"I want to keep my options open!"
That's what the sophomore said when she showed her club coach her target list. 47 schools 😳
Here's what happens when your list has too many schools at this crucial stage of your recruiting process.
You start with good intentions:
- Research every program thoroughly
- Write personalized emails
- Follow team results
- Watch their games
- Plan campus visits
Then reality hits.
Each school needs attention. Each coach needs updates. Each relationship needs maintenance.
So you start taking shortcuts:
- Copying and pasting emails
- Skipping the research
- Sending generic updates
- Making surface-level contact
College coaches notice.
They can tell when you don't know their program. They spot template emails immediately. They recognize surface-level interest.
Most importantly? They remember which players show genuine enthusiasm for their program.
The Funnel
Coaches tend to start getting emails from prospects in eighth grade - and I understand the rationale for having a longer list at this point:
- You're trying to get onto programs' recruiting boards
- Both sides are taking their first look at each other
- You're just starting to learn about what the recruiting process entails
Some players will start with 30 schools across the three divisions, others might email two or three times that.
However, as you enter your "recruiting" year - sophomore spring and beyond - you should consider narrowing that to 15-20 schools.
Enough to have options. Few enough to build real connections.
The right balance between opportunity and authenticity.
The Magic Numbers
With 15-20 schools, you can:
- Know each program's style
- Watch their games regularly
- Show more of your personality
- Display genuine and specific interest
- Stand out from the crowd
Things can and will change from here.
Maybe you drop a school from your list after taking a campus tour and deciding it's not for you.
At other times you might need to add a school - perhaps you made a great connection with a coach at a clinic, and they've been raving about you to your club coach.
But the key is to keep the overall number manageable as your process intensifies.
Otherwise, you risk writing to everyone but appealing to no-one.
One Thing That Works
Before adding any school to your list, ask yourself one question:
"Could I see myself going to this school if field hockey was no longer an option for me there?"
If the answer is no, that school shouldn't be on your list.
Reality Check
Your goal isn't to contact every program. Your goal is to connect meaningfully with the right ones.
Sometimes fewer options create more opportunities.
Need help with this? The Field Hockey Recruiting Playbook includes my comprehensive framework for building and curating your target list, plus specific tools for tracking meaningful connections with each program.
Weekly issues of The Recruiting Roadmap, such as this post, will always be free. However, if you would like to support my work, please consider becoming a paid subscriber, which also gives you access to additional premium posts and Q&As!
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