Athletic Recruiting Letters Are to be Treasured, but Should be Kept in Perspective, Too

One Letter Does Not a Scholarship Offer Make 

Recruiting letters from college coaches are a prospect’s first, real connection to those schools’ coaching staffs. They signal to a prospect that they could conceivably become an actual recruit. But, as exciting as it is to receive one, prospects would be wise to keep them in proper perspective.High school student-athletes wanting to become the same at the college level hunger for the chance to be noticed by college coaches. And, since NCAA recruiting rules severely limit one-on-one contact with potential recruits, opening up the mailbox and finding out that a college coach knows they exist is one of the most exhilarating experiences any young person can enjoy. A recruiting letter says to a prospect, “We know you are out there. We think you might be a recruit for us. We want you to know this and to keep your eyes open for future contact from us.”

The origin of a recruiting letter, though, differs from one college to the next. Some are legitimate, especially those arriving from less well-funded programs. They don’t have the recruiting budgets necessary to distribute massive amounts of mailings like, say, major or even mid-major programs which conversely have both the funding and manpower to gather huge numbers of prospects and their addresses from pre-eminent tournaments, combines and other significant events and then scour through the returned questionnaires for possible evaluations. Smaller programs in Division II, III and the NAIA are typically far more discerning about the prospects to whom they send initial recruiting letters. In more graphic terms, the majors and mid-majors can take a shotgun approach while the smaller schools are more likely to adopt a more targeted approach in respect of their budgets and staffing limitations.

Nonetheless, when a recruiting letter arrives, it is immaterial to prospects. A letter to them is an acknowledgement of their athletic superiority. That may be an overstatement, but prospects do love to receive them and promptly envision themselves as someday donning a college jersey. It’s natural, and should not be dismissed, but prospects would be wise to attach the reality of their situation to that college’s appeal and actual recruiting history and needs. Sound convoluted? Well, maybe, but far too many high school prospects put far too much value on letters which arrive from programs which are out of their reach talent-wise.

The NCAA allows its member colleges to send one initial letter to prospects prior to their junior year of high school. One. Once their eleventh grade year ensues, however, the letters may flow freely. This is a little-known fact among prospects and parents. So, an initial letter inescapably turns into a much bigger deal than it should, again, especially when it comes to major college programs. The key? Prospects should certainly value their first-contact recruiting college letters, but point toward the beginning of their junior year as the watershed moment when a college signifies that they are indeed serious with a follow-up letter or not so interested with no second letter at all. Now, that said, schools which are truly interested in putting a prospect on their white boards and continuing the recruiting process will say as much in that important second letter. The language will most likely plainly state the program’s intention. “We will follow your progress this year,” is not one of those definitive statements. It is a stall tactic most programs send to their second- or even third-tier prospects. That essentially statement means, “You are on our board, but not really high enough for you to realistically expect a scholarship offer.”

Being lulled into thinking that a major or mid-major program is recruiting a prospect via these follow-up letters is one of the most debilitating pitfalls into which a prospect can plunge. I once worked with a very solid DII-level point guard that had a great high school career. He had broken nearly every assist and scoring record at his school. But, he had a problem which was nearly impossible to shake. A friend of a friend of his parents had a personal relationship with the coach at a major college basketball program. During this young man’s sophomore year, the DI coach had given instructions to send the prospect a letter which the coach graciously signed. The result was something neither the coach nor his good friend intended. See, once the prospect received this initial letter he would not allow himself to consider any other option. He was so convinced that the coach was “following his progress” that the player ignored practically every other opportunity to play at smaller colleges where he belonged and would have done well. In the end, time and options passed him by and he never heard from the DI coach again.

The moral of this story? Know your talent level. Read your recruiting letters carefully and give each one its proper place in the real world of your sport. If you have the size, speed, skills and grades to play at a particular school and the letters you receive from a coaching staff honestly reflect this in their letters, take them seriously, but never close any other doors. There is no way to eventually predict what will happen in the future in athletics. An injury could end your career as well as your ability to play at the highest level. Coaching changes occur often and putting all your proverbial eggs in one basket can be a big mistake. Your personal likes, dislikes and needs will come into clearer focus as you go through the recruiting process, so what seems important today not be as crucial to you in a year from now.

Things change, including the minds of prospects and coaches. People change, too. Accepting these recruiting realities can save you a lot of heartache and stop you from merrily traipsing down a dead end path. Be careful. Be smart. Make every option count.