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Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes
"This is the playbook every young athlete needs. Developing a strategic plan for the recruiting process is essential, and Rogers' book is a detailed outline from someone who knows the process inside and out." - Lori Chalupny Lawson , NCAA Division I, U.S. Women's World Cup and Olympic Champion
Significant Recruiting is the ultimate playbook for prospective college athletes, offering a step-by-step guide to maximizing student-athlete exposure to college coaches at colleges that fit them best. Coach Matt Rogers, a 26-year veteran high school and college coach, athletic director, and national scout, guides families through their recruiting journey by helping them accomplish their recruiting goals without them having to invest 10,000 hours, 10,000 dollars or 10,000 sleepless nights.
Discover the psychology behind recruiting - how college scouts and coaches think, attract top colleges and create leverage in your negotiations, so you can attain and achieve a fulfilling and significant college athlete placement and career.
“I can’t imagine how daunting the recruiting process must be for parents without their own student-athlete experiences such as mine. Matt’s labor of love for young people wanting to achieve their student-athlete dreams shines through in this easyto-follow recruiting process. It’s THE playbook.”
- Quinn Wirth, Former NCAA Division 1 Basketball Player
“Significant Recruiting is well written with some great stuff for the high school athlete trying to find a college fit.”
— Mark Edwards, 3x NCAA DIII Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year
“Matt Rogers has artfully synthesized nearly 30 years of coaching and recruiting to deliver a practical guide to navigate the complexities of college selection. He is a master relationship builder, as demonstrated by the
commentary from a diverse group of educators he has collected throughout his career.”
— Rich Dunsworth, President of the University of Ozarks
“Significant Recruiting refreshingly puts the power back into the hands of the student athlete while teaching its readers that you must want it, you must own it and you must be accountable.”
— Emily Brydon, World Champion Alpine Skier, 3x Winter Olympian, Founder & CEO of Emily Brydon Youth Foundation
Significant Recruiting is the ultimate playbook for prospective college athletes, offering a step-by-step guide to maximizing student-athlete exposure to college coaches at colleges that fit them best. Coach Matt Rogers, a 26-year veteran high school and college coach, athletic director, and national scout, guides families through their recruiting journey by helping them accomplish their recruiting goals without them having to invest 10,000 hours, 10,000 dollars or 10,000 sleepless nights.
Discover the psychology behind recruiting - how college scouts and coaches think, attract top colleges and create leverage in your negotiations, so you can attain and achieve a fulfilling and significant college athlete placement and career.
“I can’t imagine how daunting the recruiting process must be for parents without their own student-athlete experiences such as mine. Matt’s labor of love for young people wanting to achieve their student-athlete dreams shines through in this easyto-follow recruiting process. It’s THE playbook.”
- Quinn Wirth, Former NCAA Division 1 Basketball Player
“Significant Recruiting is well written with some great stuff for the high school athlete trying to find a college fit.”
— Mark Edwards, 3x NCAA DIII Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year
“Matt Rogers has artfully synthesized nearly 30 years of coaching and recruiting to deliver a practical guide to navigate the complexities of college selection. He is a master relationship builder, as demonstrated by the
commentary from a diverse group of educators he has collected throughout his career.”
— Rich Dunsworth, President of the University of Ozarks
“Significant Recruiting refreshingly puts the power back into the hands of the student athlete while teaching its readers that you must want it, you must own it and you must be accountable.”
— Emily Brydon, World Champion Alpine Skier, 3x Winter Olympian, Founder & CEO of Emily Brydon Youth Foundation
203 pages, Paperback
Published September 15, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 15, 2025
Significant recruiting is a book about life. Matt Rogers, the author may have written a playbook for college athletes, but this is more than just for athletes. You can use what's written within for just about anything you are embarking on. It is well written, very simple, step by step, nothing missing. It shows that the author was more than just helping these athletes, directing and catapulting them and their families way of thinking to greater heights as well. He was showing them a way of winning at life.
March 8, 2025
Review posted on my blog The Writer's Library.
When I was in school, my access to sports was somewhat limited due to my disability. I was not allowed to participate in certain sports at all for safety reasons, although the physical education staff usually did what they could to include me in whatever I was able to be involved in.
I have very little knowledge of sports in education, so going into Significant Recruiting by Matt Rogers was new territory for me. This book imparts a lot of important information to aid aspiring college athletes and their families in the process of getting recruited to play sports at the college level and I found myself learning quite a few things that surprised me.
Before I go further into detail on anything, I want to start with some general thoughts on this book. Let’s get into it!
Thoughts
I was surprised by some of the information given in this book. I didn’t fully expect the recruiting process to be as complex as it is. That said, the advice given in this playbook is written in such a way that it is easy to follow. I particularly enjoyed the anecdotes, because they enhanced the value of whatever was being discussed beautifully!
I also love how the information is organized. The advice is often broken up into sections with headings and even step-by-step lists when discussing more in-depth topics. This helps guide the reader through both why the information is being given and how to tackle a specific situation in a beneficial way.
Overall, I think there are a lot of positive aspects to this playbook, but let’s go a bit more in-depth. Let’s look at the structure next!
Structure
Honestly, I love how this playbook is organized! The layout of each chapter is clear, and it is obvious when the book is transitioning to a new way to present information. I also love how each chapter has actual experiences of college coaches covered, so the reader gets a taste of their viewpoints as well. I think that could be incredibly useful for prospective college athletes.
As I mentioned earlier, the headings also work to guide the reader through the playbook itself. While I didn’t immediately understand every title chosen, as I read on, a lot of them made more sense. That kind of experience lends to the structure of the book being more cohesive. This works heavily in its favor, as all the topics covered are part of a clear whole that is easy to understand.
All in all, I think the structure works very well and helps the reader better understand the subject.
Now that we’ve discussed the book’s structure, let’s move on to the writing.
Writing
I like how this book is written quite a bit. The writing has a motivational tone that makes it easy to get behind what is being discussed. It is clear and easy to understand, with the word choice helping to enhance whatever topic is being covered. I think one of the best examples of this is when the definition of the word “significant” is discussed and why it matters in the context of the playbook.
However, there is one issue I came across that I’d like to discuss. This book is meant to be read by both prospective college athletes and their families, with information provided for both. This is a great idea, but the book will occasionally transition from speaking to the students to the parents, and those transitions feel jarring. For the writing to flow more smoothly in these sections, I believe it could be beneficial to build up to that transition to address the parents.
That said, I still think the writing works really well within the context of the book’s subject matter. The tone of the writing is both informative and motivational, providing readers with the necessary tools to move forward with what is presented regardless of whether they’re students or parents.
With all that said, I think that covers everything. Let’s wrap this review up.
Conclusion
This was an interesting experience for me. While I am not the target audience for this, Matt Rogers organizes the information well and is clear in his message in a way that is easy to appreciate.
To me, this book brought together all these elements to enhance a fantastic message that I think is worth hearing for a high schooler looking to play a sport in college. For all those reasons, I will be giving this playbook five stars.
When I was in school, my access to sports was somewhat limited due to my disability. I was not allowed to participate in certain sports at all for safety reasons, although the physical education staff usually did what they could to include me in whatever I was able to be involved in.
I have very little knowledge of sports in education, so going into Significant Recruiting by Matt Rogers was new territory for me. This book imparts a lot of important information to aid aspiring college athletes and their families in the process of getting recruited to play sports at the college level and I found myself learning quite a few things that surprised me.
Before I go further into detail on anything, I want to start with some general thoughts on this book. Let’s get into it!
Thoughts
I was surprised by some of the information given in this book. I didn’t fully expect the recruiting process to be as complex as it is. That said, the advice given in this playbook is written in such a way that it is easy to follow. I particularly enjoyed the anecdotes, because they enhanced the value of whatever was being discussed beautifully!
I also love how the information is organized. The advice is often broken up into sections with headings and even step-by-step lists when discussing more in-depth topics. This helps guide the reader through both why the information is being given and how to tackle a specific situation in a beneficial way.
Overall, I think there are a lot of positive aspects to this playbook, but let’s go a bit more in-depth. Let’s look at the structure next!
Structure
Honestly, I love how this playbook is organized! The layout of each chapter is clear, and it is obvious when the book is transitioning to a new way to present information. I also love how each chapter has actual experiences of college coaches covered, so the reader gets a taste of their viewpoints as well. I think that could be incredibly useful for prospective college athletes.
As I mentioned earlier, the headings also work to guide the reader through the playbook itself. While I didn’t immediately understand every title chosen, as I read on, a lot of them made more sense. That kind of experience lends to the structure of the book being more cohesive. This works heavily in its favor, as all the topics covered are part of a clear whole that is easy to understand.
All in all, I think the structure works very well and helps the reader better understand the subject.
Now that we’ve discussed the book’s structure, let’s move on to the writing.
Writing
I like how this book is written quite a bit. The writing has a motivational tone that makes it easy to get behind what is being discussed. It is clear and easy to understand, with the word choice helping to enhance whatever topic is being covered. I think one of the best examples of this is when the definition of the word “significant” is discussed and why it matters in the context of the playbook.
However, there is one issue I came across that I’d like to discuss. This book is meant to be read by both prospective college athletes and their families, with information provided for both. This is a great idea, but the book will occasionally transition from speaking to the students to the parents, and those transitions feel jarring. For the writing to flow more smoothly in these sections, I believe it could be beneficial to build up to that transition to address the parents.
That said, I still think the writing works really well within the context of the book’s subject matter. The tone of the writing is both informative and motivational, providing readers with the necessary tools to move forward with what is presented regardless of whether they’re students or parents.
With all that said, I think that covers everything. Let’s wrap this review up.
Conclusion
This was an interesting experience for me. While I am not the target audience for this, Matt Rogers organizes the information well and is clear in his message in a way that is easy to appreciate.
To me, this book brought together all these elements to enhance a fantastic message that I think is worth hearing for a high schooler looking to play a sport in college. For all those reasons, I will be giving this playbook five stars.
December 2, 2025
Significant Recruiting is a interesting read and Matt Rogers philosophy about making an impact and not just wins is what good coaches do. The book tells us the stories of athletes trying out for College Sports in America, we learn that there are 26,000 students trying out for for the 30+ sports on offer. You do understand that everyone will not make it, One such person is John who is a fine man, he goes to one party not drinking alcohol, but his photo is taken put on Social Media the Coach sees it , and his Scholarship is cancelled, obviously you have to look at this Coach with treatment such as that. Nowhere in this book will you find criticism of Coaches that is a flaw. Matt Rogers has helped over 4,000 athletes and families there is a World Wide complex of athletic leaders from High Schoolers to College Sports and the book can be tedious as it covers everything in getting to College for those Four Years, I live in Australia to me the book was written for the American public as it parameters are only there as I read it, it does not go further to Professional sport as we know it, it is a good read for athletes trying to get into College Sports
November 29, 2025
This book is the definitive guide for aspiring college athletes, a step-by-step roadmap to help students get noticed by the right college coaches at the schools that fit them best. With 26 years of experience as a coach, athletic director, and national scout, Matt Rogers leads families through the recruiting maze without the stress, cost, or endless hours it typically demands.
Learn how college coaches think, how to attract top programs, and how to build leverage in your conversations, so you can secure a meaningful and rewarding college athletic career.
I love the practical approach of this book, it cuts straight to the point, no beating around the bush, and the action steps seems to be impactful(tho I’m not gonna try all of them, I’ll definitely try out a few).
Overall, a must read for college athletes who are lost and don’t know what to do.
Thanks to @Booktasters for the e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Learn how college coaches think, how to attract top programs, and how to build leverage in your conversations, so you can secure a meaningful and rewarding college athletic career.
I love the practical approach of this book, it cuts straight to the point, no beating around the bush, and the action steps seems to be impactful(tho I’m not gonna try all of them, I’ll definitely try out a few).
Overall, a must read for college athletes who are lost and don’t know what to do.
Thanks to @Booktasters for the e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
December 22, 2025
This book feels very real and practical. It doesn’t hype dreams blindly, it explains how college recruiting actually works. From the start, Matt Rogers focuses on things that matter is skills, communication, timing, and effort are rather than just talent.
One good point is how clearly the process is explained. The parts about reaching out to coaches, building a profile, and understanding recruiting timelines are easy to follow. It tells you where athletes usually go wrong and how to avoid those mistakes. Nothing feels confusing or hidden.
The book talk about the real struggle now we all even it's studenyt or sport person facing is competition, rejection, and the reality that not everyone gets recruited the same way.
I also liked how action-oriented it is. It doesn’t just say “work hard” it shows what to work on and when to do it. You can actually apply the advice, not just read it and move on.
One good point is how clearly the process is explained. The parts about reaching out to coaches, building a profile, and understanding recruiting timelines are easy to follow. It tells you where athletes usually go wrong and how to avoid those mistakes. Nothing feels confusing or hidden.
The book talk about the real struggle now we all even it's studenyt or sport person facing is competition, rejection, and the reality that not everyone gets recruited the same way.
I also liked how action-oriented it is. It doesn’t just say “work hard” it shows what to work on and when to do it. You can actually apply the advice, not just read it and move on.
July 2, 2025
It's a very interesting book. It's a guide for a student and parents to be prepared if they want to get into this journey. To become an athlete. I like how this book is written. The writing has a motivational tone. I feel like the writer is talking to me.
I'm not a basketball player but I have my own team. My fighter team (Muay Thai, kickboxing, MMA). We played for our gym, and some got the opportunity to play in the national team. The way Matt Rogers said about what a coach wants from his student, what a student needs to show, what parents need to do if their son or daughter wants to be an athlete, it is clear.
From my perspective as an athlete, I like the way my coach motivates me, told me what I should do and didn't when I trained with him, when I got into a competition. He always encouraged me, told me I can do this. I really need that.
I'm not a basketball player but I have my own team. My fighter team (Muay Thai, kickboxing, MMA). We played for our gym, and some got the opportunity to play in the national team. The way Matt Rogers said about what a coach wants from his student, what a student needs to show, what parents need to do if their son or daughter wants to be an athlete, it is clear.
From my perspective as an athlete, I like the way my coach motivates me, told me what I should do and didn't when I trained with him, when I got into a competition. He always encouraged me, told me I can do this. I really need that.
Read
June 18, 2025This comprehensive guide helps prospective college athletes navigate the recruitment process, providing a step-by-step approach to increase visibility to college coaches at the best-fit schools. With Significant Recruiting, achieve your athletic goals without sacrificing time, money, or sleep.
January 3, 2026
In Significant recruiting book , veteran coach Matt Rogers provide a simple plans to help school athletes to be notice by colleges. Instead of waiting for the opportunity , the book help the athletes to find the the opportunities through professional emails, good social media habits, and direct communication with coaches. This books explain exactly what colleges are looking for and if someone is dedicated then there is no chance that they will not get the college, they will definitely get the college either the big university or the small ones . If athletes follow these plans their families will be free from stress and money wastes issues. This book is good for anyone who wants to play sports at the next level but doesn't know where to start.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews