Rules, etiquette, and tips on reaching out to college coaches
By
Ramona Barber
of
All-Stater Sports
Many experts advise high school student-athletes who want to play at the college level to take the initiative by writing to college coaches. This can be intimidating, particularly if one is unfamiliar with NCAA rules. All-Stater asked Ramona Barber to shed some light on the process and to help our readers get comfortable taking this essential step toward playing at the next level.
The rules
NCAA Division I and II schools
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is the strictest of all the collegiate athletic associations when it comes to written communication between coaches and potential recruits. Division I and II NCAA coaches are not allowed to write student-athletes until September of their junior year. However, student-athletes can write to any college, no matter what that college’s athletic affiliation. They can send competition schedules and resumes to colleges any time they choose during their high school career.
Student-athletes who write to NCAA Division I or II colleges before September 1 of their junior year should expect a response similar to this one sent by Division I UCLA to a sophomore soccer player:
Thank you for your interest in the UCLA Women’s Soccer program. Under the NCAA rules, effective August 1, 1991, we are unable to provide you with specific information about our program. However, we are permitted to enclose a UCLA Athletic Department questionnaire for you to fill out and return to us.
Also, due to the NCAA legislation, we cannot correspond regularly with you until September 1 at the start of your junior year in high school. We cannot telephone you until July 1st after you have completed your high school junior year.
Thank you for your interest in UCLA Soccer. We wish you the best of luck and will keep your letter on file.
Many student-athletes are aware of these rules. So, they often wait until after September 1 of their junior year to write to a college coach. This can be a big mistake. Taking an attitude of “I’ll wait to see who shows interest in me” can be dangerous. If other student-athletes at a similar level of achievement have contacted a college coach, that coach will generally look more favorably on the individual who has taken some personal initiative.
NCAA Division III, NAIA, Junior Colleges, Christian Colleges, and Independents
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), NCAA Division III, Christian Colleges, Independents, and Junior Colleges have different rules, and they usually welcome hearing from prospective athletes early in the recruiting process. It is obvious that many student-athletes are being identified early, because many top athletic prospects do receive letters early in September of their junior year. It never hurts to help the identification process by writing before the college coach can make contact.
The inside word on timing
As gender equity has become more of a factor, there have been some shifts in when college coaches appreciate receiving letters of interest.
As a rule, men’s coaches have many more student-athletes interested in competing for spots on their college rosters than do women’s coaches. It is not unusual for men’s sports programs to place their emphasis on evaluation and letter-writing after January 1 of the junior year.
