Reaching out to college coaches before ECNL Playoffs

[Anonymous]

Are U15-U13 female players emailing college coaches in advance of ECNL national playoffs? I know that all the NCAA rules so that is not what I’m asking. I’m wondering if it’s prudent for a U13-U15 female player heading to ECNL playoffs - Championship level (not showcase or cup) should email college coaches to show interest at this stage.

[Anonymous]

U15 maybe. U13 & U14 don’t bother they will just ignore it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:U15 maybe. U13 & U14 don’t bother they will just ignore it.

Concur.

[Anonymous]

Unless your kid is Chloe Ricketts or Cavan Sullivan, it’s way too young.

[Anonymous]

In general, college coaches are focused on 2026 graduates right now. However, if your U-15 (likely a 2027) is playing on a U-16 team and doing well, then it could help to get on the radar early as college coaches will be coming to your games The 2027’s will start getting primary interest in the Fall/Winter with a large influx of coaches to the sidelines. Recommend including a strong 3-4 minute teaser highlight video for a great first impression.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In general, college coaches are focused on 2026 graduates right now. However, if your U-15 (likely a 2027) is playing on a U-16 team and doing well, then it could help to get on the radar early as college coaches will be coming to your games The 2027’s will start getting primary interest in the Fall/Winter with a large influx of coaches to the sidelines. Recommend including a strong 3-4 minute teaser highlight video for a great first impression.

The live contact period for the class of 2026 starts tomorrow, June 15. Expect 2026 players to be the primary focus of college coach's for the rest of the year and into the early spring. They may look at 2027 players but not seriously (unless you're one of the very best players in the country). And while D1/D2 schools might look, they certainly won't be talking to 2027 players (directly) about recruiting as long as they're "playing by the rules" (which, not everyone does, as will be evidenced when you start seeing 2026 players announcement a "commitment" tomorrow on day 1 of the live contact period).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:(which, not everyone does, as will be evidenced when you start seeing 2026 players announcement a "commitment" tomorrow on day 1 of the live contact period).

For players that college coaches aren't allowed to communicate with due to under age, do the coaches communicate via the club as an intermediary?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:(which, not everyone does, as will be evidenced when you start seeing 2026 players announcement a "commitment" tomorrow on day 1 of the live contact period).

For players that college coaches aren't allowed to communicate with due to under age, do the coaches communicate via the club as an intermediary?

That's not uncommon. It's typically the college coach asking the club or HS coach for feedback on a player's academics, their athletic skills, personality, work ethic, how "coachable" are they. Stuff like that. It's ok for them to say, generally, that they're interested in player X. But they're not supposed to specifically say things like they're planning to recruit the player or they have them on their recruiting board or ask the club/HS coach to pass a message on to the player, etc. Does that happen? Of course it does. But it's probably down to how closely the individual college coach adheres to NCAA recruiting guidelines (or how much they fear the wrath of their compliance department if they get tagged with a recruiting violation :wink.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:(which, not everyone does, as will be evidenced when you start seeing 2026 players announcement a "commitment" tomorrow on day 1 of the live contact period).

For players that college coaches aren't allowed to communicate with due to under age, do the coaches communicate via the club as an intermediary?

That's not uncommon. It's typically the college coach asking the club or HS coach for feedback on a player's academics, their athletic skills, personality, work ethic, how "coachable" are they. Stuff like that. It's ok for them to say, generally, that they're interested in player X. But they're not supposed to specifically say things like they're planning to recruit the player or they have them on their recruiting board or ask the club/HS coach to pass a message on to the player, etc. Does that happen? Of course it does. But it's probably down to how closely the individual college coach adheres to NCAA recruiting guidelines (or how much they fear the wrath of their compliance department if they get tagged with a recruiting violation :wink.

And how ethical the club coach is

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:(which, not everyone does, as will be evidenced when you start seeing 2026 players announcement a "commitment" tomorrow on day 1 of the live contact period).

For players that college coaches aren't allowed to communicate with due to under age, do the coaches communicate via the club as an intermediary?

That's not uncommon. It's typically the college coach asking the club or HS coach for feedback on a player's academics, their athletic skills, personality, work ethic, how "coachable" are they. Stuff like that. It's ok for them to say, generally, that they're interested in player X. But they're not supposed to specifically say things like they're planning to recruit the player or they have them on their recruiting board or ask the club/HS coach to pass a message on to the player, etc. Does that happen? Of course it does. But it's probably down to how closely the individual college coach adheres to NCAA recruiting guidelines (or how much they fear the wrath of their compliance department if they get tagged with a recruiting violation :wink.

And how ethical the club coach is

No ethics involed for the club coach. Club coach job to do everything possible to get his/her players recruited. NCAA ethics is all on the college coach.