How Do I Find Coaches Contact Information?
One of the most asked questions from players and parents. All programs post their contact information for all levels of the athletic department from the Athletic Directors to volunteer coaches. Each website is different where they place this information, but a few things are typically standard.
Google It- Google is a great tool, use it your advantage. Do a few test runs. Google " XYZ University Athletics Department Directory"
Athletics Directory. Most programs will only list the office number for coaches on the coaches page, some won't list any direct contact information on that page. So they are placed on one staff or athletics directory page. Use the top bar to see if they have it listed.
Search the athletics website- Some sites bury the coaches information in different places that made sense the organization, but not the average user. Use the search tool in the athletics website to speed the search process.
Communicating with College Coaches
How and When you communicate with college coaches is critical. It is vital players act with professionalism and return phone calls and emails in a timely manner. Coaches have spent the time to contact you, if you do not contact them back for reasons other than I was deathly ill or traveling out of the country it will not get you recruited. Below are a couple guidelines, along with NCAA Rules, that will help you better communicate with coaches.
Practice, just like your soccer skills, script and practice phone calls with coaches. These can be your top programs or maybe it is a program that you have some interest. The first call you will most likely be nervous, but after that it will become easier and easier the more you speak to coaches and build relationships. The communication process is vital to the development of the relationship with your potential coaches.
Be Proactive- Based on most rules, the player is the one that will determine the recruiting process. You must be the one to contact prospective programs first. Whether it is via email, phone, or at an ID camp; don't wait to be discovered
Return Communications in a timely Manner- The golden rule would be do your best to return any correspondence within 48 hours. This is a matter of courtesy and professionalism. Even if the news is not what the coach wants to here they would much rather here a "no thank you" than nothing at all. It allows all parties to move forward in the recruiting process.
Example Responses:
Coach XYZ, thank you for contacting me. I am looking forward to speaking with you more and am very interested in your program!
Coach XYZ, thank you for contacting me. I am looking forward to researching your program and speaking with you to see if your program will be a fit for me.
Coach XYZ, thank you for contacting me. I regret that your school does not fir what I am looking for in my academics. Thank you for your interest.
These are over simplified responses, but have a yes, no, and maybe response to show just how simple and easy it can be.
Coaches are Pro's- The primary job of a college coach is to recruit, then to develop. Without top talent, the development process gets harder. The are very experienced in recruiting players. This means, they are great at speaking to young people, can help carry the conversation, and they are expecting your call! So don't feel nervous, dumb, or intimidated by the potential of speaking to a coach. If you are to get to where you want to go, the sooner you speak to coaches and are comfortable with it, the better your results!
Cover Letter and Resume Example to send to College Coaches
How to Use Video Effectively in the Recruiting Process
Having a good recruiting video is extremely important for every high school soccer player who hopes to earn a soccer scholarship and play the sport college.
College coaches generally don’t have the time it takes to see hundreds of soccer recruits in person. That’s why a high-quality highlight video is an essential aspect of your online resume.
It takes just a few minutes for a well-made recruiting video to show coaches what a high school soccer recruit can do on the pitch.
But you need to realize that if you want your highlight video to be effective, you need to know specifically what soccer coaches are looking for. When it comes to recruiting videos, each sport is different. For example, a soccer highlight video for field players should use 20 to 40 plays taken from game footage. Goalkeepers should combine game highlights with skills footage.
If you follow these guidelines and create an excellent recruiting video, you’re taking the first step toward earning a college soccer scholarship.
How to Film:
- Tape from a high perspective when possible (at least several feet from the ground).
- A tripod is highly recommended.
- Do not zoom in and out. The wider the angle the better, don’t loose track of the ball.
- Imagine the field separated into thirds (offensive, middle, defensive). When the ball is in the offensive or defensive third of the field, film the entire 18-yard box. When the ball is in the middle of the field, film the entire middle third.
- Show enough of the field so that we are able to see the player’s vision, runs with and without the ball, use of space, combinations with teammates, etc.
- Coaches want to see the progression of each play so you need a wide enough angle to capture multiple players, but they also want to see foot skills and technical abilities so do not lose focus on the primary player you are recording.
Position Specific Instructions
- Field Player: match footage only
- Goals, shots on goal, assists
- Crosses, clears
- Corner kicks, goal kicks
- Traps from the air, headers
- Steals, Tackles
- Passes: clean passes to a teammate, 1 touch, give-n-go’s, thru balls, possession
- Ball Handling – 1 v 1 moves, shielding, keeping possession
- Good runs
- Goalies: skills footage and match footage
- Include Diving to your left and right(low and high shots)
- High Balls – collecting an punching crosses
- Breakaways – how well you cut the angles and do sliding saves
- Punting – follow the ball to see distance
- Goal Kicks
Examples of Recruiting Video's
Goalkeeper: https://vimeo.com/80234362
Defender: https://vimeo.com/73391128
Midfielder: https://vimeo.com/67858712
Forward: https://vimeo.com/67912794
College ID Camps
College ID Camps are here to stay. While a wonderful opportunity it is important to understand all of the facts before deciding how much of your time and money you are going to invest in the College ID Camps.
Pros
- Compete or be seen in front of the coaching staff
- Experience the college life, living in the dorms, eating the food, staying on the campus
- Compete against other players vying for same position, side by side comparison
Cons
- They are money makers
- Coaches are not always the ones running the camp. Make sure the coaches that you are looking to be seen by are the ones running your sessions, not just putting their name on the camp.
- Can be just a number. Make sure they are organized and you will get more from the camp than just playing games in front of coaches. The coaches should be the ones running the training sessions and interacting with your player.
College ID Camps can be great opportunities for players. Limit the total number you do, simply for financial and time reasons. Pick your top programs that you would like to visit and the coaches have shown more interest than a simple email back asking you to attend. If a program is already showing interest and has seen you play numerous times, then consider going to a different program or saving your time and money. Just because a program asks you to come to camp doesn't mean they are interested. It generally means they are willing to take a look without commitment on their side.