Many coaches receive hundreds of emails each week, making it critical your email stands out. Here's how to do it.
Ready to get recruited? Create a free athlete recruiting profile and start gaining exposure to college coaches.Article Quick Links
No matter what your reason is for contacting a college coach, it's crucial to include the following elements in your emails:
The subject line of your email is one of the most underrated aspects of contacting a college coach. This is the first piece of information a college coach will see before they open your email - it can make a difference in whether they choose to open it! Your subject line should clarify who you are, your grad year, your position (or your event if you are a track and field athlete or swimmer), and the purpose of your email. Below are some examples:
The introduction email is where it all starts! Making a great first impression is essential. Remember, you are trying to set yourself apart from other potential recruits. However, conveying your personality and genuine interest through an email takes time and effort.
You want to make sure this message is personalized so that coaches can gauge your interest in their program. Here is an example of a strong first message addressed to every coach at the program. You will want to send an introductory message to all the colleges in your initial target list of schools.
Once you have had some back and forth with a coach, keeping the conversation going will typically be up to you. Remember, you can always send updates to coaches without fear of violating contact rules.
As a general rule of thumb, if it has been over 3 months since you’ve contacted a program, you should be able to find some new information you can provide them with.
Below are sample email templates you may refer to for scenarios you’ll face frequently throughout your recruiting process. Remember, coaches can tell when a student has copied and pasted a template. At the end of the day, the email should sound like you!
SUBJECT: SUBJECT: NAME | GRAD YEAR | POSITION | Interested in SCHOOL NAME
Dear Coach (COACH LAST NAME),
My name is (YOUR FULL NAME). I am a (GRAD YEAR) (POSITION) currently playing club for (CLUB AND TEAM NAME) out of (CITY, STATE). I also attend (HIGH SCHOOL) and last season (INSERT SHORT ACCOLADE).
I am beginning to look at college options and I am very interested in (COLLEGE NAME). It (REASON ONE - EXAMPLE: "is close to home") and (REASON TWO - EXAMPLE: "has a great biology program"), and plays at a very competitive level of (SPORT). Therefore, I wanted to make sure that I introduce myself and give you my athletic and academic background.
Please click on the link below to access all of my information including contact information, club info, (SPORT) awards, event schedule, and academic information. You can contact my club coach, (CLUB COACH NAME) at (insert coach's email here).
(IF APPLICABLE) Also, I have recently uploaded my (INSERT YEAR) highlight reel, which you can access via the link below. I would appreciate any feedback on the video and if you think I can be a fit for your team.
I really hope I have the opportunity to play in front of you sometime soon. Please let me know if there is anything I can do on my end these next few months! I believe I have what it takes to be a part of the (SCHOOL MASCOT), and contribute to their future success!
Sincerely,
(YOUR FULL NAME)
(YOUR PHONE NUMBER)
Attending a recruiting event doesn’t make sense if you haven’t reached out to coaches beforehand to invite them to your games! Use this template to share your schedule with college coaches 7-10 days before an upcoming event.
SUBJECT: (YOUR FULL NAME) | (YOUR GRAD YEAR) | (YOUR POSITION) | (NAME OF THE UPCOMING EVENT)
Dear Coach (COACH LAST NAME),
I hope all has been well at (INSERT SCHOOL)!
I wanted to quickly reach out and in preparation for the (INSERT TOURNAMENT) this upcoming weekend, (INSERT DATE) at (INSERT LOCATION). I hope you have the opportunity to evaluate me this weekend and would greatly appreciate any feedback on my play or what I should be doing to become a (INSERT MASCOT)!
Below is my information for the tournament:
Club Coach Contact: (INSERT YOUR COACH'S NAME) - (INSERT YOUR COACH's EMAIL)
DATE, TIME- CLUB TEAM NAME vs. XYZ - Field or Court #2
DATE, TIME - CLUB TEAM NAME vs. XYZ - Field or Court #1
DATE, TIME - CLUB TEAM NAME vs. XYZ - Field or Court #2
You can watch my updated highlight reel via the link below. There, you will also be able to learn more about me as a player and as a student. You can also contact my club coach at any time. I look forward to playing in front of your staff this weekend!
Safe travels to (INSERT CITY OF THE EVENT)
Best,
(YOUR FULL NAME)
(YOUR PHONE NUMBER)
Coaches want to know that you can handle the academic demands of their school. One of the best ways to check in with a coach is to send them updates about new transcripts, new standardized test scores, or upper-level courses you’re taking (i.e. college courses, AP Courses, Honors, IB).
SUBJECT: (YOUR FULL NAME) | (YOUR GRAD YEAR) | (YOUR POSITION) | Updated (TRANSCRIPT OR TEST SCORES)
Dear Coach (COACH LAST NAME),
I hope all is well at (SCHOOL NAME)!
I wanted to reach out to update you on my (SEMESTER or FULL YEAR TRANSCRIPT) GPA for the first trimester/or semester of my (CURRENT HIGH-SCHOOL YEAR) year is a (GPA NUMBER) and (ADD ANY ACADEMIC ACCOLADES - AP COURSES, HONORS CLASSES, or HONOR ROLL OR DEAN’S LIST).
You can see my full transcript on my SportsRecruits profile by clicking the link below.
You can also find my full athletic and academic profile and my most up-to-date highlight reels via the link below. I would greatly appreciate any feedback from these clips. You'll also find my coaches' contact information if you would like to learn more about me as a player.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do on my end these next few months. I believe I have what it takes to be a part of the (MASCOT) and contribute to their future success!
Best,
(YOUR FULL NAME)
(YOUR PHONE NUMBER)
Coaches need video to evaluate you and want to see your progress! Once you have video uploaded on your SportsRecruits profile, don’t let it go unseen. Message coaches to let them know you have new footage and to ask for their feedback.
SUBJECT: (YOUR FULL NAME) | (YOUR GRAD YEAR) | (YOUR POSITION) | New Video
Dear Coach (COACH LAST NAME),
I hope all is well since I last reached out!
As a reminder, my name is (YOUR FIRST NAME). I am a (YOUR GRAD YEAR) (YOUR POSITION) currently playing for (YOUR CLUB TEAM) out of (YOUR TEAM’S CITY AND STATE). I also attend (YOUR HIGH SCHOOL). (ADD ANY RECENT ACADEMIC OR ATHLETIC ACCOLADES)
I have recently uploaded my (NAME OF YOUR HIGHLIGHT REEL) video, which you can access via the link below. I would appreciate any feedback on the video and if you think I can be a fit for your team.
If you have any questions, my club coach, (YOUR CLUB COACH’s NAME), can be reached by email at (YOUR CLUB COACH’s EMAIL). You can also find my club info and academic info by clicking on the link below.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do on my end these next few months. I believe I have what it takes to be a part of the (SCHOOL’SMASCOT), and contribute to their future success!
Best,
(YOUR FULL NAME)
(YOUR PHONE NUMBER)
If you are in your Junior or Senior Year and have already exchanged several emails with a coach, it may be time to get on a call to learn more about where you stand with their program. Use this email to schedule a phone call. Learn how to fully prepare for this call here.
SUBJECT: (YOUR FULL NAME) | (YOUR GRAD YEAR) | (YOUR POSITION) | Schedule a Call
Dear Coach (COACH LAST NAME),
I hope all has been well at (INSERT SCHOOL)!
(INSERT SCHOOL) is at the top of my list both for its academics and competitive level of (YOUR SPORT).
As I am sure you are well into your (YUR GRAD YEAR) recruiting process, I wanted to see what I can be doing to set myself up for success for your program.
Are you still looking for a (YOUR POSITION)?
If you have the time, I would love to get on a phone call with you in the next few weeks to discuss where you are with your (YOUR GRAD YEAR) recruiting class.
As a reminder, you can find my most up-to-date highlight reels and my full athletic and academic profile via the link below. I would greatly appreciate any feedback from these clips.
I look forward to connecting soon! Let me know if there is any other information I can provide for you about my background as a student-athlete.
Best,
(YOUR FULL NAME)
(YOUR PHONE NUMBER)
Finding coaches' email addresses can be a pain. With the SportsRecruits Messaging System, you can reach out to any college coach in the country with just a few clicks. Every message you send through the Messaging System includes an embedded link to your SportsRecruits profile.
When a coach clicks this link, you will see in real-time who is taking the time to look at your profile, video, or transcripts. Using the SportsRecruits Messaging System, coaches can easily evaluate all your information in one place. Check out our video below to see how easy it is.
With the SportsRecruits Messaging System, you do not need to attach your film. There will be a link embedded in every message you send. This link will take college coaches directly to your SportsRecruits profile to view your video.
Remember, when you message coaches through the SportsRecruits Messaging System, you are alerted in real-time when they view your video, profile, or transcript after reading your email.
You should be emailing everyone on the coaching staff. This is because you never know who is in charge of the program's recruiting process! Select all the coaching staff through the SportsRecruits Messaging System, and make sure to address everyone you are reaching out to. For example: Dear Coach Smith, Coach Jones, Coach White.
Build your student-athlete profile, upload unlimited video and build highlights, research schools, and gain recruiting exposure to college coaches free.