<p>I am a rising junior competing in Track/XC. I am considering competing in college and want to know when I should email a coach at a school I am interested in. Should I email the coach before the cross country season, knowing that my times will most likely improve? Or should I wait until after track ends? I am certain I am going to get better, but my times now do not reach the standards at the colleges I hope to attend. I don't want to be overlooked either by jumping in too late.</p>
<p>The earlier the better. You should go on all the teams’ websites and fill out the prospective recruit forms. Also, send the coaches an email expressing your interest with all your info. As you improve, you should update the coaches with your times. Most importantly, don’t limit yourself to only one school, reach out to all prospective schools that seem like a good match. Good luck.</p>