How To Effectively Email College Coaches

The idea of getting recruited to play college sports can seem daunting. Many athletes and parents have questions about how to get on a college team and how to get coaches to know who you exist. While there are many ways to contact a coach, email is one of the most effective methods. It is non-invasive and gives coaches time to process your message and craft a necessary response. Here is our 5-step guide to maximizing your emails to college coaches. 

PREP

Before you start sending off email to coaches you want to contact, it is important to do some research. You want to find out about the coach and the team so you can send a more effective, personal email. It will help to show you care and that it is not just about you. 

• Take some time to find out more about the coach and the team. Search on Google and Twitter.
• What are the coaches achievements? The teams? How long have they been there? Know the details! 
• Figure out what you can bring to the team and how you might provide value. 
• How many players on the roster already play your position? Have they already signed someone in your position?

EMAIL ADDRESS

This may seem trivial and unimportant, but you don’t want to send an email with an address that is not professional. Avoid addresses that are unreadable and that have many special characters. The best thing to do is have your first name, last name, or both in your email address. 

SUBJECT

The subject line is the first thing a coach will see. Avoid making it too long, and keep out words or phrases, such as, “Recruit Me”, “Best Player”, “Scholarships”, etc. 

Keep the subject direct and to the point. 

OPENING LINE

Use your findings from your prep here. Say something about them - acknowledge a recent achievement, show appreciation, something about a recent game. 

Everyone enjoys something nice said about them.

BODY

Keep it short and to the point, 1-2 paragraphs maximum. If it’s too long a coach probably won’t read it all. 

• Tell them why you are interested in their school/program. 
• Include a link to your highlights. Have a full game tape ready to send if they reply and want to see more. 
• Let them know some intangible things you can bring to the team. 
• Ask a quality question, such as, tips for improving a certain skill set, good camps to attend, etc. 
• Attach your Athletic profile link so coaches can have a more in depth look at you. (This will make their job easier and save them time when they are trying to find social media accounts, and other relevant information about you, like your GPA)

Use proper punctuation and grammar and do not use slang! You wouldn’t believe how many people do not follow these basic things. It could automatically eliminate any chances you have.

Not all coaches will reply the first time and that is okay, they are busy people who receive lots of email per day. Sometimes it takes a few attempts to stand out and be unique. Be willing to follow up and show coaches your progress. Remember, it’s a process. Building good relationships can take some time.