Connecting with College & University Coaches
This is the 5th part of a mini-series on Tips for High School Runners.
Catch up on the previous topics in the mini-series:
Unless you are one of the top performers in your event nationwide (or worldwide) who are sought out by college coaches, it’s your responsibility to introduce yourself to coaches at the schools of your interest. Don’t wait to be recruited, because many coaches probably don’t know about you.
Here are some ways to reach out to college and university coaches.
Option 1. A Paid Service
There are services available that do the work of contacting coaches on behalf of student-athletes. These services send e-mails out to several institutions and include performance stats, GPA, and sometimes an additional message from the prospective recruit.
Option 2. Online Interest Form
Search the websites of the schools you’re interested for a Prospective Recruit Form (it might be called something different). If an online form is available, complete and submit the form. Keep in mind that this form may not reach the specific coach you intend to contact. For example, the head coach may see these forms, but perhaps not the coach of your event area. This isn’t an excuse to skip this step! But this is why I highly recommend a personalized correspondence sent directly to the coach you want to reach, in addition to this form.
Option 3. Personal Correspondence
Write a personal e-mail (or make a phone call) introducing yourself and why you are interested in the school. (Look up the contact information for the coach(es) in their institution’s online staff directory.)
If you aren’t sure exactly what to say or why you’re interested in the school, do some research! Learn about the history of the team as well as the academic offerings of an institution. Then you’ll able to explain (specifically) what attracted you to the school.
This option requires the most intentionality and time investment on behalf of a student-athlete, but it’s very obvious when a student athlete has made an effort to personalize their correspondence and it will help you stand out. It is also very clear when someone has used the same letter for multiple schools, simply changing the names.
If you have video of yourself running or racing, include it. Make the video easy to access and view (no downloading or searching for relevant timestamp). It should be very clear who you are in the video.
Keeping these suggestions in mind, do not write an essay. Long emails will simply be scanned over. Include all relevant information such as academic eligibility, GPA, athletic performance stats, age and grade.
End with your specific “ask.” Make it clear why you wrote or called, and what you are looking for. Do you want the coach to phone you? Do you want an e-mail reply? Do you want to know if your stats measure up for a scholarship? Are you asking about the possibility of walking-on to the team?
Option 4. Enlist Your High School Coach
Ask your coach to reach out to coaches on your behalf. Follow up with your own personal correspondence too — don’t expect your coach to do your work.
Coaches can ask your high school coach about your training and attitude. The coach’s perspective can be incredibly helpful in the recruiting process, and your high school coach is essentially a reference for you. Develop the habits of exceptional high school runners and you’ll give your coach a lot of good things to say about you!
Bottom Line
No matter how you reach out to a school or coach, it is possible that you will receive no response. This could be because the school’s recruiting class is full, your stats (either athletic or academic) do not measure up to the school’s standard, or because the school does not have any scholarship money left to offer. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of poor timing. For example, do not email or phone coaches the week of their conference championships.
Making the effort to follow up at least 1-2 times via voice message or email if you are very serious about a school. The answer may still be “no” but you may succeed in speaking directly with a coach who can give you more context or even offer suggestions about club teams, other schools that may be a better fit, or the opportunity of becoming a walk-on in the future.
Upcoming Topics
Choosing an Institution - what to consider during the recruiting process.
Role of the Parents - what helps and hurts your child’s chances from the perspective of a coach.
Freshman Year - Tips for success and adjustment during the first year of college/university.
Nicole Sifuentes is a full-time Running Coach for adults of all ages and abilities. She is a former professional runner and 2-time Olympian, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Read more about her services, and schedule your free coaching consultation.