One of the most important things to do when looking to compete in your sport in college is to form relationships with college coaches and continue to build them throughout the process.
A great way to make a coach less interested in you? Asking the wrong questions.
We talked to six former college coaches and athletes to determine the questions that they do not want to get from recruits in their initial communications. The coaches included:
- Pete Kowall: Played D1 soccer at Western Michigan and has been a college coach for 25 years.
- Ellen Brown: Played D1 and D3 soccer and has 20 years of coaching experience.
- Ben Whitcraft: Played college lacrosse at Marymount University and coached lacrosse at various D1 and D3 colleges.
- Joyce Wellhoefer: Competed in collegiate softball, basketball and track, as well as coached 20 years at the D1, D2 and NAIA levels.
- AJ Trentini: Played college football at Concordia Lutheran University and began his coaching at Huntington Beach High School.
- Jason Smith: Played college baseball at Aurora University and has eight years of NCAA coaching experience
đĄ Featured All-Access Workshop
Not sure what to ask a college coach as a junior or senior hoping to play your sport at the next level? In this all-access NCSA Recruiting Workshop, recruiting coach Ben Wright, former college basketball player and coach, breaks down the top five questions every athlete should ask. Get expert tips on how to lead confident, meaningful conversations that leave a lasting impression on college programs.
Avoid asking about scholarship money early in the recruiting process
All the coaches unanimously agreed that nothing makes them less interested in a recruit than when they ask about scholarship money in an initial email or call. Here are a few examples of questions theyâve received on this topic:
- âCoach, can you give me a scholarship?â
- âHow many scholarships does the school give you?â
- âAre you going to offer me?â
- âWhen are you going to make an offer?â
- âWell, you can pull some strings at admissions to get him more scholarship dollars, right?â
- âAm I qualified for merit monies?â
- Using âScholarships Wantedâ in an email subject line
Timing is everything when it comes to asking about scholarships. Coach Pete Kowall explains that athletes should never ask about scholarships in their first few calls and emails. As a coach, he says, itâs easy to tell which athletes are âscholarship huntingâ and which ones genuinely want to compete for his school. Donât bring it up until the coach has watched you play and has stated that he or she is interested in recruiting you.
What to ask instead: When youâre first getting to know a coach, there are plenty of questions that should come well before you start inquiring about scholarships, such as:
- âWhat is your recruiting timeline? When would you like your recruiting done for the class of [insert your grad year]?â
- âWhat is a âtypical dayâ like for a member of your team during the season? What about during the off-season?â
- âWhat goals do you have for your team during the next four to five years?â
- âAre your players close with each other outside of practice and games?â
- âWhat are the biggest challenges for a student-athlete at your school?â
- âWhat type of orientation program is offered for incoming freshman?â
Questions about the school that you could have researched on your own
At NCSA, we talk a lot about the importance of research in the recruiting process, and thereâs a reason we do. College coaches expect recruits to have a basic understanding about their program and their school. Here are some questions that indicate you donât:
- âDo you have my major?â
- âHowâd the team do last fall?â
- âAre you a Nike or adidas school?â
- âWho do you play?â
- âWhoâs in your conference?â
As a general rule, if you can Google it, you should. Coaches want to recruit athletes who show that they are knowledgeable about their team. This signals that the athlete took the time to do their research, which indicates they are actually interested in the program.
What to ask instead: Focus on questions only the coach can answer. Such as:
- âAre there any majors that are most popular with athletes?â
- âDo most of your players graduate in four years?â
- âWhat are the key positions you are looking to fill in the (your grad year) class?â
- âWhat is your coaching style/philosophy?â
Asking favors of the coach or demanding that they do something for you
This category of questions is a little tricky because your tone and how you phrase the question make all the difference:
- âCoach, Iâm playing at [insert showcase or tournament]. Can you come see me play?â
- âCan you call me back at [insert phone number]?â
- âWill you get me drafted?â
- âIâd like to come on an official visit. When can we schedule it?â
- âHow much playing time will I get as a freshman?â
- âHow many bats/gloves/turfs do we get?â
- âWhat do you look for in a player?â
These questions donât seem too inappropriate at first glance. But each of them is essentially telling the coach to do something that will benefit the athlete. Instead, consider how to phrase the question in a way that puts the burden of the work on you, the recruit.
What to ask instead: Rather than telling the coach to come to your next tournament, ask them what tournaments and showcases theyâll be at or if you can send them your schedule via email. Then, you can plan your schedule around theirs, rather than the other way around. Similarly, avoid telling the coach to call you back. The better approach is to let the coach know whenâŻyouâllâŻbe callingâŻthem. Remember: Youâre still trying to show the coach why they would want you on their team.
The final question in this grouping might be the biggest head scratcher of them all. But Coach Ellen Brown points out that asking what a coach looks for in a recruit is too broad. Instead, focus on asking what the coach is looking for in your position.