July 12, 2024

Top Questions to Ask a College Coach During the Recruitment Process

A Former Student-Athlete's Guide to Preparing for Coach Meetings

One important step on the journey towards a sports scholarship is meeting with coaches who are interested in recruiting you for their university teams. But what are some good questions to ask during these meetings?

One important step during the college sports recruitment process is meeting with coaches who are interested in recruiting you for their university teams. These meetings aim to help athletes get to know the coach a bit more, learn about the university sports programme, and ask questions to get a better idea of what life could be like as a student-athlete at their university. But what are some good questions to ask a college coach?

Keystone Sports ambassador Jasmin Hauska is a former student-athlete. She was successfully recruited by a university coach and rewarded with a tennis scholarship at Southwestern College. In this article, she shares her best questions to ask during coach meetings!

Getting a feel for a university from 5,000 or more miles away isn’t easy. Most international students don’t get the chance to visit campus before committing to a school in the United States.

I was in the same boat when I went through the whole application process in 2019. Where did that feeling come from? What did I base my decision on? The answer is easier said than done: ask good questions to the coaches and scheduling as many phone and video calls as possible to ask those questions. Not just with the coach, but also with other players on and off the team, as well as professors and staff members. It’s important to get the best possible idea of what life is like at a certain university from as many different sources as possible to eliminate the chances of any potential unwanted surprises.

The further I got in the process of choosing a university, the more I knew what questions to ask and what I considered important. After the fourth or fifth video call with different schools, I had a good set of questions ready that I would ask to get a picture without actually visiting the campus and having one-on-one in-person interactions.

In this blog post, I would like to share some of the best questions to ask a college coach during your online meetings. I will group these questions into four categories: the team, tennis/athletics, academics, and surroundings/others.

1. The University Team

I consider this the most important when it comes to picking a school. It is not the place that matters and that you will remember, but the people that you were with when being at that place. The friendships you make during these next four years will stay for a lifetime.

How close is the team? Boys and girls? How many?
What does the team do in their free time/on the weekends? (team dinners etc.)
Where do international students stay during Thanksgiving or Spring Break?
Are there groups or is the team split? How many different nationalities?
What is the player/coach relationship like?
How close is the team to other teams and students on campus?
What is the atmosphere like during practice/on match days?
Does the majority live on or off campus?

2. College Tennis/University Sport Related

When considering a university’s tennis programme, it is also a great idea to ask about the facilities, training structure, and overall support for student-athletes. Here are some good questions to ask:

How many courts are there and are they on campus? If not, how is it ensured that players get there?
Is there an indoor facility in case of rain or bad weather?
How is the practice structured? How many times a week and for how long?
How is the tennis level across the line-up? (UTR etc.)
What does a tournament/match day look like? Home and away? Do all players travel? Are food, drinks, and snacks provided for
What tasks does the assistant coach have (if there is one)?
Is there mandatory strength and conditioning? How many times a week? What is the gym like? Are there morning practices/workouts?
What are the differences between the spring and autumn season?

3. Academics

I would also recommend asking specific questions about your major, the overall school environment, and questions to get a brief idea of what it is like to study at that university. Here are some questions to consider:

Ask specific questions about your major!
What are the academic facilities like?
How far are they from each other? Walking distance?
What is the library like? Where do students study?
How close are students to their professors? What is the professor-to-student ratio?

4. Other Questions About Life as a University Athlete

Lastly, understanding the daily life and available resources on campus is another crucial aspect when choosing a university in the US. Here are some questions to help you gain better insight into daily student life:

What does a typical day of a student-athlete look like?
What is there to do in town? How far is the nearest larger town or city?
How far is the nearest airport? How do students get there?
Are there work-study opportunities on campus to help with finances?
Does tuition stay the same each year or do the prices go up? Ask about your financial offer!
What is the cafeteria like?
What are the dorms like?
Are there fraternities? If yes, are they mandatory?
What religious affiliation does the school have? Is attendance at chapel etc. mandatory?

These were just some examples of questions to ask a college coach that I considered important. Of course, you will personalise your own set of questions depending on your personal preferences, but this will get you off to a good starting point. Here is one final piece of advice I have for you: always listen to your gut feeling. Where do you feel at home? What feels right? The questions above will just serve as a tool to help you form and later confirm that feeling.

Are you ready to start your own sports scholarship journey? Keystone Sports have more than 20 years of experience in university sports recruiting and supporting student-athletes. Fill out our free assessment form to get an evaluation of your scholarship chances – without any cost or obligation!

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About the author

Paulina Romo

Paulina Romo, SEO Specialist at Keystone Sports, holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and has a background in equestrian sports, specializing in dressage. Shaped by international experience gained from work and studies in Sweden, South Korea, Germany, and Spain, Paulina brings a diverse blend of marketing skills and perspectives to her role.