class of 2022. All six prospects are from the state of Utah, led by American Fork athlete Noah Moeaki. Moeaki has the highest rating in the 247Sports Composite.
In basketball, the transfer portal has brought the entire spotlight of traditional high school recruiting into focus. But recruiting the best preps will be a top priority for Pope and his staff. Mostly with the national power Wasatch Academy in the back yard and the RSL Academy climbing up the ranks. There will always be a place for elite preparation talent in college basketball.
Some of these top high school talent can be found on the practice fields in the BYU summer camp squares this month.
Mitch Harper is BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and moderator of the Cougar Track Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
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