I am a high school sophomore who competes in track & cross country. My times and rankings place me as one of the top sophomore distance recruits in the class of 2026. Anyways, I received an Instagram DM from a D2 coach reading, "Good afternoon xxxxx, I’m Coach xxxxx from the University of xxxxxx, I wanted to reach out to learn about you personally and ask if you were considering competing at the next level? Or if you had schools on your radar?"
Is this allowed? I thought that colleges were not supposed to reach out to HS athletes until June 15 heading into their junior year. Perhaps I've misunderstood something. Thanks in advance for any help!
If you are one of the top recruits in your class, you aren't going D2. Just write back and say,"Thanks for your interest. I guess you don't realize I'm only a sophomore so I'm not supposed to contact you until Jun 15."
It's insane to me they allow any recruiting at all until Junior year at the earliest.
A D-2 coach is not going to call a top national recruit.
"Off-campus recruiting contacts shall not be made with an individual (or the individual's family members) before August 1 at the beginning of the individual's junior year in high school. U.S. service academy exceptions to this provision are set forth in Bylaw 13.16.1.."
"Telephone calls to an individual (or the individual's family members) may not be made before June 15 at the conclusion of the individual's sophomore year in high school (subject to the exceptions below)."
someone on here was suggesting that is vague?
Those three sentences aren't vague about contact by telephone, but they don't provide clarity about email contact.
I am a high school sophomore who competes in track & cross country. My times and rankings place me as one of the top sophomore distance recruits in the class of 2026. Anyways, I received an Instagram DM from a D2 coach reading, "Good afternoon xxxxx, I’m Coach xxxxx from the University of xxxxxx, I wanted to reach out to learn about you personally and ask if you were considering competing at the next level? Or if you had schools on your radar?"
Is this allowed? I thought that colleges were not supposed to reach out to HS athletes until June 15 heading into their junior year. Perhaps I've misunderstood something. Thanks in advance for any help!
If you are one of the top recruits in your class, you aren't going D2. Just write back and say,"Thanks for your interest. I guess you don't realize I'm only a sophomore so I'm not supposed to contact you until Jun 15."
It's insane to me they allow any recruiting at all until Junior year at the earliest.
It's not the same, but to put a fine point on what's going on, high schools in my area actively recruit (in person) 6th and 7th graders to their high school team (to train with them). I've lost a bunch of runners this way. Hard to believe this is OK.
my son gets emails all the time (to my email) and he's a sophomore. It's not that big of a deal. I wouldn't go and report him either.
I agree. I think it’s good to keep the lines of communication open. If it is a college in a town you’d like and offers the degree you might seek it could be a great option. I was 4th in our state in the 800 and had offers from D2 and small D1 schools. I ended up walking on at a Pac 10 powerhouse. I developed a lot, enjoyed the team environment and won some slow heats. Now years later looking back on it I wish I had explored the other options. One of them might have been a better fit.
I am a high school sophomore who competes in track & cross country. My times and rankings place me as one of the top sophomore distance recruits in the class of 2026. Anyways, I received an Instagram DM from a D2 coach reading, "Good afternoon xxxxx, I’m Coach xxxxx from the University of xxxxxx, I wanted to reach out to learn about you personally and ask if you were considering competing at the next level? Or if you had schools on your radar?"
Is this allowed? I thought that colleges were not supposed to reach out to HS athletes until June 15 heading into their junior year. Perhaps I've misunderstood something. Thanks in advance for any help!
If you are one of the top recruits in your class, you aren't going D2. Just write back and say,"Thanks for your interest. I guess you don't realize I'm only a sophomore so I'm not supposed to contact you until Jun 15."
It's insane to me they allow any recruiting at all until Junior year at the earliest.
My sources say it’s legal for D2 coaches to email sophomores. No phone calls until junior year.
If you are one of the top recruits in your class, you aren't going D2. Just write back and say,"Thanks for your interest. I guess you don't realize I'm only a sophomore so I'm not supposed to contact you until Jun 15."
It's insane to me they allow any recruiting at all until Junior year at the earliest.
My sources say it’s legal for D2 coaches to email sophomores. No phone calls until junior year.
Coaches can't DM if athletes are under 18, it's a SafeSport violation.
I am a high school sophomore who competes in track & cross country. My times and rankings place me as one of the top sophomore distance recruits in the class of 2026. Anyways, I received an Instagram DM from a D2 coach reading, "Good afternoon xxxxx, I’m Coach xxxxx from the University of xxxxxx, I wanted to reach out to learn about you personally and ask if you were considering competing at the next level? Or if you had schools on your radar?"
Is this allowed? I thought that colleges were not supposed to reach out to HS athletes until June 15 heading into their junior year. Perhaps I've misunderstood something. Thanks in advance for any help!
If you are one of the top recruits in your class, you aren't going D2. Just write back and say,"Thanks for your interest. I guess you don't realize I'm only a sophomore so I'm not supposed to contact you until Jun 15."
It's insane to me they allow any recruiting at all until Junior year at the earliest. Rules exist for a reason and they were created so that the student would be allowed to finish his studies normally, receive his education, and not be distracted. I read some stories on https://edubirdie.com/examples/reflective-essays/ from authors who went through a similar journey. They described their experience, and reflective analysis suggests that at such times you need to focus on your studies.
Exactly. Only D3 coaches can reach out. Although it would be strange for them to do so in this case. As stated in the official rules, D1 and D2 coaches cannot contact for recruiting until 15th
If you are one of the top recruits in your class, you aren't going D2. Just write back and say,"Thanks for your interest. I guess you don't realize I'm only a sophomore so I'm not supposed to contact you until Jun 15."
It's insane to me they allow any recruiting at all until Junior year at the earliest.
My sources say it’s legal for D2 coaches to email sophomores. No phone calls until junior year.
nope. d2 basically drops all the complexity for a june 15 post-soph cannon start for everything.
If you are one of the top recruits in your class, you aren't going D2. Just write back and say,"Thanks for your interest. I guess you don't realize I'm only a sophomore so I'm not supposed to contact you until Jun 15."
It's insane to me they allow any recruiting at all until Junior year at the earliest. Rules exist for a reason and they were created so that the student would be allowed to finish his studies normally, receive his education, and not be distracted. I read some stories on https://edubirdie.com/examples/reflective-essays/ from authors who went through a similar journey. They described their experience, and reflective analysis suggests that at such times you need to focus on your studies.
Exactly. Only D3 coaches can reach out. Although it would be strange for them to do so in this case. As stated in the official rules, D1 and D2 coaches cannot contact for recruiting until 15th
that's my understanding of the rules too. very few D3 limits. but then i didn't hear from D3 or similar small college (NAIA) coaches until senior year anyway. i don't think they would see much point in chasing kids for years who then turn out to be D1 worthy. maybe it's so they could talk to local kids at their games and meets and build a relationship. maybe it's they aren't supposed to have anything to offer, so so what about the timing of contact?
that being said my sports recruitment theory would be start with D2, D3, whatever your default level is, and work out from there. like the poster said who walked on at D1. start where you are being intensely recruited. then take risks out from there. i personally find it odd to roll the dice completely on being a D1 walkon. i get, you already have scholarship times or anticipate them. but if you need 5 seconds to be a D1 walkon and are basically living a dream scenario, dude, act like the actual recruit you are. what level would someone with your current time be going to? this is likely your sweet spot.
last, as i said, do not rub coaches in the dirt on purpose. coaches talk. they may talk to coaches you want to run for. would you want that coach to hear how you treated the first guy? exactly.
that and particularly in other sports where coaches vote on things, good relationships help. got voted to a tournament team in college where another coach who recruited me was voting. [i didn't actually get my own coach's vote, i heard, so there was one way i was making the tournament team.]. and they would say hey when we played them. which, relative to most players out there, felt like respect.
I am a high school sophomore who competes in track & cross country. My times and rankings place me as one of the top sophomore distance recruits in the class of 2026. Anyways, I received an Instagram DM from a D2 coach reading, "Good afternoon xxxxx, I’m Coach xxxxx from the University of xxxxxx, I wanted to reach out to learn about you personally and ask if you were considering competing at the next level? Or if you had schools on your radar?"
Is this allowed? I thought that colleges were not supposed to reach out to HS athletes until June 15 heading into their junior year. Perhaps I've misunderstood something. Thanks in advance for any help!
If you are one of the top recruits in your class, you aren't going D2. Just write back and say,"Thanks for your interest. I guess you don't realize I'm only a sophomore so I'm not supposed to contact you until Jun 15."
It's insane to me they allow any recruiting at all until Junior year at the earliest.
it depends on grades and such. make lousy enough grades early on and you aren't transferring upwards or perhaps even laterally. it doesn't get easier, it gets harder, to go to harvard as a transfer.
it also kind of depends on whether your school quality matters. some majors the graduate schools and employers really care where you went. some majors IMO your future is GPA and test driven. those numbers can be had anywhere and might even be easier at a weaker school.
Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win a LetsRun t-shirt.Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win one of 10 LetsRun t-shirts.