There is an old saying that goes something like this… “you only get one chance to make a first impression.” And when making initial contact with college coaches and recruiters, you want that first impression to be a lasting one. One that results in a successful recruiting conversation as opposed to no response at all! But, what should your first email look like? What should it include? Your stats, accomplishments, awards, game schedule, some bragging and boasting? To help you, here are some email basics to keep in mind when reaching out to college coaches and recruiters. It’s not bragging and boasting!

• Subject Line 

Believe it or not, your subject line can be the difference between a Coach/Recruiter opening your email or sending it to the garbage bin of death! You want something that catches the coach’s eye and answers three things: who you are, where you’re from, and how you can benefit their program. When crafting a subject line, include your graduation year, your sport position(s), city and state, and something interesting about you.

Example: 2024 Point Guard, California, League Leading Scorer & Assists

• Introduce yourself

Provide general information. Your name, graduation year, location, high school and club name if applicable.

• Don’t make the email about yourself

Your college recruiting resume and letter of interest is where you get to brag about your accomplishments, awards, etc. Your initial email’s focus should be on the Coach and the school. Tell the Coach about his/her program. Show that you have researched the Coach and program by including a recent stat about the team, or something about the Coach/team/program that may have been in the news. Make it personal by explaining why you would love to play for them. Also, spend some time talking about the school, its academic programs, and what they have to offer that will help you grow and develop as a student-athlete and a person. Once again, make it personal. By doing this, it tells the Coach/Recruiter that you have taken the time to research, you’ve done your homework, and that you are truly interested in moving forward in the recruiting process.

• Email the entire coaching staff

Don’t limit your email to just the head coach. As tempting as that is, rarely does the Head Coach involve him/herself in the early stages of the recruiting process. That job is usually passed on to a Recruiting Coordinator or an assistant coach who is responsible for looking at new recruits. So, in your email, in addition to the Head Coach, CC the entire coaching staff, and the Recruiting Coordinator. Make sure that you have correct names and spellings. Nothing is more embarrassing than to have the wrong name or incorrect spelling! When addressing people in your email, use their names, like Coach Daniels. This adds a personal touch to your email!

• Keep your email brief 

Remember, keep your email brief and to the point! College Coaches and Recruiters are busy.

• Attach your Student-Athlete Resume & Letter of Interest

Save your Resume and Letter of Interest as a PDF. Attach it to your email. Do not include either one in the body of your email! That will make your message too long. Let them know that you have attached your Resume and Letter of Interest. What you can include in the body of your email is your highlight video link. It’s a lot easier for a video to be looked at than a lengthy email read.

• Finish your email

Finish your email with thanking them for taking the time to read your email. Let them know that you look forward to hearing from them.

• Follow Up 

Follow up, follow up, follow up! Following up shows that you are serious and that you care. Persistence is the key. And, when a Coach and/or Recruiter responds, do not delay in responding back. Follow up with your response within 24 hours.

Do not give up! Persistence and patience are the names of the recruiting game. Make sure you exercise both!