Spring Break - Get Some Face Time With Coaches

Most Texas school districts are observing Spring Break next week or the following week. This is a great time to visit some schools and get some initial face time with coaches! According to NCAA Rules and Guidelines, this is a 'Quiet Period' which means that college coaches can not have contact with high school student-athletes except on the campus of their institution, hence they are not out on the road. They'll hit the road April 15, which is when the 'Evaluation Period' commences.

So what better time to get the family on the road and visit a few schools for 'unofficial' visits - i.e. your own expense?

Here are some suggestions for how to approach this:

1. Identify the schools you want to visit; check their website to see if they may be out on Spring Break, though that's not necessarily a trip-killer. (The Coach may be on campus using the quiet time to get caught up)
2. Determine if the school is holding Spring Football workouts. (again, pore over their website, news articles, etc.) What a great time to visit and get a real feel for their program.
3. Identify either you student-athlete's position coach or the coach responsible for recruiting your state/location.
4. Place a call to that coach and make an appointment. At this point, I feel the parent should do that since you likely have good planning and time management skills. Most high school juniors don't really have good telephone skills beyond "Sup?" - "Nada, just chillin'."
5. Organize what you will bring to the coach: game film, student's transcript (get one from the guidance office before school lets out and make copies) and a profile of your student-athlete (make sure it has a picture of your student athlete, with a smile that makes them look human)
6. Plan and rehearse three to four questions that your student athlete will ask the coach - what scheme do they run, what is a typical week like for an athlete on campus, off season conditioning, summer conditioning etc. This will have an amazing impact on the coach and he will remember your child. ("The kid didn't just come in and brag about what he could do on the field, he actually showed inteest in us.")