Email is an extremely important tool during the college recruiting process. Thinking strategically about how to email soccer coaches can be the difference between a successful recruiting conversation and a lack of response. Here are 7 things to keep in mind when emailing college coaches.

1. Don’t make the email all about you

If you want to stand out when you email coaches, don’t send a long list of your achievements, that is what your resume is for. Instead, tell the soccer coach about his/her school and program! Send a personalized email that makes it clear to the coach that you have researched the college and are familiar with both the team and the academic programs. You can mention a great win of theirs, or their season. Find something that shows them that you are genuinely interested in their soccer program.

2. Contact the entire soccer coaching staff 

Often players make the mistake of only sending emails to the Head Soccer Coach. The reality is that most Head Coaches are not involved with recruiting in the early stages. Any email that a Head Coach gets will often be forwarded to a Recruiting Coordinator or assistant coach. Email the Head Coach and CC the entire coaching staff so that the Recruiting Coordinator views your email.

3. Send Video

If the coach has not seen you play, send them video. Better yet, send them VEO Video from your time at a Future 500 ID Camp. VEO is the most effective form of video. VEO allows coaches to move the camera, pan and zoom freely, and watch you play entire games (on and off the ball). Learn more about VEO at Future 500 here.

4. Make sure the coach’s name is correct 

If you are emailing the entire coaching staff, you do not need to include all of their names. Address your email to the Head Coach of the program and make sure to spell their last name correctly. Using a generic title like ‘Coach’ tells the coach that you don’t care enough to send a personal email, so always include his or her last name when first reaching out.

5. Email coaches that have watched you LIVE

The most interested coaches are often the ones that have seen you play live. These are the coaches that are the most likely to respond to emails. Future 500’s Summer Camps feature 50 top college coaches, organized meticulously to watch every player. Attend a Future 500 camp and jumpstart your email communications with these coaches. See the Spring Camp Boys Lists here and the Girls Lists here. 

6. Keep your email brief, coaches are very busy.

Coaches probably won’t look at the text in your email for more than a minute, so keep it brief. It will take some time to compose an email that is both personal and concise, but it is worth the extra effort if you really want to stand out from the other recruits in the coaches’ inbox.

7. Follow up! 

Following up with a college soccer coach multiple times shows that you care. If you don’t hear back after your first email, follow up within 7-10 days. Make your subject line ‘Just checking in’ or ‘Follow up’ in order to differentiate yourself in a coach’s inbox. College coaches are busy and receive a lot of emails, so persistence is key.

If you wish to sign up for one of our Summer ID Camps and play in front of 50 college coaches, click here before spots are gone.