Tips for Getting Recruited During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Updated April 1, 2020
COVID-19 has changed a lot of things, but for athletes looking to be recruited it has thrown a huge wrench into recruitment by closing high schools and colleges, canceling club tournaments and practices, and by and large shutting down the sports world.
Depending on where you live you may be having very different experiences. I live in Ohio, and our governor has shut down schools, restaurants, and most non-essential businesses. Each day we’ve added a new category of organization that has to close down, and I’ve watched many other states follow suit. So, with all of that said I will try and point out things that are national with things that may be more regional.
First and foremost, NCAA DI and DII schools have put in place a nationwide dead period until May 31st. A dead period means they are not allowed to have in person contact with any recruit. No visits on campus, no visits off campus. They are not allowed to watch you practice, play, or do anything else in person. They are allowing DII athletes to sign their athletic aid agreements (scholarships) starting April 16th. All texting, phoning, e-mailing, etc… follows normal rules (check our Recruiting FAQ for more info).
NCAA DIII and NAIA schools have NOT put in place a dead period, so there is no nationwide rule preventing recruiting, campus visits, etc… However, and this is a big “BUT” many colleges have self-imposed rules limiting visitors to campus, travel by coaches, etc… So, when you speak with one of these coaches you will need to ask them what their specific situation is if you are trying to visit their campus or have them attend something off campus.
So what should you be doing during this situation if you would like to play in college? First, where you are in the recruiting process is huge.
If you’re really deep into the recruiting process, and you’ve been on visits, narrowed things down, and are getting ready to make a decision, then just keep doing what you’re doing. Communicate regularly with the colleges recruiting you, they’ll let you know what’s going on. Things will be ok, although you may need to have a little patience as everything has been ground to a standstill.
What if you’re a senior, and you really want to play, but you’re not as deep into the process as you wanted, and were planning on using this club season to make a big push. You’re going to need to be really proactive. Find tape, whether you took it or a club or HS teammate took it, and send it out to coaches as you initiate contact (Recruiting FAQ). Create communication with these coaches. You need to do hard work here. Call and e-mail a wide variety of coaches. See if you can get on campus ASAP. See if you can find a way for them to see you play ASAP. If you have a well-connected HS or club coach that can help you, ask them to be a part of the process if they’re not already. This following part may be situational based on where you live. There is a real possibility that there may not be any real volleyball tournaments between now and June. President Trump said that this whole situation could last well into July and August. People have been hinting that schools in Ohio and surrounding areas may be out for the rest of the school year. I run camps June through August, and I’m optimistic that many of those will happen, but my fingers are crossed (as are a few toes); you just don’t know. My point here is that if you’re betting on someone seeing you play in person at a tournament between now and June, depending on where you live you may very likely lose that bet.
If you’re in the middle of the recruiting process, and you’ve talked to some coaches, been on some visits or getting ready to go on visits, this shutdown may seem really frustrating. But understand that it’s the same way for pretty much everyone, and have patience. Keep communicating with coaches, let them know you’re interested, answer questions they may have, find out what they want out of you next. Since you’re not near a decision though, this part is really important; KEEP REACHING OUT TO NEW COACHES. Take this time, where all or most tournaments are canceled, many if not all practices are canceled, and for many of you school is canceled, to reach out to new schools. E-mail is probably the best way at this point because many coaches may be encouraged to stay away from campus; so phone calls may not be the quickest way to get a response. Share videos you’ve already made, etc… but really just build some relationships so that when volleyball resumes you have some new coaches who want to see you play.
If you are at the very start of your recruiting search, be patient. Read our recruiting FAQ and figure out what you should be doing; it probably hasn’t changed. The schools responding to you may be more focused on athletes that would normally be visiting, etc… right now but can’t. Once things open up, tournaments, camps and practices are happening, campuses are allowing visitors, etc… you can get seen, have visits, etc… In the meantime video and contacts will be key. Get video from any of your club or HS games, whether your parents or someone else filmed it and start sending it out. Look into college websites, etc… and send out some extra e-mails.
A few other thoughts:
Camps have also become an increasingly popular way to be recruited and this summer my guess is they will be essential with so much of the club season lost. Most colleges run a camp, but before registering make sure that coach is really interested in you as a recruit (unless you just want to go to their camp). There are also prospect camps like our PVE Elite Prospect Camp where many college coaches come together under one roof for the purpose of recruiting athletes. There are many different styles, some cycle you through a drill of the coach’s choice, while others offer a more comprehensive format that includes skill, position and team based training so coaches can see how you take feedback and how you grow over the course of camp. Some prospect camps also invite other coaches to come and recruit the event like a showcase, providing all of your recruiting information to the coaches.
Take a look at the colleges that you’re looking at seriously, and see how they’ve responded to the crisis. Can you find clear and meaningful communication from their leadership on their website and social media? Did they take proactive measures? If campus is shut down, how are they handling students that may need to stay on campus for a variety of reasons? Are they offering refunds for students who are required to move off campus? How colleges respond to situations like this offers an inside glimpse to the principles they use on a daily basis, take advantage of that insight!
In times of trouble there are always opportunities. Many coaches can’t go out recruiting (or have nowhere to recruit at), can’t run spring practices, etc… and many HS athletes are in a similar boat with club practices and tournaments canceled. Use this extra time to research more schools and programs, and make more contacts via e-mail or phone (start with email since many coaches may be spending less time on campus). These extra contacts could lead to a great opportunity.
Don’t panic. Have patience. Do the work and give yourself the best chance to succeed.
Best of luck in your search!
