NCSA caught up with rising soccer star Allie Ariniello to talk about her high school soccer career and the opportunity to compete at the next level. Allie has just committed to the University of California – Santa Barbara and will be attending in the fall of 2010!
NCSA: How do you show a college coach that you are really interested in their program?
Ariniello: Coaches know I am really interested when I e-mail them telling them my level of interest. The most important thing to do is be persistent almost to the point where it is annoying. When you do that they know you are sincerely interested. Also, I learned that you have to personalize e-mails. Some coaches don’t even read the general ones! Attending their school’s games and visiting their campuses helps too!
NCSA: What did you do to “take charge” of your recruiting process?
Ariniello: I take charge by letting coaches know when my games are, and calling them whenever I have questions about their program or where I stand on their recruiting list. I also schedule unofficial visits, do research on schools and soccer teams so I am prepared to answer any questions that come my way. I really think you can “take charge” by becoming a fan of the college game. If possible, the best way to get recruited and get an offer by your top schools is to schedule an unofficial visit, attend their games and show interest in program.
NCSA: Have you had coaches evaluate you in person yet? Tell us about how that feels.
Ariniello: Yes, I have gone to many college camps and have been evaluated at many soccer games. It is great to see coaches come out to my games. After all, it takes a lot of effort to get them there so it is good to see my efforts rewarded. I get a little nervous when coaches of schools I like show up, but usually it just fuels me to perform at the highest level. As for soccer camps, it is great to receive the written evaluations they give me to see what I need to work on. I will also ask coaches who have seen me play what I need to improve on so I can prepare for the next level.
NCSA: How do you handle nerves when communicating with college coaches?
Ariniello: Personally, talking with coaches on the phone or in their offices makes me so nervous. To settle my nerves I have found it is best to prepare what I want to say and what questions I want to ask beforehand. I found it was kind of like using note cards for a speech in class. I didn’t have to use the notes, but it was helpful if I fumbled a little bit along the way. Similar to speeches, the more practice the better you will get. NCSA has helped a lot in this area with the questions in the game plan. In addition, I have e-mailed my recruiting coach at NCSA my list of questions and she has helped me pick and choose which questions would be best to ask.
NCSA: How do you deal with disappointment in the recruiting process? Can you give an example?
Ariniello: I have not run across many disappointments in the recruiting process because after all, I have committed to my number one school, UC-Santa Barbara (UCSB). However, while I was making my final decision I found it frustrating that my other top schools were not on the same timeframe as UCSB and were not offering scholarships yet. I dealt with this situation by talking it over with my friends, Surf coaches, family, and NCSA. The advice I got was great, and helped me make my decision. I would suggest to other athletes that when problems come their way, they should remember that there is a college out there that they will be happy with and things are not as bad as they seem.
NCSA: What makes you a unique athlete that stands out from a crowd?
Ariniello: I am a unique athlete because I am competitive and determined to win. I have gotten my nickname “Smiley” because I am constantly on the field cheering on my teammates and smiling because I am having a good time. Mainly, I do not play soccer to get fit or pass time; I do it because I love it. Also, I am as competitive in the classroom, as I am on the soccer field. So for college coaches, I believe good students stand out, because they feel they can make an offer to someone like me who is still only 15 years old (at least until the end of November) and a junior.
NCSA: What are your goals for this club/high school season? How is the season going?
Ariniello: My goals for club are to win College Surf Cup this fall and make it to at least regional’s in the spring. So far we are undefeated in league and have won Slammers Cup this past summer, so I believe we can accomplish these goals. As for high school, I want to make it to the CIF finals. Last year my team didn’t make it to CIF, but hopefully this year, with the help of our new coaches, we can win CIF.
NCSA: What camps do you plan to attend over the summer?
Ariniello: As of now I am not planning on attending any soccer camps this summer since I already committed. Last summer I attended the UCSB and Stanford camps as well as Greg Morales’ Where College Players Play camp. However, I might want to attend the UCSB camp again this summer since a lot of the current UCSB roster players work at the camp and it would be good to bond with them. If possible, I would definitely recommend attending a College ID camp at one of your top college choices.
NCSA: Who is your favorite college athlete?
Ariniello: My favorite college athlete would have to be my sister, Lauren, who plays lacrosse at UCLA. She is the best sister I could ask for and I definitely look up to her.
NCSA: Overall, how has the recruiting process been for you so far? Has NCSA made a big impact for you?
Ariniello: The recruiting process has been very stressful, but rewarding. My parents have helped a lot by taking video, keeping me organized, researching colleges, proofing my e-mails, updating my recruiting profile, taking me to college games, unofficial visits, etc. My Surf club coach was also very helpful by talking to college coaches about me at tournaments and on the telephone. NCSA has helped out a lot along the way and has been there to answer my questions and advising what I needed to do next. They offered a lot of advice and acted as a major stress reliever.
