COVID-19 travel restrictions and quarantine mandates are majorly affecting college sports and the recruitment of young athletes.

The change is impacting students looking for athletic scholarships, and the coaches looking to hand them out.

Very little, if any summer tournaments, means less opportunities for a college coach to see athletes in person – which is not good for the soon-to-be seniors looking for scholarships.

Mackenzie Szlosek wants to play college basketball. She was hoping to narrow her college choices after visiting campuses this summer, but the Sachem East senior is forced to stay home.

The Speher twins from Cold Spring Harbor are in a similar situation. Not only did they lose their entire junior lacrosse season, now the summer travel season is all but gone.

A lot of recruiting is based on film and what coaches have seen in the past, so if an athlete evolved as over the past year, that's changed things in live recruiting.

However, despite the challenges, the college coaches News 12 has spoken to have the same messages to all recruits. Stay patient.