Track coach Corey Mistretta might be coaching at the high school level now, but he's certainly played the recruiter role a time or two. A former head track & field coach at Southeastern Louisiana University, Mistretta played a key role at SLU, receiving the Southland Conference Indoor Track Coach of the Year Award in 2020, becoming the conference's Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2021, and breaking 58 school records in the process. Here are his best recruiting tips.

What is the most important quality you look for in a recruit? 

Athleticism! We don't necessarily look for individual events to recruit to.  We look for athletes and sign the best possible athlete available who is ready to accept our offer.  

Related: Want to Stand Out? The Top 5 Characteristics Recruiters Look For In Athletes

What is the best way for a recruit to get on a college coach's radar?

Of course, numbers are always going to open our eyes to potential. However, I really like when student athletes have the initiative to seek us out. So, I always respond when a PSA sends me an email and/or fills our online questionnaire.  

When should an athlete contact coaches and what is the best way? 

I prefer to hear from juniors at the beginning of the year who are interested in our program and/or university. We add them to our watch list and begin to follow their progress. I am interested in hearing from seniors at any time. It is impossible for us to reach out to every senior, so when a PSA has researched our program and/or university and feel like we are a good fit for them it is always good for them to reach out to us as well. Filling out our online questionnaire or sending emails directly to us are the best ways to reach out. For local PSA's it's always nice when they show up on campus to introduce themselves.

Related: 10 Recruiting Questions With Tufts Track & Field Coach Kristen Morwick 

What are the expectations for incoming players like?

Our expectations are always very high academically. We try to recruit high academic student-athletes.  With the emphasis the NCAA has put on APR, we have to bring kids in who will be successful in the classroom. Many track athletes, especially women, come to us with little to no experience in the weight room. With the weight room playing such a large role in the development of our student-athletes we expect them to embrace the challenge of learning everything. We give them an opportunity to ease into this type of training in year one, but by their second year they need to be attacking weight room sessions. We view the track the same way with most freshmen. In fact, we redshirt a lot of our freshmen during their first indoor season because they are just not prepared to contribute at our conference championship level. In year two the athletes are expected to begin to contribute to the team at the conference championship level.

What are the do's and don'ts of being recruited?

The Do's:  Always be honest!

The Don't:  Never be dishonest!

Other than honesty, I believe it is very important to understand your value to a team. Spend time on www.tfrrs.org researching schools and conferences to get a better idea of where you best fit in. If you are a Southland Conference athlete don't approach SEC coaches with the expectation of having them offer you a big scholarship. Scholarships are very limited in our sport and recruits must understand their value to specific teams in specific conferences.  

What is the best advice you can offer a recruit?

Never underestimate the value of academics in the recruiting process. We have signed many athletes we never would have signed if their academic record wasn't as strong as it was. Coupling academic money with athletic money is very important to college coaches. So, the more academic money you can qualify for the easier it is for a coach to add athletic money to your offer making it more appealing to you as the athlete. 

Related: Stay on Track: 3 Tips for Track and Field Success

What really jumps out to you when reviewing a recruit's highlight tape? 

I want to see how technically sound they are or how well they have been coached. I can then evaluate their results and have a better idea about their potential upside. Many times the worst videos are the most appealing. 

What are the main do's and don'ts for a recruit's highlight tape?

Do:  Show your range of athleticism

Don't:  Make the video too long. Coaches do not want to watch more than about 90 seconds.

When do you recommend recruits put together and share their highlight reels?

They can attach a highlight reel the first time they contact a coach.

How big a factor is social media when recruiting players? What advice do you have for athletes regarding social media?

Social media is highly important. We spend a lot of time reviewing social media accounts and many times will not respond to an athlete who has social media posts that are not in line with the type of athlete we are looking for. 

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Image Credit: Mike Kiral

* Originally published on May 22, 2023, by 2aDays Staff