Soccer in the United States is increasingly becoming a big deal. The success of American soccer players internationally is fueling a great interest in the sport. That is why there has been a massive investment in college soccer.
Upcoming players want to emulate the achievements of those who have gone before them at a professional level. Just like any other worthwhile pursuit, there are certain aspects that you should put in mind if you’re intending to get recruited for college soccer. Here are informative 15 tips to help you join college soccer.
Know Exactly What You Want
Do you know what you want as a soccer player? What is your vision as you look forward to get recruited for an opportunity for college soccer? You have to be fully aware of what you’re applying for before you get started. Being a soccer player in a reputable college team requires you to be aware of yourself as a player.
For example, are you eyeing for a place in the international arena? If yes, you have to consider working with a college coach of that reputation. Not all coaches will deliver whatever you’re looking for. Take time and consider what you want to achieve from your presence in a college soccer team. This should give you a clear picture of where you need to begin in your search for the best soccer team for your dreams.
The mistake that many young prospects make is to think that being in a soccer team is all there is. The truth of the matter is that there is so much to put into consideration than just being in a soccer team.
Take time to consider where you want to be in the next 10 years in regards to playing soccer. If you want to have it as your career for a long time, then you know that you can’t get recruited into any college soccer team. You have to get into a program and system that will give you exactly what you’re looking for.
Know the Best Soccer Colleges
Once you’re aware of what you want to achieve and your objectives for being in a soccer team, it’s about time that you find the colleges that offer what you want. Again, it’s important to realize that not all colleges will give you’re looking for. You have to be spot on when it comes to your final destination.
You can ask around to inquire about the best soccer colleges for your level of playing. Indeed, there are boys and girls soccer teams that are on top of their game and every talented player wants to join them. The bottom-line is that you can’t fail to get a team that fits your style and level of play. The most important thing is to find that soccer college.
You can begin by asking your coach about the best soccer colleges available for you. Coaches are well connected and they know what is good for their players. You can even go ahead and ask other college students who have been through these programs and they will direct you to the right place. Players thrive in different divisions.
The division you play in will determine the college soccer team that you’ll join. Once you get this right, you won’t have a problem going through the ladder and becoming the very best in your game.
Fill the Recruitment Questionnaire
Now that you want to get recruited for college soccer, you may have to fill a questionnaire that gives out your important details to the different prospective college teams you would join. Nearly all college teams from division 1-3 have questionnaires that interested students have to fill before getting recruited. This happens on the teams’ websites.
You’ll want to set up a good channel for communication, right? This is one of the fundamental and most viable ways of connecting with the college you’ll like to join for your college soccer. Therefore, you have to complete a questionnaire for you to be set up into the system of communication of your prospective college soccer team.
Soccer teams have different programs. You should identify the programs at different colleges and establish the ones that you would like to join. Once you’ve done so, it’s now time for you to go to their website and fill out the questionnaire provided.
The earlier you do so the better because you’re not the only one who has expressed interest. Remember, the earliest bird catches the worm. It will be prudent if you caught the attention of you prospective coach as early as possible. Make sure that coaches and their staff have your details for them to get back to you as soon as possible.
Contact Coaches
Contact as many coaches as possible. One thing that is for sure is that you’re not the only one who is looking for a chance to get recruited for college soccer. There are other students searching for the same opportunity as you. So what should you do? You should get in touch with as many coaches as you can.
However, as you do so, remember that you should only contact the coaches who fit your needs and preferences. This has to do with the soccer program offered in a particular college. Is it what you’re looking for? If the answer is yes, go ahead and contact the coach there and share the necessary details. If you want to get recruited, you just can’t sit and relax and expect to get your chance.
You have to take action and find coaches who have what you’re looking for and reach out to them. This means that you should have a clear picture of what you want in your pursuit of college soccer. For example, if your dream is to play internationally, you can find programs that have success or a track record in that and apply for them.
Be Aware of Recruiting Rules
You have to be aware of recruiting rules for you to be on top of the other players applying for a place in college soccer. Since college soccer is a popular trend nowadays, coaches and colleges are putting in place recruiting rules that help them to get the very best. This deems it necessary for all who wish to get recruited for college soccer to get all the information regarding rules so that they don’t miss something important.
It’s imperative for you to know what you want in a college soccer team. Similarly, it is valuable for you to know what a team is looking for in players. This goes a long way to prepare you for the recruitment process. You don’t want to start the recruitment journey and end up missing out because you failed to consider the required rules. Therefore, make sure that you do your research well and have all recruiting rules on your finger tips.
Attend as Many College ID Camps as Possible
How else will you expose yourself out there if not through college camps? This is how coaches will have an opportunity to see what you’re able to do. No one will get to know how well you can play soccer if you don’t showcase your abilities. That is why you should attend as many college camps as possible for you to increase your chances of getting recruited for college soccer.
Soccer camps are a popular strategy and platform for coaches to identify the students who fit their criteria of recruits. Part of the reason why these camps are popular among coaches is because they create the opportunity for coaches to observe potential recruits in various settings and situations for a couple of days.
As you know, soccer is a sport that involves playing in different formations. If one formation doesn’t work, a coach is entitled to switch to another formation. Therefore, when coaches are having the opportunity to measure the capacity of different recruits, make sure you’re present. This will give you the visibility you need to be in the eyes of your prospective coach. Don’t hesitate to be part of these college camps whenever they are held. It’s your chance. Don’t waste it.
Utilize All Available Resources
If there are resources you can utilize for you to increase your chances of being recruited in your dream college soccer team, you should make use of them. One of the resources you should make use of is your club coach. Your club coach knows you very well. Let him know your goals and aspirations for college soccer and allow him to do what’s possible to assist you in the process. He is a valuable resource to help in reaching out to coaches on your behalf. Since your coach has contacts and networks that you don’t, it will be important for him to be involved in the process. It increases your chances of getting recruited.
You can also create a highlight video and send it to your prospective coaches. Since it is not possible for you to meet all college coaches physically, you can create a highlight video that will help them get to know you better. This is an incredible resource that you can rely on to put your name on top of the list. Through this video, they are able to see your skills and determine whether they will put you on top of their list or not.
Ensure that Academics are Important Too
Do grades matter in the recruiting process? The answer is yes. The fact that you’re a student athlete means that your grades matter a lot, just like your involvement in sports does. The truth of the matter is that good grades will always increase your chances of being recruited for college soccer. It is easier to attain academic scholarship compared to athletic scholarship. If you have good grades, you’ll be more attractive to college teams.
Students who have an excellent academic record do not have a lot of admission requirements to handle when applying for college soccer. A coach will not have to push hard for you to get admitted to his program. If the college you would like to join is strict in its academic standards, you have to put more efforts to get accepted. Also, without good grades, you put your prospective coach in a position where he has to work hard to get you recruited. The bottom-line is that if you would like to increase your chances of getting a place into your dream college soccer team, you have to make your academics a priority as well.
Stay on Top of Communication
From the onset, communication is important in the process of getting recruited for a college soccer team. As you continue with the process of seeking for a place in the college team of your choice, you have to give more attention to how you communicate with your potential coaches.
The mistake that many prospective student-athletes do is to let their parents do the talking for them. While they can communicate on your behalf, you should be the one taking the lead in these communications. Did you know that coaches will be looking for more than just your talent?
They need to see whether you’re able to take the lead and be responsible when in a team. They are looking for responsible individuals who will be able to handle the soccer programs presented to them in the best way possible. If they will have to always communicate with your parents instead of getting in touch with the one person they will be coaching, it will not be a good picture for them.
If you want to be an attractive candidate for their soccer teams, you have to be the one communicating with these coaches. As the process progresses to higher levels of engagement, make sure that you’re the one communicating with your potential future coaches. Sometimes this can be hard to do for some people because they lack confidence. Make sure to read my article about how to be a more confident soccer player to improve this aspect.
Develop the Right Attitude towards the Process
You need to have the right attitude towards the recruiting process. Just like any other process, you need to be receptive and patient when going through this one. It can turn up to be a tedious and long process, depending on multiple factors, but you should be ready for that. Don’t give up when coaches don’t get back to you as soon as you would have wanted. Remember, you’re not the only one who has applied for a chance in college soccer. For this reason, it’s prudent for you to go through the process putting on the right attitude.
If you truly believe that you’re ready to be a player in college soccer, you should be able to demonstrate a high level of patience in the process. Sometimes it can take longer than you expected but that should not deter you from waiting for feedback from your prospective college soccer coach. In addition, whenever you’re communicating with your prospective coaches, they are able to determine whether you have the right attitude or not. Part of what makes a great soccer player is having the right attitude in all situations. Therefore, if you would like to improve your chances of getting recruited for college soccer, you have to demonstrate the right attitude.
Make Use of Social Media
During the college soccer recruitment season, potential recruits do whatever they can to reach out to their potential future coaches. Anything that would increase your chances of getting recruited should be on top of your list. Without a doubt, the mode of communication that you use carries a great deal of significance.
It should be something that serves to increase your visibility in a massive way. Social media is one of those ways avenues that can greatly increase your chances of getting recruited into your dream college soccer team. It is through your social media account that you can send your details and any videos that show who you are. Coaches and institutions rely on social media to network and connect with potential recruits and partners.
For this reason, make use of social media to reach out to your desired team. However, you should take note that you have to be responsible and professional on your social media platform. If you’re not careful, this can be the reason why you don’t get picked. Ensure that the content you post on your social media accounts doesn’t tarnish your professional and personal image. Anything that lacks moral values destroys your chances of getting into the top lists of potential recruits for college soccer.
Consider Nutrition
Believe it or not, the food you eat has a lot of weight on whether you get recruited or not. As you already know, there is good and bad diet. For someone who looks forward to becoming a top soccer player at the highest level, you can’t afford to make a mistake on this one. You have to put into consideration the kind of food that you consume. Good nutrition is good for any athlete irrespective of the sport one plays. You should take good care of your body. If you appear before a college soccer coach when your body is out of shape, you definitely know that you won’t be an attractive candidate for recruitment.
Obviously, you can’t play well and effectively if you don’t have the right body for soccer. Soccer is a high intensity sport that requires you to take care of your body. Part of taking care of your body is ensuring that you eat the right foods. Make sure that you’re mindful of your nutrition for you to increase your chances. Pay a visit to a nutritionist and get all the information you need to know about good nutrition for a soccer player.
In fact, nutrition is one of the key aspects to be in a great physical condition while developing an optimum endurance and increasing your stamina. This two aspects are supremely important for all soccer players, which is why I talked about how to improve them in this article.
Prioritize on Training
Another important aspect you should consider when looking forward to cement your chances in a recruitment process is your training program. Just like it is for nutrition, you have to be physically fit for you to be attractive before coaches. As you are already aware, soccer is an extremely physical game that requires players to be fit. Running up and down, tackling players, dribbling, and shooting for 90 minutes requires you to be fit. One thing you have to remember is that just because you take the right nutrition doesn’t mean that you’re physically fit.
Rather, you need the right kind of training for you to impress your prospective coaches. Coaches are looking for someone who will fit into their style and formation of play. For this reason, you should prioritize on effective training prior to your presentation so that you don’t get disappointed during trials. Remember, you’re getting recruited to a level of playing that is most likely higher than what you’re used to. For you to boost your confidence and chances of being picked, start a quality training program that will make you best suited for the style of play of the coaches you’re looking for.
It will be hard to reach that level your aiming by only training the amount of time your used to. I always recommend to give the extra mile to try and separtate from your competition. How can you do it? One way is by buying an Online Soccer Training Program (you can check the one I recommend by clicking here). However, if you’re not willing to spend more money, make sure to take a look at my article titled How to Improve as a Soccer Player Training by Yourself.
Be Highly Responsive
This has to do with being approachable when communication regarding the recruitment process is ongoing. Apart from being the main contact person between you and coaches, you have to be highly responsive. Make sure that you respond to the emails, calls, and texts that you receive from prospective coaches. When coaches are talking to you, they are giving you a chance to show that you’re worthy of being in their programs. You don’t want to blow that chance away by not being available when they are contacting you. You’re not the only one fighting for this chance. So, the best thing for you to do is to ensure that you’re communicating effectively whenever you’re expected to do so.
Recruiting Procedures for Males and Females
Lastly, ensure that you’re aware of the recruiting procedures for male and female soccer players. There are different procedures and guidelines for male and female students who would like to be recruited for college soccer. This has to do with getting the right information from the beginning of the process. Ensure that you’re aware of what is expected of you as you apply for college soccer. Don’t assume anything. Just be sure, from the onset, to avoid any instances of disappointment for lack of information.
Now that you know the tips you need to get recruited for college soccer, it’s your turn to implement them to increase your likelihood of getting ahead of your competitors.