Questions Parents Ask College Coaches

Formulating questions to ask college coaches is a very important and individual process. Not every question fits every situation, family, coach, or program.

The first step is to find out what your athlete’s non-negotiables are by having them take the PCM6+ Assessment. This Assessment is a game-changer for student athletes and their families. It becomes the GPS for their entire college recruiting process.

Non-negotiables are the things that matter most to them. They are the factors that will help your athlete thrive in college. Most families will shelve these things, or push them down the priority list as their student pursues an athletic career. But they are the key to finding happiness.

For example, if your athlete wants to play right away, and feels strongly about that, then that is a non-negotiable. From there, you can form questions to help figure out which programs have a better chance of early playing time. Non-negotiables are personal to each individual. When your athlete knows who they are and what they want in a college experience, decision-making become much, much easier.

Non-Negotiables

Start with these. Whatever is most important to your student athlete should be prioritized.

If we use the example above, where the athlete wants to play right away, a parent could ask the college coaches some of the following questions:

• How do you see my athlete fitting into your program?
• Is your full roster returning next year? (Or the year that my athlete enrolls?)
• Do you envision them getting playing time early or later in their college career?
• What are some things that determine playing time for you?

You may also be able to form your own questions around this topic. It is definitely less complicated when you have a conversation with your student athlete about what is most important to her.

Other Categories and Examples

As you travel through the recruiting process, you will think of questions to ask organically. In an effort to help parents begin to formulate questions to ask college coaches, here are some basic categories and examples to consider.

Safety Questions

Parents usually have safety as a high priority. Questions around safety may be different for different campuses, but here are some examples:

• What are your safety precautions for the campus, the dorms, and for travel?
• Is this a campus where the student-athletes stay in dorms when the campus is closed for holidays?
• Where do the athletes stay? Dorms? Apartments?
• What are some options for getting around campus? Do many of your athletes have night classes?
• What is the campus crime rate?
• What is the crime rate in the surrounding community?

Academic Questions

Depending on what your athlete wants to study in college, they’ll have different opportunities and obstacles when it comes to balancing athletics and academics. Below are some questions you might feel comfortable asking:

• What is the reputation of the area of study my athlete wants to pursue?
• How understanding are the professors when student-athletes have to travel and miss classes?
• What does a typical day look like during a student athlete’s season?
• What types of internships are available? Do some match the student athlete’s area of study?
• What is the process if they are struggling in a class?
• Do you have a study hall for student-athletes? How does it work?

Medical Questions

You want to make sure your athlete has a clear idea of the medical side of things. They won’t have you with them most of the time. Medical care will differ for each program and campus. Here are some things to ask:

• What if athletes need to see a doctor, how does that work?
• What if athletes get injured in practice or games, how does the insurance work?
• Do they have athletic insurance or will they need to be on my insurance?
• Are the team doctors on campus or off campus?
• What medical costs would I be responsible for?
• What happens if an athlete has a career-ending injury? Will they lose their NIL deal or scholarship?

If your athlete has had a medical injury, you may want to ask questions about the support of that injury. And it is important to be upfront with coaches and trainers right from the start, so the care in ready to go.

Costs Not Covered

College costs money regardless of receiving financial aid. Sometimes college coaches, trainers, and academic personnel forget to mention the costs that are not covered by the athletic department or the financial aid provided. Here are
some questions to ask:

• What costs, not covered by the scholarship offer, will our family have to pick up?
• Can you break down the financial aid package or scholarship offer so I can see the numbers?
• Will my athlete have to buy her own materials for class? Books? Supplies? Computers?
• Does the offer cover the room and board, or will my athlete have to pay for food and rent? (Does this differ when in the dorms vs in an apartment? How?)
• What other forms of financial aid are available to my athlete? Can grades help?
• Do any of your athletes work to help cover some of the costs? Examples?
• Do you have anything set up for the athletes to learn about Name, Image, and Likeness

Travel Questions

Depending on location, level of play, and conference, travel can be very different. The following questions may apply to your situation:

• What will my athlete be responsible for when the team travels? Meals? Hotel?
• Will my athlete ever be alone in hotel rooms or unsupervised on road trips?
• Can you explain how travel works? Can I see a typical itinerary?
• How much class do your athletes miss because of travel?
• Do your athletes need passports?

Coaching Staff Questions

For coaching questions, one size does not fit all. However, it is important to find out if you feel this coaching staff will be a good fit for your athlete. In other words, do you feel these coaches will take care of your them and help them graduate?
Referring back to non-negotiables, are there any that apply to the coaches? What about the coaching philosophy or the discipline policies?

You want to trust these individuals with your child, so asking questions to all of the coaches, and even asking the same questions to different coaches, could help you understand and better evaluate the coaching staff.

• What is the support structure for my athlete if they get homesick?
• What opportunities are present to help my athlete get connected beyond the sport? Do coaches have anything to do with this?
• What is the percentage of graduates who leave your college with a job lined up?
• What is the graduation rate for your program? (Percentage of athletes who graduate)
• How many transfers have there been in the past 3 years? Why have athletes transferred?
• What is your coaching philosophy? What is important to you?
• How do you discipline your athletes?
• How much time do you have on your contract? Is it a multi-year contract?
• Do assistant coaches have multi-year contracts?
• How does your college deal with Names, Image, and Likeness

There are many, many more questions that you will discover as you travel through the recruiting journey with your daughter in an effort to help her narrow down her list. If you need more help formulating questions, reach out to us at hello@findmyteam.com. You can also set up a free consultation with a Find My Team professional coach to learn more about the college recruiting process and to ask questions about what you need to do next. Schedule here.