How to Write Letters of Interest for College Softball

Your sophomore and junior years in high school are an exciting milestone in your softball career. This is the time you should start showing interest in colleges across the nation.

According to ASA rules, a coach cannot physically approach you until July 1st, after your junior year in high school, but they can start speaking to you via written correspondence starting September 1st of your junior year. This means it's time to start your homework!

Your college search must be active. Sure, scouts notice players at exposure tournaments, but you want your name in their head before those types of tournaments. You want recruiters to look for you, not stumble upon you as you're playing.

A letter of interest is your first impression. You'll hardly get a second chance to evoke interest in college coaches so you need to sell yourself. Think of it like this: If you aren't your biggest fan, why should they be?

This guide will give you some helpful tips to producing the best letter of interest, one that will help you to stand out and speak out to the coaches you want to listen.

 

Finding a College

If you want to play collegiate softball, there is a school for you. But you may need to roll up your sleeves and do some work before finding it. The very first thing you need to have on hand is a college guide. Give yourself weekly assignments of finding at least 5-10 colleges that interest you.

Choosing schools is a process. You definitely do not want to be too selective, so make sure to widen your scope of interest. You'll want to start with your first-choice schools and go from there:

First choice: Find the schools you've always dreamt of attending. Even if it's a reach, there is no harm in trying!

Second choice: Decide on a division of play in which you can honestly compete and the location where you'd like to attend college. Locate schools that fit your criteria.

Third choice: Venture further. In the same division of play, locate schools in areas you might like to attend college.

Fourth choice: Keep Going! Sticking to the same division of play, find some schools in locations that you would possibly give a chance.

Fifth choice: Repeat all of these searches for every other division of play.

This process gives you one valuable thing — options. It will be a lot easier to play collegiate softball if you have numerous options from which to choose.

 

The Letter

There are two ways to show interest in a college. You can email the college coach and fill out a prospective player profile on the team's website, or you can send an actual letter. In today's world, everything is electronic, so that might be the way to go.

However, snail-mail letters are quite out of the ordinary these days. Even though each letter should be typed, a letter sent in the mail may stand out as a relief to coaches who sit in front of computers all day.

The Hook

A coach can do two things with your letter. A coach can be hooked and continue reading it, interested in you as a prospective player (this is what you want!). Or, a coach can get bored, having read similar letters a thousand times, and toss you into the abyss (this is definitely not what you want).

Always ask yourself one thing when you are writing: What would make you want to read your letter? The answer is liveliness! Try not to write in a monotonous tone. For example, what sounds better?

"My name is ____. I have a 4.0 GPA and my time to first base is 2.6 seconds."

"My name is ____. I play for (team) and I go to (high school)."

The first opening is far more likely to hook a coach. Of course not every athlete has a 4.0 GPA, but this type of introduction does wonders, so make sure to point out some stellar skills you have to offer!

 

The Body

The body of the letter is where you really want to sell yourself as a prospective player. Remember, these coaches read hundreds of letters every year so make yours memorable. You should list your positions and your hitting strengths. Are you an infielder? Middle infielder? Outfielder? Utility Player? Catcher? Power hitter? Slapper? They need to know exactly what type of player you are, so market your talents accordingly.

In college you will be a student-athlete. Your athletic abilities will put your foot in the door, but it's your academic performance — your grades and test scores — that will push you through to admissions. So before you get too preoccupied deciding whose colors you'd like to wear, remember that first and foremost, you are going to college for an education.

Lastly, study for those SATs and ACTs. These are very important tests for college admissions. Take them multiple times if necessary, so that you give yourself the best chance to get into the schools of your choice.

Coaches are looking for players who can perform in the classroom as well as on the field. In high school, make sure your teachers and counselors know your name.

Check in with your counselors on a regular basis to ensure that you're taking the correct classes, and keep your GPA up! Consult a tutor if necessary; in college, most teams have assigned tutors, so never be embarrassed to ask for help.

The next thing you want to do is describe what you can contribute to their team. Coaches love reading that a player is coachable. No coach wants a prima donna or an egomaniac, so make sure to include something along the lines of: "I play (position), but I'm willing to contribute by playing any position the team needs."

A coach needs to know that you aren't already assuming you're going to play the position you want. Their team is already comprised of veteran players. You might be able to take someone's spot after trying out and proving yourself, but don't assume it in the letter.

Conveying that you are a coachable athlete allows you to market yourself to a wider audience. For example, if you say that you are only a second baseman, it may give the coach the idea that you are only willing to play second base. This will essentially cause every team who already has a second baseman to lose interest in you.

Lastly, personalize each letter to make each coach feel special. Mention their colors, some school accolades, etc. Show the coach you've done some research on the team. What you don't want to do is make coaches feel like they're reading a generic letter that you've sent to hundreds of colleges.

 

Invite Further Correspondence

The last thing you want to accomplish in your letter is an invitation of correspondence. Rules prevent coaches from approaching you until July 1st of your junior year in high school, but they can start writing to you on September 1st of your junior year. Take full advantage of this!

The last few sentences of your letter should tell them that you are looking forward to seeing them at your games and hearing from them about the opportunity to wear their colors.

 

Your Signature

Always personalize your letter by including a handwritten signature. To add a little more flair, include a sentence at the bottom of your letter, quickly thanking them for taking the time to read the letter and convey your excitement in hearing from them. Just don't be sloppy!

 

What to Include with Your Letter

There are a few things that should be included with your letter. The first is a copy of your current schedule. Giving a coach your schedule is an invitation to your games. This way, they know exactly when you'll be playing so they can include watching you in their itinerary.

The second item is an official skills video or DVD. A skills video gives your letter life. In your video, make sure you demonstrate all of your abilities. You should include pitching (if applicable), hitting, base running, throwing, infield defense, and outfield defense because remember, you are willing to play anywhere. What coaches do not want to see are montages of trophies and medals. You should also try to add background music for some pizzazz!

The third (optional) thing to include is a player program. If your team's program includes something spectacular about you, go ahead and include it. If it doesn't, there is really no need to send it, since your basic information will be in the body of your letter.

 

Good Luck!

The deadlines set by ASA for July 1st and September 1st are crucial to follow. Most of your letters should be mailed out in September at the very latest. There is nothing wrong with expressing interest as early as your sophomore year since coaches often have prospective players already in mind.

If you want to play college softball, there is a school out there for you. If you need help finding schools in your area, use our Team Directory to find the colleges near you, and then venture further. It may take a little work, but you will eventually find the school of your dreams!

If you are already emailing coaches but not getting a response, here is some advice on how many times you should be emailing coaches.

How Many Times to Email a Coach

If you have committed to emailing college coaches, it can be frustrating when you don't receive an email back. Coaches are busy people and it is normal to not receive a response with your first email. If getting a coaches attention was as easy as sending a single email, the recruiting process wouldn't take much time at all. The process is hard and takes perseverance, you need to be prepared to email 250+ schools several times before you can expect to generate serious interest.

There is a fine line between emailing a coach enough to get attention and wasting your time with a program who isn't interested. The following advice is based on years of working with athletes who have emailed coaches on their own and gone on to play college sports. The following advice is assuming you have researched schools and are writing emails that coaches want to open. This advice is designed to help you know when to keep emailing and when to move on to another school.

Email a Coach 2-3 Times When First Sending Emails

When you are first sending your emails to coaches send 2-3 emails over 7-10 days. Try following this pattern:

• Day 1 – Email, complete the recruit questionnaire (if available) and follow up with a phone call
  
• Day 3 – Email again acknowledging the first email (don't send the exact same email from the first day).
  
• Day 8 – Email again and follow up with a call. Acknowledge your previous efforts to reach out and let the coach know this will be your final email until you have something new to share.
  

If you are attempting to reach coaches during holiday breaks or the middle of the season, you can expect to wait longer for a response. I suggest waiting until after the holidays or busy parts of the season.

Following Up With Coaches Who Didn't Respond to Your Initial Emails

If you haven't heard from a coach after your initial effort to contact them, you can continue to update them every 2-4 months. You want to send them updates on things like where you are playing, new highlight videos or updated academic performance. This can seem like you are wasting your time because you are emailing a coach that you aren't even sure is reading your messages; that is okay. The reason you are sending emails is you are exactly sure what is happening and you want to assume you still have a chance.

• If the coach you have been emailing finds themselves at a new program they will be scrambling for recruits. While you might have not been the right fit at their old program, you are at their new one.
  
• If a program has several of the recruits they thought were going to commit back out, they are going to need to find recruits quick. You will be top of mind if you have been emailing.
  
• While a coach might not think you are right for their program, they can and do recommend recruits to other programs. This doesn't happen often, but you are looking for any advantage you can get.
  

When to Stop Emailing Coaches

There comes a time when you should stop sending emails to a particular program.

If a coach has specifically told you don't qualify athletically or academically for their program, there is no need to continue to update them. The only exception to this rule is if you make drastic changes athletically or academically; if this does happen, you can try reconnecting.

If a coach has responded as said they are no longer recruiting for your class or position, there is no need to follow up. Keep in mind, some programs are finished recruiting for a particular recruiting class years in advance.

If you can see that a program has signed a full class of recruits for the year you are interested in (this is more common at large programs) there is no need to email coaches. An example of this would be going to website like rivals and seeing that Oregon has signed a full class; there is no need to email them. If you are interested in these types of programs, you should be contacting them a year in advance at least.

Some guidelines for email messaging coaches

Sample Email to College Coaches

Email has become the preferred method for introducing yourself to college coaches. Just having talent, playing for a travel team and attending showcases does not guarantee you will get discovered. Using email and some hard work, you can ensure college coaches know who you are and how to contact you.

The recruiting process is starting earlier than ever. In an effort to lock up the most talented recruits, the top colleges are recruiting and offering scholarships to athletes in the 8th and 9th grade. NCAA rules prohibit coaches from initiating contact with a recruit before their junior year of high school, but, they can talk to you if you if you contact them first.

Email is just an introduction

The email you send to a coach should serve as just an introduction. You want to show the coach you have researched their program, have the potential to be a college athlete and a give them a schedule of where they can watch you.

Guidelines for Emailing Coaches

Personalize each email – If you don't take the time to personalize the email to the coach, they won't take the time to respond. College coaches receive hundreds of emails each week. They can tell when an athlete has taken the time to write them a personalized email and when someone is using a form letter, just changing the name of the coach and school.

Include the contact information for your coaches – If you are emailing a college coach before they are allowed to respond to your email, they need the contact information for your coaches so they can let them know they are interested. Here is how it works, you email the college coach, and if they are interested, they will contact your coach and let your coach know when to call them so you can talk.

Just your basic athletic and academic information – Coaches don't expect you to be a college ready athlete when you email them; they just need to see that you have potential. Include your basic info, there is no need to detail every award or stat from the last few years.

Let them know where you will be competing – Second to your contact information, coaches need to know where/when they can watch you in person. Coaches bring a list of athletes they want to watch at a tournament or showcase; they don't go there hoping to discover talent. They need to know where you are playing so they can add you to their list of players to watch.

Template for Emailing College Coaches

 
 

Dear [Coach's Name],

My name is [Your Name], I am part of the class of [Your Graduating Class] at [Your High School] in [Your Hometown and State]. I am interested in [The Name of The University] and learning more about your program.

[Include information here about the research you did into their program]

I play [List your position or best events here and the name of your team]. Some of my best accomplishments to date are [list your top two or three best times, awards or recognitions]. You can view my complete online profile here [Link to your online profile if you have one]. Here is a link to my highlight tape [link to your online highlight tape]. Please feel free to contact my coach(s) [List the email and phone number for your high school and/or club team coach]. Here is my schedule:

Date                Location                      Name of Event                          My Team Name

2/22/2014    Sacramento, CA          Elite 7-on-7 Tournament          Nor-Cal All-Stars

[List your GPA and test scores here if you have taken them]. [Talk about what you like about the academic reputations of the school].

I will be following up this email with a phone call. I look forward to hearing back from you and learning more about your program.

 
 

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Email]

[Phone]

[Address]

 
 

Use This Checklist Before You Send Your Email

Have a professional sounding email address – Creating a new email account is free; there is no excuse for emailing a coach using your baller420@aol.com email address. Make it something simple with just your name and graduating class johndoe2015@gmail.com.

The title needs to make the coach want to open it – Include your name, position and graduating class in the email. Coaches appreciate being able to tell what the email is about in the title. For more on that, go here.

Do proper research – You should know things like if there are athletes from your hometown on the roster, how many upper classman at your position, the team's record and the athletic background of the athletes currently on the team.

Collect the coach's email and phone number – There are several ways to get a coaches email address. You can use our free recruiting profile or go to the athletic website and look for the staff directory. Here is how to find a coaches contact information.

Spell Check and use proper grammar – This is not the time to use "text speak". Have someone read the email before you send it.

Follow up your email with a phone call – The phone is the best way to get a hold of a coach, you should follow up you email with a phone call.