Meeting With College Coaches

I often get asked whether the wintertime is a good time visit a college and meet with coach.  The answer is a resounding yes.  Most colleges are off somewhere from mid December to mid January.  Unless a coach is in season (basketball, hockey, wrestling) this is a great time to visit since their schedule is usually light.  Keep in mind that students will not be around so it is not an ideal time to see what the school is really like, but you can always go back to see it in session.  When visiting a coach, the best advice is really just to be yourself.  The athletic recruiting process is really just people meeting people.  So be relaxed.  Here are some things to keep in mind when meeting with a college coach.

DON’T MENTION THAT YOU MIGHT NOT PLAY THEIR SPORT

College coaches know one thing.  Playing four years of a college sport is tough, takes a major commitment, and is not for everyone.  If you hint that you might be going to school and not playing their sport, this will be a major turnoff.  For example, the coach asks you what other colleges you are looking at.  You reply with several he or she competes with, but then you throw in University of Hawaii.  The coach asks why this school is on your list.  You reply, “well, I wouldn’t play there, I would just love to go to school out in Hawaii.”  This will scare off a coach that you are even thinking of not playing there sport in college.  If this is the case, you should first off consider that playing a sport in college might not be for you, but either way avoid mentioning this. 

In addition, if you play two or three sports, never tell the coach of the sport you are meeting with (soccer for example), that you might want to play lacrosse only in college.  Another red flag for college coaches.

WHEN PARENTS DO ALL THE TALKING

It is a major red flag for coaches when the parent does all the emailing, phone calling, but especially all the talking during the in-person meeting.  If you or your child is shy, too bad.  Time to mature!  Coaches want players that are mature and speak for themselves.  The hardest thing to find in any company is good employees/people, same with coaching players.  If you speak up, you stand out.

MAKE SURE TO ASK QUESTIONS

Not being prepared to ask questions.  If you don’t ask questions, two things happen.  One, a coach thinks you are not interest in him/her, the school, or the program.  Secondly, you will not find out answers to key questions about academics, dorm life, practice, the team, the facilities.  Most coaches cover a lot of this in what they tell you, but if something is left out, ASK.  It helps if you research the school and program before you go.

DRESS THE PART

Have you ever heard the saying, “don’t dress for the job you have, dress for the job you want?”  If you haven’t, now you have.  As Crash Davis told Nuke Lalush in Bull Durham, when you become an All-Star your look becomes creative, until then you are just a slob.  No hats, earrings (for boys), provocative clothes (for girls), ripped clothes, stupid slogans on shirts, and PLEASE, don’t wear a Syracuse shirt when you visit BC!

FOLLOW UP

In this day and age of email, cell phones, mass mailing, the hand written letter goes a LONG, LONG way.  Write a heartfelt thank you to the coach after your visit.  Even if you are not interested in the school, still write a thank you note.  You never know what could come back around.

Remember, coaches are just people.  Even if you meet Joe Paterno or John Calipari, they put their pants on one leg at a time like you!

Wayne Mazzoni has been a college coach since 1992 and is currently at Division I Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT.  He is also an author and speaker on the athletic recruiting process.  You can visit his website at www.WayneMazzoni.com.