A: Each coaching staff splits recruiting responsibilities, normally by location, position or grad year. For this reason, it is a big time and energy-saver to begin the process by contacting the coach who is responsible for recruiting your hometown or position. Once the recruiting coach has done their research on you, the position coach has done their evaluation, your transcripts have been evaluated and the staff is sold on you as a player, they will take your information to the head coach and your recruitment will go from there.
Head coaches play a major role in recruiting but the head coach usually interacts with players who have offers from that school, or are on the verge of getting an offer.
Coaches need a REASON to come see you as a prospective student-athlete, it’s an investment of their time and resources and they are very selective about how they spend their time. Coaches are investing travel time, flights, hotel stays, nights away from their family, practice time with their players – they need a reason to come see you.
To have a reason, they need a basic understanding of you as a player and student. They must see you play first (film, tournament, games, camps) or have heard great things about you from trusted sources (combine results, scouting services, prep coaches in your area).
You can contact them directly and send them your film (14 TIPS FOR YOUR HIGHLIGHT TAPE) andStudent-Athlete Resume, along with a copy of your upcoming schedule. You can ask your HS/AAU/Club coaches to reach out to them, send film and give them their evaluations and recommendations.
If college coaches like what they see on film or like what they hear from their trusted sources and prep coaches, and you fit a need they have for that signing class, they will do more research into you and eventually will come see you in person for themselves. Again, you need to give them a REASON to come see you. They won’t devote the travel time and resources to just come by your school to check you out—they want to already have an idea that you might be a fit for their program.
