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skip navigationIf there’s only one piece of advice that you remember about the recruiting process, it’s this: You must be proactive and reach out to college coaches at programs of interest.
Don’t leave your future up to chance by waiting around for college coaches to find you. Instead, research schools and teams you’re interested in and show them why you’d be a great addition to their roster.
Your initial communications with a coach will be about introducing yourself. However, after your first few emails and calls, it’s equally important to follow up with coaches, so they know that you’re still interested in their program. The problem is that many athletes just aren’t sure what to say or write in their follow-up communications with college coaches.
If you are ever at a loss about what to talk about, we’ve put together a conversation starter pack with a list of reasons to reach out to college coaches. If there’s a school you’re really interested in, reach out every other month or so to stay on the coach’s radar.
If you’re targeting NCAA Division I or Division II schools, you might be aware of the NCAA recruiting rules and calendar, which regulate when and how college coaches can contact recruits. For many sports, the NCAA recruiting calendar has dead periods and quiet periods, during which times coaches’ contact with recruits is limited. However, athletes can always contact coaches — only coaches are required to comply with these rules.
In short, don’t shy away from sending a message to a college coach, even if the NCAA recruiting rules and calendar prevent the coach from contacting you back at that time. Coaches will still see your message and, if they are interested, get in touch with you when the rules allow.
NCSA is the world's largest and most successful collegiate athletic recruiting network. A wholly owned subsidiary of Reigning Champs LLC, NCSA's 700 teammates leverage exclusive data, proprietary matching algorithms and personal relationships built over nearly two decades as the industry leader to connect tens of thousands of college-bound student-athletes to more than 35,000 college coaches nationwide across 34 sports every year.