| You don’t have to make the Olympic | | | | Prepare a package documenting your |
| Development Program or be an all-star | | | | educational and soccer qualifications. |
| selection to play on a college team ... | | | | Include the video footage. |
| if you are realistic about yourself and | | | | Send your package to each head soccer |
| the colleges you want to attend. There | | | | coach on your list. |
| are hundreds of college soccer teams and | | | | Spring Of Junior Year |
| lots of kids playing college soccer who | | | | Summer Before Senior Year |
| were simply solid high school players - | | | | Take the SAT and ACT if you have not |
| not stars. | | | | already done so. When you sign up for |
| Your first priority must be finding | | | | the ACT or SAT use code 9999 to have |
| colleges which will provide you with the | | | | your scores sent directly to the NCAA |
| education you want and need. But unless | | | | Clearinghouse. |
| your educational requirements limit your | | | | Register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. |
| choices to just a few schools, if you | | | | You must pass certain high school core |
| were good enough to play soccer on a | | | | courses and score a minimum score on |
| premier level club team and start on | | | | either the SAT or ACT test in order to |
| your high school varsity as a sophomore | | | | be certified to participate in NCAA |
| or junior, you can probably find a | | | | Division I or II athletics as a college |
| college soccer program where you can | | | | freshman. This must be done in the month |
| play. | | | | of May in their Junior year. The fee to |
| One word of caution here - stay away | | | | register is $27 and the booklets with |
| from the "pay-me-first" recruiters that | | | | the form inside are available in most |
| are out there making promises to kids | | | | high school guidance offices. Your |
| that they have no intention or | | | | counselors can obtain registration |
| possibility of fulfilling. Their sales | | | | materials, at no cost, by calling the |
| pitches may sound good on the surface | | | | clearinghouse at 319/337-1492. A list of |
| but doubtless will only leave you | | | | instructions, questions and answers and |
| hurting and poor. | | | | approved core courses is on-line at NCAA |
| There are a few things you should | | | | Clearinghouse. If you have particular |
| consider before deciding to play college | | | | questions about the NCAA Clearinghouse, |
| soccer: | | | | please write to: NCAA Clearinghouse, P. |
| The life of a college player is very | | | | O. Box 4044, Iowa City, IA 52243-4044. |
| regimented. That is you get up early, | | | | Keep a list of all the college soccer |
| go to work out, go to class, go to | | | | coaches who respond to your package. |
| practice, go to study hall, go to bed, | | | | Keep notes on your conversations with |
| and then start over. There is time for | | | | coaches, if any. |
| "college life" but not nearly so much as | | | | No response from a top choice? Resend |
| a normal student. | | | | your material |
| You must be prepared to sit the bench. | | | | Make unofficial, unannounced visits to |
| This is probably the most difficult | | | | 10-12 schools you are most interested |
| transition that a star high school | | | | in. |
| player can make. Unless you are lucky | | | | Keep playing on as many good teams as |
| enough to go to a team that has no one | | | | you can. |
| else to play your position, you are | | | | Division 1 prospects - make the ODP pool |
| going to have to bump someone out of | | | | team if you can. |
| their position in order to play your | | | | Find out your high school schedule; send |
| freshman year and that is very hard to | | | | it and test results to college coaches. |
| do. The older players are going to get | | | | Narrow list of top choices down to |
| first shot at their positions and if | | | | maximum of 10-15 schools. |
| they are good you may not get a shot | | | | Follow all of the NCAA's recruitment |
| until they graduate. That is why it is | | | | rules. |
| really important to look for a team that | | | | During Senior Year Season |
| NEEDS someone at your position. | | | | Set goal to improve your GPA. |
| College ball will be a big transition. | | | | Be a varsity impact player - starter for |
| Many kids are not able to handle it. | | | | sure, captain, all-league or all-star, |
| And it is not for everybody. | | | | etc. |
| Now, if you're still interested here's a | | | | See as many of the college teams you |
| roadmap to help you find your way to | | | | like play as you can - meet coaches. |
| that college team of your dreams: | | | | Decide if there are coaches you like ... |
| Freshman/Sophomore Years | | | | and coaches you don’t like. It is |
| Get your grades up. They must be 2.0 or | | | | important that you get a feel for the |
| better in solid college prep curriculum. | | | | coaching techniques of the coaching |
| Do some academic planning, making sure | | | | staff. The coach is going to be a |
| you take all of the right college prep | | | | different person from the one you see |
| courses and get prepared for the SATs. | | | | when she/he is recruiting you and you |
| Take any Advanced Placement (AP) courses | | | | need to know that you can handle her/his |
| you can handle. | | | | coaching methods. Talk to players, |
| Find a good club team & play year round | | | | watch games, and try to read between the |
| Aim at making high school varsity as a | | | | lines. Remember, college ball is going |
| sophomore | | | | to be different from high school - they |
| Try out for ODP - the Olympic | | | | have to win to keep their jobs so there |
| Development Program ... but, don’t | | | | is going to be a lot of pressure on them |
| worry if you don’t make it. | | | | (and correspondingly you) to perform. |
| In the tenth and eleventh grade get | | | | Analyze the style of play of the college |
| somebody to shoot video footage of you | | | | teams - where would you fit in? |
| in games. This will go in your packages | | | | Decide if there are coaches you like ... |
| you send out to coaches. | | | | and coaches you don’t like. |
| Junior Year | | | | Which schools did you like? big, little, |
| (The Most Important Year) | | | | rural, city, etc. which programs? |
| Make sure your grades are good .. | | | | After Senior Season |
| somewhere between 2.5 and 3.5 will get | | | | Pick 5-7 schools, send applications. |
| you in most schools. | | | | Send senior season package to college |
| Take the PSAT as soon as possible. Take | | | | coaches where you have applied. |
| the SAT and ACT also, if possible. | | | | Keep in touch with admissions |
| Start on the high school varsity | | | | departments and college soccer coaches. |
| Make the best club team you can - one | | | | After January 1st, fill out all |
| where other D1 - (Division 1) prospects | | | | financial aid documents. |
| are playing is preferred. | | | | Continue to follow up with admissions |
| Make the best travel team you can - one | | | | offices, financial office & coaches |
| where other NCAA D1 - (Division 1) | | | | until decisions are made. |
| prospects are playing is preferred. You | | | | Review any new possibilities that |
| can only prepare for college ball by | | | | present themselves (sudden interest from |
| playing against the best competition you | | | | a different coach, etc.) |
| can find. A very fast speed of play and | | | | Review all offers of admission and |
| a very physical style of play are the | | | | financial aid. |
| hallmarks of college soccer. You won't | | | | Revisit or make formal visits to 3 |
| generally find that in local | | | | schools you are most interested in. |
| competition. Seek out the best | | | | Pick the school with the best |
| competition you can find. | | | | combination: education, financial aid, |
| Play year-round on as many teams as you | | | | right soccer program for you. |
| have time for. | | | | For a club, I suggest that you collect |
| Begin studying colleges for educational | | | | all the packages prepared by the players |
| interests and soccer program. | | | | (their resumes and educational |
| Develop a list of 50-75 schools which | | | | summaries) and put them into book which |
| serve your educational needs - where you | | | | you can have available at tournaments |
| could play. | | | | and showcase events in case a college |
| Have somebody shoot video footage of you | | | | coach scouts your team. |
| in games. | | | | |