Phone Calls

[laxstar003]

Anybody that has experience with phone calls (especially the first calls you get from them, around July 1) from college coaches... what kinds of things do they ask?? Any advice??

[Eclipse]

Well mainly, they just say. Heres what our program is all about..and then ask you if you have any questions. So give thought to that, consider:

Do you have my major?

What teams do we play?

How many hours a week do we practice?

What are the dorm rules?

Any coach should be prepared to know almost everything about the university. Mainly just be ready to answer the question: Why do you think __________ University is right for you? Cause this will likely be brought up.

And you dont wanna be caught with...uhh because it looks like its a sweet skool dude.

[DukeLax2]

i got calls from ohio state, drexel, and hobart. just wanted to check in and see how the summer was going. hoped to get a time frame to know my decision

[PBlax]

Colleges are only allowed to "call" you one time. Thats why most of the calls they generally like to ask for your email adress, your screenname, and if its ok text you so that they can build a relationship with their prospects.

You as an athlete are allowed to call them as many times as you want

[laxstar003]

Colleges are only allowed to "call" you one time. Thats why most of the calls they generally like to ask for your email adress, your screenname, and if its ok text you so that they can build a relationship with their prospects.

You as an athlete are allowed to call them as many times as you want

they can call you once, but per week. so that ends up being a lot of calls between now and whenever you make your decision. and i don't know about you, but most of the schools already know my email address (email has been the main source of communication), screenname, etc. so they asked questions like are you interested in our school and what other schools are you looking at.

[PBlax]

they can call you once, but per week. so that ends up being a lot of calls between now and whenever you make your decision. and i don't know about you, but most of the schools already know my email address (email has been the main source of communication), screenname, etc. so they asked questions like are you interested in our school and what other schools are you looking at.

Not until your senior year

when you are junior when they usally pick up their prospects they can only have one call with you

[lilaxgurl23]

Not until your senior year

when you are junior when they usally pick up their prospects they can only have one call with you

On July 1stafter your junior year, a school may begin calling you. They are allowed one call per week. If you would like more information about this, check out the recruiting guide put out by the NCAA. Make sure you’re looking at the right sport though, because larger sports like Football and Basketball have different recruiting regulations than lacrosse.

All of the calls I received were pretty much the same. There were exceptions, but for the most part coaches started off by asking what me what was I planning to do this weekend and how things were going. Basically they just started things of general and then got into their school and program. Coaches went into how their program was doing and their expectations for future years. Usually then they would state their interest in me in some way. Then they would go on to talk about their school if they hadn’t all ready and after they explained everything to me, most wanted to know certain things from me. If they hadn’t spoken to me before via e-mail or whatever, they were interested in academics. All wanted to know what my level of interest was of their school and what other schools I was considering. Others wanted to know if it bothered me to be so close or far away from my home. After that, they asked me if I had any questions. Some to consider might be (if you don’t all ready know the answer to):

- What is the average SAT, GPA and class rank of admitted students
- What kind of academic support is there for you
- Can athletes get first choice of class sections that meet at non-practice times, helping to avoid conflicts?
- How many classes can you expect to miss during season
- What is a typical practice like and what is the practice schedule like (will you have time to pursue other extra-curricular activities other than lacrosse)
- How many other players are competing for your position
- How many minutes can you expect to get as a freshman
- Where do you rank on their list of recruits
- How many do they expect to bring in (freshman recruits)
- When do they expect you to commit by

Basically ask whatever is on your mind, whether it be about the actual school or about the lacrosse program. You want to make sure the school is a fit for you not only when it comes to lacrosse, but also academically. After you have asked your questions, a coach might ask you if you are interested in visiting their school (officially or unofficially). It’s up to you, but usually they will give you a time frame so that you can tour the campus with them one on one and meet some of the current players. They usually leave you with a number to contact incase you have any other questions and state that they plan on calling you the following week to check-up on you. Chances are, if a coach is calling you July 1st, they’re pretty interested in you, so the ball is really in your court. Good luck with the whole process.

[laxstar003]

thanks, lillaxgurl. all of my calls so far have gone very smoothly. :) good luck to yourself as well!

[laxstar003]

Okay, another question...coach calls you, leaves a message. You call back, leave THEM a message. Is it you're job to keep calling them until you reach them, or will they call you back when they have time?

[DukeLax2]

if u cant reach them leave a message saying when ur going to try to call back...thats what i do

[lilaxgurl23]

Okay, another question...coach calls you, leaves a message. You call back, leave THEM a message. Is it you're job to keep calling them until you reach them, or will they call you back when they have time?

They may call you once a week. They may want to speak to you more, but since they all ready called you, they may not call you back until the next week. It's up to you if you want to hear their voice before that time. I would call them back again, or shoot them an e-mail. Just stay persistent with your communication. I'm sure the coach would love to hear your voice though and chat with you one on one, so try a call first.

EDIT- Good suggestion by Duke, forgot to mention that. If you say when you'll call back, chances are they'll be waiting for you and will answer it when you call (assuming you give them enough time to get the message).

[laxstar003]

so if they don't reach you and leave a message, does that count as their 1 call for that week?

[lilaxgurl23]

I believe so.
13.1.3.1.5 Application of Telephone Call Limitations

Once an institution reaches the applicable limit on telephone calls to a prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardian(s) for a particular time period (e.g., one per month, one per week, two per week), the institution may not initiate an additional telephone call during the same time period, even if no direct conversation occurs during the additional call (e.g., voicemail message). (Adopted: 4/27/06)

That was taken off th NCAA Division 1 Manual (if you look under that sticky, it can be found under "Recruiting" of NCAA).

[laxstar003]

well, that sure explains why i haven't got calls back from the two coaches i left messages for. i could have sworn i read somewhere or somebody told me that it only counts if they speak to you. THANK YOU!

[lilaxgurl23]

No problem. If it's any help, I always like to e-mail a coach after I missed them on a phone call. Just let them know that you tried, but that you'll try them again later at a certain time.

[laxstar003]

thanks. sounds like you know what you're doing, haha. ohh it's all so nerve-racking.

[lilaxgurl23]

I think I know what I'm doing :chuckle: I've just read as much as I can and have tried to learn as much as possible to make it more stressful on deciding rather than figuring out what's going on. I can only handle so much. You'll be fine though. If you're getting calls now, you're on the right path. Just remember to breathe in and out and think about how much fun senior year will be when everyone else is applying and wondering if they'll be accepted, and you will all ready know that you're going somewhere.

[laxstar003]

good point, that will be quite nice! hopefully we can all make the process low-stress... but i'm still ready for fall.

[lilaxgurl23]

All right, so I spoke with a coach about this today. Basically she said the message does not count as a call, generally speaking. If they, however, ramble on during the message, it would be their call for the week. She said they get about a minute, what would take for a few rings and to leave a simple message, however if they go beyond that, it is supposed to count. On the other hand though, she made it pretty clear that no one really checks their logs. I would definitely still reccommend e-mailing coaches though is you missed them on the call-back.

[jedimasterPIMP]

Every phone call I've gotten so far they have all asked me to come to visit so we can talk more in depth about the college and everything. But so far I've gotten calls from Navy, UMBC, Bucknell, Colgate, Lafayette, Holy Cross, and Villanova.

[Laxdude1212]

are you screwed for college lax if a coach doesnt call you? or if you have to call him or email him first?

[smooth87]

are you screwed for college lax if a coach doesnt call you? or if you have to call him or email him first?

No you're not screwed. You are suppose to call/email them first, because they have no idea who's out there and who wants to go to their school. Granted coaches talk to each other, but that list isn't too deep. So along as you inciate communications first, you'll be good.

[bigfootprep53]

all the calls i have gotten the coach asked about myself, what my grades and gpa r like, my strengths and weaknesses in skool, asked if i have applied yet, asked what i wanted my major to be, and just stuff about the program, and the lacrosse tea, than asked if i had questions. and asked me some stuff about me and me playin lacrosse that was my first call from the coaches.

[tigerlax7]

i got calls from ohio state, drexel, and hobart. just wanted to check in and see how the summer was going. hoped to get a time frame to know my decision
Buddy dont go to Drexel. All the counselors at camp warned everybody not to go there. High crime rate in a bad part of Philly.

[ilaxitup007]

I think I know what I'm doing :chuckle: I've just read as much as I can and have tried to learn as much as possible to make it more stressful on deciding rather than figuring out what's going on. I can only handle so much. You'll be fine though. If you're getting calls now, you're on the right path. Just remember to breathe in and out and think about how much fun senior year will be when everyone else is applying and wondering if they'll be accepted, and you will all ready know that you're going somewhere.

yes....just know that it will work out. and only applying to one school is the best part while all of your other non athlete friends are filling out 8 applications and you only have to do 1. it is glorious.

[$uperman15]

when do college coaches send you emails and letters and how do they get that information?
do they send you letters when your a rising junior?(summer going into junior year)
do i make phone calls and email coaches as a rising junior? (summer going into junior year)
what is the most common year college coaches send you things and make phone calls?

[laxstar003]

i got most of my letters the summer before (d3) and during (d1) junior year. i'm pretty sure d1s cant send you letters/questionnaires in the mail until sept 1 before your junior year. i would contact coaches through email in the early summer before your junior year telling them what camps & tournaments you will be at. include a resume if you have one. i dont think phone calls are really necessary at this point, and coaches tend to be hard to reach by phone anyway.

all of my phone calls came on july 1 before senior year, which is the first day d1 coaches can call you. they tend to call their top group of recruits on this day, so chances are if you have been highly recruited by a school they will call you on that date.

im not even done with this process, so by no means am i even close to an expert, but that should help you a bit!

[jedimasterPIMP]

all of my phone calls came on july 1 before senior year, which is the first day d1 coaches can call you. they tend to call their top group of recruits on this day, so chances are if you have been highly recruited by a school they will call you on that date.

I did get a good amount of calls on july 1st as well, but all the schools that are interested the most in me called a week or so afterward. If you don't get a call on the 1st its no big deal and it doesn't mean your not going to be recruited anywhere. The misleading myth is that if you don't get any phone calls early in july you won't comitt early, but thats not even close to reality. I just wanted to put that out there so if anyone isn't getting anycalls don't worry.

[ilaxitup007]

yeah, jedimater is correct...only 1 of the calls that i received on july 1st ended up being one out of the 5 officials i went on. so everything changes.

[laxstar003]

hmm, really? just out of curiosity, when did the rest of your calls come? later in july, the fall, etc.

[Laxin2266]

Did you first start contact with the coaches that called you, or did they look you up somewhere??

[laxstar003]

Yeah, I first contacted them by email the summer before my junior year. We emailed back and forth for about a year.

[DukeLax2]

most college coaches get ur info after watching you at camp, theyll circle or underline ur name and your address is providing in the booklets that tournement officials put together and you fill out a questionarre. I got two calls on the 1st of july, one the next day, and then a call during the week from a team I had never talked to before. Most coaches will send you emails after they get ur info, sometimes theyll just email you off the bat too, if theyre that interested.

[lilaxgurl23]

Did you first start contact with the coaches that called you, or did they look you up somewhere??

I've had it go both ways. On July 1st, I think all of my calls came from coaches I had never talked to before. Well one I had talked to before, and had even taken an unoffical, but even with her, I did not start contact with, she contacted me. One of the others I also had been talking to throughout the year, but again, they initiated contact, back in the fall. The other three were complete surprises. I did talk to one coach the day before July 1st as well (I called per her request), but I initated that one. I think all of the other calls that I have recieved have been mixed since then, I would say moreso they looked me up though.

I will admit though, if there was ever to be a person that "flew under the radar", it would be me. Yes, I have recieved a lot of phone calls, but if you were look at the whole picture, it's a different story of where it could be (not that I'm unhappy, I'm just saying. I am an exception, for the majority of laxers, you will be the one initiating the contact).

[laxstar003]

(not that I'm unhappy, I'm just saying. I am an exception, for the majority of laxers, you will be the one initiating the contact).

Quoted for emphasis. Unless you are an exceptional player (like lilax :worship: ) you want to contact the schools you are interested in ahead of time. Then your chances are much, much better that the schools of your choice will look at you, and hopefully give you a call. I know way too many people that weren't been proactive and are regretting it now. Do the research and work ahead of time and everything will be a lot easier later.

[lilaxgurl23]

Quoted for emphasis. Unless you are an exceptional player (like lilax :worship: ) you want to contact the schools you are interested in advance. Then your chances are much, much better the schools of your choice will look at you. I know way too many people that have not been proactive and haven't gotten any calls.

Exactly, and even I do not think I have been proactive enough. I have great options, but had I tried more, I could have the opportunity to go somewhere else. Work hard now, and don't regret it later. If there is any piece of advice I can give to future recruits, it's to try hard to make contact and get yourself out there. Coaches need to know that you're out there, or you won't be recruited by the teams you wish to be recruited be. Even if you don't think you can cut it, it's better to be safe than sorry. There are definiely things I regret not doing, and now I can only wonder. So make sure you try hard your rising junior and senior years so that you can relax your senior year.

[waynelaxgrl101]

so would you say its better to e-mail a coach, or send them a letter in the early stages of recruiting (like sophmore year)?

[laxstar003]

I would say the best time is after the spring of your sophomore year once you get your tournament/camp schedule for the summer.

[egrlax10]

if a coach calls you, does it mean that they are recruiting you and want you at their school? or is it the same as getting a packet or questionnaire in the mail?

[lilaxgurl23]

if a coach calls you, does it mean that they are recruiting you and want you at their school? or is it the same as getting a packet or questionnaire in the mail?

Receiving a phone call means they're interested and are probably recruiting you. Trust me though, you'll know from the type of conversation you have. Usually they'll state they're interested in some way, shape or form. You may not be their top choice, but they are trying to recruit you. A lot of prospective recruits get the packets, if the coach takes time out of their day to personally talk to you, they are most likely recruiting you ( say most likely and probably because there are always exceptions).