Emailing College Coaches During the Coronavirus Recruiting Dead Period

With in-person recruiting suspended through May 31, digital communication is one of the few ways that college coaches and recruits can connect.

A recruit’s approach to emailing college coaches will vary depending on grad year. Find your grad year below to see how you can best utilize email to connect with college coaches.

Email Tips for the High School Class of 2020

2020 seniors still trying to secure a roster spots should first focus on reaching out to coaches at schools where they’ve already been accepted.

Start your email by letting the coach know you’ve already received an acceptance letter. Then, briefly explain why you’re interested in the program and how you can impact the team. Remember that your impact doesn’t have to focus primarily on your athletic ability, you can and should highlight your leadership abilities and academics. Conclude your email with key information, including GPA, club/high school team details, sport-specific stats and relevant measurables.

If college coaches aren’t engaging with your emails, it might be time to try a different approach. Many programs may no longer have athletic scholarships available, especially with the NCAA’s recent promise of eligibility relief, but programs may still have walk on availability. To find out if a program has walk on availability, research the team’s coaching staff and identify the person who is in charge of walk on recruits. Focus on gathering information about the program’s walk on process and if this is a viable option.

As college coaches continue to fill last-chance roster spots and NCSA is supporting these coaches by providing a list of top unsigned seniors. Learn more about this list and how to be added to it here.

Email Tips for the High School Class of 2021

While recruiting tournaments, showcases and camps, as well as official and unofficial visits, remain on hold indefinitely, college coaches are more heavily relying on digital communication to reach out to 2021 recruits.

If you’re not already communicating with college coaches via email, it’s time to send an introductory email to get on the coach’s radar. Make your email stand out with a subject line that includes your most impressive stats (i.e. 2021 OPP, 9'8" APP, Premier VB Academy, video attached). Within the email, include a link to your NCSA Recruiting Profile and highlight video to help coaches evaluate their fit for their program. And don’t be afraid to ask question about the coaches’ approach to training during quarantine. This is a good way to demonstrate commitment to growth and resilience in the face of adversity.

If you’ve already talking to coaches, focus on nurturing these relationships by checking email daily and taking no longer than 24 hours to respond.

Email Tips for the High School Class of 2022-2023

Underclassmen are seeing very little immediate change in the recruiting process when it comes to emailing college coaches. Keep sending introductory emails to the coaching staff at your reach, target and safety schools. The only change you should be making is in the conclusion, where you would typically let the coach know about your upcoming competition schedule. Instead, share highlight video for the coach to watch and also emphasize your commitment to staying in shape while sporting events and practices are on hold.