Rising Junior - Class of '09

Raceme117, you are very smart to be doing this so early.

The contact letters are a very good start. You would do well to continue communicating with these programs, probably via email. Send an email every few weeks in the fall and spring with your schedule and updates on how you are doing. Next summer, email them weekly with your schedule and additional updates on your performance. You want them to be very familiar with your name, and your goal should be to pique their interest so they'll want to come see you play.

Make sure you are contacting the recruiting coordinators, because they are the decision-makers for the college programs. Oftentimes, they are not the head coach, but an asst. coach -- read their on-line bio's and you should find out what their duties are.

Find out if these programs have camps or showcases and attend the ones that you have an interest in. Hopefully, someone in the northeast can give you additional information on how to get seen by these programs.

Best wishes!

not to steal the topic but When do you think is the right time to send out initial contact letters?Last year was supposed to be my first full year as a starter,but injuries kept me sidelined for all but 2 weeks?

I read the main page about contact with colleges,but I was wondering when most felt it was the right time

Don't forget to register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. I would get that out of the way.

futurecatcher, my son sent out emails, along with follow-up letters and athletic resumes, in January of his junior year. He got a lot of responses. In retrospect, I think January is probably a good time because (1) it's usually very cold and coaches are probably sitting in their offices (in front of their computers) way more than usual (2) it's before their season begins, so they have a bit more free time on their hands to read what people send them, and (3) it's right before high school season begins, so this is a perfect prelude to sending them your high school schedule.

My son also made a number of unofficial visits in the fall of his junior year. One recruiting coordinator specifically told him, "You're smart to be doing this so early."