How to Get Recruited for College Soccer
“If you are good enough, you will get recruited” it is a belief held by many soccer recruits, but unfortunately it is not the reality. College soccer coaches know what types of athletes they want, but their real problem, is where they can go to find them. And with thousands of high school soccer players, it is just not possible for coaches to find every athlete who might be a good fit for them.
The most competitive college soccer programs throughout Division 1 have the resources to recruit any player they want. But they are often looking for a very specific type of player. Coaches of smaller programs “and there are a lot more smaller programs than bigger ones”, do not have the resources to find every athlete that might fit on their team. The recruiting game for most soccer players will be about contacting the right schools to get offers you are happy with.
To get recruited for college soccer you will likely need to promote yourself to the right coaches. Only 7.4 % of men and 9.7 % of high school soccer players compete in college. But you can beat those odds, because the secret to winning the recruiting game is to know how the game is played.
Know how College Soccer Coaches Recruit their Team
Scholarship Limits for Men’s College Soccer
NCAA D1: 9.9 (equivalency)
NCAA D2: 9 (equivalency)
NCAA D3: Non-Scholarship
NAIA: 12 (equivalency) “NAIA has both its own D2 and D1”
Scholarship Limits for Women’s College Soccer
NCAA D1: 14 (headcount)
NCAA D2: 9.9 (equivalency)
NCAA D3: Non-Scholarship
NAIA: 12 (equivalency) “NAIA has both its own D2 and D1”
When does recruiting start?
College soccer recruiting starts as early as the middle school ages. The top women’s programs in Division 1 may look to identify talent entering ninth grade while men are normally a year later, entering the tenth. They often do this through travel tournaments and talent showcases like high level camps.
Where do coaches recruit top talent?
The top events are normally held by organizations like the Olympic Development Program (ODP), Elite Club National League (ECNL), and National Premier Leagues (NPL). Though they cannot contact these athletes directly, they can still make it clear in a few different ways that they are interested. These athletes will effectively set the standard for recruiting since they will normally be ranked as the top recruits.
How do coaches rank recruits?
After the top players have been identified, recruiting becomes a comparative analysis of who is the best player to recruit. Coaches will essentially look to see, who did you play against, and who did you beat to determine how good a recruit is. The more dominant a player has proven against their peers, the more coaches will be looking to recruit them.
How important is club soccer in recruiting?
High school soccer is a part of recruiting, but club soccer, particularly with major tournaments makes the process much easier for coaches. This is because they can see a lot of talented players in one place. If you are not being approached by coaches in a club soccer setting, you will likely need to reach out to them directly. You should start by gathering as much information as you can about your career to show coaches you have what it takes to help their team win.
KNOW THE GAME. WIN THE GAME.
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