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Many parents of young athletes dream of having their student earn a college athletic scholarship. But, in an age of social media that includes all sorts of recruiting services, what is the best approach to take?

Highland High will be hosting national education speaker and recruiting expert Paul Putnam for a seminar called "College Recruiting 101 — College Recruiting Simplified" Monday at 7 p.m. at the school's library.

During the free one-hour event, Putnam will discuss when the recruiting process starts, how student-athletes can be discovered and how college coaches evaluate prospects.

According to a news release on the event, participants will receive complimentary access to online search tools to help find schools with roster openings, as well as a scouting evaluation from a national scout at NCSA Athletic Recruiting.

"I'll share the most important tips parents and students need to know to prepare their athlete to play at the next level and, more importantly, to get themselves an education and hopefully get that education paid for," said Putnam.

Putnam was named Utah's Most Versatile Athlete in 1980 and 1981 and earned track scholarships at Bakersfield College and Weber State. He travels to more than 70 high schools annually to help student-athletes and their families get ahead. The lecture series is made possible through a partnership with NCSA Athletic Recruiting, the NFL Players Association, the American Volleyball Coaches Association, Ripken Baseball and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

Students in ninth through 12 grade and their parents are invited.

— Tom Wharton