Talking to your coach about transferring may seem like the scariest thing you've ever done. And from personal experience, it felt like that for me too.
Based on your situation, there is no right or wrong time to tell your coach you are transferring. If you're in season and want to wait till the end to tell them, you can wait. But if you can't take one more second of it, then go ahead and tell them you're transferring. However, there are certain guidelines athletes should follow to make sure your transition is as smooth as possible and that there's no ill-will between you and your soon-to-be-former coach. Here are three tips to guide you through that process.
1. Schedule a Conversation
Based on your experience and the reasoning for transferring, there's many different conversations you can have with your coach. You first and foremost need to set up a meeting and meet with them in person to talk about the transfer at hand.
That is the scariest part, is just putting yourself out there to schedule a meeting. You can tell them what the meeting is about or you can save that for during the meeting.
Related: Rate your Coaches, Facilities, and Campus Visits
2. Know Your “Why”
The next thing you need to do is be prepared to tell them why you're transferring. If you need to bring an itemized list of all the reasons to the meeting to organize your thoughts, that might not be a bad idea.
Depending on the coach they may get defensive, they may want nothing to do with you and want to move on, or they may try and convince you to stay. This is when it is time to stay strong with your reasons and beliefs. If transferring is something you really want to do, you have to tell them that, and be ready for what they might say or do in response.
Related: Want to Switch Schools? Here are 5 Common Questions About the Transfer Process to Help You Out
3. Be Respectful
One thing to remember is to try and be as respectful as possible. If you plan on playing your sport at another school, and you enter the transfer portal, your current coach may know other coaches and tell them about your experience at their school. If the transfer process went swimmingly and you were respectful to your coaches, teammates and staff, then there shouldn't be a problem. If things went up in flames, another coach may not want to take you on.
Overall, the transfer process is what you make it. The goal is to find the right for you and how you treat it and when you do it will dictate your next move.
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* Originally published on June 24, 2022, by Kyle Haflich
