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'So You Want To Play College Soccer?' - The Most Incorrect Phrase Uttered in Recruiting is, “If Someone is Good Enough Then Colleges Will Find Them.”

Building Your Target List of Schools for your College Recruiting Process + 2026 Women’s Soccer College Commitments

September 22, 2024

In Today’s Edition

  • The Most Incorrect Phrase Uttered in Today’s Recruiting World is, “If Someone is Good Enough Then Colleges Will Find Them.”

  • Building Your Target List of Schools for your College Recruiting Process

  • 2026 Women’s Soccer College Commitments

  • Join the College Soccer Network: Your Personal Guide Through the Recruiting Process

The Most Incorrect Phrase Uttered in Today’s Recruiting World is, “If Someone is Good Enough Then Colleges Will Find Them.”

How to Avoid Recruiting Mistakes

We can all agree that recruiting is not what it used to be. The time of college coaches coming to a family’s home and explaining why they want you to play for them is long gone. The internet, more specifically social media, has changed the recruiting process forever. The good news is that 95% of recruiting is done online now, making it easier than ever for potential recruits to be reached. College coaches work hard to find the best student-athletes on the market, and it can be challenging to cut through all the noise on the internet.

To make the recruiting process easier, let’s look at some of the most common mistakes that families are making.

Not getting started soon enough.

The most incorrect phrase uttered in today’s recruiting world is, “If someone is good enough then colleges will find them.” Tell that to people like people Vincent Jackson, a multiple NFL Pro Bowler, who received only one athletic scholarship offer at the last second from Northern Colorado. How does someone this talented fly under the radar for so long?  It wasn’t due to lack of potential or academic failures, Jackson had academic honors and over a 4.0 GPA.  Jackson, like many prospects, made the mistake of not taking the recruiting process serious until senior year.

Many parents are under the assumption that recruiting doesn’t begin until their child’s senior year. Sometimes parents will tell me “My kid is only a freshman (or sophomore),” as if college coaches aren’t looking at underclassman. The truth is, colleges can start sending out general information to families as soon as freshman year.  There are rules in place to limit when college coaches can reach out to contact players directly, but it doesn’t mean they are not watching. According to studies done by the NCAA, 85% of Division 1 prospects are identified by their sophomore year. However, year-after-year parents wait until the last second to finally reach out and get exposure for their child.  I talk to parents daily that think someone else is going to help their child get recruited, which leads to the next common mistake.

Read the full article here

Building Your Target List of Schools for your College Recruiting Process

Building a target list of schools is an integral step in the college recruiting process.

Before you begin reaching out to schools, you need to do your research to ensure your athletic skills and academic capabilities match with a particular school.

It can be very overwhelming to narrow down what schools to consider to play the sport that you love. Breaking down the different factors, as well as identifying what is most important to you and your family when making that decision is crucial. Making a target list of schools will help in the beginning stages of your recruiting process, as well as later on as you get more comfortable with what you want to get out of your college experience. 

Why do I need a Target List of Schools?

Some student-athletes will sit back and wait for colleges to contact them. There are thousands of colleges out there and maybe the schools that are contacting you are not the right fit. The more proactive you are about your recruiting process, the easier it will be to find a school that is the right fit for you. We recommend athletes pick 20-30 schools, to cast a wide net of colleges when starting their college recruiting process. Remember that this list is fluid and will change often as you get a better idea of what schools are a strong fit for you as a student-athlete. 

These 20-30 Schools should be a combination of Safety, Fit and Reach Schools. This will give you a mix of schools with different requirements and give you a diversified look at the different types of schools that are available. Looking at the five factors to consider will help you identify schools as a Safety, Fit, or Reach option. 

The Five Factors

There are 5 different factors to consider as you start to build your target list of schools. If you can find a school that matches 4 out of 5 of these factors, that is usually a great indication that this school would be a good fit for you! Identify which factors are most important to your decision-making process and it will be very helpful when finding schools that are a great fit for you. 

Athletic Fit: What Division and/or conference are you capable of playing for? What do your current coaches think? 

Academic Fit: What schools will you qualify for with your GPA and Standardized Test Scores? Do you know what you would like to major in? 

Social Fit: How important are school size and campus life to you? 

Geographical Fit: Do you want to be close to home? What type of campus are you looking for? 

Financial Fit: Will I qualify for Athletic or Merit Scholarships? 

Things to note when building your target list of schools:

Cast a wide net. We recommend building a list of your top 25-30 schools to give you a variety to choose from. 

Categorize these into a fit, reach, and safety schools making sure you have an equal combination of each. You can categorize these schools academically or athletically.

Building your target list of schools is a fluid process. You can change your list at any time!

What is your most important factor when creating a college schools list?

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‘2026 College Commitments’

Challenges of Over-Recruiting

The 28-player roster limit has become a critical factor in the recruiting process. Programs that have over-recruited are at risk of having to rescind verbal offers, creating a precarious situation for athletes who thought their futures were secured. This over-recruiting often stems from the competitive nature of college sports, pushing programs to hedge their bets with multiple commitments. For athletes, this means staying vigilant and understanding the stability of their offers.

Recommendation: Explore all levels of college soccer, as the talent pool exceeds D1 opportunities.

Where are you on your recruiting journey?

If you're a 2025/26 athlete and starting to feel uneasy about the lack of interest, it's time to take action. Remember, most schools will have their rosters locked at 28 players by 2025 and 2026. This means players could face cuts or decommitments due to limited roster spaces. Don't wait until it's too late—email me now to schedule your free 20-minute analysis and get ahead in your recruiting process.

Simply send an email to [email protected]

Your Go-To Websites

Join the College Soccer Network: Your Guide Through the Recruiting Process

Navigating the college recruiting timeline can be overwhelmingly complex, especially with the recent rule changes adding to this confusion. The rapid spread of misinformation often leads to misguided decisions, resulting in frustration and disappointment over time.

When is the right time to start? The sooner, the better, but it's never too late to take action. Our College Soccer Network provides extensive support and guidance throughout the entire recruiting process. We aim to help you grasp the timeline, steer clear of common pitfalls, and optimize your chances of playing soccer at the collegiate level.

Currently, we are evaluating qualified players and will be selecting 4 candidates for the month of September. If you're seeking assistance in your college soccer journey, we're here to support you every step of the way.

Interested? Book your FREE 20-Minute consultation and explore your college pathway. Simply send an email to [email protected]

About: Steve Coxon College Soccer Network

Steve has 20 years of college-level experience, 17+ years in D1 as the Head Recruiter. He has facilitated more than $30 million in college scholarships.

Location - Connecticut, USA