The recruiting process for college soccer is very competitive. About 7.9% of high school men’s soccer players go on to play in college, and only about 1.1% go on to play for a Division 1 school. In addition to having athletic talent and good grades, it’s essential to take the recruiting process seriously. In this guide, we’ve outlined the major steps involved in the college soccer recruiting process and the general order in which they happen to help your family stay on track.
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Key Takeaways: How to Get Recruited for College Soccer
- Start Early: Begin the recruitment process at least 1-2 years before you plan to play in college.
- Create a Compelling Recruiting Profile: Highlight your soccer skills, academic achievements, and character in an online profile that coaches can easily access.
- Build a Recruiting Video: Showcase your best soccer plays in a professional highlight reel.
- Reach Out to Coaches: Be proactive. Email coaches, attend soccer camps, and participate in soccer showcases.
- Stay Organized: Track deadlines, applications, and communication with coaches.
- Focus on Academics: Strong grades and test scores are just as important as soccer skills.
- Understand the NCAA Recruiting Rules: Learn about specific soccer recruiting periods and guidelines for Division I, II, and III schools.
How does college soccer recruiting work?
From a soccer recruiter’s perspective, the college soccer recruiting process involves:
- Identifying Talent: Scouting players through tournaments, showcases, high school games, and recruiting platforms to find athletes who match the team’s needs.
- Evaluating Athletes: Assessing skills, athleticism, and potential fit based on game performance, highlight videos, and player profiles.
- Building Relationships: Engaging with players and their families to understand their goals, character, and academic eligibility.
- Conducting Visits and Communication: Inviting top prospects to campus visits, meeting with coaches, and discussing the program, academic requirements, and scholarship opportunities.
- Extending Offers: Making scholarship or roster offers to players who align with the team’s needs and academic standards, aiming for a mutual commitment.
- Following NCAA Guidelines: Adhering to recruitment rules and timelines set by the NCAA or other governing bodies (for D1, D2, or D3 programs).
The process is highly competitive, and soccer recruiters must balance talent evaluation with team needs, academic requirements, and recruitment regulations.
What’s the best time to start the soccer recruitment process?
Athletes and parents who want to get a jump on the recruiting process should be ready to get started by their sophomore year of high school. An NCSA survey of D1 men’s soccer coaches showed 74% began evaluating talent in 10th grade and 22% began evaluating talent in 11th grade. Student-athletes looking to play soccer in college should be reaching out to college coaches by sophomore year of high school. Learn more about men’s soccer contact periods here.
Setting your expectations
Understanding how to get recruited for college soccer starts with research and self-evaluation. Athletes and parents need to figure out what’s attainable for them athletically and academically. Below, we include some questions to ask before embarking on the recruiting process.
Am I Ready for the Demands of College Men’s Soccer?
College soccer, regardless of division, requires a significant time commitment. Coaches prioritize evaluating recruits’ dedication, as athletes must balance early practices, odd-hour training, travel, classes, and homework. Before moving forward in the recruiting process, ensure you’re prepared for the demanding schedule of being a student-athlete.
Am I Good Enough to Play College Soccer?
The college recruiting process is highly competitive. Athletes should assess their skill level and potential for growth by freshman year. A candid conversation with your coach can help you understand your current abilities and future prospects. You can also get an evaluation from a third party like NCSA, where experienced staff can offer valuable insights into your readiness for college soccer.
What Division Level is Right for Me?
With thousands of roster spots available across Division 1, 2, 3, NAIA, and junior college levels, choosing the right fit is crucial. Self-assessment and discussions with your coach are essential to determining your competitive level. Watching college games can help you gauge where your skill level aligns. Ask yourself:
- Could you compete with these athletes now? If not, will you be ready as a senior?
- Would you get playing time, and is that important to you?
- Can you envision yourself on this team and at this school?
Also, be mindful of the time commitment required at each division level, as it varies. A third-party like NCSA can help set realistic expectations.
Do I need to play club soccer to get recruited?
The college men’s soccer recruiting process can be drawn out and stressful, but the approach is surprisingly simple: Do plenty of research and cast a wide net. Once a student-athlete has determined the division level their skill set is best suited for, it’s time to start putting together a list of targYes, playing club soccer is highly recommended if you’re looking to get recruited. While playing high school soccer is one way to earn the attention of college coaches, club soccer has increasingly become an important avenue for recruits to earn coveted experience and exposure. College coaches often attend club soccer tournaments and showcases, making up a large portion of their yearly recruiting efforts.
To play at a high level in college, athletes generally need at least two years of experience playing for an elite club while four years of experience is considered common.
Your high school or club coach’s role in the recruitment process
A great recruiting video can be the difference maker in an athlete’s recruiting. While coaches prefer evaluating pStudent-athletes need to understand that success in the college soccer recruiting process is all about the effort that they put in.
For most athletes, their club or high school coach can serve as an advocate who can get them over the hump in the recruitment process. They can advise athletes on the right level of play in college or talk to college coaches at programs that recruits have been in contact with.
Just remember that coaches are busy and have an entire team (or several teams) full of athletes asking for help. Use their time wisely.
Researching schools and creating a target list
Do plenty of research and cast a wide net. Once you have determined the division level your skill set is best suited for, it’s time to start putting together a list of target schools. Your list should include 20-30 schools based on factors like size, location, and academic fit.
Organize the list into three categories:
- 5–10 safety schools (easy to get into academically and athletically, where you’d be comfortable)
- 10–15 target schools (top picks that are a good fit and where you have a strong chance of acceptance)
- 5–10 reach schools (academically and athletically competitive, but harder to get into).
Start by reaching out to coaches early, then narrow down your list as you learn more about each school and interact with coaches, updating the list regularly as your recruitment progresses.
Insider Tip: Get a head start by viewing NCSA’s list of the best men’s soccer colleges for student-athletes.
Create an impressive recruiting video
A great soccer recruiting video can be the difference maker in an athlete’s recruiting. While coaches prefer evaluating players in person—often at club tournaments—a well-done recruiting video can make athletes stand out among comparable recruits.
In a soccer recruiting video, coaches want to see match footage with field players making 20–25 plays. For goalies, a mix of match footage and skills footage is best. Get more tips for making a top-notch recruiting video here.
How to contact college soccer coaches
To reach out to college soccer coaches, start by completing the recruiting questionnaire for each school on your list. Then, send an introductory email that includes a highlight video and key stats. Follow up with a phone call referencing your email—if the coach doesn’t answer, leave a voicemail with your next call time. Always respond to emails, social media messages, and other communications from coaches. Continue to follow up with updates on your stats, new highlight videos, upcoming games, and congratulations on wins.
Insider tip: If you’re having trouble getting in touch with a coach, ask your high school or club coach to call on your behalf, which often makes it easier for coaches to respond. Plus, they can provide insight into your performance during the conversation.
Why calling coaches may be your best bet:
In today’s digital age, a phone call stands out positively to coaches and gives recruits a chance to ask questions and gauge the coach’s interest. Watch this video by former coaches Lindsey Boldt and Luis Cortell for tips on how to prepare for a call with a coach.
Check out our guide on How to Contact College Coaches for more tips and strategies.
Attend the right soccer tournaments, camps and showcases
Coaches prefer to evaluate recruits at club tournaments, so playing for a top-tier club team and attending these events is a great way to get attention from Division 1 schools.
However, many coaches also like to evaluate recruits at ID camps and clinics, so attending these events can also get players on the radar of coaches from many different division levels.
What’s important is finding the right tournaments, camps and showcases to attend. The most effective way for athletes to plan an events schedule is to make sure that coaches from their target list will be in attendance.
Before traveling, research which coaches attended the event the previous years and if it has a tradition of good coach attendance. Then, contact those coaches to confirm they will be there and let them know to keep an eye out for you.
At the end of the day, finding the right soccer recruiting events to attend really comes down to being part of the right soccer club. Most events are held by club teams, so athletes really need to do their research and ask the right questions before joining a club team.
Managing the men’s soccer recruiting process
Once the recruiting process begins, it’s important to stay proactive and organized. At first, recruits will spend a few hours each week researching schools, sending introductory emails, finalizing their highlight film, and establishing NCAA or NAIA eligibility. After that, there might be lulls in activity, such as during the coach’s season. Here are key tasks to manage throughout the process:
- Update Your NCSA Profile: Keep your profile current with new stats, highlight videos, transcripts, and personal statements. Coaches want an accurate, up-to-date snapshot of you as a student-athlete.
- Visit Schools: Go on both unofficial and official visits to assess whether a school feels like the right fit. Meet with coaches, tour facilities, and explore campus life to help decide if you could see yourself there for four years.
- Know Eligibility Deadlines: Make sure you’ve created and updated your eligibility profile with the NCAA or NAIA and sent in all necessary documents.
- Take SAT/ACT: Take these exams early—ideally in your junior year—so you have time to retake them if needed.
- Submit FAFSA: Fill out the FAFSA during your senior year to determine financial aid eligibility. Submitting as early as possible after October 1 ensures you’re considered for financial aid.
- Stay in Touch with Coaches: While you don’t need to contact coaches weekly, it’s important to check in every month with updates about your games and progress. Here’s 20 reasons to contact a college coach.
- Revisit Your Target Schools: Periodically reassess your target list. Eliminate schools that no longer fit, and adjust your priorities based on ongoing research and communication.
Understanding scholarship offers and how to negotiate them
To land the best scholarship offer, athletes should aim to secure offers from several schools and negotiate based on their Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Coaches are more likely to offer better deals if they know you’re being courted by others. For more scholarship tips check out our soccer scholarships guide and our guide to negotiating a scholarship offer.
Can men’s soccer players get paid to play in college?
Starting in the 2025 academic year, new rules will allow Division I schools to pay athletes directly through a revenue-sharing model. This means athletes can receive a portion of the money their school makes from things like ticket sales, broadcasting rights, and sponsorships. How much athletes get – and how it’s paid – will vary by school. Additionally, soccer players can earn money through Name Image and Likeness. NIL regulations are evolving, and any payment exceeding $600 will now be reviewed by a newly established NIL Clearinghouse.
Get Started with NCSA Today!
Our team of former student-athletes knows exactly what it takes to navigate the recruiting journey—they’ve been in your shoes. From tackling the nerves of reaching out to coaches to building a standout profile, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Take control of your future and create a free profile today!
