Hello again! This 3rd blog is about a topic that not everyone goes through. The college recruiting process for soccer players is not what you may think it is. In no way is it easy. A couple of years ago I thought I was on top of the world and I thought I was going to have everything handed to me. That in fact is that complete opposite.
College coaches do not come knocking on your door. The amount of emails these people get is through the roof. In fact, they do not have time to read every little thing. Most of the time another staff member reads them or they sometimes get put in junk mail. I have found that you need to put yourself out there. You might think that having a good highlight film is helpful, but most of the time it isn't. Half the time these coaches do not have enough time to watch all of it. They usually watch about 30 seconds of it. Even if they think you a well-skilled player, they still do not know the level of play of the opposition. If you do not catch their eye, they will throw you out of the picture.
I have found the college recruiting process to be very stressful. You might think that going to a soccer camp will be helpful, but most of the time it isn't. These coaches spend the majority of the time at the camps on their phones or doing other things rather than watching you play. These camps are a moneymaker for the coaches more than anything.
I have found that it is a right place right time type of thing. For example, let's say you are at a soccer showcase tournament. A college coach will watch you play for about 10-20 minutes before moving to the next field. That time period is a slim fraction of the good you can present to these coaches during the game. You need to make sure you are giving it your all as you never know who could be watching you at any given moment.
There are countless opportunities out there for young athletes! Always remember: Hard work pays off!
