I've been playing varsity soccer all throughout high school and my coach thinks I have potential to play at the college level. I'm kind of lost here - how do I get noticed by college coaches and get an athletic scholarship? Any tips?
A great start in your process of being recruited to play college soccer would be to ensure your skill level matches the type of college you want to attend, whether it's a Division I, II, or III school. Your coach can likely provide sound advice on this since they have seen you play throughout high school.
Next, consider creating a sports resume and highlight reel. Your resume should contain your personal contact information, academic accolades, soccer-related accomplishments, and current coach's contact info. A good highlight reel should be no longer than 5-7 minutes, have clear labels indicating who you are on the field, and comprise your best plays from various games.
Proactively reach out to the soccer coaches at the colleges you're interested in. Make sure you write personalized emails to each coach. You'd want to express why you're interested in their program and how you can contribute to their team. Include your grades, test scores, and soccer stat, and attach your highlights reel and resume to the email.
Attending soccer camps or ID clinics held by colleges can be an effective way to gain exposure. These events can give you a chance to showcase your skills in front of their coaching staff.
Lastly, social media can act as a powerful tool. Many athletes have been scouted through platforms like Twitter and Instagram. You can use these platforms to post highlights of your games and tag coaches or schools you're interested in.
Remember that getting recruited for college sports also heavily relies on your academic qualifications, so keep your grades as high as possible to increase your chances of being recruited. Good luck!
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.