When should my athlete start contacting college coaches?

Start the groundwork earlier than most families expect, but let NCAA timing guide actual contact. Build the recruiting profile and a current video in the freshman and sophomore years so an athlete is findable. Serious outreach and coach conversations open up on an NCAA calendar that varies by division and sport.

The practical move: get findable and keep improving early, then let the calendar — not anxiety — set the pace of direct contact. An athlete who is ready when the window opens beats one who started emailing too soon.