by Mandy Green, Busy Coach
It’s rare that I meet a college coach who doesn’t say:
“I’m struggling to get recruits to respond.”
Or:
“I’m terrible at getting players to stay interested after that first conversation.”
The recruiting game is tough, and it’s becoming tougher. But there’s one word that separates the successful recruiters from those who keep spinning their wheels:
COURAGE.
I’m not saying I know everything about being a college coach.
But what I do know – without a doubt – is that the most successful coaches we work with at Tudor Collegiate Strategies consistently generate attention, curiosity, and commitment from recruits.
And that success?
It’s not because they have better facilities, a bigger budget, or a winning record. It’s because they’ve found something more important than their fear of rejection.
Courage Is Finding Something More Important Than Your Fear
Here’s why that matters in recruiting:
The college coaching world is full of challenges that go far beyond X’s and O’s:
- You’re competing with bigger programs and better-funded schools.
- You’re constantly getting ghosted by recruits.
- You’re balancing coaching, recruiting, and administrative tasks, leaving little time to actually connect with recruits.
- You feel frustrated when recruits don’t respond or lose interest after months of communication.
The list goes on.
What you’re feeling? It’s not unusual. Every college coach experiences it. The problem is when fear of rejection or failure stops you from doing what you KNOW you need to do to succeed in recruiting.
That fear makes coaches second-guess themselves:
“Should I reach out again?”
“What if they think I’m annoying?”
“What if they’re not interested in my program?”
Let me ask you this instead:
What’s more important to you than your fear of getting ghosted?
Think About What’s at Stake
When a college coach struggles to recruit, it affects more than just their win-loss record. Here’s what’s really at stake:
- Your team’s future success – Without a steady pipeline of recruits, your program suffers.
- Your job security – Recruiting is the lifeblood of your program. If you can’t bring in the right athletes, it becomes hard to justify your position.
- Your players’ experience – You’re not just recruiting for your own benefit; you’re building a team that current players rely on to achieve their goals.
- The athlete’s future – Remember, a recruit’s decision to join your program can change their life. You have the opportunity to make a lasting impact on their academic, athletic, and personal development.
If you care enough about these outcomes, you won’t get so “triggered” when a recruit ignores your message or doesn’t respond right away.
They’re not ignoring you because they don’t care.
They’re ignoring you because they’re scared too.
Scared of making the wrong decision.
Scared of leaving home.
Scared of committing to a coach and a program they’re still unsure about.
Your Courage Will Set You Apart
Courage in recruiting isn’t about never feeling fear.
It’s about knowing that what you’re working toward is more important than your fear.
When you keep that in mind, you won’t hesitate to send that next message or make that next call.
You’ll stay in the game.
And when you stay in the game long enough? You win.
Ready to overcome your recruiting challenges? We’re here to help.
At Tudor Collegiate Strategies, we give you the communication tools and strategies to make every recruiting interaction more effective – and courageous.
Are you ready to make that commitment? Email me at mandy@dantudor.com.
Your recruits – and your program – are counting on it.