June 15 – Why it Matters in Recruiting
There are many important dates throughout the college recruiting process, but June 15 is particularly important for incoming juniors. June 15 marks the first contact period, during which Division 1 college coaches can begin contacting high school athletes.
It’s important to note that not all sports begin their contact period on June 15. The following sports follow a different recruiting timeline for coach contact.
- January 1 of sophomore year: Men’s ice hockey
- September 1 of junior year: Football, baseball, softball, men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, women’s basketball
What is an NCAA contact period?
A NCAA contact period is a designated time on the NCAA Recruiting Calendar when college coach may have face-to-face, digital and phone contact with recruits or their families, as well as watch recruits compete and visit their high schools.
Current NCAA recruiting rules prohibit all phone, text and email communication between athletes or their families and Division 1 coaches until June 15 after their sophomore year or September 1 of their junior year, depending on the sport. However, recruits are able to contact college coaches as early as middle school to get on their radar and email list. College coaches can (and do!) read recruits’ emails and follow them on social media to keep track of their athletic progress. Learn more about the June 15 contact period below:
4 ways to communicate with college coaches
Now that you know when college coaches can contact you, it’s important to understand the different methods of communication you can use to get in touch with coaches. Understanding how to use each will set you up for success before the contact period begins.
The four main forms of communication between athletes and coaches include email, phone, text and DMs. Used properly, each of these communication tools can help recruits catch the attention of college coaches and begin building a strong recruiting relationship.
Email: The best way to start a conversation with college coaches is by sending an introductory email letting them know you’re interested in their program. Keep in mind that coaches get hundreds of emails from recruits, so you’ll need to find a way to make your email stand out in their inbox. We have a few tips for you here.
Phone call: While calling college coaches can be scary, it’s also the most impactful way to communicate during the recruiting process. In fact, our research has found that the average college coach receives a mere seven phone calls from recruits each week—or fewer! Check out our guide of do’s and don’ts for recruiting calls.
Text: Like email, texting is a great way to digitally communicate with college coaches. Texting will likely start after the first or second email, or your first call with the coach, as coaches don’t just hand out their personal number to everyone. Learn more about recruiting rules around texting here.
DM: When used properly, social media can be an effective recruiting tool to supplement your NCSA profile with video clips and academic highlights. It’s also a great tool to contact coaches, though ore casual than the forms of communication listed above. View our tips for maximizing your social presence.
How to prepare for June 15
Prior to June 15, you will need to gather all the information that college coaches will be looking for in your initial email or phone call. Taking these preparation steps will allow you to enter conversations confidently and impress the coaching staff.
- Highlight video to show coaches your athletic ability and what sets you apart from other recruits. You’ll want to make sure your video highlights the skills that coaches are looking for in your position. Check out our guide to creating a highlight video here to learn more.
- Athletic stats, specifically verified, third-party stats from a combine or other event.
- Academic information (GPA and ACT/SAT scores) because academics are equally important to college coaches.
- Contact information for both you and your family, so coaches know the best way to contact you.
- Camps and competition schedule to allow coaches the opportunity to evaluate you in person.
In addition to the list above, recruits should sit down with their family and write down what you’re looking for in a college, sports team and coaching staff. Understand what is most important to you in your college search. As you begin to discover schools that meet your needs, research their sports program (current roster, coaching staff, competition history). This shows coaches that you are investing in the opportunity to join the team. And don’t forget to come prepared with questions when meeting with a coach!
Insider Tip: Luckily, all the information listed above should be on your NCSA Recruiting Profile! When communicating with college coaches, don’t forget to include a link to your profile so they can easily conduct their initial evaluation of you. If you haven’t completed your profile, you can login here and do so before contacting coaches.
NCSA’s Message Center: coach communications in one place
Our recruiting communication tools help make sure the contact period goes smoothly for every athlete. Within our platform, you can find coach contact information, so you don’t have to waste time searching the internet for email addresses and phone numbers. You can also send and receive recruiting emails from college coaches with our Message Center tool.
Our Message Center allows you to keep all of your coach communication in one place. Access entire chat history with a coach, attach your highlight video, transcript or schedule and use emojis to fully express yourself.
Keep in mind that you still need to complete your NCSA Recruiting Assessment to unlock the ability to message coaches in our network.
