What are the “rules” about this, or are there any? DS runs cross-country and although he won’t be an impact player, he is currently running at high JV/low V times for the schools to which he is applying. He made a point of meeting with the coaches during our visits, and they have all followed up with him via email. His current coach asked how he could help & wanted to know if he should contact the BS coaches. Is this allowed, or even the best way to go about it? I know that XC isn’t a recruited sport and it’s probably not a big deal in terms of admission, but any little bit helps I think.
This is an interesting question! I think that it speaks volumes about your kid that the coach is offering to help. I would think that the varsity times, even if on the lower end, are something schools would take notice of; and your kid still has 4 years to grow and become a stronger, more experienced athlete! I would also think that your son’s current coach can offer insight into his work ethic, coach-ability, sportsmanship, leadership skills etc.; physical talent is great, but these qualities are important too. For some boarding schools the current coach can submit one of the EC recommendations, and perhaps that has already been done in your son’s case?
I’ve also been thinking about the appropriateness of your son’s coach sending an email directly to a BS coach. I’m certainly NO expert here! On one hand it seems out of the box, but on the other I can’t recall coming across a rule against this sort of thing and I can’t pin down any other good reason not to do it assuming the coach is willing and you have faith that the coach will only be positive about your kid.
Lastly, I would say that if a school is committed to having XC as a varsity sport, or any other sport for that matter, then they should be interested in attracting strong student-athletes to sustain each of those programs.
Wishing your DS the best!
Thanks so much @AppleNotFar ! I’m thinking that DS could just ask the BS coaches & AOs individually how they’d like to handle it. Only one of the schools on his list offer additional EC recommendations (and he’d like to use that for a different EC). I just wasn’t sure what the rules are, if any. FWIW we made point of asking about submitting an art portfolio at every school that we visited, and the answers varied more than I would have expected. Some art teachers said that they want it sent to them directly, bypassing or in addition to the official application. I’m not sure if there’s any meaning behind any of this, or if it’s just dependent on the personalities of the individuals involved. The good news is that it’s a valid excuse to send an email and “keep in touch”!
The TSAO coaches have a set of rules. I can’t remember where I saw them. Basically the coaches at TSAO schools are not allowed to proactively reach out to students.
So basically initiate all contact. Best to have the student do it. Your coach can help but they ultimately want to hear directly from your kid.
FWIW, my son asked his coach to write recommendations for him, which he is doing. One of his schools requires an outside recommendation, and for the others the coach will just write a letter. He too is not a recruited athlete, but he’s a good all-around athlete and certainly has potential, from a skill and leadership standpoint, and depending on how hard he wants to work. My son initiated contact with varsity coaches in his two sports, met with them at his interviews and subsequent visits, and went to a couple of games, and one of the coaches came to see him play. It may mean nothing for him in the admissions process, but it’s been good to get more insight into the athletic programs, coaching styles, etc.
Thanks @CTMom21 ! We are doing pretty much the same thing here - his coach will email the schools directly.