How to Reach Out To A College Athletic Coach

There are two main ways for student athletes to reach out to college coaches: through the college athletics website or via direct email.





Nearly every collegiate athletic program has a questionnaire form on their page. Students should take a rainy afternoon to fill it out for each college that they're interested in. But they should also take it a step further by emailing the coach. Of course, coaches don't have a ton of time to read emails (or respond!), so how can students get through to them? Give them what they want. 


Here's a list of things to include in the introductory email. Your student should be sure to touch on all these points, but keep it short and sweet!


  • Full name
  • High school
  • Year of graduation
  • Contact info (email and cell phone number—coaches love to text!)
  • Academic info (GPA and test scores; if you don't have test scores, let them know if you have a projected date to take one)
  • Any of your athletic stats that make you stand out
  • Links to your videos/profile/sports-related social media
  • Let them know you’ve filled out their questionnaire (you should do that first!)
  • Look to see if they're hosting a prospect camp; then either let them know you'd like to join, or, if you can't find it, ask them if they'll be hosting one.
  • School and/or club coach contact information


Because coaches can't travel right now, they're using the website questionnaires and emails to reach more potential athletes. Your student can use these two points of contact, along with their video presence, and they'll be on the right track.


SAMPLE EMAIL



Note: This is a sample email; students should use their own words! 

Dear Coach _______,

My name is John Smith, and I am a pitcher at BEST High School in Austin, TX. I am a strong student (class of 2022) with mostly A’s and a GPA of 3.65.  While I have not had the opportunity to take the SAT or ACT yet, I have a plan in place to take them in March 2021. 

To give you a quick run down… [stats here!]. You can see my profile at… [link to profile].

I have attended an information session with the admissions office at XYZ University, and I believe it is a great fit for me because ____________________________.  I've filled out the questionnaire on XYZ's website, and it would be my privilege to play for you at an upcoming prospect camp—will you be hosting one? I hope to hear from you!

Sincerely,

John Smith

John.Smith@email.com

789-222-1234

[Also include your coach's contact information]



Share by: