You've done it. You've crafted the perfect introductory email to a coach you'd love to play for and built up the courage to hit “send.” But it has been a few weeks since your last contact with them and you have new information to share and you're starting to wonder: How should I go about sending a follow-up email to this coach? If you're in this boat, you're not alone–college coaches receive hundreds of emails from recruits every year, so it's easy for them to let some slip through the cracks. If you suspect that's the case, feel free to follow-up! Here's how to do that effectively.
Pick the Right Time
There is no set time table or formula for emailing a college coach, but there are a few important things to keep in mind. First, if you have vital updates to share with a coach, do it! Recruiting is time sensitive, especially as you move further into the process. Other recruits will be competing for the same spots as you, quickly getting improved test scores or a 40-yard dash time to a coach could make all the difference. In addition to sending updated information, emailing a coach a week or a few days before an event you will be attending is important. Second, you should always alert coaches when you will be on their campus or going to a showcase they will be scouting at. At the end of the day, it's your call, but if a few weeks have passed since your initial email, consider following up.
Related: Want to Wow Recruiters? Remember these 7 Components of an Effective Email to a Coach
Re-Introduce Yourself
Begin your follow up email with a short re-introduction and explanation of why you are reaching out again. Make sure every email you send is personal and specific to the coach. You should be sending updates to individual coaches that you are really interested in playing for; coaches can see right through mass emails.
Get Down to Business
After you re-introduce yourself, you should then quickly move onto the reason for your email. College coaches get flooded with emails, both from recruits and their own players. If the coach has already received an email from you, your follow up should be brief and informative. Quickly show the coach a screenshot of your test scores or grades, your updated stats, or your game and showcase schedule. Be concise and clear with your information! A Wesleyan University baseball recruiting coordinator said that “after initial contact has been established with a recruit, follow up emails should be quick and include little more than the relevant information necessary to recruiting.” So get to the meat of your message ASAP.
Provide Updates
Hopefully, your introduction email to the college coach included your contact information and some baseline academic and athletic statistics. A great reason to send a follow up email would be improved test scores, new midterm grades, or updated stats which show strong performance in your sport. If your original email did not include a highlight video showcasing your skills, then the first follow up show features one. Persistent updates will let the coach know that you are genuinely interested in their program!
Related: 5 Important Email Tips During the Recruitment Process
Discuss Your Calendar
Aside from updated academic and athletic information, a follow up email can be useful for telling a coach about your recruiting schedule. For example, if you signed up for a showcase you know the coach will be at or if your high school or club team will be playing near the school, you should let the coach know! The more opportunities a coach has to see you play the better.
Ask Questions!
Follow up emails are also a great time to ask coaches specific questions you may have about the recruiting process, what they are looking for in recruits, or the program in general. Rachel Townsend, a Wesleyan University swimmer, told me that after she had determined which schools interested her the most, in her follow up emails she “found it most helpful to be clear and honest and ask specific questions about their programs, which in turn gave [her] a better picture of the college athlete experience as a whole.”
Related: Example Email to College Coaches
Remember Your Contact Information
Do not forget to finish every email with the contact information college coaches will need to track you down. With their limited amount of time, coaches do not want to search for your phone number or an appropriate email address. It is best to always use the same signatory information at the end of every email, so coaches can quickly contact you.
Keep in mind that coaches in different sports and across the different divisions face NCAA regulations on when they can begin contacting recruits! Even if you crafted a stellar introductory email and have been sending them useful updates, coaches may be restricted from contacting you. Don't get discouraged–just follow up!
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* Originally published on December 16, 2022, by Thomas Holley
