Presidents Day tournaments are among the most important recruiting weekends of the year. College coaches plan their schedules months in advance, and for many athletes, this weekend is a crucial opportunity to be evaluated live.
Whether you are already communicating with college programs or are just beginning the recruiting process, preparation and professionalism are important. How you prepare and behave can directly affect whether you are noticed, evaluated and remembered.
Below are the key steps to put yourself in the best position heading into the weekend.
Start with your highlight video
If you don’t have a highlight video yet, this should be a top priority. Video is often a coach’s first introduction to you. Getting this ready before the tournament can impact whether a coach chooses to watch you play in person.
Position-specific video guidelines
Liberos and defensive specialists (L/DS):
Show range and consistency when serving, receiving and defending. Add plays where you take the second ball after a setter dig. Diving games alone are not highlights. Coaches prioritize control, positioning and reliability.
Setters:
Show reach and decision-making. Record more sets than outside or right side sets. Equipped with middle connections, defensive actions and blocking. Coaches want to see your ability to run an attack, not just deliver a set.
Resources:
Emphasize speed and efficiency. Show quick block closures, quick transitions outside the net, availability in defensive transitions and hitter coverage. Movement and timing are important.
Pin hitters (OH/RS):
Show complete game. Serving, receiving and defense are just as important as attacking. Include a variety of shots, not just straight swings or seam swings. Blocking should also be discussed.
Email coaches before the tournament
Timing is important. Send your email early to increase the chance that a coach will see it before the tournament starts.
Before reaching out, check out last year’s college coach’s presence on the tournament website. Coaches often return to events they have attended in the past.
Email Recruitment Guidelines
- Keep emails clear and concise. Don’t overload coaches with unnecessary information.
- Always include your highlight video. Video significantly increases coaches’ interest.
- Make a list of all the positions you can play, not just the position you’ll be playing that weekend. Versatility is an important factor in recruitment.
- If a school on your list is not at the tournament, email them anyway. Let them know you’re participating and get in touch after the event.
- If a school is attending, tell them you will send your competition schedule as soon as it is released, including the location and layout of facilities.
With advance notice and a strong highlight video, a coach can adjust their schedule or attend the tournament specifically to evaluate you.
About the author
Lynnette Summins is the Recruitment Coordinator at Club mergera JVA member club based in Batavia, Illinois. Here is her presentation to families, focusing on the information in this article.
She is a Munciana Volleyball Club Alum (1993-2001), Georgia Tech Alum (2001-2004), former college coach for D1 and D3 levels for 10 years (2007-2016) and recruiting coordinator for Club Fusion since 2023.
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