Having a good recruiting video is extremely important for every high school soccer player who hopes to earn a soccer scholarship and play the sport college.
College coaches generally don’t have the time it takes to see hundreds of soccer recruits in person. That’s why a high-quality highlight video is an essential aspect of your online resume.
It takes just a few minutes for a well-made recruiting video to show coaches what a high school soccer recruit can do on the pitch.
But you need to realize that if you want your highlight video to be effective, you need to know specifically what soccer coaches are looking for. When it comes to recruiting videos, each sport is different. NCSA knows exactly what soccer coaches want to see. For example, a soccer highlight video for field players should use 20 to 40 plays taken from game footage. Goalkeepers should combine game highlights with skills footage.
If you follow NCSA’s guidelines and create an excellent recruiting video, you’re taking the first step toward earning a college soccer scholarship.
How to Film:
- Tape from a high perspective when possible (at least several feet from the ground).
- A tripod is highly recommended.
- Do not zoom in and out. The wider the angle the better, don’t loose track of the ball.
- Imagine the field separated into thirds (offensive, middle, defensive). When the ball is in the offensive or defensive third of the field, film the entire 18-yard box. When the ball is in the middle of the field, film the entire middle third.
- Show enough of the field so that we are able to see the player’s vision, runs with and without the ball, use of space, combinations with teammates, etc.
- Coaches want to see the progression of each play so you need a wide enough angle to capture multiple players, but they also want to see foot skills and technical abilities so do not lose focus on the primary player you are recording.
Position Specific Instructions
- Field Player: match footage only
- Goals, shots on goal, assists
- Crosses, clears
- Corner kicks, goal kicks
- Traps from the air, headers
- Steals, Tackles
- Passes: clean passes to a teammate, 1 touch, give-n-go’s, thru balls, possession
- Ball Handling – 1 v 1 moves, shielding, keeping possession
- Good runs
- Goalies: skills footage and match footage
- Include Diving to your left and right(low and high shots)
- High Balls – collecting an punching crosses
- Breakaways – how well you cut the angles and do sliding saves
- Punting – follow the ball to see distance
- Goal Kicks