Support Your Child's Recruitment
Without the Guesswork
Your child wants to play college sports. You want to help - but navigating NCAA recruitment is overwhelming. Play2College gives you the tools to stay organized, informed, and involved without having to become an expert overnight.
How Play2College Helps You as a Parent
These are the tools that make managing recruitment practical - not just another website with information.
Follow Your Child's Journey
When your child invites you, you get your own view of their recruitment progress. See which colleges they're tracking, what stage each is at, and what's coming up - without needing to ask for updates.
Suggest Colleges
Found a program you think would be a great fit? Suggest it directly through the platform. Your child reviews and approves suggestions - keeping them in the driver's seat while you contribute meaningfully.
Log Coach Contacts
Had a conversation with a coach at a showcase? Met an assistant coach at a camp? Log the interaction on your child's behalf. They'll see it and can approve it to keep their contact history complete.
Shared Calendar & Appointments
See upcoming campus visits, coach calls, application deadlines, and showcase events. When your child adds an appointment, you see it too - so you can plan travel, time off, and logistics together.
Map Overview
See all the colleges your child is tracking on an interactive map, color-coded by recruitment stage. Instantly understand the geographic spread and plan campus visit trips efficiently.
Compare Programs Together
Use the comparison tool to evaluate colleges on 42 topics - academics, facilities, coaching, location, financial fit, and more. Make decisions together based on data, not guesswork.
Key Information for Parents
You don't need to read everything at once. Here are the most relevant guides for parents.
NCAA Eligibility Requirements
Understand the 16 core courses and core-course GPA your child needs (2.3 for D1, 2.2 for D2). SAT/ACT scores are no longer required for NCAA eligibility.
The 5-for-5 Eligibility Clock
New for 2026 in D1 and D2: five seasons inside a five-year window that can start at age 19. Why starting college on time matters.
NCAA Divisions Explained
D1, D2, D3, and NAIA - what's the difference and which fits your child's goals?
Financial Aid & Scholarships
How athletic scholarships work, what to expect financially, and other funding options.
Recruitment Timeline
What to do in each year of high school, plus the key recruiting dates.
International Families Guide
Eligibility documents, English tests, the F-1 visa and money rules for families outside the US.
Coach Communication
When coaches may reply, what to write, and why your child should lead the contact.
The New Rules Every Parent Should Know
If you last looked into recruiting a few years ago, these four changes matter most.
Protect the 5-Year Eligibility Clock
Divisions I and II now use an age-based “5-for-5” clock: five seasons of competition inside one five-year window. The window starts at your first full-time college enrollment anywhere (junior colleges and schools abroad count) or the academic year after your 19th birthday, whichever comes first. Redshirts and most extension waivers are gone, so starting college on time protects all five years.
See how the eligibility clock worksWhat to do: plan for your child to start college right after high school. A gap year, reclassifying or a late start abroad can cost playing years.
Roster Spots & Revenue Sharing
The House v. NCAA settlement (approved June 6, 2025) replaced D1's per-sport scholarship caps with roster limits (105 in football, 15 in men's and women's basketball) and lets schools that opt in pay athletes directly through revenue sharing, capped at about $20.5M per school in 2025-26 and roughly $21.3M in 2026-27. Inside a roster limit every spot can be funded, but each school decides how many it actually funds, so partial aid is still common.
Read the full House settlement money rulesWhat to do: ask each D1 program whether it opted in, how many players it is recruiting at your child's position, and exactly what it pays for. Get it in writing.
No More National Letter of Intent
The National Letter of Intent was eliminated in October 2024. Commitments are now formalized with the school's own written offer of athletics aid (a financial-aid agreement), which is now the binding document.
What to check before you signWhat to do: each school writes its own agreement, so read what the aid covers, for how many years, and when it can be reduced before your child signs.
Tests Are Optional for NCAA - Not Always for Admission
Since 2023 the SAT/ACT is not needed for NCAA D1 or D2 eligibility: what counts is 16 core courses and a 2.3 (D1) or 2.2 (D2) core GPA. Some colleges still ask for scores for admission or academic scholarships.
What to do: check each college's admission and scholarship rules. A good score can unlock academic aid that lowers what you pay.
Ready to Support Your Child's Journey?
Create a free account, then ask your child to invite you as a follower. You'll get your own view of their recruitment progress and the tools to help - all in one place.
Last updated: October 2026. Reflects the five-year eligibility clock and the House v. NCAA settlement.