5 Most Important Questions to Ask College Coaches During the Recruitment Process
Congratulations! You’ve started to have discussions and interviews with college coaches and coaching staff. This is very exciting…!
We also know that it can be overwhelming. As you speak to a variety of schools and coaches, make sure you (both player and parent) are asking the right questions. Treat it like a job interview - the coach is going to ask you questions and will want to learn more about you, but they will expect the same from you. We can guarantee that having the information you need to make the right choice will ultimately make your decision easier in the long run.
Ask about playing environment and team culture
It will be important to know from the coach’s perspective what the team culture is like. For example, does the team spend a ton of time together? What is the practice schedule like? What does a typical day or weekend look like for a player? The coach will be able to give you a feel for what life on the team will be like - both socially and athletically - and you will be able to determine if it sounds like a good fit for you and your personality.
2. Learn more about academic opportunities
While you’re seeking a scholarship to play basketball, you also have to be engaged and perform well academically. If you don’t you put your ability to play in jeopardy, which impacts your team negatively. Find out more from the coach about academic requirements and choices that you have. Make sure you pick a school where what you study is of interest to you - otherwise you’ll be wasting your time and the academic side of things won’t be particularly interesting. You can also ask to speak with other faculty to get a better understanding of what you might want to study, what the requirements are, and what the college athlete schedule looks like.
3. Inquire about living situation and life on campus
It’s good to get a feel for if you will be comfortable on campus. Questions about dorms, on-campus food, resources, and social activities will provide solid insight. Ask the coach their thoughts about general campus experience and take their advice into account. Even asking about the weather on campus can be important - if you hate the cold, but the campus sees 3-4 months of snow, maybe that’s not the best, most enjoyable choice for you personally. Yes, you are going to play basketball, but you’ll have options and you’ll want to pick a school where you have the best chance of enjoying yourself, excelling athletically and academically, and getting the most out of the experience.
4. Ask questions about the surrounding area
College towns! Sure, you’ll be spending a lot of time on campus, but find out from the coach about the surrounding city, town, and general area. The coach probably lives somewhere nearby, so they would be a good resource for learning about what the off-campus experience is like. Do a lot of people live off-campus? Is it mostly residential surroundings? Is there a lot of off campus activity?
5. Get feedback on training, game schedules, and expectations
And of course, you’ll want to ask questions of the coach pertaining to expectations as a player. Is there anything specific you should know about the season itself, what does the team do during the off-season, and if you played for this coach what expectations would they have for you? Get a feel for what will be asked of you in terms of athletic and academic balance, travel, practice and training. Coaches and coaching staff are the only ones who can answer these questions, so be sure to ask while you are meeting with them.
Haven’t started talking with coaches yet? Don’t worry. The Players Circle is here for the assist. We built this app to easily connect players and their customized profiles with coaches, scouts, and recruiters.