Are you a Recruit or a Donor?
Steve Coxon College Soccer Network
Steve Coxon > CT Soccer Hall of Fame | 18-Year D1 Head Recruiter | $30M+ in Scholarships Facilitated
Look, I’m writing this because I’m tired of seeing good families get taken for a ride. I’ve spent 18 years as a college coach, and I’ve seen too many parents write checks for ID camps and "recruiting services" that don’t move the needle one inch.
Recruiting isn't a lottery. It’s about signals. If you aren't sending the right signals, you’re just noise.
I’ve put together a deep dive for each class below. Find your year, read it twice, and then go do the work.
🚨 The Reality Check: Is that email real?
Before we get into the age groups, I need you to watch this. I’ve been the one hitting "Send" on these emails from a D1 office. I’m showing you exactly how to tell if a coach actually wants your kid or if they just want your camp fee to fund their new equipment.
🎓 Girls Soccer - Class of 2027: The Roster Audit - Find the Gaps
If you’re still "hoping" for a look in your Junior year, you’re already behind. Most D1 rosters for the 2027 class are starting to lock right now. To get an offer at this stage, you have to stop looking at the school logo and start looking for the Gaps in their depth chart.
The Coach’s Perspective: When I was recruiting, I wasn't just looking for "good players." I was looking for a specific piece of a puzzle. If my roster had three Sophomores at Center Back, I wasn't signing a 2027 Center Back—I don't care how good your highlight reel is. I’m looking for the empty seats.
The Data (Where the Gaps are): We have been tracking roster availability across the country, and the numbers don't lie. Look at the Tiered breakdown I’ve provided in the image below. This is exactly how you need to be looking at your school list:
Tier 1 (The Open Doors): Programs like New Haven, Stonehill, and URI have high availability with 8-10 spots still open. These schools have a high count of Juniors (players leaving) and only 1 or 2 commits so far. That is a massive opportunity to get a foot in the door.
Tier 2 (The Competitive Middle): Schools like Lehigh, Rider, and Holy Cross are sitting with 6-7 spots. They are starting to fill up, but they are still actively hunting for the right talent to close out their class.
Tier 3 (The Tight Squeeze): Programs like Penn, Robert Morris, and Maine are down to 4-5 spots. If you aren't already in deep conversations with these coaches, you’re likely fighting for a seat that’s already been promised to someone else.
The Work: You need to do a "Minutes Played" audit. Go to the website of every school on your list. Look at who is playing in your specific position. If they are Freshmen or Sophomores logging 70+ minutes a game, that position is effectively closed for your grad year. Don't waste your summer chasing a coach who doesn't have a jersey to give you.
Your Move: Pivot your "Target 20" list based on availability, not just the logo on the jersey. You need to find the schools where the starters in your position are current Juniors and Seniors. That’s where the scholarship money is sitting.
I have posted the full, tracked list of every school in the region with their exact spot counts inside the Hub. If you want to stop guessing and see exactly where the open seats are, get inside and check the list before those last few spots disappear.
🎓 Boys Soccer – Class of 2027: The 5-Month Sprint
Boys' recruiting typically runs 12 months behind girls, but the Class of 2027 board is moving now. If you waste this summer, you’ll be scrambling in the fall when the scholarship money is already gone.
Here are the 3 non-negotiable things you MUST do right now:
1. The 15-Second Film Audit
The Coach's Take: I am building my summer watchlists today. If your video starts with a 30-second graphic intro or old footage, I hit 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.
2. The "Ego Audit" and List Pivot
The Coach's Take: Too many 2027s waste this window chasing D1 logos with no roster space, while high-level D2 and D3 coaches give money to kids who actually show interest.
The Work: Use our Athletic Fit Tool. Narrow your "Target 20" list to programs where you will be an impact player, not just a walk-on. That is where the financial packages are.
3. The Pre-Showcase Strike
The Coach's Take: You don't go to a summer showcase to be "discovered." You go to be evaluated by a coach who already has you on a shortlist.
The Work: Four weeks before your tournament, you must be in the inbox of your target coaches. Tell them your schedule, field numbers, and exactly how you solve a problem for their roster.
Your Move: The clock is ticking. If your film isn't elite and your outreach is generic, you lose this sprint. Inside the CSN Hub, we have the exact templates to get you on the shortlist before you ever step foot on the grass.
🔥 Boys and Girls - Class of 2028: The June 15th Pressure Cooker
Mark your calendar. June 15th is the first day D1 coaches can pick up the phone and call you. If your phone is silent that day, it’s because you didn't do the pre-work.
The Coach’s Perspective: My "Call List" for June 15th is being built right now. I don’t just "find" players on the 15th; I call the ones who have been in my inbox for six months with consistent updates.
The Work: You need to send a "Pre-June 15th" update this week. Include a 2-3 minute "Best Of Video" clip—if you have already sent that follow up with “Showcase Highlight” video.
The "Scholarship Ready" Standard: No Room for Error
I’ve spent 18 years sitting in a college coaching office hitting the "Delete" key. I’m going to be blunt with you: your entire recruiting future is held together by the weakest link in your outreach.
You can have all the talent in the world, but if your highlight video starts with a 1 minute "Introduction" slide, it’s going in the trash. If your introductory letter looks like a copied-and-pasted template from a generic website, it’s going in the trash. One typo, or one "standard" subject line is all it takes for a coach to move on to the next 4,000 emails in their inbox. You don't get a "redo" with a D1 scout.
🌱 Boys and Girls - Class of 2029 & 2030: Building the Foundation
It’s too early for a coach to commit to you, but it’s the perfect time for a coach to cross you off the list.
The Coach’s Perspective: I’m looking for "Identity." Are you a technical player? A physical engine? I also look at your GPA. A 3.2 in 9th grade is a red flag that tells me you might be an academic liability later.
The Work: Stop worrying about "D1." Start worrying about your Athletic Fit. Use our tool below to see where your current metrics actually land.
Your Move: Get your GPA as close to a 4.0 as possible now. It makes you "cheaper" for me to sign later because I can use academic money to cover what my athletic budget can't. [Tool: Get Your Baseline Athletic Fit Score for Free]
30-Day Scholarship Ready Plan
I built the 30-Day Scholarship Ready Plan to be your insurance policy. We don't just "help" you; we audit your brand to ensure it meets the elite standard required to actually get a response.
The Video Audit: We cut the fluff and move your "Lethal" clips to the first 15 seconds. If you don't hook me in 15 seconds, I’m gone.
The Outreach Audit: We kill the "Dear Coach" templates and build a pitch that forces a click.
The Foundation: We take you from "Invisible" to "Scholarship Ready" in 30 days.
A single mistake can cost you $100,000 in tuition and the chance to play at the next level. Don't leave your kid's future to a "good enough" highlight tape.
The Proof: It Works if You Do the Work
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 Angelina. Her family just reached out to share the news that she has officially committed to Holy Cross (D1). If you know the Patriot League, you know they don't just take anyone. To get that jersey, you have to have the grades, the talent, and a professional recruitment strategy.
Here is what Angelina’s mom had to say about the process:
"Navigating college admissions is challenging on its own, but adding athletics brings a whole new level of complexity. From day one, Steve made everything feel manageable and—even more importantly—possible. He and his marketing team work with you on creating content, newsletters, and facilitating connections with college coaches." Joana DaSilva
Angelina 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: The Hall of Fame Standard
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.
