How Do College Coaches Find Recruits?
If you’re a high school student-athlete looking to play sports in college, you may be wondering how college coaches pick the players that are on their roster. But even before that happens, college coaches have to find their recruits. So how do college coaches find players to recruit?
There are multiple ways that college coaches find recruits. The most common methods are through camps and tournaments, highlight film, professional connections, and when players reach out to coaches personally. College coaches rely on these main ways to find student-athletes. To have a better chance of being recruited, student-athletes should be reaching out to college coaches through emails and phone calls.
The recruiting process will be different depending on which division a coach is in. Division I schools are the most competitive and have the most significant budgets to spend when it comes to recruiting. Division I schools will have more resources to cast a wider net in searching for recruits, and they can be choosier when it comes to which recruits they pick. Division II is similar to Division I, while Division III universities aren’t subject to NCAA regulations. Division III schools have more flexibility in recruiting and emphasize the importance of academics as well as athletics.
Ways College Coaches Find Recruits
So college coaches have a lot of different ways they find potential recruits. But which way are they most likely to find you? Below are a few of the most common methods and how you can get yourself on a college coach’s radar.
Camps: One of the main ways that college coaches find recruits is at a college sports camp. Recruiting staff will send out invitations to student-athletes that they’re interested in seeing play in person. Then the college coach can evaluate student-athletes against others. At these camps, coaches are focusing on the athletes that they’ve already had their eye on. It’s a good idea to contact a college coach before attending their camp to establish a baseline relationship and gauge their interest in you.
Tournaments: When contacting coaches, let them know where they can watch you play. Tournaments are an opportunity to showcase your skills and catch a coach’s attention. Often, coaches will attend tournaments multiple weekends in a row, keeping tabs on a player that they’ve got their eye on to vet their skills. College coaches go into these events with a plan and a list of players who they’re interested in. It’s unlikely they’ll discover an athlete who they want to recruit by seeing them play at a tournament and not knowing who they are.
Highlight Film: Once a college coach is interested in learning more about you, they will watch your highlight video next. Your highlight video should be cut into short clips that catch a coach’s attention. You can also send coaches a video of a game that you’ve played, showing them how you interact on a team and the impact you had on a game.
High School Or Club Coaches: Your current coach can be a tremendous help during the recruiting process. They probably have relationships with college coaches and college recruiting staff and would be happy to connect you with them. Communicate your recruiting goals with your high school or club coach so they’ll know if they can help you. If a college coach ever watches one of your team’s games, your high school coach can point you out as a potential recruit. College coaches will then check out your highlight video, especially if you’ve already contacted them through an email or over the phone.
Email And Call: While college coaches receive hundreds of emails every recruiting season, they do use their inbox as a tool to find recruits. Sending an email introducing yourself with a link to your highlight video can be an excellent way to get a college coach’s attention. You can fill out the school’s recruiting questionnaire so that they have all your information in one place. Make sure you have an original subject line and are clear and concise in your emails. Don’t be afraid to send more than one email! Persistence shows a college coach how interested you are in their school. It’s appropriate to follow up on an email with a quick phone call to introduce yourself to a college coach. In any communication with a college coach, you want the coach to know your skill set and make it clear that you are interested in playing for them.
**Social Media:**Another way to reach out to college coaches is through social media. You can send college coaches DMs in a similar way that you would reach out with an email. A great social media profile that showcases your athletic ability and personality can be an asset when coaches are looking for recruits. Coaches also use social media to keep tabs on which student-athletes are getting offers from which schools. If you receive an offer from a school, you might want to post it on Twitter to incentivize another school to make an offer.
It can be overwhelming to think about how you will be noticed by a college coach with all the ways that college coaches find recruits. But it’s important to remember that college coaches will recruit players they have a relationship with. If you can put yourself into situations where you can start to develop a relationship with a college coach, you have a much better chance of being recruited.
What College Coaches Look For In Recruits
While there are many different ways for college coaches to find recruits, there are particular things that coaches are looking for in their student-athletes. Athletic skill sets will vary across sport and division, but there are some qualities that every coach will appreciate in a potential recruit.
Academics: College coaches look for a student-athlete who has strong time management skills and the ability to prioritize. These skills are essential for playing sports in college, so showing that you are already balancing school and sports well in high school can make you a stronger candidate for college coaches. Universities also have specific admissions requirements that you’ll need to pass, so performing well in academics is crucial.
Leadership: Another vital trait for potential recruits to develop is leadership. College coaches are looking for players who will step up and take the lead in tough situations. They want to see a player that is confident in their abilities and can motivate other players.
Character: College coaches are looking for players who have a strong character. They know the importance of a positive attitude and a strong work ethic. Players with strong character will represent the university well and be a positive influence on the team overall.
By showcasing these elements of your personality or skills, you can stand out among a crowd of other potential recruits.
How Do You Know If A College Coach Is Recruiting You?
With all these different ways to catch a college coach’s attention, it may seem like you’re about to take on a full-time job to be able to be recruited. But by being focused and picking up on the signs college coaches are giving you, you can hone in on developing relationships with the coaches that are most interested in you.
Receiving Recruiting Materials In The Mail: If you get a recruiting questionnaire from a school, this is a sign that the school wants you to know about their recruiting process, and they want to gauge your interest. However, schools send out lots of recruiting questionnaires every recruiting season. A more personalized letter from the college coach is a much more reliable sign that a coach is interested in giving you a spot on their roster.
Increase In Communication: If a coach is starting to reach out to you more, by either replying to your emails or returning your phone calls, it’s safe to say they’re interested in learning more about you as a player.
Official Visit: If they invite you on an official visit, this is a significant sign that a coach would like to give you an offer. An official visit is an all-expenses-paid trip to campus to meet with the team, talk one-on-one with the coach and tour the campus. Take this opportunity to see where you stand with the coach, and if you have a good chance of receiving an offer from the school.
If you’ve been able to build a relationship with a college coach, you will be able to tell if they’re recruiting you or not. Focus on contacting coaches early on in the recruiting process to develop that relationship over time.
Things To Keep In Mind
Offers: At the end of the recruiting process, your goal is to get an offer letter from a college coach. By putting yourself out there, contacting coaches and attending camps and tournaments, college coaches will be more likely to notice you and hopefully give you an offer.