Choosing a college is a daunting task. Matching that with a collegiate athletic team and program makes that task even tougher. Before you choose that program, make sure you ask important questions about the team, the program, the athletic department and the school.
Although this is by no means an inclusive list, here are a few important questions that every high school senior should ask during the recruiting process. And remember, there are no wrong questions. The more information a recruit has leads to a more informed decision!
Questions About the Swimming and Diving Team
- How many divers are on the team?
- What is the relationship between the divers and the swimmers?
- Do the divers and swimmers train at the same time?
- Do the men and women train at the same time?
- Are the swimmers and divers required to live on campus?
- Can I choose my own roommate?
Questions About the Recruiting Process
- What type of contact is permissable between the coach and the diver (phone conversations, email, text messages)?
- Can the coach and diver speak at diving meets?
- What other divers is the coach recruiting?
- How would I fit into the diving program?
- Is there a possibility for a recruiting trip?
- Will the school pay for a recruiting trip?
Questions About Practices and Facilities
- When and where are practices held?
- How long is the season and when does it beging?
- If a diver is forced to miss practices due to class schedules, how is the dealt with?
- What type of facilities does the school have?
- Does the coach require dry-land training or conditioning?
- Are divers able to train in the off-season and if so, how is that structured?
Questions About Meets and Travel
- Who does the school compete against and is it affiliated with a conference?
- Does everyone participate in meets and how is that determined?
- Do the men and women compete together?
- Do all divers participate in the post season (i.e. conference championships)?
- How many divers have competed recently, NCAA Zones (for division I) or NCAA Championships?
- Are the divers required to practice during school vacations – Thanksgiving, Christmas, spring break?
- Does the team take any type of Christmas, or semester break training trip?
- If the team does take a training trip, how is that funded?
- How does the team generally travel to meets?
Questions About Scholarships and Admission
- Does the school offer scholarships and are they currently available?
- Does the school offer academic support to athletes (i.e. Does your school have athletic academic counselors)?
- How many divers on the team are walk-ons and how many are on scholarship?
- If no scholarships are currently available, what is the possibility of earning a scholarship?
- What is the graduation rate for the diving team, the swimming and diving team, and the athletic department as a whole?
- What type of assistance does the school offer to athletes during the admission process?
Questions About the Coach
- What is the coaches philosophy of coaching?
- What are the coaches short and long term goals for the team?
- How long has the coach been at the school in question?
- How much success has the coach had at the school? At other schools?
- How many divers, both current and in the past has the coach recruited?
- Does the coach also run an age group program?
