Meeting A College Coach
When meeting a college coach at a basketball college ID camp, baseball showcase camp, or even a soccer ID camp, it can be nerve racking, especially when you are a young high school athlete who is looking to start the college recruiting process.
EXACT Sports has worked with hundreds of D1, D2, and D3 NCAA and NAIA college coaches from around the United States. We've learned a thing or two about best practices when meeting and communicating with college coaches for the first time and the top questions you should ask to ensure a great relationship.
Reaching Out To College Coaches Through Email
Establishing initial contact with college coaches through email is a key step in the college recruiting process. If you have the opportunity to genially connect with college coaches with a well-crafted email that highlights your tournament, ID camp, and high school game schedule, then you might have received a response where the college coach says they will attend and watch you play.
This is terrific news! You nailed an important step in the college recruiting process. Now that you've mastered your email and/or phone college coach outreach, it's time to look towards the top 10 most important questions that you can ask a college coach when you meet them in-person at an ID camp or on the college campus.
Here Are The Top 10 Questions To Ask A College Coach
So you've just played your heart out at a tournament, college showcase or even a soccer ID camp and you want to check in with the college coach that watched you play. In order for you to be a prepared college recruit ready player, EXACT Sports has compiled this list of key questions to ask.
#1 How Will I Fit On Your Team And Benefit The Program?
A very important question, and one that you should ask yourself prior to taking a meeting with a college coach. Many times a coach will want to hear your response to this question before they offer their answer but if you feel that you have a good rapport with the college coach then see how you could be a good fit from their point of view.
#2 How Would You Describe Your Coaching Style?
If you've played soccer, baseball, basketball, or volleyball for most of your young athletic career, then you've probably had the opportunity to play for multiple coaches and even held a position on a club team.
#3 What Does The Team's Travel Schedule Look Like?
This is great way to gauge the pace and travel involvement of a typical season for a D1, D2, or D3 program.
#4 What Do You Look For In An Athlete?
A question that will give some incredible insights into the college recruiting process and how college coaches recruit based on certain recruit characteristics. The more you know about what the majority of college coaches look for in a potential college recruit the better prepared you will be.
#5 What is the biggest need of the team right now?
Showing a dedication to being an asset as a team player early-on in the college recruiting process will signal to college coaches that you could be a great fit for their team.
#6 How Do Players On Your Team Balance Athletics and Academics?
A wonderful question to ask a college coach if you want to gain important insight into how they integrate the importance of academics into their athlete's schedule. Keep in mind a great program values student athlete academics and will likely have core processes related to student-athlete time management.
#7 What Is The Team's Overall GPA and Player Graduation Rate?
By far one of the most important questions you could ask a college coach as this will tell you the end-result of a successful program with equal parts academics and athletics. It's important to have a well-balanced approach so you can thrive as a student-athlete with strong performance in the game and classroom.
#8 What Are The Housing Options Available to Your Players?
Housing plays a key role in your overall college experience. It's where you spend a good portion of your daily life on or off campus. College housing options could also play a role in your student-athlete performance for better or for worst. Be sure that the housing options available to you are optimal based on your lifestyle and student-athlete schedule.
#9 What Are The Key Values Of Your Program?
A top question for college coaches is to ask them about what their team's core values, overall mission, and current initiatives are to enhance or better the program. Really listen to the answer that you're given by a college coach, because this will be very telling if this program resonates with you or not. Do you believe in what they have set out to achieve? Is it a good culture fit for you?
#10 What Does A Typical Week Look Like For A Player On Your Team?
This question will help you to determine the level of dedication that you will need in order to thrive as a student athlete in the game and in the classroom. If the program during the season is too heavy on training, tournaments, and games, perhaps it will be more difficult to balance your athletics with the academics of major. Once you get an answer from the college coach, really take time to process the information and make a decision that works best for you.
Bottom Line
When it comes to communication with a college coach during the recruiting process, you need to be prepared and come with a list of top questions that you want to ask them. You need to access the meeting just as deeply as the college coach is with you as a potential recruit. Your questions can provide some insightful answers and help you to choose the best college program for you as a student athlete. Take you time with the process and remember that this will be an impactful decision on your life and career.
