So I emailed all the coaches of the schools I applied to RD. I wasn’t good enough at my sport to be an athletic recruit but I thought maybe I could walk on, so I introduced myself and expressed my interest in playing on said team if admitted. (This was back in December.) One coach emailed me back yesterday and asked if coach’s school was my #1 choice. I told the truth. I was deferred from my first choice but very interested. I really don’t have a second choice yet. Do you think my honesty will hurt my chances? keep my chances the same? or help?
It might have helped if you had said it was your first choice because he didn’t ask to taunt you, he asked because he was interested in you and wanted to help. What was the school?
Coaches appreciate honesty.
@turqluv a NE LAC (I’d rather not say- who knows if coach reads these threads!) @TheDidactic Thanks for the comment. How do you think that translates to admissions though? If admissions said hey I’ve got an athlete for you, and remembering my name, emailed me. Since I said no, coach tells admissions forget it…
This won’t hurt you with admissions, it just may not help. Most likely the coach hasn’t gotten the athletes he or she hoped for in the ED round and has a spare slot so s/he’s looking for someone who’s close to a sure bet. If I were you I’d email the coach and let him/her know the school is high on your list if that’s the case. Just say something along the lines of “School X is one of my top choices and I’d love to talk with you about the possibility of playing for the X’s.” Opening a dialogue never hurts as long as you’re honest and don’t promise anything you’re not willing to deliver.
@Sue22 yes, thanks for the advice. That’s actually what I did immediately after receiving the email- although not quite as eloquently. just said on of my tops. I didn’t heard back again from the coach and that made me anxious.
The coach won’t give you a tip with admissions unless it is your first choice, likely.
@BrownParent
Yes agreed. But do you think it will hurt chances…?
My son got a very positive letter from a school in that area of the country, asking for his transcript and test scores. Led to nothing. I am not sure what the coach was looking for, but we thought he might have seen him at a camp.
If you plan to try to walk on, figure out where you are going and then get in the loop there. Maybe call the coach after you accept your spot to attend, and fill out a recruit form.
Certainly if you were civil enough to answer, and it does end up you go to the school, you can at least email him about walk-on tryouts.
The only caution is that some walk-on tryouts are in the summer, and most athletic teams start practicing a week before regular move-in. So you want to contact the coach soon after you decide where you are attending, so you can get the schedule and plan accordingly.
It was good that you were honest, but it’s also true that a “yes, if admitted I will attend” answer might have gotten you a “tip” from that coach (he or she might have lobbied for your acceptance to fill a need on the team).
You are in the same place as you were before you received the coach’s email. S/he will not tank your chances because you gave a less than enthusiastic reply.
Agreed, it won’t hurt but you won’t get any help from the coach.
There is a subforum here dealing with athletic recruits. You might get some more experienced advice if you post your question there.
It sounds like the coach at this LAC has an opening and was considering you. He didn’t want to waste his ‘tip’ or ‘slot’ on you unless you were really interested in his school. He probably gave his tip/slot to another student who recently was accepted somewhere else.
What will probably happen now is that the coach will move down his list to find another athlete to fill the tip/slot. Coaches are given very limited number of slots/tips per year and they don’t like to waste it on anyone who isn’t 100% committed.
Read this 3-part article about Athletic recruiting at Bowdoin. Will help you understand
http://bowdoinorient.com/article/9151
http://bowdoinorient.com/article/9211
http://bowdoinorient.com/article/9252