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"Put Me In, Coach" by Laurie Richter
excerpt from Chapter 14: The Campus Visit

Questions to Ask

You need to go on these campus visits armed with a list of questions, and don’t be shy about referring back to the list. Every college book and website has a list of general questions, so I won’t repeat them here. At D-I and D-II schools, you can ask about finances, but at D-III schools, any conversations about financial aid and scholarships should happen with the financial aid office, not the coaching staff. This list is focused on what you need to know from the coaching staff and the team—aside from how to get money. Some of these questions may be repetitive with previous sections of this book. Use what makes sense to you and make sure your list reflects those things that are important to you.

For the Coaching Staff
  • What position do you see me playing?
  • How many freshman spots are you recruiting for?
  • What other players are currently on the roster at that position?
  • When do you think I can expect to play?
  • How many other players are you currently recruiting for this position and where do I fi t on the depth chart? (This is hard to ask but so important.)
  • How many total players are on the roster and how many freshmen do you anticipate needing?
  • What is your team’s style of play/how do you run the team?
  • How would you describe your coaching style?
  • What has made someone successful on your team/what has made someone unsuccessful?
  • What is the practice schedule in-season and out-of-season?
  • What is the schedule for conditioning/weight training?
  • What are the off-season requirements for summer and holiday breaks?
  • Do you have a junior varsity and do all freshmen automatically play on the JV team?
  • Do you automatically redshirt freshmen (i.e., make freshmen sit out for their fi rst year and then they play the following four years)?
  • What are the graduation rates for athletes on this team?
  • What percent return to the team after freshman year?
  • What is the travel schedule like?
  • How much school will I miss?
  • Are there academic tutors available?
  • Does the team take any special trips (e.g., during the summer)?
  • Will I be able to participate in a semester-abroad program?
  • What are the living situations?
  • Do the team players room together?
  • Do the team players eat/study together?
  • Do they all live in the same dorm?
  • How long am I required to live on campus?
  • When does the head coach’s contract end and how long does he intend to stay?
  • Is medical insurance required for my participation and does the school I provide it or do I?
  • Who will be responsible for the medical expenses if I am seriously injured in team competition?
  • What happens if I want to transfer to another school?
  • How do you run your practices?

For the Current Team Members
  • What’s a typical day like?
  • How do you like the coaching staff—how would you describe their style?
  • Is it tough to keep up with your schoolwork?
  • Is help (for schoolwork) accessible?
  • How many hours per day do you need to work/study?
  • How do the faculty and students treat athletes?
  • How much of a fan base does the team have?
  • How hard is the travel schedule?
  • How much time do you devote to the team during season/off season?
  • What do you like best/least about the sports program?
  • How are the living arrangements?
  • Do the team players hang out together or do they go their own ways?
  • What is there to do socially and how much time do you have for socializing?
  • If you had to do it over again, would you still choose this school? Why/why not?


Here are links to other excerpts from chapters throughout, "Put Me In, Coach":
 

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