2021 Recruiting Plan (COVID - June & July)
Talking with student-athletes from all over the country, I realized they were not getting the resources they needed in order to successfully navigate the recruiting process, which is why I created softballrecruiting.com. Softballrecruiting.com is an educational resource that provides players, parents and coaches with a step-by-step guide in order to know exactly what the college coaches are thinking in order to provide coaches with the information they are looking for at the exact moment they are looking for it!
2021 Recruiting Plan for June & July (COVID)
With every college conference and individual college/university having different guidelines for the summer, it is crucial for all 2021s (as well as every student-athlete) to have a recruiting plan in order to best position themselves in the recruiting process. Here are the steps and resources you will need in order to successfully navigate the recruiting process over the next two months!
Know the UPDATED Recruiting Rules
As you know, recruiting will look very different this summer for all college coaches. The NCAA, NAIA & NJCAA have all created new recruiting rules for 2020. It is important you keep up to date with what the rules are so you do not ask a college coach to come see you play if they are in a dead period. It is different for all coaches at all levels. Click HERE for COVID Recruiting Rules updates.
Start Communicating with NEW & MORE Schools
Expanding Realistic List of Schools
- Let's start by writing down the list of schools you have been talking to where the conversations are back and forth (via email or phone).
- Now let's expand that list of realistic schools by 20 that you are going to start contacting! Why are we expanding our list by 20?:
- As you are well aware, there are less "spots" available due to the NCAA giving everyone who played college softball during the spring 2020 season an extra year of eligibility.
- Ensure your academic & athletic's match the schools needs (college coaches always try to recruit better than what they have now). The more realistic schools you add to your list, the more responses you will get from college coaches.
- For every 20 coaches you are updating every week, maybe 3 or 4 have interest in your skills! (If we are only contacting 4 or 5 schools maybe only 1 or none could be interested).
Sending Emails
- You should be emailing all of the schools on your list every week.
- If you'd like to know exactly what the college coaches are looking for in this email, check out our Monthly Lesson which provides you with what college coaches are looking for (even during COVID). It is our job to talk with college coaches everyday in order to provide you with the most up to date information!
- If you have had phone/text conversations with college coaches, you should text them your updates (it is more personal)!
- The goal of emails is to get college coaches on the phone. Once we have college coaches on the phone, the goal is to turn these conversations into visits and the visits into offers.
- If you have not communicated back and forth with a college coach at the bottom of all your emails, you should ask if they have time to speak on the phone so you can learn more about their softball program. Always have a purpose for phone conversations!
- If college coaches do not answer your first email, do not panic. Continue to email the coaches every week to show you are seriously interested in their school.
- If you get a generic response, respond back! Sometimes they ask you to fill out a questionnaire. Fill it out and let the college coaches know you have done so!
- If the college coach tells you they are done with their 2021 class or they are not interested in you, GOOD!! You do not want to go to a school where you are not needed or if they do not like your skills! Politely thank them for letting you know (never burn a bridge) then add another school to your list!
- Email Hint: most college coaches watch your film before they read your email & most do not go through a "recruiting" bio to get more information. Find out more about our step-by-step email process including what to send in your intro email as well as our simple email format and what to include in your email to catch the college coaches attention in our Starter Pack.
Have college coaches interested in you? GREAT!
Here is your PLAN for June & July 2020
The goal is to talk to the college coaches on the phone the first week in June and the first week in July (as well as sending them weekly updates). This is to ensure the coach knows our level of interest as well as gather the information we need from the coach in order to best situate ourselves to get an offer!
If you have the phone number of the college coach, here is the order we are going to contact them:
- Call the coach directly, FIRST. Yes, this a bold move but if they are busy, they wont answer! See below for examples of questions you may want to ask while you are on the phone! Be prepared with your own questions about the individual school as well!
- What is your recruiting plan for this summer?
- Does your university or athletics administration have any additional rules that hinder you from recruiting during COVID?
- (If they are allowed to recruit this summer - COVID UPDATES) Do you know what tournaments/events you will be recruiting at this summer? Are you running or working any camps?
- What is your plan for recruiting student-athletes in the 2021 class?
- You are one of my top schools! What do I need to do in order to become a [Schools Mascot]?
- When everything opens back up, can my family and I come on a visit?
- **Gather as much information as possible and then make every effort to be at the events they will be attending this summer (plan your schedule around their schedule).
- **Make sure you go with the flow of the conversation and do not "force" questions.
- No answer, that is okay! You are going to leave a voicemail. As I said over and over again, always have a purpose for the call! You voicemail should sound something like this:
- "Hi Coach [coaches first and last name], it is [your name] class of 2021 from [team name here]. I hope everyone is safe and healthy! I am calling to see what your recruiting plan is for this summer. Please give me a call back when you get a chance. Talk to you soon!"
- After you leave a voicemail, you are going to want to send a text message as well!
- Hi Coach [coaches first and last name], it is [your name] class of 2021 from [team name here]. I hope everyone is safe and healthy! I was calling to see what your recruiting plan is for this summer. Please give me a call back when you get a chance. Talk to you soon!
I would start with DIII, NAIA & JC FIRST because they are allowed to recruit right now! Then I would move to DII and then DI. Remember, know what the recruiting rules are for the college coach you are talking to. Visit our COVID update page!
Need More Information?
Do you have a unique situation and have questions pertaining to your individualized recruiting situation? Set up a 1 on 1 session with owner and former DI coach, Rachel Coleman.
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