How to Get College Coaches to Say - "YES" to You

How to get College Coaches to say, “YES”

It might seem impossible, but with the right strategy and dedication you can get a college coach to say, “yes” to you.

Let’s first explore the ways to get them to say, “No”:

· An unsolicited email where you’ve wrongly identified the coach or university. (This is often the result of a form letter where you’ve forgotten to make the proper changes – coaches HATE this!)

· A bad attitude in the form of selfishness, laziness, or by simply being disrespectful.

· Inappropriate use of social media, where an athlete posts, shares, likes, or retweets graphically sensitive, crude, or offensive material.

· Neglecting class work, demonstrating a lack of effort and seriousness in your academic pursuits.

· A bad review from a hitting or pitching coach, club coach, or high school coach. College coaches are going to have conversations with your coaches – you won’t be able to fake it.

· Virtually anything that might raise red flags about your character.

This is not an all-encompassing list, but it highlights the major issues and gives you some things to avoid.

Here are the ways to get them to say, “Maybe”:

· A thoughtful email that demonstrates that you’ve done your homework on the coach, school, and their respective softball program. How to Write Emails to Coaches

· Always Demonstrate a good attitude – not just when you think someone is watching.

· Keep your social media channels clean – positive – and refrain from engaging in controversial posts.

· Do your best in the classroom. You don’t have to be the best student - but it helps if you're a hard-working student.

· Give all of your coaches reasons to say good things about you.

· Volunteer, do good deeds, and generally try to be the best version of yourself. Never do anything that will embarrass you, your family, or your team.

· A working link to a good video showcasing your abilities – keep it short, with your best skills highlighted at the beginning. Send this along with your schedule via email. This will most likely never be a “Yes” – but it can be a “Maybe”. How to Make a Prospect Video

· Attend camps to introduce yourself to coaches. Get in front of them, meet them, and work with them to generate interest.

So, how do we get them to say, “Yes”?

· You need a “Maybe” before a “Yes".

· Then, they must see you play in competition.

· You will need to stand out. How to Stand Out to College Coaches

· You will need to fit their needs.

· You must be someone they are confident in spending the next four years of their lives with, someone who will positively contribute to their program, someone who will help them win games.

Getting to a “Yes”, is a process.

There are surely stories that bring exceptions to this assertion, however, those would be outliers. For most, there will be an extensive process and it is extremely rare that a coach makes an offer without extensive review.

Here’s a Process for the Prospective Student-Athlete:

· Understand what You Want

· Understand what You Want to Do in Life

· Find Schools that Fit the Previous Two Points

· Craft Personal Emails – Include Your Schedule and Personal Profile

· Create a Short, Effective Video – showcasing skills (No need to Pay for It)

· Find Advocates who will Credibly Sing Your Praises (If you pay for this – choose wisely)

· Attend High-Quality Reputable Camps (Minimal Participants – Maximum Coaches)

· Get On-Campus

· Build Relationships with Coaches

· Follow-up with Coaches

· Accept an Offer after You have thoroughly vetted the program, coaches, school, and how it fits You! Do not accept the first offer due to desperation or flattery.

Good luck in your pursuits! You will always be your best marketing tool. Put the best version of yourself out there – take control of the process – be proactive and relentless.

Jerrad Hardin works with hundreds of coaches from all levels every year in his coast-to-coast five-star softball camps. This article includes information that reflects these conversations. It should not be construed as an all-inclusive approach to your process.

Looking for high quality and respected camp to improve skills and showcase your talent with top college coaches? Check out a Jerrad Hardin Camp with only 80 Total Participants and a minimum of 12 college coaches at every event! Don’t miss your best chance this summer to improve your skills and be noticed. See our schedule here: www.jerradhardin.com