Why Is It Taking So Long For The Coach To Get Back With Me?
October 23rd, 2008 - by 
Now that the college basketball season is underway I just wanted to speak a little on behalf of the college coaches. So many times families and student athletes are frustrated when they do not hear anything back from college coaches when they email write or call a coach. Contrary to belief coaches do more than just sit in their office and wait for student athletes to call them or email them. Although this is an extremely important part of the recruiting process families and student athletes must realize that college coaches are not there for them at all times.
Coaches wear many different hats at the college level. Division 1 coaches for the most part only hold the title of Basketball Coach, but their job description goes much further. Some of their responsibilities include checking classes, tutoring student athletes, acting as a parent for some student athletes, counselor, disciplinarian, and in some cases the entire support system for an athlete. As you can imagine this leaves little time for them to email answer calls. Not to mention they are also held accountable for the team GPA, graduation rate and win/loss record.
I know that Division 1 coaches often times are not looked at as being the most accessible for student athletes. So I now want to take time to go through the normal day of a lower division level coach. Although Division 1 coaches are paid through the title of basketball coach many of the other division levels are paid through other titles as well. Some teach classes, some have out of office jobs while others may act as the athletic director. Along with these duties the lower division level coaches are responsible all the other duties of a division 1 coach plus things such as acting as the athletic trainer, field or court preparation, financial aid advisor and in some cases may even drive the team bus or van to away games. Here is an example of another way colleges and universities use the old ball coach. As you can see they have a lot of different responsibilities that they are held accountable for. So the next time that you have to leave a message for a college coach and it takes awhile for them to respond just know that it is most likely for a good reason. Oh yeah one more thing they have to coach the team.
