Hello from Albany, New York! I'm sure that many of you have begun to think about playing college volleyball. As a Chesapeake native and a college coach at the Division-I level, I'd like to share with you the key points I have learned about the recruiting process. A very common misconception is that college coaches are all going to come after you. Although this does happen for a fortunate few, most athletes must take a more active role and market themselves in order to get a scholarship. While there are many good players on the east coast, this area is still behind the mid-west and the west coast as far as the quantity of talent is concerned. Many coaches from major D-I schools focus their recruiting on these larger talent pools. If you are a junior or senior and have not heard from the schools you're interested in, write or e-mail the coach. Make sure you include personal information such as your home address, phone number, and e-mail address, athletic information such as your height, position, block jump, approach jump, club team, and tournament schedule, as well as academic information such as your GPA and SAT scores. Nearly all college coaches will be sure to watch athletes who have written to them if they can attend a tournament where that player is competing.

I put the following checklist and timetable together so that you can play a productive, active role in finding the right college program for yourself. Hopefully this information will be helpful! Feel free to email me at carnette@uamail.albany.edu if you have any questions about the recruiting process, and good luck this season!