NCAA Clearinghouse

[JerseyShoreMom]

I would like to know how to get the connection, like above, getting a coach to come to a game, etc. I hear about it all the time but unsure what the process is.

[NorthMinnesota]

In soccer/basketball you are highly encouraged to send out player profiles to schools you are interested in. Along with this you should include what games/tournaments you will be playing in. Our girls mainly sent profiles and schedules through emails. You can also contact coaches on school websites. There is usually a link on the sport page for interested recruits. We always sent a followup email thanking the coach for attending and asking if D's were a good fit for the program. Playing in a showcase tournament is a great way to be seen by lots of coaches but if you don't contact them beforehand they won't know you are interested in their school.

[scualum]

At least for my son and baseball, it is more a matter of going where the coaches are. For the most part, the coaches that expressed interest in him saw him first when he went to an event where they already were. Three basic types in baseball (in increasing order of coach attendance):

1) College camps- these are normally hosted by one college, often staffed with 3-4 other college coaches. Some camps (e.g. the Stanford camp) are much larger and have many more coaches in attendance.

2) Showcases - put on by organizations like Perfect Game, these vary widely in effectiveness. National showcases, which are normally invitation only, can have literally hundreds of coaches in attendance. Look for age/grade specific ones as college coaches normally only attend events for 17U or rising Seniors. Note that you have to work your way up with showcases - going to smaller ones at a younger age will earn you invites to the larger ones (assuming you have the talent).

3) Travel team Tournaments - Travel team tourneys can be the most effective means of getting in front of lots of coaches. The 17U WWBA features 2-300 coaches along with representatives of every major league team. Again, playing on the major name brand travel teams will be a major asset here.

Once you get the initial interest, then the coach is likely to come see you play in your local event. Prior to seeing you play in one of the events mentioned above, it is unlikely that they will come out to see you. After all, most local games will have just a handful of potential college players - so they are not going to waste their time "just wandering around" to lots of local games.

Hope this helps...

[scualum]

NorthMinnesota:

Great point - you need to express that interest. My son sent out letters of interest to colleges in the fall of his Junior year. Simple little packet with cover letter, player profile, and planned schedule for the following year. He sent hard copy rather than email but included his email address. He had about a 75% response rate to these letters - and started email correspondence with a number of coaches. He addressed the packet to the head coach unless the recruiting coordinator was clearly indicated on the website.

He would follow up with email to coaches two weeks prior to major events with his exact schedule and a hope to see you there.

[NorthMinnesota]

We have D2's last out of state showcase tournament next week. Over 100 coaches have responded that they will be there. She has already verballed so no pressure for her but many of her team mates have been busy sending out profiles. It's a relatively easy process if you stay informed and on top of things. Good luck to all just starting the process!