About Woods Recruiting: Empowering Basketball Dreams Since 1989

Woods Recruiting is a professional college recruiting service focused on one primary goal: helping basketball student-athletes get recruited and placed in college. 

We provide maximum exposure, promote their achievements, and market their talents to an expansive and trusted network of college basketball programs across the country. 

This is a paid service, and we’re fully transparent about our mission, process, and commitment to the athletes and families we serve.

Our Journey: Where It All Began

Woods Recruiting was founded in August 1989, with its original mission solely dedicated to basketball student-athletes. 

Over the years, we branched out into additional sports, but basketball has always remained our core focus, the foundation of our service, our passion, and our expertise.

Our founder and president, Al Woods, brings decades of personal and professional experience to this work. 

Growing up in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Al learned the game of basketball the hard way, on the outdoor courts under the scorching summer sun. 

The journey wasn’t easy, filled with twists, turns, confusion, and plenty of tough lessons. 

But through resilience and determination, Al was recruited by West Virginia State College in 1983. 

That opportunity laid the foundation for everything that followed: a college education, a professional basketball career in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and ultimately, the birth of Woods Recruiting.

Al saw firsthand how many talented athletes were overlooked due to lack of exposure or guidance. 

These were players with college-level talent who slipped through the cracks simply because no one was working on their behalf. 

That reality inspired the creation of a recruiting service built on integrity, experience, and real results.

What Makes Woods Recruiting Different?

• Experience You Can Trust: We’ve been doing this for over three decades.
• Real Basketball Background: Our team understands the recruiting process because we’ve lived it.
• Thousands of Athletes Placed: Our track record speaks for itself.
• Personalized Service: Every student-athlete receives tailored guidance.
• Strong College Network: We’ve developed deep connections with college programs at every level.

The Realities Of The Recruiting Process

The recruiting process is complex. 

There are shady characters, bad coaching advice, missed opportunities, and changing rules. 

It’s a jigsaw puzzle with countless pieces. 

But our team at Woods Recruiting simplifies that process, guiding student-athletes and their families every step of the way.

We believe the best people to guide student-athletes are those who’ve lived it, former players who understand:

• The pressures of being recruited
• The demands of college practices, travel, and competition
• How to communicate effectively with coaches
• What it really takes to succeed in college sports

It’s not just about talent. It’s about preparation, support, discipline, and focus.

Our Mission: Exposure + Opportunity = Success

One of our guiding principles is simple:

“You only get one chance to go from high school athlete to college athlete. Do everything in your power to make it happen.”

Exposure is everything in recruiting. 

If coaches don’t know who you are, they can’t recruit you. 

We focus all of our efforts on putting the names, stats, highlights, and accomplishments of student-athletes into the hands of college programs.

• We write detailed scouting reports.
• We build online profiles.
• Game breakdowns.
• We speak directly with college coaches.
• We provide honest evaluations to college programs.

Every piece of content we produce is designed to maximize visibility.

Proven Track Record

Since launching full-time operations in 1997, Woods Recruiting has helped place thousands of student-athletes in college, either through scholarships or strong financial aid packages. 

In some cases, thanks to our extensive network and strategic outreach, we’ve secured college placement for student-athletes in as little as 24 hours.

This isn’t magic. It’s about:

• Relationships with coaches who trust our judgment
• Consistency in delivering quality scouting reports
• Dedication to helping the right players get seen by the right programs

We value good grades, character, work ethic, and coachability. 

Players who cut corners, ignore academics, or lack discipline often struggle. 

We won’t sugarcoat it. But if you’re committed and coachable, we will work tirelessly to find the right opportunity for you.

Our Growth And Development

Between 1989 and 1995, Woods Recruiting operated without charging a fee. 

This period allowed us to build credibility, develop our network, and prove our capabilities.

By 1996, we had the confidence, experience, and results to begin charging for our services. 

The demand grew, and by 1997, Al Woods went all-in, leaving two full-time jobs to run the business full-time.

We’ve expanded our reach beyond Cleveland, Ohio, across the state and throughout the country. 

Our network has only grown stronger.

From 2013 to 2017, we expanded again, hiring and training 26 scouts across multiple sports. 

We’ve even trained scouts for other recruiting services, passing on our knowledge to ensure more student-athletes have the support they need.

Due to health concerns, Al stepped away from operations in 2018, but returned in 2022, laser-focused on producing scouting reports for basketball student-athletes. 

Since then, we’ve published more than 1,600 player scouting reports.

Looking Ahead in 2025 and Beyond

The recruiting landscape is changing fast. 

With the rise of the transfer portal, student-athletes are staying in college longer. 

That means fewer open spots for high school players. 

The process has become more intense, competitive, and confusing.

That’s why our service matters now more than ever.

We stay ahead of trends. 

We understand what college coaches are looking for. 

And we know how to help student-athletes stand out in a crowded, fast-moving recruiting environment.

We believe there’s a place for everyone at the college level. 

That might be NCAA D1, D2, D3, NAIA, or junior college. It doesn’t matter what level you play—what matters is that you get to college, earn a degree, and build a future.

Your diploma won’t say what division you played, it will say you graduated. That’s the ultimate win.

We’re here to help you achieve that. 

Whether it’s exposure, guidance, evaluations, or outreach, Woods Recruiting is built to serve basketball student-athletes with honesty, purpose, and passion.

Final Thoughts

Basketball is more than a sport, it’s a pathway to higher education, growth, and lifelong success. 

At Woods Recruiting, we’re committed to making sure talented, hard-working student-athletes don’t get overlooked.

• We shine a light on your abilities.
• We build your presence online.
• We connect you to the right programs.
• We guide your family every step of the way.

Let us help you reach your dream.

Woods Recruiting: Where passion meets purpose, and basketball changes lives.