What Is The Best Time To Call A College Coach?
So you’ve decided that you’re going to call a college coach. You want to stand out from other potential recruits and show how interested you are in a school. But does it matter when you call and what is the best time to call a college coach?
The best time to call a college coach is usually during the evenings, between 6pm and 9pm. Coaches are very busy, balancing hosting practices and coaching their team with recruiting new student-athletes. Calling later in the day ensures that they’ll be done with their practice for the day.
Another good time to call a coach is early in the morning, around 8am to 10am when they are going through emails or working on paperwork. Coaches may be more likely to answer their phone in the mornings versus during the day when they’re coaching their team. If you’re calling during the offseason, a coach’s schedule will be less busy, so calling during the middle of the day might be a good idea.
Other Times To Call A Coach
Besides the time of day, there are a few other things to consider before making your phone call.
Junior Year: It’s more strategic to call a coach after you’ve had some experience playing in high school, especially if you’re targeting a Division II or Division III school. Calling as an upperclassman gives the coach more urgency in calling you back because you’ll be graduating sooner. NCAA regulations prevent coaches from contacting student-athletes before June 15 or September 1 of their junior year, depending on the division. Calling after those dates can be helpful because the coach can call you back if they miss your call the first time. Before your junior year, coaches can answer the phone, but they can’t initiate contact.
Early In The Week: Calling earlier in the week, on Mondays or Tuesdays, may give you an advantage in catching a coach when they’re free. Take a look at the coach’s game schedule before making a call to avoid calling on a game day or right before a game.
After Doing Research: It’s important to research the busiest times of the year for your sport and the division you’re targeting to find out the busiest times of the year. It’s a good bet that coaches will be more available during the off-season or summer, no matter the division or sport. You should also research the school thoroughly before calling the coach, so you can mention specific reasons for why you are interested in the program.
Send An Email First: By the time you decide to start calling college coaches, you should have sent an introductory email. That way, the coach will recognize your name when you call and have access to your athletic stats and highlight video. Sending an email is also a good conversation starter, allowing you to follow up on the email during your call to get feedback on your athletic info. You can even tell the coach when you’ll be calling in the email so they can expect your call.
Even if you follow all of this advice, you still might get a coach’s voicemail when you call. Remember to be polite, but persistent in reaching out to a coach. They want to see your dedication to their program.
Reasons To Follow Up WIth A College Coach?
You probably know that you should call a college coach to stand out from other recruits, but there are some other great reasons to give a coach a call. Finding regular reasons to contact a coach keeps you top of mind for the coach and establishes a consistent rhythm to your communication.
Update To Your Highlight Video: If you have any updates to your highlight video or new game film to share, you can reach out to college coaches for their feedback. Likewise, if you have any significant increases in performance or new personal best, definitely let the coach know. It may change their perception of how you’d fit on their team.
To Congratulate The Coach: It’s appropriate to give a coach a call or send them an email to congratulate them on a big win or successful season. Keeping up with schools that you’re interested in playing for is important so that you can make connections like this.
If You’ll Be On Campus: To plan an unofficial visit, you’ll have to reach out to the coach to schedule a meeting. If the coach is interested in having you as a potential recruit, they’ll find some time to sit down and chat with you. During this type of phone call, you’ll be more focused on logistics and scheduling a good time for both of you, so take a look at your calendar before to avoid double-booking yourself.
The reason you’re calling a coach will significantly change what you’re going to say to them, so make sure you know what your goal is before you make the call. The best reason to call a coach is to develop your relationship with them. Recruiting is all about building great connections, and taking the time to call a coach can go a long way.
What If You Can’t Get In Touch With A Coach?
Don’t worry too much about timing out your calls to college coaches. If a coach is interested in you, they’ll get back to you when they can. In the meantime, here are some things you can do to increase your chances of getting a call back from a coach.
Leave A Voicemail: If you get a coach’s voicemail the first time you call, you should leave a short message to let them know who you are and why you called. Your message can be very similar to what you would say if you had them on the phone. Make sure you leave your name, phone number and let the coach know when you’ll call again. Writing out what you will say ahead of time can be helpful if you’re afraid you’ll leave something out.
Send An Email: If you haven’t heard from a coach for a few days after leaving a voicemail, you can send a follow-up email. In your email, you can let the coach know why you called and link your highlight video again, so it’s easily accessible. Depending on whether you are a senior or junior, you may contact the coach at a different frequency. Seniors will likely want to reach out every couple of weeks, while juniors can call once a month.
Rely On Your Current Coach: If you still can’t get in touch with a coach, you can ask your high school or club coach for their help. They might have professional connections at the school you’re targeting that they can reach out to. Your current coach can also call the college coach for you and set up a time for you to talk.
Even if you can’t get a hold of a coach after timing out your call perfectly, you still have a chance at talking with them. Be respectful but consistent when communicating with college coaches. A coach will recognize your effort even if they don’t have the time to respond right away.
Things To Keep In Mind
Minimize Distractions: When you’re on the phone with a college coach, be sure to limit distractions in the environment around you. Make your phone calls in a quiet place where you can concentrate on what you want to say to the coach.
Parents: Parents often wonder if they should be making the phone calls to coaches. However, student-athletes should be the ones who call college coaches so that they can build a relationship with a coach. Calling college coaches takes confidence and time management skills that are important to play sports in college.
No Response: If you don’t hear back from a college coach, don’t sweat it. Move on and focus on targeting other schools. Your goal during recruiting is to find the school that is the best fit for you, so if you don’t get a response from a coach, you know that school wasn’t for you.