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If your student-athlete needs to get evaluated by college coaches for scholarship consideration and to sign with a college program, our GUARANTEED College Matching Program is right for you!

  TOP 5 RECRUITING THINGS TO DO


1. Develop a recruiting plan and get evaluated by a third party.

What are you currently doing to get evaluated for college scholarships?  What results has your current plan produced?  If you are not currently being contacted by college coaches at least once per week, then you are not being actively recruited.   

You need to be evaluated by as many college coaches nationwide as possible to maximize your scholarship opportunities and securing a college roster spot immediately!   Attending several camps and showcases also increases your evaluation exposure to coaches.


 2. Create your FREE MyScoutingReport NOW! 

Online profiles are the fastest way for college coaches to evaluate a prospects academic qualifications, athletic attributes, highlight/game videos, review game schedules, news articles and how to contact you.   Create your FREE MyScoutingReport immediately for scholarship evaluation by college coaches nationwide!

 

3. Take charge of your game, highlight, or skills video!

DO NOT wait around for someone else to burn game DVD's or edit a highlight video for you!  Take control of your recruiting process by taking action each day until your video(s) are complete and accessible by college coaches.  


4. Be realistic about your projected college level. 

Too many college prospects get focused on competing ONLY for major NCAA Division I programs, that they miss out on opportunities to compete at a lower level and possibly on a scholarship.  


5. DO NOT LIMIT YOURSELF! 

Time and again college prospects limit themselves to only wanting to compete at a certain level, local area, in-state, U.S. region or certain conferences.  The fact of the matter is that college coaches get to choose which players they want on their roster and which to offer scholarships to.  It's not the players or parents that choose...once again, it's the college coaches.  By limiting yourself to only certain areas for recruitment, you can bet your life that there will be some college coach around the country that could use a student-athlete like you!   

MEN'S SOCCER RECRUITING FAQ 


1.  HOW IMPORTANT IS MY HIGHLIGHT VIDEO?

Video highlights show your skills and great way for coaches to assess how you can help their team. Use club competition film over high school and include a five minute tape of at least 25 of your best highlights.


2.  WHAT SHOULD MY SOCCER HIGHLIGHT VIDEO INCLUDE?

Showcase your best highlights of tackles, attack formation, getting up and down field, distributing the ball, confidence and skills on both defense and offense in your video. For goalkeepers, you don’t have to use 11v11 footage, make a skills tape.


3.  WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DI, DII, DIII SOCCER?

There’s good competition at every level of collegiate athletics. Reach out to a wide variety of programs and keep your options open. And remember, NAIA and DIII coaches can recruit whenever they want, they don’t have to wait.


4.  WHEN DOES THE RECRUITING PROCESS BEGIN?

The first day a student-athlete attends a high school class, they are considered a college prospect by the NCAA.  


5.  HOW DO I GET DISCOVERED?

College coaches can recruit prospects on third-party evaluations from a trusted neutral source like AASR.  If you don't have a discoverable or marketable profile for college coaches to evaluate, then they won't know about you.  Remember, if college coaches are not calling you at least once per week, then  YOU ARE NOT BEING ACTIVELY RECRUITED!  Whatever you have been doing to get evaluated by college coaches has not been working, then it's time to change your strategy!

                                                                            MEN'S SOCCER CALENDAR


Freshmen Year

  • Research 2-3 schools per week
  • Create a list of prospective schools consider both athletics and academics
  • Look into joining ID camps for the summer
  • Make a highlight tape 
  • Attend camps with the goals of honing your skills and to gain exposure 

Rules/Tips to Remember:

  • Coaches are watching your development throughout high school at camps, in school and on the field
  • DI and DII coaches can’t personally contact you until Junior year 
  • DIII and NAIA coaches can contact you at anytime
  • Important to do be familiar with the school both athletically and academically

 

Sophomore Year

  • Film your highlights tape- film your games
  • Get an evaluation of your skills tape
  • Continue to research prospective schools
  • Narrow down your prospective list of schools
  • Fill out questionnaires 


Junior Year

  • Continue to film your highlights tape
  • Follow-up with coaches you’ve contacted in a TIMELY manner, ask them if they saw you play
  • Ask coaches where you stand on their recruits list, proactive in asking DI coaches questions
  • Attend I.D. camps over the summer
  • Fill out questionnaires
  • Respond to EVERY coach
  • Make unofficial visits to schools
  • Narrow down your prospective schools list

 

Rules/Tips to Remember:

  • If you haven’t heard from DI coaches, start reaching out to DII, DIII, NAIA programs
  • If you are considering NAIA program, register with NAIA Eligibility Center
  • Contact coaches at least once a week

 

Senior Year

  • Make official visits – allowed only 5
  • Continue to get fully evaluated
  • Follow-up with coaches and respond in a TIMELY manner
  • Continue to communicate with coaches and build relationships
  • Apply to the schools- applications
  • Apply for financial aid- FAFSA.edu.gov starting Jan. 1st
  • Sign and Commit to a school and program (Offers in Fall/Winter for DI, signing in February, last day to commit is August 1st)
  • Find out the summer workout schedule
  • Get ready for an experience of a lifetime

                                     MEN'S SOCCER SCHOLARSHIPS


                    Programs     Scholarships

NCAA I:            204                    9.9

NCAA II:           172                      9

NCAA III:          394                      0      

NAIA:               216                     12

NJCAA:            291                    18

TOTAL:           1277       


NCAA III do not offer athletic scholarships, but offer academic scholarships and financial aid.  

        WHAT ARE COLLEGE SOCCER COACHES LOOKING FOR?


There are nearly 1,250 men’s college soccer programs out there. Knowing exactly how you stack up against other soccer recruits can help you decide what level of competition you’re best suited for. And knowing that can save you plenty of time when looking for a soccer scholarship.

AASR'S recruiting guidelines explain what coaches at every collegiate level are looking for in a soccer recruit. The guidelines also give a soccer recruit an overview of exactly how many soccer scholarships and college soccer programs are out there to choose from (in the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA).

 

Grades: 3.0 GPA + 24 ACT + 1000 SAT (out of 1600)

 

Very few positions are viewed as needing to be a certain size (GK and center-back usually being the only 2, and there can always be exceptions), and it's really up to each individual coach and their style of play as to what they prefer. Stats also aren't usually determining factors as unless you know the level of competition, their exact worth can be hard to measure.  Also, with so many positions that typically don't register many stats, they're weighted less in general. Tier 1 traits are noted and each tier down would be a little bit less of certain aspects. Again though, which of those traits drop a recruit on a coach's list really has to do with each specific coach and their personal values.

 

Tier 1 Goalkeeper

  • 5'11"+

Coaching Keys:

Extremely athletic, taller than avg., can out-jump opposing forwards, covers most of the goal-mouth when diving, catches everything when able to get 2 hands on the ball, is able to consistently catch crosses, punts significantly past mid-field, goal kicks past to midfield, is able to throw balls to teammates on a line 35-45 yds away, is vocal in communicating with teammates, calling out marks, calling for the ball.

 

 

Tier 1 Outside Defender

Coaching Keys:

Speed, makes smart passes and always looks to keep the ball as opposed to just randomly kicking it, looks to get involved in the attack and dribble up the wing, defends 1v1 well and clearly looks to force the ball one way or the other, tackles smart and well.

 

 

Tier 1 Center Defender

  • 6'0"+

Coaching Keys:

Speed, ability to win headers, consistently good positioning (in position to help support other defenders in case they get beat), vocal communicator to other defenders and mids, controls the team's back line with regard to pushing up and dropping back, always makes smart passes, solid and smart1v1 defending.

 

 

Tier 1 Center Midfielder

Coaching Keys:

Very comfortable with the ball at your foot, consistently has a great 1st touch no matter how good the pass is (hard, soft, in the air, bouncing, etc.), connects a LARGE majority of your passes, has vision to see and make passes that others can't, looks to switch the field of play away from pressure, totally comfortable using both feet, can take deep shots, strong in the air winning headers on goal kicks and punts, strong defending either stealing passes or making strong tackles.

 

 

Tier 1 Outside Mid/Wing Forward:

Coaching Keys:

Speed and endurance, ability to consistently serve a cross that is driven (not looped) into dangerous areas of the box, ability to get up and down the field (attack and defend), ability to make combination plays (give and gos, etc.), desire/vision to go to goal and take shots if opportunity presents itself (not be content to stay on the wing).

 

 

Tier 1 Forward:

Coaching Keys:

1v1 ability more than just speed (multiple moves to beat defenders), power and accuracy of shot, ability to win headers on crosses, use of both feet equally, ability to receive ball w/back to goal and then turn to attack goal, knowledge of when to make runs to receive ball to attack goal w/o being off-sides.

                                                                            FILMING YOUR SOCCER VIDEO

How to Film

  • Tape from a high perspective when possible (at least several feet from the ground).
  • Use a tripod
  • Do not zoom in and out.  The wider the angle, the better.  Don't lose 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, run with and without the ball, use of space, combinations with teammates, etc.
  • Coaches want to see the progressions of each play, so you need a wide enough angle to capture multiple players, but they also wan 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

  • Goal, shots on goal, assists
  • Crosses, clears
  • Corner kicks, goal kicks
  • Traps form 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 and match footage

  • Include diving to the left and right (low and high shots)
  • High Balls - collecting and punching crosses
  • Breakaways - how well you cut the angles and do sliding saves
  • Punting - follow the ball to see distance
  • Goal Kicks

SAMPLE SOCCER RECRUITMENT VIDEO