What questions can I ask when calling a coach for the first time?
To help you prepare for your first contact with a coach it’s always a good idea to write out your questions ahead of time that way you can make sure you cover all your bases and you can easily take notes. The more you communicate with the coach, the easier it will be to figure out if you are both on the same page. Is there a connection between you and the coach? Do you feel comfortable? Is this someone you can imagine playing for? When you make first contact with them, you’ll want to make sure you walk away knowing the answers to these questions.
- Can I meet with you if I make an unofficial visit? Unofficial visits are vital to coaches. This is a great way for them to meet you in person before your senior year. If a coach doesn’t seem interested in meeting you while you’re on an unofficial visit, this might be very telling and will let you know that they are not interested in you as a recruit.
- Where do you typically evaluate your recruits? Coaches normally look at videos, but they always have particular tournaments, meets, showcases, or camps where they evaluate athletes. If you have a clearer picture of where a coach is going to be, then you can make your schedule available to be at those events as well.
- Do you have any camps, tournaments, or showcases you recommend I attend? This question sits hand in hand with the previous question you should ask. If they tell you to go to a certain camp or showcase, it not only means they use that particular event as an evaluation tool, but the athletes that go to those particular events are the caliber of athletes that they are looking for. This will give you a great gauge of where to be and how good you need to be.
- How is your recruiting class looking for your graduation year? This will allow you to know where you stand among your recruiting class. Coaches may not disclose who they’re recruiting and the depth that they’re recruiting for your particular position, but you will have a clearer picture of what to expect during your recruiting year.
- What is the best way for you to update them on your progress? You will want to make it as convenient as possible for coaches to get your updates. They all have preferred methods, and you’ll want to make sure you know what their preference is.
- What does it take to earn a scholarship from your program? Make sure you ask the coach up front what they are looking for in a recruit both academically and athletically. This will tell you right off the bat if you are a good fit for their program or where you will need to improve in order to line up with the rest of the team.
- What are good academic goals for your university? This will allow you to make sure that you are on target to qualify for the university on an academic level. Many times students meet or exceed athletic requirements for a program, but are denied recruitment because they don’t meet the academic qualifications for the university. Asking a coach what the academic requirements are, will let you know if you are even able to be recruited by them.
There are thousands of players who play at your level, so you have to decipher yourself from among the rest. Calling college coaches can help with this, because it shows your interest in their program. Taking time out of your day to make a phone call can have a major impact.
If you have more questions you can contact me on Google+ (my email is listed there) or create a recruiting profile on our site so a national scout can contact you.
More information on contacting college coaches
How to get recruited and find a scholarship
The 5 things you need to know about the NCAA recruiting calendar