Shaquille O'Neal, Tiger Woods, Michael Strahan, and Kevin Greene are all MilKids who went from high school sports to play in college (and on to the pros, as well as Good Morning America in one person's case). Along with these famous athletes, there have been numerous lesser-known MilKids whose high school athletic exploits also earned them a spot on a college team and scholarship dollars for their education.

As a MilKid dedicates their time in high school to excelling in a sport, the dream of playing in college comes within reach. However, with less than 10 percent of high school athletes playing their sport in college, and under one-third of those getting scholarship money, getting recruited to a college team can be a hurdle. For MilKids playing on top club teams and at athletic powerhouse high schools, college coaches usually find them. But for MilKids at smaller schools or stationed overseas, they and their parents might have to be proactive to get on the radar of college coaches. Here are a few ideas for high school athletes to get noticed by colleges.

• Research schools and be realistic about the level of program you can play in college. Division II and III schools might be the appropriate programs to look at in order to be successfully recruited.
• Attend summer college sports and ID camps and combines. These camps are usually run by a college head coach and are attended by evaluators from various colleges attending. Along these lines, compete in as many summer tournaments as you can. Exposure is the key!
• Compile highlight videos. Some schools have film, or parents can use a tripod and shoot from the stands. The clips should be simple, not heavy handed with a soundtrack and graphics. Videos can be set up on a YouTube channel, or uploaded to recruiting sites like Hudl or Next Collegiate Student Athlete (NCSA). These are online services where high school students can upload personal profiles, resumes, and videos.
• Along with these recruiting sites, be social media savvy by making good use of apps such as Twitter and Instagram. One MilKid's dad stationed overseas sent “thousands of tweets with highlights to college coaches, recruiting analysts, sports journalists, star athletes, and anyone else he thought might possibly have interest” in his son and be “in a position to bring him more exposure” through likes, shares, and retweets. The dad was able to generate interest from a couple of Division I schools as well as get an invite to a high school all-star game played at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. For MilKids overseas who aren't able to make it to a stateside summer sports camp, social media channels are helpful for improving exposure and getting highlights noticed by recruiters.
• Talk to the high school coach so they know of your interest in playing at the college level. Ask them if they'll write you a recommendation letter or even reach out themselves to college coaches.
• Contact college coaches! Email them about your interest, and include a link to videos, social media, and a resume of your highlights (don't forget the academic highlights). If they say there isn't a spot on their team, politely ask if they can recommend another coach or school to reach out to

Need more tips? Research the web for advice. Numerous websites offer help for high school athletes who want to get recruited for the college level. To help you start, here are some links:

How to get recruited if you're from a small high school

MaxPreps' Guiding Parents Through the Recruiting Process

8 Steps to Getting Recruited

How to Use Social Media for Recruiting

For MilKids who have the dream and talent to play at the college level, getting recruited takes time and effort. Hopefully, these tips and links will help. If your MilKid has experienced the college athletic recruiting process, please post about your experience.