Most recruiting advice in track is written by and for distance runners. If you throw the discus or run the 300 hurdles, a lot of it does not apply.
Start with who you are writing to. College staffs are split by event group. There is usually a sprints and hurdles coach, a jumps coach, a throws coach and a distance coach who also runs cross country. Your email goes to the coach of your group. Some programs have no dedicated coach for certain events, and that is a fact you need before you put a school on your list.
Members lesson
In the full lesson
- Sprints: timing, wind, relay legs and why the 400 travels
- Hurdles: how the event changes in college, with the heights
- Jumps: when video matters and what to film
- Throws: the implement weights that change for boys, and why hammer and javelin stand out
- Multi-events: the one question that opens a different conversation
- What is the same for every event group
Rules, dates and numbers checked October 2026 against NCAA recruiting guides and calendars. They change every year; confirm with each school's compliance office.