When you’re being recruited for soccer there are plenty of steps you can take to make the process easier. NCSA can help make sure that you do every little thing that you can to separate yourself from other soccer recruits.
1. Develop your game plan and get evaluated by a third party. Recruiting for soccer is a little different than it is for bigger money sports like football or basketball. College soccer coaches don’t have the budgets to travel and see a lot of potential recruits in person, so they rely heavily on evaluations from a trusted source like NCSA. And because NCSA is a neutral third party, we provide honest answers about your skill level, which helps you set realistic goals about where you want to play college soccer.
2. Post your academic/athletic resume online. Having easy and organized access to your highlight videos, statistics, and academic information makes a soccer coach’s job much easier. NCSA has the largest digital platform available to high school athletes, which makes it easy to post videos and profiles and makes you visible to hundreds of coaches.
3. Create a winning highlight/skills video.
Smaller budgets for college soccer teams don’t allow for soccer coaches to frequently travel and see soccer recruits in person, and that’s why a good highlight/skills video is essential. Use roughly 25 in-game highlights (about five minutes worth) preferably from club soccer against solid competition that show you’ve got the skills for your position.
- Forwards should show their ability to not only get up field, but also defend and delay an opposing team’s offense.
- Midfielders need to show that they can distribute, are confident with the ball and can establish a push up the field.
- Defenders need clips that prove they are capable tacklers and can win balls.
- Goalkeepers can show in-game footage, but should also show skills clips that highlight their lateral movement, quickness, and athleticism in the box.
4. Contact 50 to 100 realistic soccer programs. There are just over 1,200 colleges with soccer programs, so when you’re a recruit for soccer you’ve got plenty to choose from. Beginning with a large pool of colleges can help ensure that the perfect fit rises to the top when the soccer recruiting process ends. Using NCSA’s digital space makes it extremely easy to get your information to dozens of prospective colleges. Realize that the majority of college soccer teams aren’t in Division I. Nearly 85% of collegiate soccer players compete at the Division II, Division III, NAIA or junior college level.
5. Realize that it’s not a four-year decision. It’s a 40-year decision. Choosing a college is one of the most important decisions of your lifetime. Do your research and make an educated decision when you select a college, not only as a soccer recruit, but as a student athlete. Input from a neutral third party like NCSA can match you up with a school that’s an ideal fit for you during the four years that you are there.