The recruiting process has many different shapes and forms depending on athlete, sport, division and more. The beauty of it is that no one's recruiting process is the same. So for the age old question of “How involved should high school coaches be in the recruiting process?” really only applies to the athletes that want their high school coach to be involved at all.
For myself, I was very independent with my recruiting process. I emailed all of my coaches on my own. I scheduled all my visits on my own. I made my decision based on what I thought that I needed, because in my head, it was my recruiting process and no one else's. That may be different for people that go through the recruiting process and don't know what they're looking for.
High school coaches, depending on the coach, may or may not have played their respective sport in college. If they did, it would not hurt to ask what their experience was. If they didn't, they still may know college coaches that they respect and could get you in contact with them.
Related: 8 Great Recruiting Tips from Michigan State University Swimming and Diving Coach, Matt Gianiodis
Odds are, your coach has sent another athlete to college no matter the division and has some sort of experience regarding the recruiting process. You can ask them questions like, “Have you heard of this program?” or “Do you think this program aligns with my goals as a student athlete?” Both of those are good questions for if you want to involve your coach in the recruiting process, but do not want them to have too much control or insight.
If you're an athlete that wants your high school coach to have a little more of a role in your recruiting process, and your coach has experience with it as well, then they can help in more ways than one. It's no strange thing for a high school coach to email a coach of a college and “sell you” to them. Think of it like a letter of recommendation. Your coach thinks you'd be a good fit for that program so they'll tell the college coach how you practice, how you are as a leader and more.
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Now, if you're not close with your high school coach, then they don't have to have anything to do with your process. You can go throughout your entire recruiting process without telling them a thing, because at the end of the day, it is your decision.
The beautiful thing about the recruiting process is that it is all up to you, and who you want to involve, whether it be coaches, parents, family and more. Whether you need help with the recruiting process and need to talk with your high school coach, it is totally an option for you. If you're more reserved about the recruiting process and feel as though you don't need to involve your coach, by all means don't.
Do what is right for you and good luck in the recruiting process!
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* Originally published on May 10, 2022, by Kyle Haflich
