What is the information a college tennis coach is really looking for during the recruiting process? Is it a recruit’s tennis
ranking? A list of articles from the recruit’s local newspaper? Recommendations from the recruit’s coaches?

As a collegiate tennis coach evaluates their recruits they are probably trying to figure out the following:

• What is the player’s level of play? The Universal Tennis Rating System has become a popular tool in determining a player’s level of play. Go to www.universaltennis.com for more information.
• What will be the players winning percentage in college?
• What will be the players winning percentage against targeted competition? This may be conference matches, rivalries, or
  ranked competition.
• Will the recruit be maintenance free academically? Usually not a problem when it comes to tennis players; however, it does become an issue from time to time.
• Does the recruit have high maintenance parents? Pretty much means the coach has to communicate with the parents more
  than the player.

5 MARKETING TIPS FOR COLLEGIATE TENNIS RECRUITS

1. Players should make an effort to communicate with the coach as opposed to their parents. Coaches are not stimulated on hearing from the parents on how great their child is. If the player is great then parents should not have to communicate it. Remember the coach is recruiting the player and not the parent. Actually not 100% true because if the parent is extremely
affluent then they may be recruiting the parents through the player because programs need donors 🙂

2. Recruits should seek to understand the team’s level of play before communicated their tennis level of play. It is very beneficial for the player to have an understanding of the programs goals and to see if the player’s goals would fit in.

3. It is very good to create a market of multiple schools to see the recruit’s value. The market value may be demonstrated in
scholarship, academic, roster spot, or various other kinds of opportunities.

4. When communicating with coaches via e-mail or letters make an effort to personalize the communications. Examples would be to start off with…. “Congrats on starting the season off 4-0”…. “Good win against school X”…… Understand collegiate coaches receive a significant amount of e-mails and written communications. Recruits should personalize their communication to stand out.

5. Calling the collegiate tennis coach may be better than e-mails. Many consider face to face communications the best, followed by phone calls, with e-mails being last. When calling the coach it may be best to not leave a voice mail because if the recruit may feel like they are bugging the coach if they would call back after leaving a message. It is common practice among professional sales people to avoid leaving voice mail and to keep calling until they get the person on the phone.