Is High School Soccer Enough If You Want to Play in College?

If you plan on playing college soccer, it’s important to understand how college coaches discover and recruit players.

The fact of the matter is that college soccer is for the elite youth players – roughly the top 7% of youth players go on to play college soccer. And, as most college programs are run on a tight budget, the coaches don’t have the ability to scout widely outside of their region, so they tend to focus their efforts on watching the highest levels of club play at national tournaments and showcases.  

So, someone who only plays on their high school soccer team will likely have a tougher time getting recruited by their dream school than someone who plays for a top club team in their region.

However, this doesn’t mean high school soccer definitively excludes you from a chance at playing college soccer. It just means your path to college soccer might be a bit different.

Why Coaches Don’t Prioritize High School Soccer

Why don’t college coaches pay as much attention to high school soccer? It’s because just like any other high school sport, not everybody on the team wants to be great. Plenty of high school soccer players have no desire to play in college. They’re just on the team to have fun, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.  

But besides the tight recruiting budgets mentioned above, one of the priorities of college coaches is to see how well a player’s skills will translate to the college game. Unless they know a high school game is going to test a player’s ability, assessing their ability to effectively play in college is going to be harder to do in high school soccer compared to, say, college showcases.

How HS Players Can Promote Themselves to Colleges

Since college coaches are focused almost entirely on club soccer, high school soccer players have to make more of an effort to command their attention. You can’t promote yourself if you have no content to promote, and that’s what a highlight reel is for. This is a collection of clips showcasing your best moments on the field. The idea is to demonstrate a wide variety of skills related to your position while emphasizing what a great teammate you are.

Another vital promotional tool is a separate Instagram account exclusively for soccer. This is where you’ll post game highlights, training sessions, and written content expressing your appreciation for your teammates and coaches. Much like your highlight reel, everything you post on this account should make you look like a great teammate, whether you’re demonstrating your expertise with a certain skill, your work ethic, or a positive character trait like compassion.

Focus on the right level

If you are playing solely high school soccer you need to prioritize D3, Juco and NAIA schools - especially any local ones.

They are much more likely to be recruiting high school players than strictly club players. The good news is that transferring from a D3, Juco or NAIA school to a higher level is more possible than ever before. Freshman year is about getting a foot in the door even if that door isn’t the dream, you always envisioned. This just means the pathway has changed, not necessarily the end goal. 

Reaching Out to Coaches Directly

If a college coach is impressed by your footage, they’re going to want to know more about you.

That’s why your introductory email to your coaches should include your highlight reel as well as your soccer resume, which features important statistics, awards, accomplishments, and any other relevant information about your soccer history thus far.

We recommend starting with basic information, such as:

·      Name of high school and graduation year

·      GPA

·      Your height and weight

·      Positions Played

Writing Your Introductory Email

You’ve got your resume and highlight reel, now it’s time to send your introductory email. Coaches are bombarded with introductory emails every day, so it’s crucial to get creative and make your message stand out. Find something about this coach or team you find interesting or inspiring so the coach can see why you’re pursuing this specific program.  

Many coaches also post their schedules on their social media accounts. If the coach of your desired program is attending a tournament or showcase in your area, this may be your opportunity to introduce yourself in person and make a lasting impression. The coach will also be impressed that you’ve made the effort to come out.

No, You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

At Beyond Goals Mentoring, we understand that self-promotion and relationship building are legitimate skills that don’t come naturally to everyone. That’s why we’re dedicated to guiding young athletes through each step of the college recruitment process, from creating highlight reels to reaching out to coaches. Getting recruited out of high school isn’t easy but it’s entirely feasible when you really put yourself out there, know what coaches are looking for, and target the right programs.

So, if you want to play college soccer and need to get on your dream school’s radar, let’s set up a mentoring session today.