How to write to a coach
Three emails, sent at three moments. Short, specific,
and from the athlete rather than the parent.
Before the event
Send this as soon as you know which coaches are attending. Keep it to a
short paragraph. Say who you are, your graduation year and position,
which event you are attending, and one concrete reason you are interested
in their program specifically. Link your profile and stop there.
A coach reads a lot of these. The ones that get a reply are the ones that
are clearly written to that coach and not pasted to fifty of them.
The week of the event
Once the schedule is published, write again with the details a coach needs
to physically find you:
- Every game you are playing, with the field number and kickoff time
- The one game you would most like them at, if they have to choose
- Your jersey number, your position, and your team colors
This email is logistics, not persuasion. Make it scannable.
The week after
Thank them for their time. Say honestly how you thought you played. Ask
what they would want to see from you before you speak again. If they did
not make it to your game, say you would welcome another chance and name
the next event you are attending.
Write it yourself. Coaches can tell the difference
between an email from a sixteen-year-old and an email from their
parent, and they are recruiting the sixteen-year-old.