No family needs a recruiting service to get recruited: college coaches read emails that come straight from athletes. A service can save time on logistics. What it usually cannot do is tell you honestly what level your athlete plays at.
Three ways to do it
| Do it yourself | Recruiting platform or profile service | A coach's evaluation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | The athlete builds a list, makes a video and emails coaches | An online profile, a coach database and messaging tools, sometimes with an advisor | An experienced coach watches the film and tells you the level, the list and the plan |
| Good at | Costs nothing; coaches like hearing directly from players | Organizing contacts and keeping everything in one place | An honest read from someone with no roster to fill |
| Weak at | Easy to aim at the wrong level without knowing it | Judging your athlete's actual level; packages vary a great deal | It is advice. The athlete still does the outreach |
| Best for | Families who already know the realistic level | Families who want tools and reminders | Families who want the truth first |
Many families combine them: an evaluation first, then do the outreach themselves.
A free first step before you pay anyone: the Recruit Matchmaker gives a starting level range in about 4 minutes.
What recruiting really runs on
- Level fit. Emails to schools where the athlete could play get answered.
- Film that shows technique from a useful angle.
- Direct, personal outreach from the athlete. Here is how to email coaches.
- Timing. See the recruiting timeline.
None of those four requires a paid service. The first is the one families most often get wrong on their own.
Questions to ask before paying anyone, including us
- Who will evaluate my athlete, and what have they coached?
- Will you tell me if Division I is not realistic?
- What exactly do I get, in writing, and what is the total price?
- Do you guarantee anything? No honest person can guarantee an offer, a roster spot or a scholarship.
- Who does the outreach? If the answer is not "the athlete", ask why.
What our consult is, and is not
The Recruiting Pipeline consult is $199. Coach Lea reviews film and gives you:
- An honest evaluation of where your athlete stands today
- A realistic level, from Division I through junior college
- A school list built to fit that level, her academics and her goals
- Notes on the recruiting video: what to cut, what to lead with
- An outreach plan and timeline
Over 17 years of coaching, Coach Lea has built relationships with college coaches and has referred athletes to them directly. Some of those referrals have led to roster spots and scholarships. A referral only helps when the athlete fits the program, which is why the evaluation always comes first.
It is not a profile site, a mass-email service or a promise. We do not guarantee recruitment, a roster spot or a scholarship. See our Coaching Disclaimer.
- NCAA volleyball recruiting calendar and rules — NCSA
- Women's volleyball scholarship facts — NCSA
- Probability of competing beyond high school — NCAA
Recruiting rules and scholarship limits change. Check the NCAA and each school's compliance office before relying on a date or number.