Ask The Experts
Roundtable: When to Take Recruiting Trips (Part 2)
by Blair Henley, 28 December 2015
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Last month, we talked with college coaches about when recruits should plan their unofficial and official visits. You can view that original article by clicking here.
Today, we engage several more college coaches to get their takes on the matter. Our panel once again takes on the question:
Q) When is the best time for students to take their recruiting trips? Are players that don't go during their junior year at a disadvantage?
Matt Anger, head coach, Washington Men
Long ago, recruits visited schools on official visits in the fall of their senior year and signed in the spring. Now it's common for recruits to take early unofficial visits and verbally commit to offers before their senior year. The recruits are moving faster and so are the schools.
The best time for a recruit to make an early unofficial visit is truly a case-by-case situation. However, if the amount of scholarship is crucial, then I believe that a recruit needs to try to visit before their senior year begins. Available scholarships may disappear while a recruit waits on the sidelines. If a prospective student-athlete does have the means to pay the full tuition or qualifies in some other way for aid, then that person can take their time or proceed on a more traditional timetable. The one catch is that some schools have roster limitations for their school to be compliant with Title IX. So there are times where even a non-scholarship spot can disappear.
The most important thing for a recruit is to establish a good relationship with the coaches at their schools of interest. It allows them to be honest about what they can afford and work out a time to visit that works for both parties.
Mark Jeffrey, head coach, Louisiana Men
I recommend taking a trip to a prospective school as early as possible after the permissible period has begun. After making a list of top programs, visit the highest priority schools first and then work your way down. The fifth priority would be the last school visited, assuming the recruit takes all five visits.
The benefit of taking an early trip is that a potential student athlete can make his or her decision a little sooner. The coach may only have a few roster positions available, so those who are ready earlier can make their intentions clear to the coach. If the coach is not ready to commit, a player can move on to another school without losing too much time.
