Help center · For athletes and parents

How can we help?

Step-by-step guides for the setup that comes before college coaches can hear from you. Stuck on a step? Book a free call and Coach Tiffany will walk you through it.

Start hereSet up a recruiting GmailA separate email address for coach contact, made in about 10 minutes. When coaches are recruitingNCAA and NAIA sign-upWhich Eligibility Center account you need, what it costs, and every step. RequiredComplete your athlete profileNeeded before any college coach is contacted for you. Two or more sportsPlaying more than one sport?What extra sports cost and how we contact those coaches. FreeGet the free Recruiting GuideThe 2026–27 guide, coach scripts and checklists. Talk to a coachBook a free Game Plan Call30 minutes, weekdays 3–9 PM Mountain.

Guide · About 10 minutes · Parent and athlete together

Set up a recruiting Gmail account

Every athlete in The Athlete HQ uses one email address just for recruiting. It's the address on the athlete profile and where college coaches reply. Starter and Essential families send their own coach emails from it. For Pro and Elite athletes, Coach Tiffany also sends coach emails from it, so coaches hear from the athlete, not from a company.

Why not a school email? Many school districts block email from outside the district, and most shut school accounts down after graduation, right when coaches are still writing. A personal email full of other mail makes coach replies easy to miss.

Before you start, have these ready

The athlete, sitting with a parent (the athlete will use this account every day)
A parent's cell phone for the verification text and account recovery
The athlete's legal first and last name and date of birth
Two or three address ideas (see step 3)
A safe place to save the password, such as a password manager or the parent's phone notes

Open the Google sign-up page

On a computer: go to accounts.google.com/signup. If someone is already signed in to Google on that computer, sign out first or use a private/incognito window, so the new account isn't mixed up with yours.

On a phone: open the Gmail app, tap your profile picture (top right) → Add another account → Google → Create account → For my personal use.

Type the athlete's real first and last name. College coaches see this name next to every email, so no nicknames. Tap Next.

Google's Create a Google Account page with First name and Last name boxes and a Next button — Screenshot of Google's first sign-up screen (November 2026). Enter the athlete's first and last name.

Enter the birthday and gender

Use the athlete's real date of birth. Google uses it to apply its age rules (in the US, people 13 and older can have their own account; some countries set a higher age). A wrong birthday can get the account locked later.

Basic information

Basic information

Enter your birthday and gender

MonthMarch

Day14

Year2009

Gender ▾

Illustration with sample details. Google's screen looks a little different, but the boxes are the same.

Choose the Gmail address

Google may suggest a few addresses. Tap Create your own Gmail address and type one that looks good in a coach's inbox. Simple and professional wins:

Good: [email protected] (name + graduation year)
Good: [email protected] (name + sport)
Good: [email protected]
Avoid: nicknames, jokes, random numbers, or anything you wouldn't want a coach to read out loud

If Google says the name is taken, add the grad year, sport or middle initial. Periods don't matter in Gmail (jordan.miller and jordanmiller are the same inbox).

Choose your Gmail address

Choose your Gmail address

Pick a Gmail address or create your own

[email protected]

Create your own Gmail address

Create a Gmail addressjordan.miller27 @gmail.com

Illustration. ✓Choose "Create your own" instead of a suggested address with random numbers.

Create a strong password

Use at least 12 characters with a mix of words, numbers and symbols. A short phrase works well (example style: Mustang-Blitz-2027!, but make up your own). Don't reuse a password from another account.

Save it right away where both the athlete and a parent can find it. We never ask for this password, and you'll never type it anywhere but Google's own sign-in page.

Create a strong password

Create a strong password

Create a strong password with a mix of letters, numbers and symbols

Password••••••••••••••••

Confirm••••••••••••••••

Show password

Illustration.

Verify the phone and add recovery info

Google may text a code to confirm you're a real person. Use a parent's cell phone and type in the 6-digit code. Then add recovery details when asked:

Recovery phone: a parent's cell
Recovery email: a parent's email address

This is what lets your family get back in if the password is ever lost. If Google says the phone number "has been used too many times," try another family member's phone.

Add recovery email

Add recovery email

The address where Google can contact you if there's unusual activity or you get locked out

Recovery email address[email protected]

SkipNext

Illustration. Don't skip this one: put a parent's email here.

Review, agree and finish

Google shows a summary of the new account, then its Privacy and Terms. Read them together, tap I agree, and the new inbox opens.

Now send a test: from the new account, email a parent with the subject "Test." Reply from the parent's email to make sure both directions work.

Write it down: the new address, where the password is saved, and the recovery phone and email. Email the new address to [email protected].

Add an email signature (recommended)

A signature puts the athlete's key facts under every email. On a computer: Gmail → gear icon → See all settings → General → Signature → Create new. Scroll down and click Save Changes.

Sample signature

Jordan Miller Class of 2027 · Wide Receiver · Eagle High School (Eagle, ID) 6'1" · 180 lbs · GPA 3.6 Highlight film: hudl.com/profile/… Cell: (208) 555-0123 · Head coach: Coach Name, [email protected]

Sample. Use your own details and your real Hudl or YouTube link.

Use the new address on your athlete profile

Open theathletehq.com/profile and fill it in using the new recruiting Gmail as the athlete's email. A parent checks the coach-sharing permission box at the bottom. No college coach is contacted until this profile is in and Coach Tiffany has reviewed it.

theathletehq.com/profile

Screenshot of the Athlete HQ profile form (top part). Put the new Gmail in the Email box.

Connect the account to The Athlete HQ (Pro and Elite only)

Pro and Elite include done-for-you coach emails: Coach Tiffany sends them from the athlete's own Gmail, so replies land in the athlete's inbox. Starter and Essential are do-it-yourself: skip this step and send coach emails yourself from the new Gmail, using the templates and scripts in your package.

To connect a Pro or Elite account:

Coach Tiffany texts you a secure sign-in link. It expires after 10 minutes, so open it right away.
Sign in to the new recruiting Gmail. If a different Google account pops up, tap Use another account.
Review the permissions and tap Allow. Wait for the page that says the account is connected, then close it.

Sign in with Google

Signed in as [email protected]

Allow access to your Google Account?

This will let the app read, compose and send email from this account.

CancelAllow

Illustration. Check that the address shown is the new recruiting Gmail before you tap Allow.

Your password stays private. You sign in on Google's own page; we never see or store the password. Nothing goes to a college coach without Coach Tiffany's review, and athletes under 18 need a parent's written permission first. You can remove access anytime at myaccount.google.com/connections.

Check the inbox every day

Open the recruiting Gmail daily (add it to the Gmail app on the athlete's phone).
Check the Spam and Promotions tabs once a week. If a coach's email lands there, mark it "Not spam."
Reply to coaches within a day or two, and never delete a coach's email.
Forward anything you're unsure about to Coach Tiffany before replying.

Questions and fixes

We already have a Gmail. Can we use it?

Yes, if it's the athlete's own account, it uses their real name, the address looks professional, and it isn't full of other mail. Otherwise a fresh recruiting address is better.

Can we use Outlook or another email instead?

Outlook.com works too and can be connected the same way. Gmail is our first choice because it's free, works well on phones, and is what most athletes already use. School email isn't recommended.

Google keeps saying the address is taken.

Add your grad year (27, 2027), your sport, a middle initial, or "recruit." Keep it short and easy to read.

We forgot the password.

Go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery, type the recruiting address and follow the steps. The code goes to the recovery phone or email you added in step 5. Do this before Coach Tiffany sends your connection link.

The sign-in link from Coach Tiffany stopped working.

Links expire after 10 minutes. Email [email protected] and we'll send a new one.

Should we turn on 2-Step Verification?

Yes, it's a good idea (Google Account → Security → 2-Step Verification). Use a phone the athlete or parent has close by, because Google may send a code when you connect the account.

How do we stop The Athlete HQ from sending from the account?

Email [email protected] and we'll disconnect it. You can also remove access yourself at myaccount.google.com/connections at any time.

Stuck on a step?

Book a free 30-minute call and we'll set it up together.

Book a free call Complete my profile

Google's screens change from time to time; the steps above were checked in November 2026. Gmail is a trademark of Google LLC. The Athlete HQ isn't affiliated with Google.

Guide · About 20 minutes · Parent and athlete together

Sign up for the NCAA and NAIA Eligibility Centers

Before a college can let an athlete practice, compete or get an athletic scholarship, the NCAA or the NAIA checks that the athlete meets its academic rules and is an amateur. That check happens through their Eligibility Centers. Some accounts are free and some cost money, so this guide shows which one you need, when to pay, and every step to sign up.

Only pay when it's real. The paid accounts are non-refundable. Pay for the NCAA Certification account only when Division I or II coaches are actually recruiting the athlete and it's a school they'd really attend. Register with PlayNAIA only when NAIA coaches are recruiting them. Until then, the free NCAA Profile Page is all you need.

Which account do you need?

Where the athlete is being recruited	Account	Cost
Not sure yet, or not recruited yet	NCAA Profile Page	Free
NCAA Division I or II	NCAA Academic and Athletics Certification account	$120 U.S. · $180 international
NCAA Division III (U.S. student)	NCAA Profile Page. New for fall 2026: Division III schools need every new athlete's NCAA ID, and the Profile Page gives you one.	Free
NCAA Division III (international student)	NCAA Athletics Certification account	Shown on the NCAA site
NAIA	PlayNAIA registration	$110 U.S./Canada · $170 international
Junior college	None	Free

Fees as listed on eligibilitycenter.org and playnaia.org, November 11, 2026. PlayNAIA charges more for students with a gap after high school ($145) or college transfers ($160).

Before you start, have these ready

The athlete's legal name exactly as it appears on the transcript, and date of birth
The athlete's recruiting email (one that will still work after graduation; see set up a recruiting Gmail)
Every high school the athlete has attended, with the dates, and the school counselor's name and email
Sports history: teams, seasons, and any club or travel teams
A parent's card, only if you're paying (ask the counselor about a fee waiver first)

Part 1: NCAA Eligibility Center

Open the Eligibility Center and pick an account

Go to eligibilitycenter.org and scroll to the three blue buttons.

Create Your Profile Page Account: the free one. Start here unless Division I or II coaches are already recruiting the athlete.
Create Your Academic and Athletics Certification Account: the paid one for Division I and II.
Create Your Athletics Certification Account: mostly for international students going to Division III, or certain transfers.

web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3

Screenshot of the NCAA Eligibility Center (November 2026). Most families start with the bottom button, the free Profile Page.

Make sure there isn't already an account

Before the form opens, the NCAA asks whether a parent, coach or anyone else already registered the athlete. Only one account per athlete. A duplicate account can delay certification. If you think one exists, call the Eligibility Center at 877-262-1492 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern, Monday to Friday) instead of making a new one.

NCAA pop-up asking you to check that no account already exists before choosing Create New Account — Screenshot (November 2026). If no account exists, click **Create New Account**.

Enter the athlete's name, birthday and email

First and last name: exactly as on the transcript. No nicknames.
Date of birth: the athlete's, even if a parent is filling it in. Double-check it; the NCAA warns about this on the form.
Email: the athlete's recruiting email, typed twice. Use one that will keep working after high school, not a school email.

Click Send. The NCAA emails a link to finish setting up the account.

Blank NCAA account form with First Name, Last Name, date of birth, Username (Email) and Confirm Email boxes and a Send button — Screenshot of the empty form (November 2026).

Open the email and create a password

Check the recruiting inbox (and Spam) for the NCAA email and click the link. Create a password and save it somewhere safe, like a password manager or a parent's phone notes. The athlete will log in again in senior year.

NCAA Eligibility Center

Create your password

Sample screen

Password••••••••••••

Confirm password••••••••••••

Continue

Illustration. The NCAA's screen looks a little different, but it asks for the same things.

Fill in the profile

The account asks for contact information, every high school attended (with dates), graduation year, and the athlete's sport. Take your time; the answers carry over if you upgrade to a Certification account later. When it's done, the athlete has an NCAA ID.

NCAA Eligibility Center

Your schools and sport

Sample details

High schoolEagle High School, Eagle, ID

Started08/2023

Graduates05/2027

SportFootball

Save

Illustration with sample details.

Upgrade to a Certification account only when Division I or II is real

To play at a Division I or II school, or to take an official visit there, the athlete needs the paid Academic and Athletics Certification account. Log in to the Profile Page and choose to transition the account. You can go from the free Profile Page to Certification, but not back.

Cost: $120 U.S. or $180 international. Fees are non-refundable after 30 days.
Fee waiver: families who qualify for free or reduced lunch or an SAT/ACT fee waiver can ask for one in the payment step. The school counselor confirms it, so ask the counselor first.
The certification itself starts only when an NCAA school asks for it.

NCAA Certification account steps: Create Your Account, Send Transcripts, Request Your Athletics Certification, with the price $120 Domestic and $180 International — Screenshot (November 2026). Three steps: create the account, send transcripts, and request final certification in senior year.

Send transcripts, then request final certification

Ask the school counselor to send the transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center after junior year. Every high school attended has to send one.
After graduation, the counselor sends the final transcript with proof of graduation.
Test scores aren't required for Division I or II eligibility, but send them if a college asks.
In senior year, log in and request final athletics certification before enrolling.

Save the NCAA ID and share it

Write the NCAA ID on the athlete's resume and in the Contact Log. When a Division I or II coach asks, send it right away so they can add the athlete to their list.

Part 2: NAIA Eligibility Center (PlayNAIA)

Do this only when NAIA coaches are recruiting the athlete. Every first-time NAIA athlete has to register and get an eligibility decision before competing.

Register with the athlete's email

Go to playnaia.org. In the Athletes, get access today box, type the athlete's recruiting email twice, check the "I'm not a robot" box and click Register. (Parents can use "Supporting an athlete? Click here." for their own login.)

Check email, set a password, and pay or ask for a waiver

PlayNAIA emails a link to set a password and keep going (check Spam). Then it asks for the fee:

$110 for U.S. and Canadian students going full-time right after high school
$170 for international students

Ask for a fee waiver before paying. Waivers are for U.S. students who get free or reduced lunch or an SAT/ACT fee waiver, and the counselor approves them. A waiver can't be used once the fee is paid.

PlayNAIA next steps: 1. Check your email, 2. Make a payment with the fee list, 3. Get eligible — Screenshot of PlayNAIA's next steps (November 2026).

Finish the profile and send records

Enter personal details, every high school attended, graduation date and the full sports history.
Ask the counselor to send the transcript to PlayNAIA (after junior year, then the final one after graduation).
Send SAT or ACT scores if you have them. NAIA freshmen qualify with a 2.3 GPA, or two of these three: a 2.0 GPA, top half of the class, an 18 ACT or 970 SAT.

Save the NAIA ID and send it to coaches

After registering, the athlete gets a 7-digit Eligibility Center ID (ECID). Send it to every NAIA coach recruiting the athlete so they can add the athlete to their list and follow the eligibility decision. Add it to the resume and Contact Log too.

Questions

Do we need both the NCAA and the NAIA?

Only if coaches at both levels are seriously recruiting the athlete. Many families start with the free NCAA Profile Page and add PlayNAIA later only if an NAIA school becomes a real option.

When should we sign up?

The free NCAA Profile Page can be made any time, even freshman year. Pay for the NCAA Certification account or PlayNAIA once coaches at that level are recruiting the athlete, usually junior or senior year. Seniors who are being recruited should have it done before any official visit.

We paid and now the athlete isn't going that route. Can we get a refund?

Usually not. NCAA fees are non-refundable 30 days after registering, and PlayNAIA fees are non-refundable. That's why we say to wait until it's real.

Who qualifies for a fee waiver?

U.S. students who get free or reduced-price lunch or an SAT/ACT fee waiver usually qualify. The school counselor confirms it, so talk to the counselor before paying.

What about Division III or junior college?

U.S. students going Division III need the free NCAA Profile Page. Starting with athletes who enroll in fall 2026, Division III schools need every new athlete's NCAA ID, and the Profile Page gives you one. International students going Division III need the NCAA Athletics Certification account. Junior college athletes don't need an Eligibility Center account.

Who do we call with a problem?

NCAA Eligibility Center: 877-262-1492, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern, Monday to Friday (international families use the contact form on the site). NAIA Eligibility Center: [email protected]. Or reply to any Athlete HQ email and we'll help.

Not sure which one you need?

Book a free 30-minute call and we'll look at who's recruiting you and decide together, before you pay anything.

Book a free call

Screens and fees were checked on eligibilitycenter.org and playnaia.org on November 11, 2026, and can change. NCAA and NAIA are trademarks of their owners. The Athlete HQ isn't affiliated with the NCAA or the NAIA.

Guide · Athletes who play more than one sport

Playing more than one sport?

A lot of our athletes play two, three or even four sports. College coaches in each sport recruit on their own, so if an athlete would play another sport in college, those coaches need to hear from them too. Here's what it costs and how we do it.

What it costs

Package	Each extra sport
Starter and Essential	Included. The templates and guides work for any sport, and you send the emails yourself.
Pro	+$297 per sport, one time. We email coaches in that sport for you.
Elite	+$497 per sport, one time. We email coaches in that sport for you.

Example: Elite with football plus basketball and baseball is the Elite price plus $497 + $497.

How we contact coaches in your other sport

Tell us about the sport

Fill in theathletehq.com/sports: position or event, level, film, stats and awards, and the high school and club coaches. Takes about 5 minutes per sport.

We match you with that sport's coaches

We pick college coaches in that sport at every level that fits: NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA and junior college. The coaches who recruit your position come first.

You approve one sample email

We write a sample email for that sport and send it to you. Once you approve it, you're done. One approval per sport is all it takes.

We send personal emails from your recruiting Gmail

Every email goes to one coach, from the same recruiting Gmail the athlete already uses. No mass blasts. Replies come straight to that inbox, and Coach Tiffany follows up with the coaches who are interested.

Daily pace is shared. To keep the athlete's Gmail safe, the daily number of coach emails stays the same however many sports they add (Elite 35 a day, Pro 17 a day). It's split between their sports, so each sport goes a little slower.

We add coach lists one sport at a time. Football is ready now. Basketball (men's and women's), baseball, softball and soccer (men's and women's) are next. Before you add a sport, we'll tell you when its coach emails can start.

Questions

Do we need a new email address for each sport?

No. Every sport uses the same recruiting Gmail. Coaches only see the email meant for their sport.

Will adding a sport slow down the main sport?

A little. The daily total is shared between sports to protect the Gmail account, so each sport gets part of it. Tell us which sport matters most and we'll weight it that way.

We have Starter or Essential. Should we still fill in the form?

Yes. It keeps the athlete's profile complete for every sport, and the templates in your package work for any sport.

How do we stop the emails asking about other sports?

Every one of those emails has two links at the bottom: "No other sport" and "We play another sport but don't need help with it." Tap one, then tap Submit, and we'll stop asking. You'll still get your other Athlete HQ emails.

Our athlete's sport isn't on your list yet. What now?

Fill in the form anyway so we have the details. Reply to any Athlete HQ email or book a call, and we'll tell you when that sport's coach emails can start.

Ready to add a sport?

Fill in your other sports, or book a free 30-minute call and we'll talk it through.

Add my other sports Book a free call

For parents · 3-minute read

Recruiting support, not an agent

The Athlete HQ is recruiting support. We help your family run the recruiting process. We are not a sports agent, and we never act like one.

What we do

Build the athlete's profile, resume and film links
Find colleges that fit the athlete's level, grades, size and location
Send coach emails from the athlete's own Gmail (Pro and Elite), so every reply goes straight to your family
Coach the athlete and parents on calls, visits, camps, eligibility and next steps

What we never do

Speak, sign or decide for the athlete with any college
Negotiate a scholarship, an NIL deal or any pay
Take a cut of a scholarship, NIL money or anything else the athlete earns
Promise an offer

Why it matters

College athletic rules treat agents differently from recruiting help. A high school athlete who agrees to let an agent represent them can put their college eligibility at risk. Your family pays a flat package price for help and tools, and the athlete and parents make every decision. If anyone offers to be the athlete's agent, talk to us and the college's compliance office before signing anything.

Who talks to the college coaches?

The athlete does. Our emails go out from the athlete's own Gmail, and coaches reply to the athlete. Coach Tiffany helps the family plan what to say, but the conversation is the athlete's.

Do you get paid more if the athlete gets a scholarship?

No. The package price is the same no matter what offers come in.