A well-structured resume is essential to making a strong impression on college coaches or academic recruiters. This guide will show you how to create a clear, concise, and impactful resume that highlights both your athletic and academic achievements.
To simplify the process, we’ve created a free resume template designed specifically for high school athletes navigating the recruiting process. This template works seamlessly with the blog—just input your information into the template while following along with the blog, which provides detailed examples of what to write and offers tips on what to include and watch for in each section. The green text in the template highlights where to input your personal details in black font, while the red text provides helpful reminders, such as replacing placeholder dates like "May 2026" with your anticipated graduation date.
Before submitting your resume to a college coach or as part of an application, be sure to replace all the green text with your own information and delete the red clarifications. With this template and guide, you’ll have a polished, professional resume that follows best practices and helps you stand out.
1. Start with the Basics: Your Contact Information
At the top of your resume, include your full name, home address (street, city, state, zip code), phone number, and email address.
Your name should be in a slightly larger font size (13-14) to stand out, while the rest of the text throughout your resume should be consistent at 11-12. Ensure the contact information is center-aligned at the top of the page for a polished and professional appearance.
Example:
Tyler Thomas
7 Jay Street, Rochester, NY, 00700
777-666-0000 |Tyler.Thomas@gmail.com
You want coaches, recruiters, or potential employers to be able to reach you easily, so make sure this section is clear and accurate.
2. Craft an Attention-Grabbing Introductory Statement
Right under your contact information, write a brief sentence that describes who you are as both a student and an athlete. This should reflect your work ethic and ambition. Be sure to start this sentence with strong adjectives to immediately grab the reader’s attention and create a positive first impression, showcasing your standout qualities right from the start.
Example:
"Motivated, driven, and resilient student-athlete with strong work ethic and team-oriented mindset seeking to contribute effectively in both academic and athletic environments."
This sets the tone for the rest of your resume and gives recruiters a sense of your character right away.
3. Education Section: Academic Information
Your education is a key part of your resume, so make sure to present it clearly. Start with the name of your high school, followed by its location (city, state), and your anticipated graduation date.
Example:
Rochester High School, Rochester, NY
High School Diploma Candidate, May 2026
GPA: 3.04 | Rank: 31/333
Be sure to list your GPA, and if your school ranks students, include your class rank.
4. Athletic Achievements: Highlight Your Accomplishments
Your athletic achievements are the core of your resume. When listing these, always use action verbs in the past tense, try to keep each bullet point to one line if you can, and avoid ending the bullets with a period (this advice applies to every section of your resume). This keeps things concise and professional. Organize achievements by the team, and be sure to mention the city and state of the organization.
Example for a club team:
Rochester Rockets Soccer Club, Rochester, NY
• Selected to the All-Tournament Team for contributions during the NY State Championship (2022)
• Earned MVP honors at the Summer Nationals for scoring and defense (2022)
If you’ve played for both school and club teams, separate them, and list key performances. Feel free to demonstrate versatility and highlight moments where you’ve contributed beyond statistics, like leadership or adaptability.
Example for a high school team:
Rochester High School Men’s Basketball, Rochester, NY
• Recorded a career-high 15 rebounds in a game against Oakwood High School (2023)
• Demonstrated versatility by playing multiple positions as needed by the team (2023)
5. Academic Achievements: Don’t Forget to Showcase Your Scholarly Skills
Coaches and recruiters value athletes who are strong both in sports and academics. This section should focus on honors, awards, and recognitions you’ve received for academic performance. As with your athletic section, each bullet should begin with an action verb in the past tense, be kept to one line when possible, and avoid ending with a period (again, this applies to every section of your resume).
Example:
Rochester High School, Rochester, NY
• Achieved Honor Roll status for maintaining a GPA above 3.5 throughout the academic year (2023)
• Selected as a member of the National Honor Society for academic excellence and leadership (2023)
• Earned recognition for perfect attendance during the academic year (2023)
6. Activities, Work Experience, and Leadership: Highlight Your Well-Rounded Involvement
This section allows you to showcase your involvement outside of athletics, including extracurricular activities, work experience, volunteer roles, and leadership positions. Whether it’s student government, part-time jobs, or community service, these experiences help create a well-rounded picture of your character and contributions beyond the field.
Depending on the experiences you plan to include, you have a few options for what to title this section:
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Activities and Leadership Experience
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Work Experience and Extracurricular Involvement
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Leadership, Activities, and Work Experience
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Involvement and Leadership
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Work Experience and Community Engagement
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Leadership and Contributions
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Extracurriculars, Leadership, and Work Experience
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Professional and Extracurricular Involvement
Example 1: Past Achievements
Math Club, Rochester, NY
• Competed in regional math competitions, contributing to the team's top-five finish (2023)
Student Government Association, Rochester, NY
• Spearheaded initiatives to improve student engagement through surveys and feedback programs (2022)
Example 2: Current/Ongoing Positions
In the previous sections, we emphasized using action verbs in the past tense to describe past achievements. However, in this section covering jobs and extracurriculars, you may hold a role with ongoing tasks, such as daily planning or organizing, that are important to highlight. In these cases, use a present tense verb to describe your current responsibilities, and include the year you started followed by 'present' in parentheses (e.g., 2022–Present).
Football Coach, Rochester, NY
• Develop and lead practice drills to enhance team performance and skill development (2022–Present)
7. Additional Information: Round Out Your Resume with Personal Interests
End your resume with a brief section for hobbies and interests. This allows recruiters to get a sense of your personality outside of sports and academics. This is also a great place to mention any other relevant skills, such as certifications (e.g., CPR or First Aid), languages spoken, or other extracurricular involvements.
Example:
Hobbies & Interests: Hiking, Photography, Nutrition, Yoga, and Weightlifting
Certifications: CPR
8. Consistency is Key: Formatting Matters
Clean formatting, proper grammar, and consistent spacing are crucial for making a strong first impression. A well-organized resume not only enhances readability but also highlights your attention to detail and professionalism.
The last thing you want is for a simple spelling mistake or formatting inconsistency to distract from your accomplishments—these are things fully within your control, so it’s important to take full advantage of that.
Follow these key formatting tips to ensure your resume stands out as polished and professional:
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Font and Size: Use a clean, professional font like Times New Roman or Arial, typically size 11 or 12 for the main text and slightly larger (14-16) for your name at the top.
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Spacing: Maintain consistent spacing between sections. Double-space between different sections (like between Education and Athletic Achievements) and single-space between bullet points within a section.
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Bold and Italics: Use bold text for section headers and team/school names. Use italics for locations (city, state) and for titles or recognition.
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Page Length: Aim to keep your resume to one page. Be concise with your wording and avoid overly long descriptions.
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Bullet Structure: Start each bullet point with a strong action verb in the past tense, keep each bullet to one line, and do not add a period at the end
Final Takeaways for Crafting Your Resume
As you finalize your resume, keep the following key takeaways in mind to ensure it’s polished, professional, and impactful:
Punctuation, Grammar, and Spelling Consistency: Be mindful of punctuation at the end of each bullet point. Don’t end bullet points with periods, and be consistent with that throughout the entire resume. Also, double-check for grammar and spelling errors. Mistakes in these areas can create a negative impression, so take the time to proofread thoroughly before finalizing your resume.
Consistent Formatting: Make sure that all sections of your resume follow the same format. Use the same font and size throughout (commonly 11 or 12-point font for body text) and ensure your headings are clearly distinguishable with bold text. Maintain uniform spacing between sections and bullet points to keep everything clean and easy to read.
Proper Use of Bold and Italics: Bold section headings (like "Athletic Achievements" or "Education") and key details, such as team names or institutions. Use italics for location details (city and state) or any additional clarifying notes.
Bullet Points and Action Verbs: Every bullet point should start with a strong action verb in the past tense, such as 'achieved,' 'earned,' 'demonstrated,' or 'led,' with the exception of a current role, in which case you should use a verb in the present tense. This helps create a sense of accomplishment and activity. Keep each bullet concise, ideally limited to one line.
Green and Red Text in the High School Athlete Resume Template: Replace all green text in the template with your own information in black font, and remove any red explanatory notes before submitting your resume. This ensures the final version is clean and professional.
One-Page Rule: Aim to keep your resume to one page. Be concise and selective with the information you include. If necessary, prioritize your most impressive achievements to avoid overcrowding the page.
Tailoring Your Resume: Ensure your resume reflects your unique experiences and skills. If you don’t have traditional extracurriculars, replace that section with volunteer work or other outside activities. Tailor your resume to highlight your strengths and present the best version of yourself.
By following these guidelines, you'll create a resume that stands out to college coaches, recruiters, or potential employers, showcasing your dedication both on and off the field. A well-structured, clean, and consistent resume is the first step to making a strong impression!
