Your Online Portfolio Is Your New Resume: What Athletes Need to Know

By Spectator Sport | Athlete Development Series: College Prep & Recruiting 101

Before a coach emails you back, they Google you.

Before they check your stats, they check your socials.

Your Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube? That is your resume now... not just a place to connect with friends, but your reputation, your brand, your values, and how you carry yourself when the game’s not on.

At Spectator Sport, we teach athletes how to win on the field, and online. Here’s how to make your social media work for your future, not against it.

---

Why Your Online Presence Matters

College coaches, recruiters, and scouts are:

• Watching your highlight clips

• Reading your captions

• Checking your behavior

• Looking at who and what you associate with

• Deciding if you're the kind of athlete they want in their locker room

In today’s recruiting world, character and consistency matter just as much as stats.

---

Coaches Are Looking For...

✅ Work ethic & accountability

✅ Passion for your sport

✅ Leadership & team values

✅ Respect for others

✅ Academic motivation

✅ Clean, consistent content

✅ A well-rounded individual

What Turns Coaches Off

❌ Profanity, violence, or inappropriate jokes

❌ Disrespect toward teammates, officials, or opponents

❌ Ego without evidence

❌ Partying, vaping, or glorifying bad habits

❌ No highlights, no effort, no personal presence

---

🛠 How to Build a Digital Portfolio That Gets You Noticed

Treat your profile like a professional brand. Here's how:

1. Set Your Bio Up Right

• Name + Sport + Grad Year

• School/Club Team

• Location

• “Student-Athlete | Driven to Play at the Next Level”

• Link to your highlight reel or personal page

Example IG Bio:

Jordan Carter

| Class of 2025

6’0 WR

| Pineview HS

| California📽️

Highlight Tape ↓[YouTube or Hudl link]

---

2. 📸 Post With Purpose

You don’t need a perfect grid, you need honest consistency.

Post:

• Game/practice photos

• Behind-the-scenes (recovery, prep, training)

• Milestones (PRs, awards, stats, leadership moments)

• School involvement or community work

• Brief captions that show who you are

Rule of thumb: Every 5–10 posts should clearly show you're an athlete with drive, character, and direction.

---

3. Pin Your Highlights

• Use IG Reels, TikTok, or a pinned post to showcase your game

• Label clearly: “2025 WR Highlights”

• Add position, class, height/weight, and your best plays FIRST

Tip: Make a playlist or carousel with stats and team info for coaches to scan in 10 seconds or less.

---

4. Clean It Up

Before you start reaching out to coaches, audit your profile.

Delete or archive:

• Inappropriate language

• Partying or unprofessional content

• Offensive or polarizing memes

• Comments or DMs that reflect poorly on your character

---

5. Be Reachable

Your email should be:

• In your bio

• Or in your Linktree / personal site

• OR linked from Hudl/YouTube highlights

If they like what they see, don’t make it hard to reach you.

---

Bonus: Build a Personal Website

If you want to go next level:

• Use platforms like Wix, Notion, Canva, or Linktree

• Include:

  • A short bio

  • Stats + awards

  • Academic info

  • Highlight links

  • Coach contacts

  • Contact form or email

One clean link that says: “Here’s who I am and why I’m worth recruiting.”

---

Final Word: Recruitable Athletes Don’t Just Play the Part.

They present the part.

Show the hustle, show the heart.

Make your online presence match your ambition.

Coaches don’t just recruit talent, they recruit teammates they can trust.

---

At Spectator Sport, we don’t just help athletes get seen.

We help them get chosen.

---