Email Etiquette
College coaches receive hundreds of emails a week from prospective student-athletes interested in attending their institution and playing for their team. As we learned in the Recruiting Basics, depending on the level, there are restrictions to when a college coach can reach out to you.
The recruiting process can start as early as eighth grade, simply when a coach sees a player on the field. In order to stand out, and get your message across efficiently until a conversation or digital communication is permitted, it is imperative to consider a few things when you prepare to send an email to college coaches.
Create your own Recruiting Email
This should designate who you are, and maybe your graduation year. Right away they will know who the email is from and where you stand on their timeline. (ex. JaneSmith2026@gmail.com)
Make sure that you address the email correctly
Include a specific Subject Line that indicates the information in the email, example:
Tournament Schedule, Jane Smith (2026) #22
It is okay to have a template for the email you are going to send. Just be sure that you send it to the correct staff members when you mention their instiution by name. You can address the email to the Head Coach, Assistant Coach, or any designated Recruiting Coordinators.
Sharing Tournament / Event Schedules
Do not wait until the night before to send these! In your email you can let them know you'll be attending and can type or attach your schedule for them to view. Share this as soon as you get it!
Inform the coach what the name of your team is, your jersey number, where you generally play on the field, and a bonus point is if there is something that makes you stand out (bright grip, shoes, or maybe you wear your hair a certain way).
Things to include in your Email Signature
First and Last Name
Graduation Year
Club / Jersey Number
School / Jersey Number
Any Social Media Handles / Links to Recruiting Sites or Highlight Videos