Should You Call College Coaches?
Some of the most common advice given to potential recruits is to begin reaching out to college coaches early. One of the most effective ways to do that is with a phone call. But it can be intimidating to reach out to college coaches without knowing them, especially over the phone. It can seem like one phone call won’t make that much of a difference. So should you call college coaches?
The short answer is yes, you should call college coaches. Picking up the phone can set you apart from other potential recruits and help coaches get to know you better. It’s also an excellent opportunity to learn more about the coach and their program. Generally, it’s a good idea to reach out to a college coach by email first and express interest in their team. This email is a great way to break the ice and let a coach know you’ll be following up with a phone call.
For some student-athletes, it might be too early to call college coaches. College coaches are restricted from speaking with student-athletes before June 15 of their sophomore year or September 1 of their junior year, depending on their sport. Early on in high school, your time will be better spent developing your athletic skills and researching schools rather than calling college coaches.
Why Should You Call College Coaches?
Depending on your sport, by the time you reach your sophomore or junior year, you will probably be focusing on connecting with college coaches. Calling coaches is a great way to move the recruiting process forward for a few reasons. Here are some of the most important reasons why you should call college coaches.
Develop Relationship With Coach: Recruiting is all about relationships. Not only will getting to know coaches help you get on their radar, but it will also aid you in deciding which school to attend. By building a relationship with a coach, they will have a better understanding of your skills and how you might fit in on the team. You also have more information about what the coach is like and their coaching style, which can help you decide on one school over another.
Learn More About Program: Another reason to call a college coach is to ask them any questions you have about the recruiting process, their program in general and their coaching style. It’s more comfortable and more natural to ask these questions over the phone, as compared to an email, and you might get more insight into how the team interacts with each other or what on-campus life is like. During the phone call, you can have a conversation with the coach about the aspects you like about the program and communicate why you think you would be a good fit for the team.
Stand Out From Other Recruits: With forms of digital communication becoming more available and more popular, it’s less common for coaches to get phone calls from recruits. If you call a coach, you can get on the coach’s radar more efficiently and stand out from other recruits who are only emailing coaches or just hoping that coaches will find them. Phone calls are a natural place for your personality to shine through, so you can also set yourself apart by just being yourself.
Calling coaches can be a significant factor in a successful recruiting journey. Phone calls can help you build a stronger relationship with a college coach and help you decide which school to choose. The most important thing to remember is to be confident and respectful during a phone call with a college coach.
How To Talk To A College Coach
One of the most nerve-wracking parts of a phone call with a coach is thinking about what to say. You might not exactly know what you want to ask or where to start. It’s always best to start by emailing the coach to gauge their interest in you as a potential recruit. You can also let the coach know the specific time you will call in an email so that they have a head’s up.
Introduction: Begin by introducing yourself, including your name, position, class year and high school. You should also let the coach know why you’re calling right away to be respectful of their time. You can tell the coach you’re following up on the email you previously sent and ask for their feedback on your highlight video or athletic statistics.
Express Interest: It’s important to tell the coach that you’re interested in playing on their team during this phone call. The coach will probably assume this, but it can help to list specific reasons why you want to play for the school, whether it’s the coach, the team’s record or overall college atmosphere. Personalizing your calls with coaches shows your commitment to the university and ability to put in the extra time to do your research.
Ask Questions: One of the most valuable parts of a phone call with a coach is the chance to ask some questions. This is one of the best ways besides visiting the school to find out what kind of academic environment the school has, what the team dynamic is like and how the coach likes to recruit. You can also ask what the recruiting class looks like for your year to see if the coach has any potential recruits.
End The Call: You should end your phone call by thanking the coach for their time and giving them an action step, like where they can watch you play next or if you’ll be planning an unofficial visit soon.
If you don’t get the chance to have a full conversation with a coach over the phone, don’t worry. Sometimes a coach may not have time to talk with you right at the moment you call. Coaches have hectic schedules and have to balance many different responsibilities. Try to see if you can schedule a better time to talk, but if they’re not available any time soon, you can always send them an email to reschedule.
How To Prepare For Calling College Coaches
If you’ve decided that it’s a good time for you to call a few college coaches, you can start by doing some research. Preparing ahead can alleviate some of the anxiety you might feel before calling a coach.
Write Down Questions: You should have some questions that you’re thinking about asking the coach on your phone call. Write down anything that you think might be helpful to know as you go into the recruiting process. Then, when you have an awkward pause in the conversation, or you forget what you wanted to ask, you have something to refer back to.
Create A Script: If it’s helpful, you can write a script for yourself based on the primary points listed in the last section. For some people, it might feel unnatural and distracting to read from a script, so do what works best for you. If possible, it can be helpful to take notes during the call.
Minimize Distractions: Place your phone call from a quiet place where you know you won’t be disturbed or interrupted. Sometimes just being in a quiet room can help you focus on the call and be less nervous.
By taking some time before making the call to organize yourself, you can be much more confident over the phone. Coaches want to recruit players that are self-assured and open to learning and growing. Making a phone call can make a great first impression on a coach. Even if you are a bit nervous, coaches have been through the recruiting process and understand how intimidating it can be for student-athletes.
Things To Keep In Mind
Voicemail: If you get a coach’s voicemail, leave them with the same information that you would if you were introducing yourself during a real-time conversation. Leave your name, the reason why you’re calling and your contact information. You can also follow up with an email to try to schedule a better time for a call.
Parents: Some parents wonder if they should call college coaches instead of their children. However, most college coaches prefer to talk with student-athletes rather than their parents. It can look like the parent is over-involved in the recruiting process, and the player isn’t interested in playing sports in college. After all, the student-athletes are the ones being recruited.
Current Coach: Your current coach can be a great resource for you as you connect with college coaches. Your high school or club coach can set up a call between you and a college coach if you can’t get in contact with them another way.