Template · one page
Athletic resume
One clean page a coach can scan in ten seconds. Keep it current; attach it to every outreach email.
Adapt the "key stats" line to the measurables coaches in your sport actually ask for.
Checklist · your highest-leverage asset
Highlight-film checklist
A tight reel opens more doors than anything else you make. Coaches decide in seconds and skip the rest — so front-load your best.
- Best play first. Your single most impressive 5–10 seconds opens the reel. No long intro.
- Keep it short. 3–5 minutes max; many coaches watch under a minute. A shorter, sharper reel beats a long one.
- Label yourself every clip. A spotlight/arrow or "circle" on your athlete at the start of each clip. Coaches won't hunt for you.
- Lead with position-relevant plays. Show what your position is judged on. [add your sport: the specific plays/skills that matter for your position]
- Full-play context, not just highlights. Include enough before/after so a coach can read the decision, not just the result.
- Put the essentials on-screen. Name, grad year, position, jersey #, contact, GPA in the first frames and description.
- Unedited game/skills footage available too. Many coaches want raw film after the reel hooks them — have it ready.
- Host where it just plays. A link that opens instantly, no login. Put it in your resume and every email.
Source basis: what coaches say they actually watch for in recruiting film.
Template + cadence · the email coaches answer
Coach-outreach email
Written by the athlete, not the parent — coaches want to hear from the player. Personalize the first line for every school; a copy-paste blast is obvious and ignored.
The intro email
Follow-up cadence
- Wait ~1–2 weeks, then a short follow-up: new film, an upcoming event they could attend, or an updated stat.
- Give a reason to reply each time — a question or an event date beats "just checking in."
- Mind the calendar. If they can't respond yet (dead/eval period), it's the rules, not disinterest. Keep sending value; don't take silence personally.
- Track every send in the recruiting tracker below so you never double-message or drop a warm lead.
Check what a coach can legally do right now in How Recruiting Works → the calendar.
Tracker · build in a spreadsheet
Target-school list
Aim for a spread across reach, match, and safety — judged on athletic fit AND academics AND real cost. Start broad (15–25), then narrow.
Add your sport: include conferences and programs strong in your sport / your athlete's position or event.
Tracker · never drop a lead
Recruiting tracker
The parent who tracks wins. One row per contact, updated after every interaction.
This is the parent's best behind-the-scenes job (see the roles legend on the roadmap).
Checklist · questions that reveal fit
Campus-visit & coach-call questions
Bring these to every visit and serious call. The answers separate a real fit from a good sales pitch.
- Where do you see me on the roster, and at what position/role?
- What does the aid actually look like in dollars — this year and over four years?
- How many players do you plan to bring in at my position this cycle?
- What does a normal week look like in-season and out?
- What happens to my spot/aid if there's a coaching change or an injury?
- What's the plan if I redshirt or don't play early?
- How do players here balance the sport with my intended major?
- What's your graduation rate, and where do players land after?
Athlete asks these; parent listens and takes notes (avoid answering for your athlete — see the red-flag note on the roadmap).
Checklist · decide with a clear head
Offer-comparison checklist
Score each offer the same way so the biggest scholarship number doesn't quietly win a decision it shouldn't.
- Real out-of-pocket cost — all four years, athletic + academic + need aid stacked.
- Playing-time honesty — realistic role, not a recruiting promise.
- Academic fit — is your athlete's major strong here, and can they actually take it as an athlete?
- Coaching stability — how long has the staff been there; what if they leave?
- The degree & life at 25 — does this school set up the life your athlete wants after sport?
- Team & culture fit — did it feel right on the visit, honestly?
- Health/backup — what protects the athlete if injury ends playing?
Run the final decision through this one more time before signing — see the senior-year steps on the roadmap.