Get Recruited

The Winning Formula for Getting Recruited: How to Build Relationships With College Coaches

If you want to play your sport at the next level, here’s the truth most athletes overlook

November 19, 2025
4 min read
Brian

Getting recruited isn’t just about talent — it’s about connection.

College coaches aren’t simply evaluating your sprint speed, swing mechanics, or highlight reel. They’re asking a deeper question:

“Is this the kind of person I want to coach, mentor, and invest in for the next four years?”

The athletes who win in recruiting understand this. They don’t just show up once, send one email, and hope for the best.

They build a relationship — consistently, intentionally, and over time.

1. Contact Coaches Consistently — Once a Month Is the Sweet Spot

Most athletes either:

  1. Don’t reach out at all, or
  2. Overdo it, blasting coaches every week with the same information.

The winning formula?

Reach out once per month with a meaningful update.

Your monthly message can include:

  1. A new highlight video
  2. Academic updates
  3. Tournament schedules
  4. Measurable skill improvements
  5. Leadership moments
  6. Personal growth
  7. Anything that shows progress as both athlete and human

Coaches appreciate consistency because it shows:

  1. You’re serious
  2. You’re organized
  3. You follow through
  4. You truly want their school

And when you use TagOut.ai, you can email coaches directly, track opens and clicks, and tag them across social media platforms in the same post.

2. Tag Coaches on Social Once a Month to Stay on Their Radar

Here’s what most athletes don’t realize:

Coaches scroll social media more than you think.

And they absolutely notice the athletes who show up consistently.

Tagging coaches once a month allows you to:

  1. Stay top-of-mind
  2. Showcase visual progress
  3. Build familiarity through repetition
  4. Demonstrate that you’re actively improving

Recruiting is built on positive familiarity.

When a coach keeps seeing you month after month, you stop being “Athlete #483” and start being:

“Oh yeah, she’s the one who works her tail off and keeps getting better.”

TagOut.ai automates the process — one post tags every coach everywhere.

3. Attend Prospect Camps — At Least Once a Year (This Is Where 90% of Recruits Come From)

This is the most important — and most misunderstood — piece of the puzzle.

In my conversations with college coaches across divisions, one thing is nearly universal:

90% or more of their eventual recruits first connected with them at a prospect camp.

Why?

Because coaches want to meet you as a human, not just an athlete.

They’re evaluating:

  1. Coachability
  2. Attitude
  3. Communication
  4. Body language
  5. Work ethic
  6. How you handle pressure
  7. How you treat teammates
  8. How you respond to failure and feedback

Most programs have no shortage of raw talent.

They’re selecting the right humans — people they want to invest in for four years.

When you attend their camp:

  1. You prove real interest
  2. You get in front of the entire coaching staff
  3. You build emotional connection
  4. You become a familiar face
  5. They start picturing you in their program

And when you return the next year?

That’s when they really take notice.

4. Combine All Three — This Is the Winning Formula

The athletes who consistently get recruited follow this pattern:

Monthly outreach + Monthly social tagging + Annual prospect camp exposure

Do this for 12–24 months, and you’ll be ahead of 95% of athletes in your recruiting class.

Because recruiting success isn’t luck — it’s a system.

And consistency beats raw talent almost every time.

5. TagOut.ai Makes the Whole System 10× Easier

TagOut.ai exists for one purpose:

To help athletes build real, lasting relationships with college coaches.

With TagOut.ai, you can:

  1. Build your 20–30 school list with our AI-powered list builder
  2. Automatically find every coach’s email, Instagram, and X profile
  3. Connect your social + email accounts
  4. Post once and tag every coach everywhere
  5. Track opens, clicks, and interest
  6. Stay consistent without burning out

It doesn’t replace the work — it makes consistency effortless.

Final Takeaway

If you want to get recruited:

  1. Email coaches monthly.
  2. Tag them monthly on social.
  3. Attend their prospect camp at least once a year.

Talent gets you noticed.

Consistency gets you recruited.

Relationships get you chosen.

And TagOut.ai helps you build all three — in one simple workflow.