Steve Coxon > CT Soccer Hall of Fame | 18-Year D1 Head Recruiter | $30M+ in Scholarships Facilitated

Look, over the last 18 months, I’ve given you plenty of tips and advice to chew on. Most of you have used it to get smarter about the process. But "getting smarter" isn't the goal—getting committed is.

Going forward, we’re adjusting the mission. While I’ll always provide the strategy, my main focus is now shifting toward one thing: Direct Access. I’m moving the needle to get players—specifically the 2027s and 2028s—directly in front of the college coaches who sign the checks or hand out the roster spots.

That being said, here is the "direct" game plan for the 27s, 28s, 29s, and 30s out there to actually move the needle this summer:

If you’re a '27 and you’re still emailing 100 schools, you’re spinning your wheels. I’ve done the heavy lifting for you. My team just finished a deep dive into every Northeast roster, and we’ve identified exactly 47 programs where the door is actually open.

These aren't guesses. These are schools with graduation gaps and empty commit lists. If you aren't hitting these 47 programs, you’re chasing a ghost.

We aren't sending "hope and a prayer" emails anymore. We are driving our newsletter—and the profiles of our top-tier athletes—directly to the desks of the coaches at these specific schools. If you want to know where the eyes are going, here is the target list as of today.

Let’s be honest: the first two groups are rarified air. If you aren't already on the radar with these 9 schools, the door is likely slammed shut.

This is where the real scholarships are sitting. These 38 schools are still actively hunting for '27 talent to fill their depth charts.

The Mid-Major Tier: Quinnipiac, UMass, Bucknell, New Hampshire, Villanova, Boston University, Lehigh, Stony Brook, Army, St. John's, Vermont, Robert Morris, Drexel, URI, Bryant, Albany, Monmouth, Hofstra, Lafayette, Holy Cross, St. Joseph's, Duquesne.

The D1 Tactical Tier: Manhattan, Central Connecticut, New Haven, Maine, Canisius, Merrimack, UMass Lowell, Stonehill, Le Moyne, Siena, Mercyhurst, Niagara, St. Peter's, FDU, Rider, Wagner.

The Move: I have posted the full breakdown —inside the Classroom. (Updated daily!) Stop guessing and start targeting the programs that actually have a jersey for you.

You can do this on your own, or we can do it for you.

On Tuesday morning, the first wave of our targeted campaign goes out to every one of these coaches. You’re either on that list or you’re not. We are heavily promoting 20 specific CSN athletes directly to these desks.

If you want your player on that list, we need to move.

The window for the '27 class is closing. Get in there and fix your profile now before the email goes out.

Boys' recruiting usually runs a year behind the girls, but don't let that fool you. The Class of 2027 board is moving now. If you waste this summer, you’ll be scrambling in the fall when the scholarship money has already been handed out.

Here are your 3 non-negotiables for the next 90 days:

The Coach's Take: I’m building my summer watchlists today. If your video starts with a 45-second graphic intro or footage from middle school, I’m hitting delete. The Work: Cut the fluff. Put your 3 most lethal plays from this season in the first 15 seconds. Show me your identity immediately. If I don't see "D1 pace" or "Elite technicality" in the first two to three clips, I’m moving on to the next kid in my inbox.

The Coach's Take: Stop being a "Donor" to big-name ID camps where you’re just a number. If you haven't had back-and-forth communication with a coach, do not go to their camp. This summer, you should only be stepping foot on campuses where the coach has explicitly told you they want to see you play in person. That is how you turn a camp into a commitment.

The Coach's Take: You don't go to a summer showcase to be "discovered." You go to be evaluated. I’m only looking at fields where I have a specific reason to be there.

Your Move: The clock is ticking. If your film isn't elite and your outreach is generic, you lose this sprint. I’ve put the exact "30 Day Masterplan" inside the skool community. Get in there, find the right fit, and stop wasting your parents' money on camps that don't lead to offers.

I see parents rushing to book July ID camps right now. Stop. Until June 15th, you are just a donor. Right now, you’re paying for a hope and a prayer. On June 15th, the D1 landscape shifts from "maybe" to "reality." That is the first day D1 coaches can officially pick up the phone and tell you where you sit on their board.

Most families spend $3,000+ in July on camps for schools that haven't even looked at their kid’s film. That’s being a donor. A Recruit waits for the signal.

Your summer schedule should be dictated by the data you get on the 15th.

The Move: Keep your July and August clear for now. Do not fill your calendar with "vanity camps" that lead to dead ends. We are building the exact "June 15th Response Strategy" inside the skool community this month. We’ll show you how to categorize the calls (or the lack of them) so you can stop guessing and start committing.

Get inside the Classroom and check the "June 15th Prep" module. We’re going to make sure you’re the one being hunted, not the one doing the begging.

At the 2029 and 2030 level, let's kill the word "recruiting." Exposure for a middle-schooler isn't about getting a scout to write your name down—it’s about getting acclimated. Most kids are "town superstars." They’re used to being the best player on their local pitch where everything is comfortable. A college ID clinic is the opposite of comfortable. It’s loud, the coaching is more demanding, and every player on that field was the best player in their town, too.

Playing in front of college coaches is a specific skill. I’ve seen elite players—kids with all the talent in the world—completely fold during their Junior year because it was the first time they felt the weight of a D1 coach watching their every touch. They get "heavy legs," they stop calling for the ball, and they play safe.

You don't want your kid’s first "pressure cook" to happen when a scholarship is actually on the line.

Use these summer camps as a training ground.

This is about learning how to compete when eyes are on you. It’s about building the mental calluses now so that by the time they hit 11th grade, playing in front of a D1 head coach feels like just another Tuesday.

The Move: Stop looking for a "Yes" from a coach and start looking for "Growth" in your player. I’ve put an extensive Summer Camp List together in the Classroom. Use it to plan strategically—don't just follow the crowd to the big-name schools that are just looking for a check. Target the environments that actually fit your player's current level and give them the room to grow.

We don’t just talk about this; we execute it.

🏆 The Proof: From "Complex" to Committed

Recruiting isn’t a mystery, and it’s certainly not about luck. It’s about having a repeatable process. When you have a clear map, the "complexity" of the D1 landscape suddenly becomes manageable.

Take a look at Addison. Her family just reached out to share the news that she has officially committed to Iona (D1).

Here is what Addison’s dad had to say about the process:

""Steve Coxon is absolutely the best! It took him only a month to help my daughter get committed to an amazing Division I school. We couldn’t be more grateful—thank you so much, Steve! We highly recommend working with him” - Bradley Bowles Father of D1 Commit.

Addison didn't just "show up" and get an offer. Her family used our platform, stayed consistent with their outreach, and executed the exact strategy I’ve built from 18 years of sitting on the other side of the recruiting desk.

This is exactly what we do at the Soccer Network. We take the "noise" and the confusion out of the equation so your athlete can focus on the result: Getting the commitment.

Steve Coxon doesn't just understand recruiting; he lived it at the highest level for 18 years as a Division 1 Head Recruiter. With over 20 years of collegiate experience and a seat in the CT Soccer Hall of Fame.

As the Co-Founder of CFC (ECNL) and the Soccer Network, he has bridged the gap between club talent and college commitments, facilitating more than $30 million in scholarships for student-athletes. He isn't a "recruiting service"—he is the veteran insider providing the map to the finish line.