Always Include Website Links Vs Large Attachments
Make sure in your initial email to a college coach, you have a video link to some game film. It is rather easy to upload onto or Hudl. Make sure you have password protected it and send that password in your email. Do not ever send video attachments with the email as it clogs college coaches emails . For further information on How Do I Make A Video for A College Coach?, visit our blog here.
What Should Parents Ask College Coaches
Here are 10 questions parents should ask college coaches:
- What does a day, week or year in the life of one of your student-athletes look like?
- What types of on/off campus activities are available to athletes?
- What type of academic support do athletes receive?
- What are the housing accommodations like?
Tips From College Coaches For High School + Club Coaches During Covid
COVID-19 ResourcesGuidance for Coaches 0
High school and club coaches have found themselves in new territory recently when it comes to helping their athletes get recruited. The directives from governing bodies and social distancing restrictions have, temporarily, changed how they work, how their athletes can showcase their abilities, and the ways in which they communicate with college coaches.
FieldLevel has spoken with hundreds of college coaches over the last few weeks to see how they are managing athletic recruiting during the COVID-19 pandemic and one thing is clear: Recruiting is still happening and college coaches are working harder than ever to find ways to connect with potential recruits.
The biggest change is that recruiting has gone virtual. In fact, FieldLevel saw over 1,000 open roster needs posted from college coaches in March, and new needs are coming in every day.
As Coach Burns puts it, We still are planning for our upcoming season. Yes, its harder and its disappointing but were still active 100% We are just having to change the way we do it.
We found the insights gleaned from our conversations with these coaches to be invaluable, so we are sharing the key takeaways below. We hope it helps guide you through this unprecedented time in athletic recruiting.
Coach Greg Finel : Head Coach, Pierce College, NWAC Womens Volleyball
You May Like: Terre Haute Colleges And Universities
You Sent Your First Email In During Their Season
While coaches do recruit during their season, you will have a greater success contacting coaches when they are out of season and have more time. Go ahead and send emails during the college season, but be patient and dont get discouraged. Wait awhile and try again.
You should definitely avoid sending information about yourself or asking coaches for anything during preseason and playoff runs. If you do contact them by email during playoffs, congratulate them on their success, but dont ask for or expect a response. Remember to be specific about what you have seen. Tell them you watched their game online. Let them know what you liked about their team, coaches, or style of play. Close by telling them that you look forward to talking with them after the season.
Remember, the more you express interest in their program, the more they will be interested in you. Being mindful of the athletic calendar is one more way you can show genuine interest in a college program.
Is It Better To Text Or Email A College Coach
Texting allows you to respond faster and get to know the coach on a more personal level. However, coaches cannot begin actively recruiting them until June 15th after their sophomore year. If you would like to communicate with a college coach before then, your high school coach can often serve as an intermediary.
Also Check: Dorm Room Mattress Size
When Is The Best Time Of Week To Call A College Coach
This depends on the sport. Some sports have games during the week days, while other sports are just on the weekends. Youll need to look at the teams schedule to see when they play. Obviously, dont call the day of a game, and try not to call the day before either. You need to consider the fact that the coach will probably be game planning their opponent or they might even be on the road traveling to a road game. The best time to call is a couple of days before a game or the day after a game. Calling the day after a win is probably the best strategy youll probably catch them in a good mood!
What Time Of The Day To Call
The best time to call a coach is in the morning when youre likely to catch them in the office, between 810 a.m. during the week. If youre unable to call in the morning, its best to wait until the evening between 610 p.m. after practice is over. The offseason offers more flexibility, making it easier to get the coach on the phone during the day. Also, dont forget to check the time zone if the school is in a different one you are calling from.
Read Also: Easiest State School To Get Into
Your Social Media Posts Scared Them Off
College coaches look at your social media accounts. After they look at your highlight video and academics, if they think youre a good fit, they will research you. One of the coaches may hop on social media to see what kind of posts you have and who your friends are. If youre not hearing back, it may be because of what you have posted on social media.
Treat all of your social media as a resume. Coaches dont want to recruit garbage. If you are posting garbage: negative comments, complaining about teachers or coaches, alcohol, or a party lifestyle, coaches wont recruit you. You are free to post whatever you want, but coaches are free to not recruit you based on what they see. Consider your social media as one part of your resume. By the way, its not just coaches who look at your social media- future employers will too.
Every post and comment becomes public. Even if you have privacy settings, posts still get out. Jump on your social media account right now. Look at it through the eyes of a coach. What will they see? Do you need to delete some posts or pictures? Clean it up and keep it clean.
How To Get Recruited: Got Talent Get A Plan Get Recruited
LIKE WHAT YOU READ?
Please take a moment to help out your friends and teammates, by clicking on the sharing is caring buttons below.
Thanks,
Bryan
P.S. . This is the place to be for parents and coaches to talk about college recruiting. Come learn from each other, share stories and get information that will help your child become a college athlete.
Also Check: Fsaid.ed.gov Legit
Reference The Video On Your Profile
- Video is an important aspect of an introductory email!
- You may sound great on paper, but coaches need to SEE you play.
- This is why SportsRecruits allows unlimited video uploads.
- Direct coaches to your profile link embedded at the bottom of your email to view your videos.
- No video? Obtaining video should be your #1 priority!
How To Let Coaches Know Youre Interested In Their Program
During the recruiting process, it is essential that prospective student-athletes reach out to college coaches. Not only are coaches busy, but this also shows initiative on the part of the prospect. But how should prospects show that they are interested in a program? In this video, Gettysburg College mens basketball coach B.J. Dunne shares how student-athletes can communicate with coaches and show that they are proactive.
Recommended Reading: Can I Sell My College Books
Which Coaches Should You Contact
Finding contact info is easy99% of college coaches have their email addresses or phone numbers listed in the athletic staff directory on the schools website. But depending on the college and the sport, you might have better luck contacting someone other than the head coach.
To make this process easier, NCSA has a College Search feature that provides the contact information for coaches at every school across the U.S. Here are some key pieces of information to look for in your search for coach contact information:
- Does the program have a recruiting coordinator? Larger programs tend to have a recruiting staff, including recruiting coordinators. All recruiting will funnel through that person, so when youre looking to send an introductory email, this is the best person to start with.
- No recruiting coordinator? See if the program has a position coach. A great next person to contact is the coach for your position.
- No position coach? Check for an assistant coach. When the previous two options fail, look for the contact information for the assistant coach. If you cant find that, you can start with the head coach however, the head coach is going to be a little more difficult to get ahold of initially.
- Find something that stands out to you about that school. Coaches want to see that you are engaged and interested in their program. Including a personalized sentence or two about why you would like to join their program goes a long way.
What Your Emails Should Include
There are 3 fundamental things any email to a college coach should include:
- Accurate stats and/or metrics: The statistics you send to a college coach need to be a realistic picture of your abilities. I realize its tempting to project a little extra velocity to your fastball or to round down on your 40 time, but that does more harm than good. Every college coach is going to verify your stats before they waste the time to come see you in person. If the stats you provide dont match what they are being told by your coaches or other scouts, then you will NEVER have a chance to compete for a roster spot with that school.
- A link to your highlight video: Video alone may not land you a scholarship, but it certainly will serve as a virtual handshake to any college coaching staff in the country. What could be a better introduction to a college coach than an honest, impartial evaluation of your abilities?
- The contact information for your current coach or coaches: This information gives a college coach an easy way to verify your stats and learn a little about you as a player, teammate and student. There are very few college coaches who will sign a player without at least talking to their high school coach. An athletic scholarship is a big investment for a school and coaches take the responsibility very seriously. That said, make sure you know what your current coach will say before you write down their contact information.
Don’t Miss: What Colleges Have Quarter System
How To Respond To A Personal Letter From A College Coach
The best way to respond to a handwritten letter is with another handwritten letter. Write a simple thank you note, acknowledging that you received their letter. Recruits should also follow up with a phone call to let the coach know they appreciate their message and that they are interested in the program.
How To Talk To College Coaches On The Phone : Dos And Donts
Dont
Also Check: Is Central Texas College Accredited
Tip : Attachments And Links
Rather than inundating a coach with every detail of your playing history in an email, attach your player profile to the email. Remember Tip 4: Keep It Simple! Coaches are busy and they should be able to immediately identify the purpose of your email. If you are able to attach a profile or provide a link to a highlight video, they can review your additional information on their own time. Often, videos and profile information are inserted into a recruiting database, allowing for a coach to access and take notes on the information at anytime.
Keep the meat of your email clear and concise, but give the coach an opportunity to learn more if they are interested in what you have to offer.
These five tips should reduce your email stress and put you on the right path towards high-quality communications. Recruiting is about selling yourself to an institution and shining a positive light on what you would offer to a program.
Remember, these tips are meant to serve only as a guide.
Add your own personal flair and set yourself apart from the pack!
How Often Should You Email College Coaches
A critical factor in whether or not college coaches will respond to your email promptly is if it catches their attention. It helps to be strategic in contacting coaches to get eyeballs on your talent right away. Emailing coaches every day for weeks is not the best strategy. You have to strike a balance between dedicated and annoying. This can be tricky, but keeping a few things in mind can help you with your college coach contact strategy.
Start Strong: Start by contacting the college coach multiple times in the first week you reach out. After sending your introduction email, its acceptable to follow up with a phone call to the coach that same day. Within a few days, you can send a follow-up email if you havent heard back yet. Wait about a week, and then send a final email, referencing your previous attempts to get in touch with the coach and your desire to connect. Starting strong shows the coach your passion for playing for them, but leaves the ball in their court when it comes to responding.
Personalize The Email: College coaches can tell when youve sent an email out to several coaches. Using generic language and or even copying multiple coaches on an email comes across as unprofessional and lazy. Personalize your email with information about how your skills will match the program or things you like about the program. Adding small details about the school or coach show that youve done your research and are very interested in playing for that school.
Don’t Miss: College Funds For Single Mothers
What To Ask College Coaches
Before contacting a college coach, it is important for the recruit to prepare questions. When recruits ask questions, it shows the coach that they are genuinely interested in the program and want to learn more. When deciding what to ask college coaches, recruits should focus on four categories: academic, athletic, cultural and financial fit.
Preparing For Coach Communication
Start your outreach by gathering all the information youll need to include in your communications to college coaches. Your NCSA Recruiting Profile is a great place to keep all your important recruiting information. When communicating with college coaches, dont forget to include a link to your profile so they can easily view everything they need to see to conduct their initial evaluation of you. Key information includes:
- Your highlight or skills video
- Your best athletic statsverified, third-party stats from a combine or other event are preferred
- Academic information, such as GPA and ACT/SAT scores if applicable
- Contact information for you, your parents and your club/high school coach, plus the contact information for any personal trainers that you have
- Schedule of where and when youll be competing throughout the upcoming season
Don’t Miss: Is Ashworth College Recognized By Employers
How Often To Email Coaches
I tell student-athletes to follow the three-strike rule. If your child reaches out three times within a month and doesnt hear back, its safe to move on. Following this format will help maximize their efforts:
Contact No. 1
Send an introductory email. The purpose of this email is to garner the coachs interest. They should personalize each message, explain why they like the program, and provide: a highlight video key stats GPA or test scores references contact information, and an upcoming schedule. The point, quite simply, is to show the coach what athletic and academic level theyre at. Then, at the end of the email, they should list a date and time they plan to follow up with a phone call.
Insider Tip: A good subject line would include details, including your full name, grad year, position and important stats. For example, John Doe 2015 Grad RH Pitcher 6-2 190lbs 85mph Video Included. Avoid generic subject lines in your emails.
Contact No. 2
Phone call. Because coaches receive hundreds of emails a week, its best to follow up with a phone call a few days after the email. It really is your athletes best chance at connecting with the coach.
Insider tip: Our research shows that the best time to call is on Monday or Tuesday between 8-9 a.m., or 12-3 p.m.
Contact No. 3
A good subject line would include: John Doe 60 180lb LB/S Follow Up