Most UK and Irish players get their first US scholarship conversation the same way: a good email to the right coach. Here's how to write one that gets opened, read and answered.
Why email matters so much
US college coaches can't travel to watch every player in the UK and Ireland. They rely on players reaching out to them. A short, well-written email with a highlight reel link is often the thing that gets you on a coach's list.
Coaches get a lot of these emails, though. The ones that get replies are short, personal and make it easy for the coach to judge you in under a minute.
Write a subject line that tells them everything
Coaches scan their inbox, so your subject line should say who you are before they even open it:
- Position
- Graduation / start year
- Club or level
- Country
- "Highlight reel", so they know there's video inside
For example: "2027 Centre Back | Shamrock Rovers U19 | Ireland | Highlight Reel". Avoid vague subjects like "Scholarship enquiry" or "Hello coach".
What to include in the email
- The coach's name and the school's name. Never "Dear Coach" to a whole list.
- One line on why this school. The style of play, the conference, a course you want to study. It shows you've done your homework.
- Your football details: position, preferred foot, height, club, league and level.
- Your academics: headline grades (GCSEs, A-Level predictions or Leaving Cert) and the course you'd like to study.
- Your start year: the autumn you'd start college (for example, Fall 2027).
- Your highlight reel link, near the top, plus a full-match link if you have one.
- Your contact details: email, WhatsApp number, and your club coach's contact as a reference.
Keep it to about 150–200 words. The coach should be able to read it on their phone in 30 seconds.
Copy-and-paste template
Fill in the brackets and make the "why this school" line genuinely specific to each coach:
Subject: [Year] [Position] | [Club] | [Country] | Highlight Reel
Hi Coach [Surname],
My name is [Full name], a [position] from [town, country] currently playing for [club] in the [league]. I'm looking to start college in Fall [year] and I'm very interested in [University], particularly [specific reason: style of play, conference, a course you want to study].
Highlight reel: [YouTube link]
Full match: [link]
Position: [position], [preferred foot] foot
Height: [height]
Date of birth: [DOB]
Academics: [grades / predicted grades], interested in studying [course]
My club coach, [name], is happy to speak with you: [email / phone].
I'd love to hear what you look for in a [position] and whether I could be a fit for your programme.
Thank you for your time,
[Full name]
[Email] · [WhatsApp number]
Who to email
Start with the assistant coaches as well as the head coach. Assistants usually handle recruiting and are often the ones reading the inbox.
Email a realistic spread of schools across NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA and NJCAA. If you're not sure which levels suit you, read NCAA vs NAIA vs NJCAA.
When to send it
- Timing: send on a weekday morning, US time. That's around lunchtime or early afternoon in the UK and Ireland.
- NCAA contact rules: Division I and II coaches generally can't reply personally until 15 June after your second year of US high school, roughly the end of Year 11 in England or 4th year in Ireland. You can still email them before then, and they will still read it. Division III, NAIA and NJCAA coaches can reply at any time. Rules change, so check the NCAA's current recruiting calendar.
- Start early: see when to start the recruiting process.
Follow up (most players don't)
No reply doesn't mean no. Coaches are busy, especially during their season (August to November).
- Follow up after 10–14 days, replying to your first email so the coach has the context.
- Give them something new: a recent match, new clips, updated grades or a trial you've got coming up.
- After two or three follow-ups with no reply, move on and focus on the schools that are responding.
Common mistakes
- Mass emails with every coach in CC, or the wrong school's name left in.
- Long life stories. Save the detail for when they reply.
- No video link, or a reel that's 10 minutes long. See what coaches look for in a highlight reel.
- Parents writing the email. Coaches want to hear from the player.
- An unprofessional email address. Use a simple firstname.surname address.
- Leaving out your grades. Academics affect how much scholarship money a coach can offer.
Where to find coaches' emails
Every US college team lists its coaching staff on its athletics website, usually under "Staff Directory" or the team's "Coaches" page. Collecting hundreds of addresses by hand takes a long time, though.
To save the time, our Coach Contacts lists give you coach emails by division, ready to use. If you'd rather have it done for you, every TNL package includes coach outreach from our team, sent on your behalf with your profile and highlight reel.