Now that my daughter is in high school, it's time to start doing some research on colleges so that she can figure out what type of school she wants to go to. It's also a great time to begin communicating with college coaches as well. After all, you give yourself a better chance at "getting noticed" if you take the first step when it comes to communication. Don't just sit back and wait for someone to come to you. Get out there and start some "conversations." Start forming some relationships with coaches!

If you're anything like my 13-year-old daughter and have no idea where to start or what to say, here are 5 things to keep in mind when you are making those first college contacts:

1. Let them know that you are interested in them. Remember that most people operate on the What's In It For Me principle. Remember to show the coach that you are interested. Don't just start off talking all about yourself and only about yourself.
2. Show them you've done your homework and know something about their school and program. This is important. Don't just make your communication some generic form letter. Somehow you have to stand out from the rest. Somehow you have to make the coach feel like you really do have a genuine interest in his or her program. Anyone with a real genuine interest would take the time to find out about the school or program and would know more than the school name, colors, and mascot.
3. Show them your interest is more than just softball. It's great if you love softball a lot. Really, it is, but college is an educational institution. It's much more impressive to a coach if you show some knowledge about the school as well as about the softball program. Again, this will help reinforce the idea that you are taking their school/program seriously.
4. Ask for more information. Once you've done your little introduction and have shown your interest, don't forget to ask for additional information. Plus, this whole "first contact" is like getting to know someone new. When you are meeting someone for the first time that you want to know for more than today, do you go on and on about yourself or do ask about them so you can get to know them? For this initial step, it's more important for you to start building a basis of communication rather than it is to start trying to convince them about how great you are. Also, remember that the more information you have about a school and softball program, the easier it will be for you to make a decision about what college would be a good choice for you. One of the best ways to get information is to ask for it!
5. Ask what they want. Ask what kind of information/communication they like to receive from prospects. The easier you can make the coaches job, the better. Find out how they like to communicate so that you can give them EXACTLY what they want as you move through the college recruiting process. Find out if a coach likes practice film, game film, or both. Find out if they prefer e-mail, social media, old-fashioned letters, or some other form of communication best. Find out if the head coach is the best one for you to be in contact with or if an assistant is more important early in the game. Do they want stats, schedules, unofficial transcripts, etc, etc, etc? Find out as much as you can about what the coach wants and how the coach operates, then deliver what they want to make it as easy for them to evaluate you as possible.

If you're in high school and haven't started making contact yet - get going! Use these 5 tips and send your first correspondence today. The sooner the better. You aren't going to be in high school forever. Every day that passes is one less day you have to travel along your college recruiting journey. Good luck!

Let's talk more about this... can you do me a quick 30-second favor and leave a comment below?

View Original Post at softballperformance.com

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