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AFM Magazine


The Science Of Recruiting Letters Part 1

What Every Coach Must Know
by: AFM Editorial Staff
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What if you could have an in-home visit with any football recruit in the nation at any time during the NCAA’s mandated recruiting period? What if your in-home visit could take advantage of every possible opportunity to share your program’s tradition, goals and intentions with a potential game-breaking superstar that could help make the difference between a 5-6 also-ran and a 6-5 bowl run? What if these in-home visits would require little time or energy spent in making the most of these opportunities?

Would you like to take advantage of these visits?

After all, your program is already making literally thousands of these visits every single year – along with every other program in the country. You see, these visits are conducted via the official recruiting letter and your program – along with many others – may not be taking full advantage of these opportunities.

Over the next two issues, American Football Monthly will examine the new science involved in zeroing in on potential recruits by breaking down the communication process. AFM will help show you how to establish strong relationships with your players through surveys and focus groups by allowing them to share their own thoughts on how and why they made their decisions to attend your school. Part I will concentrate on the purpose, function and research of the recruiting letter, while Part II will provide an in-depth look at what you do once the research is gathered, along with the latest information on techniques necessary to implement the latest recruiting technology.

To understand the importance of these – sometimes weekly – recruiting letters, programs must consider that any contact with a recruit is a direct reflection of your program and it is immediately being compared with every other program that is also vying for the services of that same star tailback or defensive lineman. Therefore, it is time to shake things up a bit; to get away from the norm; to shelf the tried-n-true for something newer and perhaps more effective.

By realizing that a recruiting letter can be a very effective in-home recruiting tool, wouldn’t you want it to be as visually appealing as possible? Wouldn’t you want it to be able to say all the right things and even answer all the right questions? When a coach makes an in-home visit, he both looks and knows the part. So, your recruiting letter should be no different, right?

AFM recently talked with recruiting coordinators from Division I-A to I-AA, Division II to III, and NAIA to Juco, and they all said the same thing – the science of recruiting letters has basically remained unchanged for decades. Programs are seemingly going through the motions and have simply followed the same pattern set the year before and the year before that.

Some programs – especially those with deeper pockets – have developed snazzy letterhead and attractive envelopes to woo perspective recruits. However, what’s inside is often what counts the most. Granted, those programs that place importance on the visual packaging are on the right track, but AFM will try to further the strides of those few, while helping others gain by leaps and bounds.

Understanding the Function of Recruiting Letters

Recruiting letters should be thought of as a labor of love. Yes, it is time consuming and sometimes burdensome. However, the end result is often a diamond in the rough that not only has a chance to perform on their field, but also perform in your classroom. Thus making for an excellent representative of everything your staff and school embodies.

More often than not, programs have simply cranked out the same recruiting letters, year after year, decade after decade without much thought to the scientific and psychological improvements that may enhance your results. After all, being a good recruiter is often more than just representing a good program - it is also how well you showcase that program.

Enter the world of coding and decoding, or, in laymen’s terms, the process of writing your letter and the process of recruits reading your letter. To truly master the science of recruiting letters, one must understand the communication process between the writer and the reader.

The following four-step process of coding, transmission, decoding and feedback are perfect examples of how you can break down the communication process and establish a strong pipeline of dialog between the recruiter and the recruit, thus giving your program the upper hand on signing day.

The Coding Process - Writing your recruiting letter
The coding process, also called encoding, refers to the process of transmitting meaning by converting the meaning into a series of signs that represent an idea or philosophy. When coding a particular message (i.e. writing your recruiting letter) you must first understand the audience that will be receiving it. Language or words should be used that is easily understood and that the audience is familiar with. Marketers often use this technique when selecting proper advertising methods for a potential consumer group. For example, when a name brand soda advertises its refreshing product, it does not discuss the ratio of ingredients that goes into making the beverage because this would have very little meaning to the consumer. Instead, they focus on how the soft drink tastes and how it makes you feel after drinking it. Recruiting is no different. Before you can properly showcase your school or football program, you have to understand what potential recruits are looking for and why they are looking for it.

When coding (or writing) a recruiting letter, a recruiter must be aware of the terms and words that may trigger a positive response with that particular recruit in that particular region. Language varies from region to region, so you must be conscious of these often-subtle differences when approaching a young candidate.

The Method of Transmission - Sending the recruiting letter
Once coded (written), the coach must select a medium of transmission to carry the message to the targeted audience. Today, many methods may be utilized to submit a recruiting letter, such as a typed or handwritten letter sent via the U.S. Postal Service, or by fax or email. Email was considered to be a novelty by many recruiting coordinators just two years ago. Now it is a staple means of contact that enables both the recruiter and the recruit easier accessibility, and with a medium of transmission that today’s recruits find both familiar and enjoyable. Other methods of communication include telephone calls and/or personal contact.

The Decoding Process - Reading the recruiting letter
Upon receiving the recruiting letter (coded message), the recruit (receiver) will interpret (decode) it immediately upon reviewing it. Rarely does a reader interpret exactly the same meaning as the writer. If the result of decoding is different from what was coded, then noise exists and noise is anything that reduces the accuracy or reception of the communication process. Placing importance on clarity and purpose should be the highest priority for the recruiter when writing a recruiting letter. This allows misinterpretations to be minimal. The ideal letter should allow the recruit to specifically understand the information that the recruiter is attempting to convey.

The Feedback - Response from the recruiting letter
The receiver’s response to the coded message is called feedback, and it will also be coded and sent through a medium of transmission – which can include voice-to-voice communications – and decoded by the receiver, the source of the original communication. This communication is a continual circular process and the best way to begin a relationship between the recruiter and the recruit. If you are looking for a pass-blocking tight end and the recruit would rather run pass routes, his feedback will give you the insight to what it will take for your football program to interest this recruit in signing a written commitment.

Research: Why do they sign with your program?

When looking for the best possible answers as to why a recruit chooses your program over the many others competing against you, simply look no further than your own team. After all, they have been faced with the same decision at one point or another and they chose your program. This makes them an excellent focus group to survey and find out not only why your players chose your program, but also why didn’t they choose the others.

By using surveys, you’ll understand why your players made their decision; what factors led to their decision; what influences effected their decision; why didn’t they choose another program; what they liked about the other programs. You’ll be able to use this information in writing your recruiting letter, which AFM will cover in Part II (December ‘02 issue).

“One of the best questions that you can ask is why prospects are selecting your program over your opponents,” said Dr. Sam Covault, who both coached and recruited at the Division I-A and other levels for over a dozen years, including a stint at Ohio State University under Earle Bruce. Dr. Covault, who was also a highly recruited linebacker at the Air Force Academy, experienced the full circle of recruiting four years ago, when his son Jake Covault, today the starting middle linebacker and leading tackler at Stanford University, was heavily courted by most major I-A teams in the nation before eventually signing with the PAC-10 school, then-coached by Tyrone Willingham, following their 1999 PAC-10 championship and Rose Bowl season.

“Incoming freshmen are perfect candidates to interview because they just completed the recruiting process,” he added. “But also give exit interviews to your seniors and compare the answers to both their answers four or five years earlier and your latest recruiting class. You need to find out if your kids’ experiences are meeting both their and your expectations. These answers will provide excellent building blocks to develop an effective and successful recruiting program.”

Basic Survey Questions
Although you can add or change any of the proposed questions, here are a few sample questions to get the wheels turning and recruits signing:

FRESHMEN
• Why did you choose to attend (your school here)?
• What are your top three reasons for playing football at (your school here)?
• How much influence did your parents have in your decision on which school to attend? (Circle one - 10 being the highest level of influence) 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
• How much influence did your high school coach have in your decision on which school to attend? (Circle one - 10 being the highest level of influence) 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
• While being recruited, what separated (your school here) from the other programs that you were considering?
• What impressed you about the other programs that were actively recruiting you?
• Why didn’t you choose to play football at your second choice?

Freshmen make an excellent study because they are fresh off the recruiting trail and still dusty from the whirlwind that often coincides with the process. So ask them now. Remember, more often than not, these are still young people, so you may have to loosen them up to get them to share more than one-word answers.

SENIORS
• Why did you choose to attend (your school here)?
• In your opinion, what are the three best things about playing football at (your school here)?
• As a senior, how would you describe (your school here) football?

Seniors make a perfect study group as well. They have been in the program long enough and are more mature. Seniors can provide a great assessment of the recruiting process after having spent the past four or five years thinking about their experiences both before and after signing on the dotted line.

FRESHMEN’S PARENTS
• Did you support your son’s decision to play football at (your school here)? Why?
• How much influence did you have in your son’s decision on which school to attend? (Circle one - 10 being the highest level of influence) 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
• How much influence did your son’s high school coaching staff have in his decision on which school to attend? (Circle one - 10 being the highest level of influence) 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
• When your son was being recruited, what separated (your school here) from the other programs that he was considering?
• What impressed you about other programs that were actively recruiting your son?
• Why didn’t your son choose to play football at his second choice?
• Tell us what, in your opinion, were the one or two most impressive experiences during the recruiting process, outside of your son’s official visit to campus.
• Tell us what, in your opinion, were the one or two most impressive experiences during your son’s official visit to campus.

SENIORS’ PARENTS
• Why did your son choose to attend (your school here)?
• In your opinion, what are the three best things about having your son play football at (your school here)?
• As a parent of a senior, how would you best describe (your school here) football?
• Tell us what, in your opinion, were the one or two most impressive experiences during the recruiting process, outside of your son’s official visit to campus.
• Tell us what, in your opinion, were the one or two most impressive experiences during your son’s official visit to campus.
• Tell us what, in your opinion, were the one or two most impressive experiences during your son’s career.

Parents are great polling prospects. Remember, they were there, too. And nobody knows the recruit better than the recruit’s parents. Plus this gives a recruiter an invaluable insight as to what the parents are thinking when both your program and others are recruiting their son. This will also provide information on just how much influence the parents have in the decision-making process.

If the majority of your players polled mention words like tradition, winning and championships then there is a good chance that recruits often choose your program for championship rings – and lots of them. Therefore, this may be one of your program’s strongest draws, so maximize it. Use this information to explain in detail to future prospects their role in the continued success of your program. If the majority of your team talks about camaraderie and education, your program may not be in the hunt for a national championship every season. However, teamwork and graduation rates may be key issues upon which to focus. So explain in your recruiting letter what an asset the recruit will be as a possible leader both on and off the field and the value of your institution’s degree in an ever-competitive workforce.

Utilizing Focus Groups

Once you have administered the survey (and again, come up with as many questions as you see fit), review the survey results, take notes and form questions based on the answers given. Gather the same players who took the survey for a brief discussion to vocally examine the information provided. The key here is to look for not only the answers, but also the “buzz” words hidden within the answers. Listen carefully for “buzz” words because these words can be useful in formulating your recruiting letter. Follow-up reflection and discussion is crucial. Out of this discussion, you and your coaching staff should gain a better understanding of not only why your athletes chose your program, but also how you can persuade other top recruits to follow their lead.

Now that you have gathered the information, it is your job to best formulate a game plan to capitalize on the wealth of knowledge that has been provided. It is out of these questions and discussions that your program will best be able to completely understand what is needed and – just as importantly – what is not needed in your recruiting letter.

Know the Rules . . .

Recruiting is a tricky business and the main ingredient that separates those programs slapped with probation for violating recruiting rules and regulations is knowledge.

As a recruiting coordinator or coaching staff, it is imperative to fully understand and comply with all NCAA, NAIA or NJCAA bylaws that govern the recruiting process at your school’s competing level. It should also be a practice to fully discuss any new amendments or timetables sanctioned by the governing body.

Detailed information about recruiting – including the official dos and don’ts – is available at www.ncaa.org in the online edition of the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete. Information regarding the NAIA can be found at www.naia.org






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