COLLEGE RECRUITING Tips & Advice

Find the right SCHOOL, NOT Just A SOCCER PROGRAM

Make sure your prospective school, not just the soccer program, is the right fit. Ask yourself, “Would I still attend this college if I no longer played on the team?”

STAY ON TOP OF your high school GRADES/GPA

Consider taking Honors, AP or Dual Credit classes, which can go a long way when a coach evaluates if you can stand up to the academic challenges of college.

DO YOUR RESEARCH

Take advantage of the athletic website to learn more about the program. The coach’s biography can provide clues to playing style, philosophy and success of his/her teams, while the roster page can allow you to see if you model the type of player (physical characteristics, youth accomplishments, etc.) the coach recruits for a given position.

Try to VISIT THE SCHOOL

While there, see if you can spend time with the team. Gain insight into the program and experience campus life to get a feel for what to expect as a student-athlete.

Attend a game Or Watch a Training Session

This provides a chance to get a first-hand look at the team’s playing style in training and in game situations. Get to see how the coaches conduct themselves on the sideline and at training sessions. You can also see if you have the ability to contribute and make an impact on the program should you play there.

Reach out to the coaches, Make It Personal.

Let coaches know you are interested in their program and school with a unique, personalized email. Show you’ve done your research and highlight why you think their school is a good fit. Include your academic and athletic information, as well as a highlight video and upcoming competitions in which you’ll be playing.

If you don't take the time to personalize the email to the coach, they won’t take the time to respond. College coaches receive hundreds of emails each week. They can tell when an athlete has taken the time to write them a personalized email, and when someone is using a form letter, just changing the name of the coach and school.

Include the contact information for your coaches:

If you are emailing a college coach before they are allowed to respond to your email, they need the contact information for your coaches so they can let them know they're interested. Here is how it works: you email the college coach, and if they are interested, they will contact your coach and let your coach know when to call them so you can talk.

Just your basic athletic and academic information:

Coaches don’t expect you to be a college ready athlete when you email them; they just need to see that you have potential. Include your basic information, there is no need to detail every award or stat from the last few years.

Let them know where you will be competing:

Second to your contact information, coaches need to know where/when they can watch you in person. Coaches bring a list of athletes they want to watch at a tournament or showcase; they don’t go there hoping to discover talent. They need to know where you are playing so they can add you to their list of players to watch - including your jersey number.

Email all the coaches on staff of the school:

Send your first email to the head coach, but copy all of the assistant coaches. One of the assistant coaches will be head recruiter.

Sample Email Format (Remember to Make it Personal):

Dear [Coach’s Name],

My name is [your name], I am part of the class of [graduation year] at [high school] in [hometown, state]. I am interested in [the name of the school] and learning more about your program.

[Include information here about the research you did into their program]

I play [list your position here, the name of your team and jersey number]. Some of my best accomplishments to date are [list your awards or recognitions]. You can view my profile online here [link to your online profile if you have one]. Here is a link to my highlight video [link to your online highlight video].

Please feel free to contact my coach(s) [list the email and phone number for your club team and/or high school coach].

Here is my schedule:

Date: 6/22/21

Location: Dallas, Tx.

Event: Elite Showcase

Team: Jacksonville FC.

Field: #10

Kickoff: 10:30 am

[List your GPA and test scores here if you have taken them].

[Talk about what you like about the academic reputations of the school].

I would like to follow up this email with a phone call. I look forward to hearing back from you and learning more about your program.

Sincerely,

[your name]

[email]

[phone number]

[address]

Additional Questions to Think About Asking

How many players have you committed to my recruiting class? And how many are you hoping to commit?

You need to make sure that the soccer programs you are pursuing are still recruiting prospects for your class. Keep in mind that although a soccer program may be done recruiting scholarship players, there may still be openings on the roster for recruited walk-ons.

How do my scores (GPA, SAT, ACT) weigh up to the general admittance requirements of your college?

You don’t want to waste your time talking with a coach if you don’t have a chance of being admitted to his school. Some colleges/universities allow athletic programs to admit students with lower scores than the average student while some do not. Coaches can request (and often do) a pre-admittance read of your transcript/scores to determine if you are likely to be admitted to the school.

Does the school have the major I want or are there a variety of potential majors?

Some prospects are entertaining schools because of the strength of the athletic program and a chance to play in the professional ranks. The majority of prospects, however, are combining academic pursuits and athletic performance. Make sure the school offers either the program you require or a degree that facilities your needs. Keep in mind that nationwide, approximately 50% of college students change majors at least once before college graduation. Make sure the school has a great variety of majors just in case.

How many of your seniors are graduating this year and what are their positions? How about juniors?

Knowing this information will help you understand the likelihood of playing in your first two years. For example, if you are a forward and the school is graduating forwards in the next two years, you may have a high likelihood of playing straight away. On the other hand, if the program is not graduating forwards, you may find yourself on the bench or reshirted? Check out the program’s roster online and see for yourself.

What is your program’s style of play and how do you see me fitting in?

It’s important to know if your abilities fit into the school's style of play. Prospects should know if you are going to play in a similar role or are the college coaches expecting you to play in a different role or position. You may want to also ask if the system of play may change in the near future. Also, you may be able to stream some live games off the athletic program’s website. Many athletic programs offer live streaming for free. This is a great way to see first hand if you could fit into their style of play.

Which events will you recruit this season/year?

By knowing the coach’s schedule, you can make sure to get all your information (resume, club name, jersey number,game times, etc.) to the coaches ahead of time. Also, attend the schools ID camp or find out if that school will be working at other camps.

Would you like me to send you updates to our schedule before and during the events, if you are recruiting at the event?

In the weeks leading up to an event, coaches are preparing the recruiting schedule for the event. That means that prospects have to get the schedules, jersey numbers, times of games and field locations to the coach early. Do not overwhelm the coach, but make sure that you get the information to the coach in a timely fashion. If you send information to the last few days before the event, the likelihood that you get onto the recruiting schedule is not good. You can send a coach update emails from the venue of your games and confirm that you will be playing in the next game.

What is your graduation rate for your program?

A low graduation rate might reflect a high rate of transfers or lack of student support services. Be wary of a program with a high rate of transfers, as this may be indication that players are unhappy with the program.

How do you decide if a player is to be redshirted during the course of a season?

Some players are recruited because the coaches see the prospect playing minutes straight away. Some players show potential and the coaches feel they will offer more in the years to come. Some coaches decide at the start of the year who will redshirt the season, while others wait until the season is underway. Redshirting is sometimes a good idea as prospects may play more towards the latter end of their playing careers.

How are financial aid, academic aid and scholarship aid earned and/or distributed among recruits and the team?

Financial aid packages can consist of athletic scholarships, academic scholarships, and/or need-based financial aid. It is important to understand how this will come together and whether these numbers may change over the four years. Some programs will increase soccer scholarships if the player performs well during the four years.

Need more information? 

NCAA Rules

National Collegiate Athletic Association
700 W. Washington Street
P.O. Box 6222
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-6222
Phone: 317/917-6222
Fax: 317/917-6888

http://www.ncaa.org

NAIA RULES

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Headquarters
23500 W. 105th St.
P.O. Box 1325
Olathe, KS 66051
Phone (913) 791-0044
http://www.naia.cstv.com/

NJCAA RULES

National Junior College Athletic Association
1755 Telstar Drive, Suite 103
Colorado Spring, Colorado 80920
Phone: 719-590-9788
Fax: 719-590-7324
http://www.njcaa.org