California Community College Recruiting

     California Community College recruiting is very unique.  California JC’s do not offer scholarships or athletic financial assistance in any way.  Cal JC’s have a certain high school district that they can freely recruit from.  If a student-athlete is interested in a certain college and they are outside of the college’s district, the student-athlete must initiate the first contact by calling or emailing the college representative or coach.  What makes Cal JC recruiting interesting is a lot of the college districts overlap each other.  Basically each coach has to sell what their program or college offers that may be special or different that other colleges such as: academic support system, tutors, scheduling, winning, travel opportunities, graduation rates, matriculation to a four year school, skills training, coaching staff, athletic support from college, facilities, location, tradition, reputation just to mention a few recruiting angles. Excerpts from the following can be completely retrieved by going to the Commission on Athletic web site at www.coasports.org

Athletic Recruiting as defined by the governing body of California Community Colleges the Commission on Athletics or COA.

Athletic recruiting is defined as any solicitation of an individual, a member of her family, legal guardian, or coach by a college staff member or by a representative of the college’s interests to encourage enrollment in that institution for the purpose of athletic participation.  The following are allowable activities for recruiting within a college’s recruiting area:

  1. Initiating or arranging first contact with a prospect, family member, legal guardian, or coach whether in person, by telephone, or by correspondence.
  2. Providing transportation to the campus. 
  3. Visiting a prospect, family member, or legal guardian.
  4. Providing information regarding employment opportunities, matriculation, housing, financial aid etc.
  5. Any for of correspondence sent to a prospect, family member, or legal guardian; such as email, letters, memos, news releases, or newspaper articles.
  6. Arranging or providing for a meal or meals during a campus visit.

 

First Contact

First contact is defined as an unsolicited inquiry.  A college’s employee and/or representative may make an unsolicited inquiry of any prospect who resides in that California Community colleges recruiting area.  However, any student who is not currently enrolled and actively attending student or another California community college, regardless of residence, shall not be athletically recruited.

  1. A districts “recruiting area” is defined as the district itself and its contiguous districts as defined by the COA.  You may find out the districts by contacting your local community college.