Unofficial Visits That Lead to Offers: Your Game Plan
Unofficial visits are your best recruiting tool. Here's how to turn campus tours into scholarship offers.
Unofficial visits are where recruiting gets real. You're not just a name in an email or a face on a highlight film anymore; you're standing in front of coaches, touring their facilities, and showing them who you are as a person. These visits can make or break your recruiting prospects, and most athletes waste the opportunity by treating them like casual campus tours. I've watched athletes turn unofficial visits into scholarship offers with the right preparation.
Do your homework
Before you step foot on campus, you should know this program inside and out. If not, this is why this tour is so important. Research the coaching staff's backgrounds, the team's recent performance, their conference standing, and their playing style. Watch game film if possible. Know their roster composition and where you might fit in. Study the school academically too, graduation rate, available majors, and student-to-faculty ratio. Contact the coaching staff at least two weeks before your visit. Let them know you're coming, ask if they're available to meet, and inquire about watching a practice or meeting current players.
questions that impress
The questions you ask reveal how seriously you're taking this decision. Ask: "I noticed you run a motion offense. How do you develop players to read defenses in that system?" "What's your philosophy on freshmen playing time? What would I need to demonstrate to earn a spot?" "How do you support student-athletes who want to pursue internships or study abroad?" "What's your team culture like? What kind of players thrive in your program?" "Can you walk me through a typical day during the season?" "What resources do you provide for academic support and career preparation?" Notice these questions are specific; they demonstrate engagement with the program's actual approach, and they focus on fit rather than just logistics.
current players and academic visits
Current players will tell you what coaches won't. Request time with current players if the coaching staff doesn't automatically arrange it. Ask them about their typical weekly schedule, how they balance academics and athletics, what they wish they'd known before committing, and whether they'd choose this school again. Their candid responses will tell you more about program fit than any recruiting brochure. Too many recruits skip the academic department visit. Schedule time to visit the department for your intended major. Meet professors, sit in on a class if possible, and ask about research opportunities or internship connections. This shows coaches you're serious about academics, and it gives you critical information about program quality.
what coaches are really evaluating
During your visit, coaches are assessing much more than your athletic ability, they already know you can play. They're evaluating character, maturity, fit with team culture, and genuine interest. Everything matters: how you interact with current players, whether you arrive on time, how you carry yourself in conversation, even how you treat your family. Be yourself, but be your most professional self. Show enthusiasm without seeming desperate. Ask thoughtful questions but don't dominate conversations. Display confidence without arrogance.
the follow-up
Within 24 hours of your visit, send personalized thank-you emails to everyone you met: head coach, assistant coaches, academic advisors, and current players. Reference specific conversations or insights they shared. In your email to the head coach, be specific about what impressed you during the visit and reiterate your interest if it's genuine. If the visit revealed concerns, it's okay to politely indicate you're considering other options. What to wear: Business casual for meetings with coaches, khakis or nice jeans with a collared shirt. Bring a notebook and pen to take notes. This shows you're serious and helps you remember details when comparing schools. Watch for red flags: players who seem unhappy, coaches who don't make time for you, poorly maintained facilities, minimal academic support, overpromises about playing time, or high roster turnover.
Planning unofficial visits and need guidance?
Book a free consultation with Next Play Athletics Consulting at https://www.nextplayathleticsconsulting.com/ for visit preparation strategies today.
