'So You Want To Play College Soccer?'

In Today’s Edition

• Recruitment: Nine Essential Tips To Help You Become A Student-Athlete In College

• Regrets of College Soccer Stars: What They’d Change About their Recruiting Journey

• The GPA Game Plan: Securing Scholarships Through Academic Prowess
  
  

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Recruitment: Nine Essential Tips To Dominate as A Student-Athlete

1. Recruitment: Keep Your Options Open

It is always a good idea to keep your options open. Many athletes fall into the trap that it’s got to be Division 1 or bust… There are great programs at Division II, Division III, and club levels. If you want to row in college or play the sport of your choice, don’t limit yourself to Division I, as you may miss other opportunities. To be clear, If you want to compete at the D1 level, I’m certainly not discouraging you. However, it is important to remain flexible. In addition, choose a school where you feel like you’re going to thrive, not just a school your best friend is also going to.

2. Study Hard

 If you have a GPA of 3.7 or higher, you have a 67% greater chance of getting a college scholarship. Therefore, ensure you’re working just as hard on your studies as on the field or the gym.

3. NCAA Clearinghouse

Ensure that you have completed your NCAA clearinghouse process as early as possible; don’t leave this to the last moment so that you are well prepared for college recruitment.

4. Fill Out Online Recruitment Questionnaires

One of the first places to start your recruitment journey is to fill out the online recruitment questionnaire, which many programs have. You should also follow this up with an email and ensure you are responsive to any emails you receive. At this stage, Instagram and other social media platforms are popular, but email is an important medium for getting your message out and strengthening your recruitment application. Therefore, if you email the coach (which you should), ensure you check your email daily. Finally, as the potentially recruited athlete, you should write the email, not your parent.

Read the rest of the article here

Regrets of College Soccer Players: What They’d Change About the Recruiting Journey

The recruiting process is daunting. Every year, prospective student-athletes across the country painstakingly deliberate over it with their families. The reality is that a prospective college athlete will prioritize an institution where they are being recruited, which means they are willing to take risks on a school as long as it means they can play their sport. Anecdotally, I regularly hear about players who end up quitting the program, transferring, or being completely miserable during their college soccer experience. It seems there are a lot of mistakes that can be made during the recruiting process, but how can athletes and families avoid them if they don’t know what they are?

I caught up with former and current college soccer players about just that. Specifically, I wanted to learn what they would do differently if they could go back and do it all over again. Their reflections serve as an incredibly useful playbook for any prospective college athlete.

The Broken-Leg Test

This is probably the most well-known advice from former college players: pick a school where you will be happy even if your career ends from a broken leg or a similar injury. This is trickier than most would think. Nobody expects their career to end, so when choosing an institution, realistically imagining that possibility isn’t second nature for a teenager. Athletes in general are notoriously poor in assessing risk; however, the exercise itself is important. Personally, I know players whose soccer careers were cut short because of injury - more than a few sadly. Those players I spoke with agreed that it is crucial when starting the process to figure out which schools you would be happy with if playing your sport was not an option.

Read the full article here

Unlock Academic Scholarships: Your Grades Can Make or Break You!

Your academic performance plays a pivotal role in the college recruiting process and securing an athletic scholarship. Here’s how academics and athletics intersect to impact your recruitment journey:

• Dual Scholarships: Many families don’t realize that recruits can receive both athletic and academic scholarships. Coaches can offer better academic packages to recruits with good grades, thus conserving the athletic scholarship budget.

• Key Qualities in Recruits: Coaches look for a range of attributes, including athleticism, coachability, physical attributes, and speed. However, they cannot overlook poor grades.

• Grade Impact on Scholarships: Whether your grades are poor, average, or excellent, they significantly influence your eligibility for scholarships. Subpar grades can jeopardize scholarship opportunities.

• Coach’s Perspective: “Athlete’s grades are crucial in our recruiting decisions. We cannot afford the risk of a non-qualifier,” states a Division One Men’s Soccer Coach.

• Scouting and Grades: Coaches frequently collaborate with scouts to help athletes gain exposure. The common question coaches ask after showing interest is, "What are the athlete’s grades like?" Poor academic records make athletes less desirable.

• Benefits of Good Grades: Excellent grades make you a more attractive recruit. They indicate lower eligibility risks, a higher likelihood of graduation, and the potential to boost the team’s GPA. Good grades also reflect intelligence, making you easier to coach.

• School Standards: “Our school enforces strict academic standards. Grades are as vital to us as speed and skill. We eliminate prospects early if they have poor grades,” remarks a Division One Soccer Coach.

• Expanded Opportunities: Good grades can also broaden the range of schools interested in recruiting you. For example, Division III programs don’t offer athletic scholarships but do provide academic ones. Strong academic performance increases the likelihood of receiving these funds.

Maintaining strong academics is essential for your college recruitment journey and can significantly enhance your chances of obtaining scholarships and opportunities.

Your Go-To Websites

• RPI - Check out the Women's College Soccer RPI by clicking this link.

• RPI - Check out the Men's College Soccer RPI by clicking this link.

• NCAA Eligibility Center - Click Here 

• United Soccer Coaches - Awards and Rankings 

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 3 candidates for the month of August. 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