The Recruiting Christmas Wishlist: What Every High School Athlete Is Really Hoping For

Every December, athletes sit down and think about their Christmas wishlist. New gear. New shoes. Maybe something shiny with a logo on it.

But if we’re being honest, the real wishlist for a high school athlete doesn’t come in a box under the tree.

It comes in four phases—and each one matters just as much as the next.

Recruiting doesn’t skip steps, and Santa doesn’t deliver Phase 4 without the work of Phases 1–3. Let’s break down the real recruiting wishlist every athlete should understand.

Wishlist Item #1: Identification

“I want to be seen.”

This is where recruiting actually starts.

Before offers, visits, or phone calls, an athlete must be identified. That means:

• A college coach knows your name
  
• They know your position
  
• They know you exist
  

Identification doesn’t happen by accident. It happens through verified exposure.

Many athletes ask for offers for Christmas—but what they really need first is visibility. If a coach hasn’t seen you, they can’t recruit you. Simply attending showcases, ID camps and tournaments doesn’t mean that you have been identified. 

This is the foundation. No identification = no recruiting process.

Wishlist Item #2: Evaluation

“I want them to really watch me.”

Once a coach knows who you are, the next wish is evaluation.

This is where coaches dig deeper:

• Can you play at this level?
  
• Do your skills translate?
  
• How do you compete when it matters?
  
• How do you move, think, and respond?
  

Evaluation takes time. It’s not one play or one highlight. It’s:

• Multiple viewings
  
• Game film
  
• Event performance
  
• Context of competition
  

This is often the longest phase—and the one athletes get impatient with. But evaluation is where trust is built. Coaches don’t offer scholarships based on hope. They offer them based on certainty.

Wishlist Item #3: Comparison

“I want to stack up.”

Here’s the part many athletes don’t like to talk about.

You are never evaluated in isolation.

Coaches are comparing:

• You vs. other recruits
  
• You vs. current players on their roster
  
• You vs. portal athletes
  
• You vs. JUCO transfers
  

This phase answers one question:

Where do you fit on our board?

You might be good—but are you the best option for what they need right now?

Comparison is why recruiting is competitive. It’s why timing matters. It’s why development and consistency matter.

This phase is uncomfortable, but it’s necessary. Every offer comes from comparison.

Wishlist Item #4: Offer

“I want the call.”

This is the gift everyone hopes is under the tree.

The offer.

But offers don’t appear out of thin air. They are the result of:

• Being identified
  
• Being evaluated thoroughly
  
• Winning the comparison process
  

When an offer comes, it’s not luck.

It’s validation.

It means a program has decided:

• You can help them win
  
• You fit their culture
  
• You are worth the investment
  

And the best offers—the right offers—come when an athlete doesn’t delay or rush the process, skip steps, or chase logos.

Don’t Wish—Prepare

The recruiting process isn’t magic, and it isn’t instant. Christmas morning only comes after months—sometimes years—of preparation.

So as athletes look toward the new year, the real question isn’t:

“Why don’t I have an offer yet?”

It’s:

“Which phase am I in—and am I doing everything I can to earn the next one?

Your Next Step: Get Evaluated by a Scout

If you want to move from wishing to progressing, the most important step is getting a trusted, honest evaluation.

A qualified scout can:

• Identify where you truly fit at the next level
  
• Evaluate your game objectively
  
• Compare you against real recruiting standards
  
• Help you understand what college coaches are actually looking for
  

Most athletes don’t fail in recruiting because they aren’t good enough—they fail because they don’t get accurate feedback early enough.

Before the next recruiting season begins, put clarity at the top of your wishlist.

Get evaluated. Get informed. Get on the right path.

Because in recruiting—just like Christmas—the best gifts go to those who prepare long before the morning arrives.

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