I say it over and over again, “You need to email college coaches, so they know who you are and so they see your video!”
What if you’re doing this and coaches don’t respond? Are you left feeling lost and confused, not knowing what to do next?
First of all, we can’t take this personally…..yes, this is happening with players I am working with and also my daughter when she was in the process! It is actually very common. Coaches become all consumed with their current college team and their schedules. Most coaching staffs have a designated person who handles recruiting, but much of the time they are working their tails off because they are actually coaching their team also. Sometimes it takes a week, two weeks or more for college coaches to respond to athletes!
If you are a freshman or sophomore the coaches can’t respond, except to send you a camp invite or tell you they aren’t allowed to respond. If they respond saying they aren’t allowed to respond until after June 15th of your sophomore year, it’s a VERY good sign! No matter how strange the whole concept seems! Always thank them for their response…even though they can’t respond back!
As a freshman or sophomore before June 15th, keep emailing every 2 weeks. First an intro email, then check-in/update emails, with and without video. ASK COACHES TO RESPOND through your club recruiting person or through your coach. If they never do this, it’s OK, just keep emailing. After June 15th of your sophomore year, if you have been emailing consistently, you will most likely hear back from many of the coaches!
If you are a junior or senior, email every week to every two weeks. ASK COACHES TO RESPOND. If you haven’t heard anything back after 5-8 emails, and you’ve been consistent, then you can drop the school off of your target list and replace it with another school. If a coach was emailing with you back and forth and maybe talking to you on the phone, then all of a sudden went silent, you can address this. If you were having phone conversations, you can just pick up the phone and call them to check-in. Ask them how things are going and it will probably come out in the conversation, why they stopped communicating. You can ask if they have offered or committed another player. You can also ask this in an email (if you’re more comfortable emailing) and it’s OK to be straight up, but in a professional and kind way. They may respond they are pursuing other athletes farther along in the process and wish you the best. That is fine, at least you know, and thank them for their response. Always have a next step, try to get on the phone with the coach if they are still interested in you for their program and move forward in the process.
I have a TIP for you that has worked well!
Send coaches a Check-In / Update Email ON TOP of the Intro Email you sent that got no response. This will remind the coaches of you and they will realize they didn’t respond. They will notice the date when you sent the intro email and they will be reminded of your introduction and your background. I like this strategy, in general, but also when the coaches haven’t responded to you. Give this a try!
Here is STEP BY STEP how to send your Check-In / Update Email ON TOP of your Intro Email:
- Go to your SENT folder and in the search bar, copy/paste the head coach’s email of the school you are sending a check in email to.
- Your latest email you sent the coaches will come up. Open that email and click on “REPLY ALL”
- Move/drag the email addresses to the appropriate places. TO….CC…. Add necessary emails like your club coach or recruiting person.
- Go to the little drop down arrow next to your name/email and click on EDIT SUBJECT. Delete “RE:” and back space. Delete “-Intro & Video” and replace it with “- Checking In! & New Video” Proofread subject line and make sure it’s good.
- Copy/Paste your new check in email all the way to the top. Under your signature in the check in email should be the intro email. If it’s way far down you can back space a little bit so it moves up and is a double space under your check in email. You will see the date you sent the intro email and the beginning of it. So they can scroll down and reread it to be reminded of your introduction and who you are. Coaches might think…..”shoot she sent this on XXX date and I never responded or followed through!”
- Double, triple check everything, coaches names, subject line and SEND!
Example Subject Line: [NAME] [Grad Year] [Height] [Position] [Club Name] – Check In! & New Video
Example below:
Hi [Coach ABC] and [Coach XYZ],
I want to follow up my email (with video) below and let you know I’m very interested in [XXX College] and playing volleyball for you! I would love to set up a phone call soon. I’m available next week in the afternoons. Please let me know a good time for you. Thanks so much! [Your name]
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The intro Email you sent a couple of weeks before they never responded to is here….
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I hope this helps you! Keep your head up and don’t worry if some coaches aren’t responding. Move forward and add other schools to your list, follow my recommendations, stay persistent and proactive in your process. You got this!