How to Contact College Coaches to Get Recruited

In this guide, we provide a step-by-step process for contacting college coaches, including what to say, how to prepare, and when coaches are allowed to contact you as an athlete. Read on to learn the rules and best practices for contacting college coaches, and a simple, four-step process for maximizing your contact with them.

Contacting college coaches: When you can contact them, and when they can contact you

There are rules about when coaches at NCAA Division I and Division II programs can contact athletes. For most sports, coaches cannot make their first contact with an athlete until June 15 after your sophomore year. In other sports, coaches must wait until September 1 of your junior year.

After that time, there are specific periods where coaches can contact you. More on that in the section below.

Here’s the good news: You don’t have to wait for a college coach to contact you. You can start contacting them to help them get to know you and your athletic achievements.

When to start contacting college coaches: Your timeline

While coaches can’t start contacting athletes until they are rising juniors, you can start reaching out to coaches sooner. Here’s a general timeline to plan your contact with coaches:

Rising Freshman

After eighth grade, talk to your parents, coaches, and school guidance counselors about which schools and programs could be right for you. Make a target list of the coaches at these programs. You can fill out recruiting questionnaires for these schools on their teams’ websites. 

Follow the coaches from your list on social media, and go to the websites of each team’s athletics department to find their contact information. You can usually search the university’s name with “athletics department staff directory” to find a list of email addresses that will include your target coach’s contact info. You can also search for coaches’ contact information on NCSA’s message center.

Rising Sophomores

For most recruits, this is the time to start introducing yourself to coaches on your target list. You’ll start by sending an introductory email. Grab the list of email addresses you’ve made for your target schools, and use the guide below under the Four-Step Plan for Contacting College Coaches to craft an email that will get the coaches’ attention.

Make or update a recruiting profile for yourself with NCSA, or other sites. An NCSA profile is free, and hundreds of coaches can search and find information on you there.

Rising Juniors

For most sports at the DI and DII levels, this is the time when coaches can start to contact you and reply to your messages. Continue to send introductory emails to coaches, and make follow-up calls using tips from the Four-Step Plan below. 

You should also prepare for the questions coaches might ask you on phone calls, and have a list of your own questions to ask each coach. Check out these guides to calling and emailing coaches for more tips. 

Rising Seniors

During this time, you should continue to nurture and grow the relationships you’ve established with coaches during the previous two years. Continue to update coaches on your stats, your academic achievements, and your training and athletic progress via texts, emails, phone calls, visits, and social media posts. See below for more details on what to say, and how much to say.

When college coaches can contact you

As mentioned above, coaches at NCAA Division I and Division II programs can only start contacting athletes after their sophomore year—depending on the sport, either on June 15 when you’re a rising junior, or after September 1. NAIA schools don’t have these restrictions, and can contact athletes at any time.

After that, there are times during each year when coaches can contact you, and when they can’t:

During contact periods, coaches can contact you in almost any way: They can call, email, text, and DM you. They can watch you compete. They can visit your high school. And they can meet with you and your family, either on their campus or in other locations.

During evaluation periods, coaches can contact you in all the same ways as in a “contact period,” but they can only meet with you and your family on their campus, not at your home or elsewhere.

During quiet periods, coaches can call, email, text, and DM you, and they can meet with you and your parents on their campus. But they can’t visit your high school or watch you compete.

During dead periods, coaches cannot meet you face to face. They can only call, email, text, or DM you.

How to contact college coaches for recruiting: Your step-by-step plan

Step 1: Start the conversation with an email

What it is: A well-structured email that gives a coach all your important information in one message, including your graduation year, position, and a description of you as a player and student.

What to say: Start with a summary subject line that includes lots of information in 50 characters or less. For a volleyball player, the subject line could look like this: “Emily Taylor: 2027 Libero, Digging & Passing Skills, 30 ACT, Video”

Then tell the coach about yourself, your athletic and academic career, and your desire to learn more about their program. See these articles on calling college coaches and emailing college coaches for tips on crafting effective subject lines, and to view sample emails that you can use as inspiration.

Step 2: Continue contact with a phone call

What it is: A call to follow up on your email, speak to the coach, and discuss your achievements and college goals in more detail. This call can only occur once the contact period for your class has started. Check the recruiting calendar for your sport to make sure the coach can talk to you.

What to say: Wait one to three days after sending your email to make this call. When you do, be prepared. Practice with family or friends, and write down some of the following:

• An introduction of yourself, including why you’re interested in their program.

• Questions about the program for the coach.

• Answers to common questions about yourself: Your stats, grades, classes, and others. 

For sample scripts and commonly asked questions, see these articles on calling college coaches and emailing college coaches.

Step 3: Promptly respond to letters, emails and texts from college coaches

What it is: Coaches may write you an email or a letter, or they may send a recruiting questionnaire. These questionnaires may ask for information about you, including: 

• Your name, and your parents’ or guardians’ names

• Your height and weight

• The sports you play

• Academic information, like your GPA and ACT or SAT scores

• Your NCAA ID or Eligibility Center certification

• Links to your recruiting profiles

• Your stats, honors, and awards

• Your social media accounts

Coaches use these questionnaires—as well as camp performance, and even which athletes respond to their letters and messages—to narrow their lists of potential recruits.

What to do: Respond to any messages, letters, or questionnaires from coaches promptly and professionally.  If a coach contacts you, and you’re not interested in their program, don’t ghost them. You should still respond: Tell them that you appreciate their interest, and politely let them know why you’re not interested in their program at this time.

Here’s an example of a “no” reply from NCSA Recruiting Coach, Raquel Vescovi:

"Thank you so much for reaching out and for considering me as a potential recruit for your (sport) program. I truly appreciate your interest and the time you took to connect with me.

After giving it some thought, I’ve decided not to move forward with your school at this time because [insert your reason here — e.g., "the location isn’t the right fit for me" / "the school doesn’t offer my intended major" / "I’m looking for a co-ed environment" / "the size of the school isn’t quite what I’m looking for"].

I’m very grateful for the opportunity, and if anything changes in the future, I’ll be sure to reach back out. I wish you and your team all the best this season and beyond."

Step 4: Keep the conversation going with updates

What it is: Your introductory email and call let the coach know that you’re interested, and got you on their radar. Staying in touch during contact and non-contact periods keeps you there.

What to do: Keep the coach updated on your progress. Send them highlight videos, updates on your grades, updated stats, and other achievements. Respond to their messages. This will let the coach know you’re still interested.

Conclusion

Contacting college coaches, and staying in touch with them, helps improve your potential as a recruit. To make the most of contact with coaches:

• Make a plan of which coaches you’d like to contact, and learn about their programs.

• Send a succinct introductory email that describes you and your athletic journey.

• Follow up with a call, being prepared to ask and answer questions.

• Respond to messages from coaches promptly and professionally.

• Stay in touch with coaches to let them know you’re interested, providing updated stats and videos.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can high school athletes contact college coaches?

Yes. Athletes can contact coaches at any time. Coaches can’t always respond, though. They must wait until athletes are rising juniors (either June 15 or September 1 after their sophomore season, depending on the sport), and can only start contacting athletes during the “contact period” of the recruiting calendar.

When can college coaches contact athletes?

For most NCAA D1 sports, coaches can start contacting recruits on either June 15 after their sophomore year or September 1 of their junior year, depending on the sport. Athletes should check the NCAA recruiting rules for their specific sport as they vary. For NCAA D2 sports, coaches can reach out at any time.

Should I contact the head coach, or an assistant coach?

For D1 programs, start by contacting the recruiting coordinator. If there isn’t a recruiting coordinator, reach out to a position coach for your position, or the associate or assistant head coach. For smaller programs, reach out to the head coach.

How long do coaches take to respond to recruits?

Coaches usually respond within one or two weeks. If it’s a busy time of year for the coach, though, like during the season or the playoffs, responses may be slower.

What if the coach doesn’t respond to my email?

If a coach doesn’t respond to your email after a few weeks, send a follow-up email. If the coach doesn’t reply to your follow-up email within a few weeks, ask your coach or guidance counselor to help; the college coach may not be receiving your email, or they may be busy at that time.

Can I contact a coach before my sophomore year is over?

A: Yes, but if it’s an NCAA DI or DII program, the coach cannot respond directly. Coaches can’t contact athletes until they’re rising juniors. If you’re a younger recruit, your club or high school coach may be able to talk to a college coach, but the college coach can’t speak with you or your parents directly.