Be very up front with coaches about your timeline, it’s a factor they will work to understand and college coaches will often ask you, your prep coaches, your family and those close to you about. Coaches are trying to understand HOW you are planning to do your research and WHEN you are planning on making a decision.
Think about it… do you want to decide early and get all of the drama over before your senior season or do you want to focus on your season first and then decide after you are done playing? If you are an elite player, most schools will wait as long as you need if they are THAT interested. Some schools may let you know that they have to move on if you haven’t decided by a specific deadline. No matter what your timeline is, it’s best to be open and honest with the coaches who are recruiting you about your timeline and when you plan to make a decision to commit.
Most coaches will keep it real with you about how long they are willing to wait if you keep it real with them about your timeline and how you want to handle the process. If you don’t tell them directly, they’ll definitely be asking everyone around you, and those people may not be able to give them the correct answer. They just want to understand you and it’s always best if they hear that information directly from you.
On a few occasions, I’ve worked with coaches who held out for better players and were rejected just days before Signing Day—or at the end of the actual day! That opened the door for one or two other recruits who got the offer after a year or more of waiting. If you are in this situation, you are going to have to be very patient and understand that that offer may never come. It’s important that you understand the system and make the best decision possible for you based on your preferences. You may be waiting for that date with a supermodel, and that call may never come. Don’t let the great school-next-door get away!
