How to talk to coaches

The whole recruiting conversation in five steps, from knowing when coaches can contact you to meeting them in person.

Talking to college coaches gets easier once you know what each step looks like. This guide walks through the whole conversation in order, with a full article for each step.

Step 1Know when coaches can contact you

The NCAA decides when coaches can call, text or meet you, and it depends on your division, sport and grad year. Before your contact date you can still email coaches, fill in their questionnaires and go to their camps; you just won’t get personal replies yet.

Read: NCAA recruiting periods, explained

Step 2Write an intro email worth answering

Coaches decide in seconds whether to keep reading. Lead with your numbers, show you know their program in one sentence, keep it short, and finish with a question they can answer.

Read: How to write an intro email coaches actually read

Step 3Follow up when a coach goes quiet

Silence usually means “not yet”, not “no”. Give the coach time, then follow up with something new instead of asking whether they saw your last email.

Read: When to follow up with a coach

Step 4Keep coaches up to date

Send real news: where you’re playing next, new numbers and new video. If a coach could come and watch it, they want to hear about it.

Read: What updates to send college coaches

Step 5Move from email to texts, calls and visits

Once a coach engages, ask how they’d like to stay in touch. Keep texts short, sign your first one, schedule calls ahead, and plan to meet coaches in person at events and visits.

Read: From email to texts, calls and visits