by Mandy Green, Busy Coach
It comes down to one key factor I’ve learned over years of working with athletes and building successful teams:
Persistence Wins.
Persistence isn’t just a nice-to-have quality in recruiting;
It’s essential.
But let’s be real…
Some days, it feels like you’re putting in all the effort and not seeing the results.
I’ve been there.
You watch the game film, send the emails, make the calls, and show up to the events—but the commitments don’t come.
Or maybe you’re new to the recruiting process and trying to build a pipeline.
But it feels like every door you knock on stays closed.
And then you start questioning yourself:
“Am I targeting the right athletes?”
“Is all this effort really going to pay off?”
The hard truth is this: Recruiting is a game of persistence.
Period.
90% of commitments require multiple touch points month after month with an athlete before they even consider your program seriously.
Most recruits won’t commit after your first email, call, or visit.
Yet almost half of coaches give up after just one or two follow-ups.
Here’s the game changer:
Coaches who follow up more, recruit better athletes.
Sounds obvious, right?
Then why doesn’t every coach do it?
Because it takes effort!
So, how do you keep going when the results aren’t immediate?
Simple:
Double down.
Double down on your outreach, your evaluation process, your relationship-building, and your belief in what your program has to offer.
When others give up, be the coach who pushes through and follows up.
The key to success in recruiting is to keep going—even when it feels like nothing is happening.
So here’s my challenge for you today:
Don’t wait for that next star athlete to come to you.
Create the opportunity.
Follow up with that athlete who didn’t reply to your last email.
Send another message to the parent you talked to at the showcase.
Watch more game tape, find more potential fits, and reach out TODAY.
What are you waiting for?
Persistence wins. Go make it happen.
If you’re ready to take it a step further, schedule a call with Mandy and she can walk you through how you can better establish a recruiting work rhythm that is easier to sustains on your own or you can talk about doing a training with your staff.