NCSA caught up with rising soccer star Justin Orden to talk about his high school career and the opportunity to compete at the next level.
NCSA: How do you show a college coach that you are really interested in their program?
Orden: I communicate with the coaches as often as possible, trying to make my correspondence as personal as possible. Also, I try to keep the coaches up to date with my playing schedule. During the fall season, I had a few great college visits, where I watched teams play, had some interaction with the players, visited campuses and met with the coaches. I would have loved to travel more for more college visits, but it just wasn't possible. There’s school too to think about! And, as the Senior Captain of my high school team, I never miss a practice or a game. As soon as my HS season ended, my afternoons and evenings were immediately packed by training, working out, and games with my Development Academy Team, BW Gottschee U16.
Now, I will have to wait until some school’s college seasons are over to make additional visits. So, my job will be to try to make more visits as soon as possible after the coaches have seen me in Lancaster, California on December 5th through the 8th where many will be watching me for a second time. Finally, if a college has a winter training session, I make every opportunity to be there if my Academy schedule permits. I find that is one of the best ways for a coach to assess me as a player for his team.
NCSA: What are you doing to “take charge” of your recruiting process?
Orden: I have written personally to the coaches where I am interested in attending their schools and joining their soccer programs. I also have immediately followed up after receiving letters, packages, or e-mails where coaches have seen me play and are interested in me playing for them. I am honest in my responses and have shown interest to those schools where I can see myself being an impact player for them from the start. I have tried to complete all of their recruiting questionnaires, if asked, and have sent coaches much more information about me, such as sending a package with transcripts, College Board Scores, my soccer schedule and a highlight film.
NCSA: How do you handle nerves when communicating with college coaches?
Orden: I try to be very prepared in advance of any communication with coaches as I research the school, the team, the coaches, the players and the soccer program before I speak to the coaches. I try to anticipate their questions and have my own questions already prepared regarding the specifics of their individual soccer programs. Truthfully, I rarely feel nervous when talking with college coaches because they are a lot easier to speak with than people make coaches out to be; I feel relatively confident when I do communicate with them. I am somewhat used to communicating with coaches through all the teams I have had relationships with. Throughout my years on ODP at the State, Regional, or National Level, or even at the Super Y League National training camps, or when playing for the National Select team at the Nike Friendlies last year, following the U17 MNT Training Camp, I have had so many different coaches, with different approaches and varied expectations, that the diversity in approaches and coaches is something I enjoy. Truthfully, the communication part of the process comes relatively easily to me, especially face to face.
NCSA: How do you deal with disappointment in the recruiting process? Can you give an example?
Orden: If I had to deal with a disappointment in the recruiting process, I would ask the coach to further explain the issue of concern and hope that I can become a better player by incorporating their critique into my play. Also, I move on from the disappointment, and if I believe that I can rekindle interest, by having them take another look at me, I would continue to pursue the coaches. The only example I can provide is one where I was told that the coach of a school seemed uninterested in me only after he found out where I was looking at other schools because he felt that I was too academically strong, and that my academic commitments would interfere with my soccer. I really wasn’t exactly sure how to respond to that and am still slightly confused….
NCSA: What are your goals for this club/high school season?
Orden: My high school season ended in a disappointing loss after the semifinal playoff game. We lost to the team that won the State Championship Game and they were clearly the better team. I had hoped we would come farther this year, as last season ended exactly the same way. Same team, same result, and they won States. While our team was unfortunately not strong enough to beat them, the local papers would refer to my school as “Justin Orden and Co.” I had a personal best season, leading the State in points per game and coming in 3rd in NY State for goals per game. With 21 goals, 12 assists, and 54 points in 11 games, I led the Section (I) for Points per game at 4.09. My goals for my Academy Team Season are to win our Division and move into the National Finals over the summer in 2009. Once we get there, I hope to help lead my team to winning the National Final Tournament.
NCSA: Who is your favorite college athlete?
Orden: Andre Akpan. He is my favorite college athlete because I have seen him play various times and he is always able to spark my interest when he gets the ball.
