Steals and Levels
Schools offer players when they think they are getting a steal - they think they are stealing a player from potentially a higher division level.
Remember: everyone recruits up a level:
FBS Power 4 recruit near-NFL talent.
FBS Group of 5 recruit Power 4 FBS talent.
FCS recruits FBS talent.
DII recruits FCS talent.
DIII recruit DII talent.
Overestimation vs. Reality
The overwhelming rule of thumb is for families to sometimes overestimate their projections.
High school coaches are optimists. College coaches are cynics.
You can’t bank on a growth spurt that hasn’t happened yet. Unfortunately, recruiting rewards early bloomers.
Whatever you are right now, that is who the college coaches are assessing because that’s reality, for now.
Even “raw” players who lack experience still can end up at an FBS Power 4 program because they have the measurables coaches want there.
Communication Dynamics
While there is always some start up effort to get the recruiting flywheel spinning, after a certain amount of networking, if the ratio of player:coach communication doesn’t level out to around 50:50 you probably are not on the top of the recruiting board.
Sorting Schools: Cold, Warm, Hot
I’ve always found it helpful to sort recruiting interest by the following buckets:
Cold Schools: These are schools that maybe started out interested, but then ghosted you or you simply cannot get any reply from no matter what you try. Often, these are the bigger DI programs every kid thinks they’re initially going to.
Warm Schools: These are schools that have indirect, intermittent and inconsistent communication with you via DM/text. You feel like you are the one doing all the recruiting and chasing the coaches. You don’t feel pursued - you’re the pursuer. Schools here often stay in touch just enough so that you can have tabs kept on you but not so seriously that coaches lead you on. You’re the. back up option here.
Hot Schools: These are schools that have direct, consistent and meaningful communication with you in real-time either over the phone, FaceTime or in person. You feel like they are the ones doing the recruiting. They are chasing you this time.
Hotter schools for newer recruits tend to be smaller colleges where there is less of a barrier to entry to talk to decision makers through and, there is a lower barrier to entry physically to be a recruit for.
Advice for Families
I usually advise most families the following:
Cut the cold schools - you only have so much sanity and time to spread and right now, these are not good investments of time.
Try the warm schools one more time, but don’t get your hopes up too high yet.
Triple down your efforts on the hot schools.
It is easier to turn a school interested in you a 7 out of 10 to a 9 out of 10 than it is to take a school at a 0 out of 10 to a 4 out of 10.
Finding the Fit
Moreover, “finding a fit” comes down to really getting clear on what success looks like for everyone: mom, dad, player, high school coach.
Mom and dad may be totally level headed and realistic about what’s possible while the player may be stuck on the DI program that DM’d that one time.
It is so easy to get caught up in the recruiting gravity well and let its currents dictate your actions.
The best thing you can do to reclaim some sense of control is revisit that question: What does a successful, probable outcome look like for us at the end of all this?
Key Action Items
Categorize Your Schools: Review your current recruiting contacts and sort them into Cold, Warm, and Hot buckets based on communication levels.
Cut the Cold Ones: Immediately stop investing time in schools that have ghosted or gone silent—redirect that energy elsewhere.
Test the Warm Schools: Reach out one final time to warm prospects with a targeted message, but set a deadline for response before moving on.
Focus on Hot Schools: Double or triple your engagement with hot schools through follow-ups, visits, or sharing updates to elevate their interest.
Define Success as a Family: Schedule a discussion with parents, the player, and coaches to outline realistic goals and what a "win" looks like in recruiting.
Track Communication Ratios: Monitor your interactions weekly; aim for balanced 50:50 player-coach outreach to gauge true contention.
That’s all for now,
BC
P.S. If you're finding this recruiting process overwhelming—especially when balancing high-level academics with athletics at top-tier colleges and universities—and want hands-on help, I only work with 4-5 families at a time in my individual recruiting advising and mentoring. This keeps things focused and effective. I'm anticipating one opening at the end of the month—if you think it might be a fit for your family, email me here or reach out here to schedule your discovery call today.