There are important overarching principles inherent to college recruiting that transcend sport-specific considerations. These principles are part of what we call the 'recruiting economy,' and for prospective student-athletes, they make...

It’s easy for student athletes and their parents to feel overwhelmed by college recruiting - there are milestones to meet, protocols to follow, and academic and athletic programs to research, evaluate, and narrow down....

When trying to stay on the radar of busy college coaches, a lot of recruits worry about how to reach out. It’s pretty easy to respond to an email from a coach and answer questions they’ve asked, but sending unsolicited information...

Working for Sparks the past five years, I’ve held a lot of different roles: from starting as a counselor at our domestic camps to being Program Manager for trips abroad. Truth be told, the most difficult role I’ve ever had...

A lot of our junior clients are asking about unofficial visits. You can read my article from earlier this year giving a top-to-bottom rundown of the visits, but this interaction with a client seemed especially relevant with some holidays...

As the fall gets into full swing, a lot of our clients are trying to figure out what questions they need to be asking, whether it be in first emails with coaches or on official visits. Sure, there are the basics – how practices are...

Billy Boyce, Harvard’s Lightweight Men’s Coach, has learned from the best. “I’m really lucky,” he said. “I have been really fortunate to be around some legendary coaches, and that’s not an...

The Mountain Hawks of Lehigh University row on the beautiful Lehigh River and compete in the Patriot League. Lehigh University, perched high on South Mountain in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, provides an elegant setting for both...

Wesley Ng, Women’s Head Coach at the University of Pennsylvania and U-23 National Team Selection Camp, gave an informative and inspirational talk at Sparks's Penn Rowing Camp about the similarities and...

I’m an elite rower, training at Vesper Boat Club. Though I have been working in marketing at Sparks Consulting for five years, this is my first involvement in a Sparks Rowing Camp. Staying on campus at the...

Rowing is one of the few sports that, after being picked-up in college, one can go on to achieve Olympic success. One would imagine that these incredible athletes walked into a well-funded program with a highly competitive roster size. However,...

Corvallis is home to Oregon State University and is a playground for the outdoor enthusiast. The OSU research forest has dozens of miles of trails, for running, hiking, and mountain biking. Corvallis is located about an hour drive from the mountains...