My dd will be in 9th grade this fall and will be attending a big tournament
this summer where 3-4 academic D3 coaches will be recruiting. Of course,
she has no grades or test scores to show, but she will be attending a rigorous
academic school which has history of placement with these schools.
She is a high level player and most likely will have good grades and test scores.
Is it too early to ask D3 coaches to come and watch her, with the above caveats?
I know the recruiting cycle will be much later, but would like to know if there
would be some interest at an LAC D3. Thoughts? Thanks!
In my view, the question isn’t whether it is too early for the coach to come watch your dd, but rather whether it is too early to start communicating with coaches. If these are potential schools where your dd might be interested in landing, by all means start the communications process going.
On the other hand, you should have reasonable expectations. Those coaches may have their eyes on other recruits for earlier recruiting years. They will have no way of knowing where she will be in the academic ball park needed for admission. That said, there is little downside to having her name floated out there early on. And, the whole point of D3 recruiting is to take advantage of the lack of a recruiting budget by marketing yourself as someone who really wants to be on the college team.
I think it’s really a reasonable question to ask the coaches. If anything it puts her name out there. If it’s too early they will just asked to be reminded the next year. What it can open up is maybe invitation to summer camps /workouts etc in the future.
Your DD can fill out the school’s/coach’s online recruiting questionnaire, many have space to note upcoming competitions/showcases. In D3, she can also send an email to the coaches telling them she will be at X tournament this summer, playing on X team and her uniform number. For most sports, coaches can not call or email her back (as a rising 9th grader), nor have contact with her at the tournament. They can speak with her club coach.
Lastly to be clear it should be your DD doing this things, it’s best that parents do not send emails to the coaches inviting them to tournaments, introducing the athlete, etc. Good luck.
“It would help to know the sport.” AGREE
D in soccer was heavily invested in communication and recruiting by 9th grade (and committed by the end to 10th) . D in swimming was invested in the 11th grade.Sport makes huge difference. Both Ds were filling out recruiting questionnaires by 9th and took ACT early in 10th grade so schools would know they were real candidates. Both at top 10 UNIs/LAC…
at this age the biggest help (assuming your kid is not a top 50 D1 sports team talent) is figuring out the level of sport she may fit. The good academic schools can’t tell you anything about admissions without a test score, but can get you feedback on the sport fit.
You can always contact the coach and tell them where you will be playing, but you may never know if they saw you play because they can’t contact you to let you know they are interested. they can contact your coaches.
I’d fill out the questionnaire and then send an email to the coaches you are interested in and where and when you’ll be playing at a tournament. “Hi, I’m Mary Jones and I play attack on the Blue Meanies team. We will be playing in the President’s Cup on June 30 in Boston, and I hope you will be able to see me play if you are attending the tournament. I have filled out your questionnaire. My coach is Jane Smith and her email is xxx.”
You can also add more about what you wear (your number, something unique about your uniform like the bright pink shoe laces).
I agree with many others in saying that it depends on the sport. My DD is a lacrosse player and started communicating with coaches last summer as a rising sophomore. Many D3 replied and commented on her film (D1 can’t reply til junior year).
That being said, most were very clear that they were not focused on 2021 class yet. They are now replying to her and saying they plan to check out her games at summer tournaments (still D3). Next fall will be even more critical for her since the 2020 class will be fully decided.
Go ahead and let her practice reaching out because it’s good to learn but make sure she is prepared for polite replies of “thanks for the interest and keep us posted” if her sport has a later recruiting cycle like lacrosse.
Thanks all for the replies.
She was a recruited athlete for many hs and she is attending a school with 1400±1500+ SAT 50%
and history of sending kids to these schools. I am fairly confident that she will continue
her high grades and test scores. Sorry, I am guarded due to crazy parents around me.
She is state/regional level and can play fairly high D1. But she does not like the job aspect of D1,
but loves her sport and wants top level academics. D3 seems like a good fit for her.
Any of these schools will be reach for anyone.
What I was thinking…if she can meet the grades and test scores requirements, would the coach
be interested in her as a player? It seems like a cheap and easy way for them to take a peek
since they will be there anyway, if it doesn’t interfere with their agenda. No strings attached.
Only downside I can see if she doesn’t show well when the coaches are there. But that could
happen anytime. Thanks!
D3 can see her any time, but they don’t usually look at the really young players. D1 coaches are restricted by sport to who they can talk to about recruiting issues, especially off campus or by the coach contacting the players.
Her coach will know best and if the school is that good, the coaches have been there before.
Find out where the coaches are doing prospects/ID camps and signup to bring her. Send film and email to coaches in advance to express interest and tell them your schedule when there.
In this day and age unless you are a football or basketball player, coaches don’t come to you - you go to them.
Depending upon the sport there can be more money in D3 for merit given to an athlete than athletic scholarships due to partials in D1.
I will provide a cautionary tale - sometimes getting into a school that you wouldn’t otherwise (bottom 25%) seems like a great “coup” but the student still has to do the work and have a bigger athletic commitment than they’ve ever had.
So look closely at a few things :
1) the number of graduating Seniors on the team and the size of that specific recruited class
2) check out who leads the team in your child’s most related statistical category. Are they Seniors, Juniors,
etc?
3) would you stay at the school if no longer playing the sport
My son got into a school to play a sport where his test scores are in the bottom 10% of the class. The Senior class that graduated his Fr year had 5 out of the original 20 in that recruited class graduate. He liked the other athletes but the overall student body wasn’t a great fit. Last year he was slated to start but got recruited over when a HS All American and a D1 transfer ( to D3) came. He played in every game and contributed but not on the level he had hoped.
So he and 2 more of 6 of his suite mates have left school…
Go into the process with eyes wide open it’s not the panacea everyone thinks it is for the majority of student athletes. Only a fixed number can be on the field at one time and every year the coach is trying to find someone better to replace you. Academic stress is enough making the athletic side stressful as well isn’t fun.
adding to Cavitee’s input and good advice on looking at test scores & # of Srs. stilll playing.
My advice, pick the school based on not playing the sport there. Make sure the school is a good fit academically, financially, socially, etc. not just sports or do not justify the other reasons due to sports.
I have personally seen a # of students/family get caught up in the status, especially in this social media age, of the announcement of where they will be committing to play. Many of those schools are not fully funded sports or D3 so no athletic scholarships and no special merit scholarships for athletes (meaning you would get the same merit or need based even if you didn’t play the sport), or they could be a team that the athlete could walk onto.
I have seen a # of students/family pick a school based on playing a sport there with perhaps a small partial scholarship and then leave after a yr or two.
It’s early, too early unless you are talking about a sport like golf or tennis and the kid is hitting the nationals. What about her coach? Instrumental in getting attention. Many have the contacts.
I have a kid who scouts for some college teams. I asked him and he rolled his eyes. Coaches get inundated with parents of young kids wanting that look. Either the kid is already in the radar, or is an unusual newcomer (6 and half footer middle school kid showing basket ball promise), not interested. Too much can happen between now and college. Busy enough with the current year and maybe next. Even then high drop out due to injuries and loss of interest for many reasons.
Sometimes in challenging backdrops, he’ll go, more to give direction in developing a skill for families without support and advice that have an interested and talented kid But if kid is already with support, on good teams, good coach, good area, supportive parents, …no.