How to Reach Out to College Coaches for Soccer Recruitment
The recruitment process for college soccer is unique. Few players attract the attention of coaches on their skills alone; most have to put in work off the field to get on a college soccer coach’s radar so that they can earn a spot on their roster.
That’s right: As if the demands of high-level sports weren’t challenging enough, aspiring college athletes must master the art of relationship-building as well.
Here are a few key steps to reaching out to college coaches and piquing their interest:
Step 1: Build a Soccer Resume
You can’t reach out to coaches if you have nothing to send them, and that’s what a soccer resume is for. In addition to providing an overview of your soccer history (like someone’s job history), a soccer resume features important statistics, awards, accomplishments, and any other relevant information about your journey thus far.
We recommend starting a soccer resume with basic information, such as (in no particular order):
• Club team name and league you play in
• Club Coach’s name
• Name of high school and graduation year
• GPA
• Your height and weight
• Preferred Foot
• Positions Played
Your soccer resume should also include a few references from coaches who can speak to your abilities, work ethic, and character. Additionally, it’s absolutely crucial to include academic information such as your GPA, best test scores on the SAT or ACT, your transcript, and any notable other academic achievements.
Step 2: Create a Highlight Reel
Another key element of a soccer resume is a quality highlight video showcasing some of your best moments on the field. Contrary to what the name suggests, your highlight reel shouldn’t just include amazing things (like a game-winning goal) you’ve done. The video should paint an accurate picture of your overall playing style and emphasize what a great teammate you are. In other words, it’s recommended to include clips of you actively contributing to your team’s success and helping out your teammates (like shifting back to cover for a teammate on defense).
Step 3: Introduce Yourself Via Email
Now that you have your soccer resume and highlight video, it’s time to send an introductory email. Coaches are bombarded with emails from players just like you every day, so it’s time to get creative and think about how to make your message stand out.
For example, you could do some research and find something about the college’s soccer program or the coach that you find interesting or inspiring. The idea is to write a sentence or two explaining why you’re pursuing this specific program, and this can be related to sports or academics. Coaches get tons of these emails every day, and taking the time to research their program and personalize your email will help yours to stand out.
Step 4: Follow Up!
There’s a decent chance you won’t get a response to your introductory email. Don’t take it personally, this happens to lots of talented players. What you should do, though, is follow up with the coach as your season progresses.
Your follow-up email should feature any new information that might help the coach get to know you as a player. This can include an updated team schedule, changes to your GPA, or new videos showing more recent highlights. You can also use your follow-up email as an opportunity to invite the coach to any upcoming tournaments you’re playing in, especially those in their local area.
After your first follow-up, we recommend waiting at least a month to email the coach again. Remember, anything that can help a coach evaluate you is not a waste of their time.
At Beyond Goals Mentoring, we understand that relationship-building is a legitimate skill that not many soccer players are familiar with. That’s why we’re dedicated to guiding young athletes through this intimidating process and explaining exactly what they have to do to draw interest from their dream schools.
So, if you aren’t sure where to start when it comes to college recruitment, let’s set up a mentoring session today. Building relationships with coaches isn’t easy, but you don’t have to do it alone.
