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