Building One Source of Truth for a Recruiting Target List

A shared target list lets an athlete, family, and recruiting VA work from the same program status without confusing research interest with coach interest.

Give every program one row

Use the official school and athletics program names, division, sport, and current staff source. Duplicate spellings and separate personal lists create conflicting follow-up histories.

Separate athlete interest from contact status

An athlete can be interested in a school that has not replied. A coach reply can come from a school the athlete no longer prefers. Track those facts in different fields.

Define status labels

Write plain meanings for researching, ready for outreach, contacted, active conversation, paused, and closed. Status should describe the next action, not estimate the chance of an offer.

Attach claims to evidence

Roster observations, academic notes, visit details, and coach requests should link to their source and date checked. Leave an unknown blank or labeled rather than copying an unsourced answer from another row.

Limit who changes priorities

The VA can maintain facts and flag stale records, but the athlete should approve changes to target priority. Record the reason in the athlete's words when a program moves or closes.

Review closed programs carefully

Keep a closed program out of active outreach while preserving the factual history. A staff change or new athlete preference may justify reconsideration, but it should not silently restart an old sequence.