"My Recruiting Experience and What I Would Change"
Treado played soccer for MSU from 2001-2004. She started in 52 games for the Spartans while tallying 4 goals and 7 assists in her four years there. Treado is now a Recruiting Coach with the National Collegiate Scouting Association and works primarily with soccer student-athletes.
NCSA: First of all, describe to us what kind of a player you were in high school - at what levels did you play?
Treado: I was on my state (Michigan) ODP team and at Regional Camp (Region II) I was usually in my State Pool. I started on my high school's varsity team since my first game as a freshman and was on the Michigan state Dream Team as a senior. My club team was five-time state champions and I was State Cup MVP my senior year.
NCSA: What were your goals for playing at the next level?
Treado: I would accept nothing less than a top Division I program - Big Ten preferably.
NCSA: So, it sounds like you were a pretty strong player, I'm sure you had a lot of contact from your top schools of interest. Did you have to do a lot in the recruitment process?
Treado: Well, I didn't think so. I sent out a profile to about five Big Ten schools. Once. I then ignored the contacts I was getting from smaller schools. I thought that the schools would come to me. I thought that since I was good enough they would find me.
NCSA: Did schools come to you?
Treado: No. I had minimal contact from the DI programs that I was interested in and the serious interest I was getting was from just a handful of lower level DI coaches or Division II or Division III programs.
NCSA: So how did you end up accepting an offer from Michigan State?
Treado: Michigan State was the only school that offered me money - about 30% of my tuition. I had no clue how to keep up relationships with other coaches so I could build leverage for myself and receive more offers.
NCSA: Knowing what you know now, is there anything you would have changed in your recruitment process?
Treado: I wish someone was there to wake me up and make me realize that I wasn't a top prospect. I needed to be told how to market myself - sending out a profile to five schools only one time didn't cut it. I had no clue how to talk with or maximize coach's interest. I didn't know the first thing about what questions to ask or how to build leverage. I didn't know the rules - that I could call coaches at any time, or that I needed to get started as early as my 8th grade year. Basically I knew nothing about recruiting; the offers and interest I received reflected that.
NCSA: What advice would you give to a student-athlete who is going through the recruiting process right now?
Treado: I can recommend so much; but the number one thing is to be educated and proactive. Know the rules, but especially know the realities so you aren't in the same situation as I was with really only one option. Be practical and realize that if you aren't receiving steady contact from the beginning of high school on, you aren't a top prospect and you need to work at getting noticed.
