How to Assess a College Soccer Program - Ranking the Key Factors: Webinar Recap

If you are a soccer player interested in playing sports in college, listen to our panel of experts discuss the most important things to focus on throughout the recruiting process.

This webinar will make sure you know exactly what to be doing to have success finding the right college soccer program for you!

Watch the webinar to learn

How to evaluate the right fit for you (academically, socially, athletically, financially, etc)
What college coaches look for in a student-athlete
The power of data in the recruiting process: Click here to learn more about the SportsRecruits Insights Program!

Q&A

What are college coaches looking for in a student-athlete?

College coaches typically are looking for more than just good players. They want to find student-athletes who are going to add value to their program and the larger college community. Start building the relationship with college coaches early by sending personalized messages with your genuine interest in the school and the program. Explain why you are interested in their school.

How is the life of a Division I student-athlete different than a Division III?

The overall structure is the main difference. At the Division I level, your day is managed by your sports program. Division I student athletes typically have mandatory morning and afternoon practice, study hall and various events throughout the week. Division III student-athletes can spend roughly the same amount of time on academics and athletics but much of this time is managed on your own. For instance, they have to seek out their own tutors and train on their own in the off-season.

This leads us to our second point. Division I student-athletes have more of a commitment in the off-season with their team. This includes mandatory practices and scrimmages. Division III programs tend to have more rules around practice in the off-season. Most of the practices in the off-season at the Division III level are captains practices and individual training plans.

There are so many college programs. How does a student-athlete go about finding the right fit for them?

First, understand what is important to you as a student-athlete and your family. From there, you can start finding schools at a high-level. Cast a wide net based on academics, size of school, financials, and geography. Use your coaching staff as a resource to understand the best places to focus your efforts from an athletic standpoint. We can’t stress the importance of spending the time to understand what schools have to offer outside of just academics and athletics. Look at the school as a whole and do not let sports be the only factor behind your decision.

Want More Recruiting Guidance?

If you need additional resources or want more personal guidance throughout the recruiting process, we would love to chat with you about the SportsRecruits Insights Program and how it is helping families all across the country!