When it comes to reaching out to college coaches during the recruiting process, email has made things easier than ever. You have the time to work up the perfect email to introduce yourself and share your profile and highlight video. Coaches can view and respond to those emails with just a few clicks, practically anywhere, anytime. But, if you’re not getting any responses, consider these four possibilities as to why that might be, and adjust your strategy accordingly.
You Need To Cast A Bigger Net
The standard strategy for a recruit is to develop your target list of the four or five schools where you might want to attend and compete. But, if you’ve sent several emails to each of those schools and received no response, then it might be time to expand your search. Doing so doesn’t mean you can’t continue to pursue your preferred schools but, as your recruiting window is relatively short, you should always be proactive in pursuit of the schools that are interested in you.
Further, as you reach out to the other schools, check out their websites, and compare yourself to their current team members to see if you’d be the right fit. And don’t forget your academic standing. Make sure your GPA and ACT or SAT scores mesh with the standards of the schools you’re considering.
Personalize Your Introductory Emails
For a college coach, a copy-and-paste email is roughly one step away from being considered “spam.” If your introductory emails were impersonal, mass emails, try personalizing each email you send by tailoring your message around that coach and their school. You still want to include all your pertinent data, such as your position, stat line, GPA, test scores, and references, but you should also include details that show you’ve done your research and have a genuine interest in that school. Just as you can’t cut corners on the field, your introductory emails should also reflect a full effort on your part.
Update Your Highlight Video
If you’re in your junior or senior year, but your highlight video still has lots of clips from 9th grade, chances are, your highlight reel needs updating. You may have stood tall over the competition at age 14, but remember that coaches are recruiting you at age 17 or 18, and trying to project how you’ll develop from age 19 to 22. Make sure your highlight video always reflects your most recent standout performances so coaches can accurately assess your skills in relation to your teammates and your competition.
In addition, consider the quality of your highlight video. It’s important that you stand out, and for coaches looking at 100 videos a day, hastily assembled, low-quality footage of you won’t help your case or generate email responses. If your highlight video needs to be better quality, ask your parents or coaches to help you put together a new one that will help you jump off the screen and onto a coach’s radar.
Check The Calendar
Assuming you’ve got what they’re looking for, your introductory email was personalized and thoughtful, and your highlight reel is current, coaches may not be responding simply because of NCAA regulations. If you’ve emailed coaches before September 1 of your junior year, NCAA DI and DII coaches are prohibited from responding to you. Those coaches can still receive your email and review your profile and highlight video, but if the calendar says it’s too early, they won’t be able to respond. Check the NCAA recruiting calendar for your sport to see when coaches can reply to you. And, if you find yourself in a period where a coach can’t reply, consider what you can do to improve your profile, your messaging, your GPA, and your highlight reel. That way, when coaches can respond, you’ll be at the top of their contact list.
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