With the club season over, many players and parents are now wondering what should they do in terms of keeping contact with college coaches. I have asked numerous coaches for advice on the subject. Here are some of the responses:
Communication: According to one college coach, players should be "proactive by emailing, calling and even texting coaches to express interest". This coach went on to say that although coaches can not respond to text messages, they still show that recruits are interested. "Facebook is the best thing going right now.... It's more personal than email but not as quick as a text", states one particular D1 coach. Beginning on September 1st of a players junior year, they can be contacted via email and Facebook. This coach also liked the opportunities of getting to know a kid via Twitter by using person to person messages.
A different college coach preferred not to receive text messages from recruits as it may lead to quick instinctive replies which could be a violation. However, this coach also trumpeted the use of Facebook and Twitter in the communication process. The downside of the social media communication leads to another piece of advice.
Enthusiasm: One coach describes how recruits can really turn a coaching staff off by not "seeming" interested. This coach went on to explain that many recruits lack the communication skills that should be expected by a young adult. This coach feels that frequent communication on social media sites have left kids unable to effectively speak with adults. This can lead to schools moving on to recruits that are better equipped to relate their interest effectively.
One coach advises kids to be specific with schools when contacting them by doing your homework. Knowing what educational opportunities, style of offenses, and player personnel are all helpful in showing a college program that you are serious about them. Mentioning how you(high school player) and your game is similar to a former player of that institution can go a long way.
Introductions: If a player has not been sent a questionnaire or communication by a school but would like to be recruited by them, mama or daddy may not be the best option. One D1 coach states that they are more likely to take a look at unsolicited inquiries if contacted by a high school or club coach. This coach went on to explain that many programs will not simply ignore a call from a club or high school coach in Texas because they do not want to alienate grass roots coaches in such a talent rich state.
