As of September 9, division one college coaches can watch workouts and open gyms at the prospect's school. However, that does not mean they can watch scrimmages, leagues, or camps. With that, there is often confusion about what it means for a college coach to watch an open gym. Here is a re-post that is still relevant today to give more clarity on the subject.

Most players and parents know that letters from colleges do not mean much. Players are more excited by calls and text messages, although many times, those do not mean much either. However, a coach watching open gym is tied with the most enthusiasm by parents and players alike. Usually, that excitement is warranted, but excitement levels should be reserved.

We believe a college coach observing an open gym of a prospect can mean three main things. Here is our breakdown.

High Interest

Most players – especially prospects that do not have any current scholarship offers yet – assume a college has high interest when a coach comes to an open gym or a game. That can certainly be correct, but it is not always the case. High interest in our eyes means that the school has already offered the player and wants to check up on the prospect/keep in contact with the player or that the program has watched the player a couple of times.

Medium Interest

A very confusing level of attention for players and parents is the medium level. This position often means that a school is in contact with the player. The college likely has sent letters along with calls or texts expressing interest. This could mean several things. The school might have seen a player a time or two, and the player has intrigued a coach on the staff. It could be because of the player's athleticism, body composition, or skill set. The coach or coaches are not sure the player can help the program, but they are not ready to move on from the player.

It could also mean that the school has received a recommendation from a coach (high school or another college) or a scout they respect. A school will often express interest in the form of letters, calls, and text messages off of a recommendation before even seeing a player. However, that does not mean the school is ready to offer the player.

A scholarship offer is possible, but it likely will not come after one open gym visit.

Low Interest

The most common reason for an open gym visit by a college coach is also the least understood level by players, especially parents. There are multiple reasons for a coach to stop at an open gym, even though there is very little interest in a player.

• The college coach is using a recruiting day to see a different prospect.
  • Colleges are limited to 130 recruiting days per year.
  • Two coaches out on the same day count as two days, but one coach seeing multiple players only counts as one day.
  • It is efficient for a coach to see two or more prospects in a day.
• The coach knows the high school coach or program.
  • A high school might be known for producing players.
  • Good programs will also have under-the-radar prospects more often because they will be buried on the depth chart behind talented players.
  • Some programs can be significantly changed by a sleeper or late-developing player; therefore, they must check every possibility.
  • The college coach might know the high school coach well and is just stopping in to keep the relationship strong.

As pointed out in this article, an open gym visit by a college coach does not automatically mean a scholarship offer is coming soon. On the contrary, a visit from a college coach should often be met with reserved enthusiasm.

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