I’ve been the Head Coach at two different private schools here in Southern California.  Below is a sample of the letter I would send out to every single freshman boy who enrolled in our school.  I would be in constant contact with our Admissions department, and we had a good system where they would simply send me the names and contact information for kids who enrolled.

I would send a letter to the kids themselves, and a separate one to their parents.  I think it is important to follow this up with an email and a phone call.  So, I would contact every kid with:  snail mail letter, email, and phone call.

April 25, 2007

Dear (name of incoming freshman),

I want to take this opportunity to WELCOME YOU to (our school)!  You are about to embark on a great four years!  Some say that your high school years are the best years of your life and here you are, getting ready to begin!

I don’t know if you have any experience playing football but we would love to have you come on out and give it a try!  I am sending a letter to every freshman to invite each of you to play football next year for the (mascot).  Our football program will only get stronger and stronger with each one of you that decide to play.  Every freshman class is different!  What will your freshman class be like?

Last season was my first year here (written in spring of 2007).   Our varsity team was 5-5 in the regular season and made it to the CIF Playoffs for the first time in 3 years!  (They were 0-10 the year before I got here.)  We were ranked in the Top 10 in the Northeast Division for 5 weeks!  So, it is easy for us to say that we have turned this program around in the last year and only have bigger and better things to come in our future.

We want you to be a part of this amazing opportunity. Our football program prides itself on being a family.  In fact, last year’s player survey revealed that the favorite part of the season for our players was the “family atmosphere.”  So, if you are up for a challenge and if you are up for making friends with a great group of guys, you will make a great football player!  Whether you have 7 years playing experience in Pop Warner Football or no experience ever playing, we want you to play!

Please stop by my office or send me an email if you have any questions!  I really look forward to hearing from each one of you.

If you plan on playing football for the (mascot) next year, we would like to see you out this summer preparing for the upcoming season!

Best of luck finishing your eighth grade year and graduating from Junior High School!

Coach Fore, Head Football Coach

(contact information here)