I've heard that the introductory letter to a college coach should be addressed to the recruiting coach (who is an assistant coach) and NOT the head coach. Does it really matter?
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Newcomer,
First I’d like to welcome you to the HSBBW. I’m not sure that it really matters. The larger colleges usually have a person that handles the administrative duties and probably screens all mail coming into the baseball office and distributes it accordingly. If you have spoken with someone prior to sending the letter, I would address it to that person specifically. At the smaller schools the head coach may be the only full time paid staff member associated with baseball. In that case I would address it to him personally. The protocol in this situation, if indeed there is a protocol, is not that defined.
I’m sure you will find the HSBBW helpful and hopefully you will stick around long enough that you will be “forced” to change your screen name.
Fungo
First I’d like to welcome you to the HSBBW. I’m not sure that it really matters. The larger colleges usually have a person that handles the administrative duties and probably screens all mail coming into the baseball office and distributes it accordingly. If you have spoken with someone prior to sending the letter, I would address it to that person specifically. At the smaller schools the head coach may be the only full time paid staff member associated with baseball. In that case I would address it to him personally. The protocol in this situation, if indeed there is a protocol, is not that defined.
I’m sure you will find the HSBBW helpful and hopefully you will stick around long enough that you will be “forced” to change your screen name.
Fungo
I always advise our kids to contact the head coach initially and then follow up with whomever contacts you--some asst coaches have more authority than others but I like to start with the head coach and then go from there
We always tried to contact the head coach by e-mail and then by phone. Some larger schools like Miami you can't get through to them. The best I got from them was an offer to attend a camp. Generally the head coaches I spoke to were great to talk to and if they had staff would direct you to a coordinator and some would bring in a a coach who would be in charge of viewing your video. The guy evaluating the video would get back to the coordinator and discuss your skills and the coordinator would contact you usually by phone.
I think TR has it on the button. My son always wrote initial letters to the head coach and then followed up with whoever responded. Had real good success with that approach.
Thanks for the reply and nice welcome. This is possibly the best website I've seen about baseball and kids in general. I'm finding useful and thoughtful comments are the rule rather than the exception.