Reaching out to college coaches can be kind of similar to online dating, between typing out the perfect email or bio, trying your best to impress, and attempting to sound interested but too needy. How do you know if a coach is playing hard to get?
It can be difficult to find the right balance of communication when it comes to reaching out to coaches. You want to be sure to keep coaches updated on things like academic accolades, tournament/games dates, and campus visits. Let's be honest, sometimes most coaches aren't the best at responding, but how do you know when they're just not interested?
Related: Example Email to College Coaches
No Response
If a coach is interested in you as a recruit, they will be actively communicating with you. College coaches are incredibly busy, so it's normal for a few weeks to go by without a response, but coaches do also prioritize recruits. So, if it's been a few weeks and the coach isn't responding to you, they're probably just not interested.
Related: 4 Tips to Stay in Touch with Coaches During the Recruiting Process
No Invite For An Official Visit
Is the coach responding to you but doesn't seem all that engaged? Odds are you're being strung along. A major indication that a coach is interested in you is when they invite you to take an official visit. This means the coach wants you. They want to introduce you to the team and have you on campus. If a coach doesn't extend the invite by your senior year, they're probably just not interested.
Related: Dos and Don'ts of Campus Overnight Visits
No Invite To A Camp
A lot of coaches host camps in order to find recruiting prospects. If you receive an invite, this typically means that you are on a coach's radar. A coach may even extend the invite directly if they're very interested in you as a recruit. If you've reached out to the coach and don't get invited to their camp, they're not interested in recruiting you.
Sends General Recruiting Information
Around recruiting season, coaches will send out general recruiting materials and questionnaires to hundreds of student-athletes. Coaches use this to gather information about the recruiting process. This general email does not necessarily mean a coach is interested in you. This means that you are in a very large pool of recruits. If they were interested in you, the email will be more personal and directly from them.
Accepting a coach isn't interested in you is a tough pill to swallow, but it's all a part of the recruiting process. Keep your head high and keep on reaching out, the perfect match will be made eventually!
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* Originally published on November 26, 2021, by Madison Machado
