Website Questionnaires

I would definitely send a bio sheet and letter in addition to completing an online questionnaire to ensure that you get on the school's radar screen. It would be helpful to send the info to both the head coach and recruiting coordinator. Best wishes!

I agree send the letter or email with a bio sheet and schedule but fill out the online questionnaire as well. Some are linked to the academic side of the house and will get you a contact for admissions assistance. Also, many programs will respond to your letter with a request you fill out a questionnaire and send it to them so they can start a file for you.

Son has completed questionnaries on the baseball web site of the shcools he his interested in. He then immediatly sends an email to the head coach with more detail about himself and why that particular college is a good fit for him. Several have answered his email and some have not. We thought it would be best to follow up immediatly with an email to show interest and possibly nudge the coach to find sons completed questionnarie amoung the hundreds they might receive.

So gimages you did not send out any contact letters and/or bios thru the mail? Just did it thru online questionnaires and emails?

We did a couple a months back send letters. The letters were not effective. Did not get one response. Got the sense that the letters hit the round file along with hundreds of other letters.We filled out the questionnarie and followed with an email to the same colleges we sent letters two and did get some respones. The email contains all that a bio would with personal touches of how the particular college is a great fit for son. It might be due to the fact the we live in an electronic world and coaches and their staff's are more tuned into the internet. The letter thing did not work for us but the internet did.

We only contacted DIII coaches. It seems at the DIII level that the head coach does the recruiting where DI and DII have an assistant coach cordinate recruiting. Be sure to send email to the correct person.

gimages:

Although staffs are limited at DIII's I seriously doubt letters are hitting the "round file." Coaches will respond to what they need, even if your son is otherwise qualified. Be happy you got a response from a few. I still think sending out a letter is best, along with a follow-up email. If there is no response, move on.

Well I am sure it depends on the individual coach as to what he prefers but the reason I ask the question in the first place is similar to what gimages indicates....as a majority, are coaches, as most of us, transitioning from paper to electronic contacts. The fact that most put in their websites recruitment pages might suggest they prefer that method over receiving letters in the mail. Perhaps the simplest is just to do all 3: send a letter w/bio, complete the online questionniare, and follow up with email.

brod,

I have no hard facts of letters hitting the round file just a assumption. You know what assumptions do. You probaly are correct. My experience is same baseball info and bio sent to same colleges via online form and follow up email that was sent in letter. Letters zero response - internet several responses. Letters sent several months before internet contact.

I feel as Kimosabe feels that more and more coaches are relying on the internet. It might be due to the fact emails are easier to browse and either delete or respond. Emails can be accesed at home on the laptop, coffe shop, etc..

I do know after several eamil respones coaches prefered form of communication is either email or phone. No coach has asked to stay in touch with a letter.

Kinosabe is also correct best to do all three. Leave no stone unturned. Just my experience and thoughts.

4thGen filled out every online form available. The vast majority had them. For the few that did not, he sent emails. Without fail they responded with a form as an attachment that they wanted him to fill out so they could start a file for him and distrubute it to their admissions people etc.

I'd say fill out the forms and send them whatever else you think would be useful. A combination of letters and email may work but things are more and more electronic. The schools' web site providing info, the recruits web site providing info and video and emails allowing for contact at times that work for both the coach and the recruit. We are three hours different then many of the schools 4thGen is corresponding with. He has a narrow window when he can reach coaches by phone of they can catch him at home.