Tag: quiet period

3 Recruiting Tips for High School Athletes During the NCAA Quiet Period

Posted on by eliteathletesrecruiting

Take the Initiative — Reach Out to Coaches via Email or Social Media
Even though in-person contact is restricted, coaches can still respond to emails, messages, and letters.

  • Send personalized emails with your highlights, GPA, test scores, and a short message expressing interest.
  • Follow and interact (appropriately) with college programs on platforms like Twitter and Instagram.

Tip: Include a link to your recruiting profile or highlight video in your message.

Update Your Recruiting Profile and Highlight Video
Make sure your Hudl, YouTube, or PrepStar profile is current and polished.

  • Include your latest stats, updated film, and academic info.
  • Coaches will often evaluate from afar during quiet periods, so your online presence is critical.

Tip: Pin your best clips first—coaches often only watch the first 30–60 seconds.

Schedule Unofficial Visits and Campus Tours
You can visit campuses at your own expense, but coaches can’t meet you in person during the quiet period.

  • Take a self-guided tour and get a feel for the campus environment.
  • Snap a picture in school gear and tag the program to show your interest (it keeps you on their radar).

Tip: Check each school’s recruiting calendar to ensure your visit aligns with NCAA rules.

Recruiting myths about the quiet period 

Posted on by eliteathletesrecruiting

Recruiting becomes hot as August begins, just as summer begins to cool down. However, before it starts to boil, there is a brief pause in recruiting. That pause is known as the Quiet Period.

There are many myths and misconceptions about the Quiet Period, so this article will clear up five of them. 

Photo by Lucas Andrade at Unsplash

Myth #1: That quiet period means absolute silence. Most parents and athletes think that this mean coaches can’t talk to prospective student athletes. True, NCAA communication rules are restricted during the quiet period. But in the end, colleges coaches are permitted to communicate with prospective student athletes during the quiet period.

Myth #2: Athletes can’t contact coaches. Not true. According to the NCAA recruiting guidelines, prospective student athletes can contact college coaches beginning on the first day of freshman year. Additionally, student-athletes are permitted to contact coaches at any time during the recruiting process.

Myth #3: College Coaches don’t recruit during the quiet period. False, coaches recruit year round. Just look at all the offers posted on social media! So, since college coaches continue to recruit during the quiet period athletes need both communication and recruiting exposure year around

Myth #4: On campus invites during the Quiet Period are money grabs. Not necessarily. Some invites are in fact money grabs so it’s up to the athlete and parents to learn the difference. The NCAA rules state contact with prospective student athletes is permissible on the college campus. So, how else can coaches get athletes on campus but to invite them to a prospect camp? 

Myth #5: College coaches can’t make offers during the quiet period. Again, the quiet period does not mean dead silence. Instead, the quiet period regulates communication between college coaches and prospective student athletes. During the quiet period coaches can and do make scholarship offers. 

The origin of these myths and misconceptions is from athletes and parents being unfamiliar with the recruiting process. Information is pieced together from bits and pieces heard from other players and parents. It’s similar to trying to put together a jumbled puzzle, but missing several key pieces. It doesn’t matter how much effort you put in, the end result will be an incomplete picture. Don’t rely on rumors and hearsay from other parents. Become educated about the recruiting process or find someone who is. 

Recruiting contact periods during the high school football season

Posted on by eliteathletesrecruiting

Many high school football teams will take the field towards the latter part of this week to compete in their season opener. Along with the excitement of the lights, crowds and cheers comes the hopes of college recruting. In the previous two article  we looked at the three contact periods that take place within the football season. This article is to outline the dead period and provide some useful tips improving recruiting opportunities throughout the season. 

By definition during a dead period a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents, and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools. Coaches may write and telephone student-athletes or their parents during a dead period.

Not to be mistaken for the quiet period, the dead period does leave open the doors for communication. However, there is no room for coaches to evaluate players by watching games in person or visiting high school campuses. 

Not to be mistaken for the quiet period, the dead period does leave open the doors for communication.

This rule seems to handcuff athlete exposure. So how can athletes get exposure during the quiet period?  First, athletes should rely of video. They can improve exposure opportunities by keeping game video resources up to date with recent game film. Additionally, athletes can contact coaches by email and social media but should do so not expecting a return reply.  Athletes can also use a credible, reputable recruiting resource to keep them on the radar.  These groups, like PrepStar, act as a go between. For instance, PrepStar provides college coaches with your updated athletic, academic and video highlights throughout your high school career, ensuring you that college coaches always have access to your latest and most updated information.

To conclude this outline of the three contact periods that take place during the high school season I want to wish a success season to all high school football players. Hopefully, the details provided have been helpful and created some new ideas for communicating with college coaches during the season. If you need help, I’m glad to share tips or advice to help you along in the process. Simply, text the word GAMEPLAN to 480-605-4050.  I’m glad to talk with you about your recruiting concerns and give you some helpful suggestions.