COLLEGE ADVISORY
Talented high school athletes are actively recruited by Division I Schools?
Most Division I schools give players full rides?
Division I men’s soccer has A MAXIMUM 9.9 scholarships.
Division I women’s soccer has A MAXIMUM 14 scholarships.
Not all schools provide their soccer programs with the full allotment. Before disbanding, Vanderbilt University for example had less than 3 scholarships for its men’s program. Scholarships are usually divided amongst 22 to 30 players. Most schools shy away from full scholarships, because it is a large investment in one player, and it often costs a team potential depth. As well, many schools choose to increase individual player scholarships year by year, based on performance. If you are a female player, title IX has made scholarship money much easier to obtain than if you are a male player
Scholarship money can only be found at Division I and Division II schools?
While only Division I and Division II NCAA schools offer scholarships, many Division III schools have money available based on need, grants, etc. Many schools take a holistic approach to recruiting students, and being an athlete at Division III might increase your chances of receiving other forms of aid. NAIA schools also offer scholarships and might be a direction to consider. Whichever Division you choose, approach the economic aspects of college from every direction.
Being on the National Team, a Provincial Team or a good club team, is all you need to do to get recruited?
Do not leave anything to chance. On a given weekend in the US, college coaches see 300 to 400 players. If your team is going to a US tournament, make yourself seen. Write letters. Give coaches your schedule, your jersey number. Make phone calls. It is much easier for coaches to evaluate you when they know of you ahead of time. This will only increase interest and exposure. The school you want to go to will now make an effort to see you play. I would not recommend sending poor quality videotape of games or “highlights.” College coaches have no desire to sit through ours of shaky footage on a hand held camera. It tells them nothing about the caliber of the team, the opposition or the game. When sending highlight video, make sure it is high quality, edited, brief and showcases your various skills in game action. If a coach wants to see footage of a whole game they will request it. Expensively packaged player packets containing headshots, stats, awards and honors from the age of 5 onwards are also of little use (from personal experience, most of it went into a trash can immediately).
Players need Parent Agents?
Stories of parent agents have received notorious status in the college ranks. A parent agent is considered a red flag, and often means an immature recruit, or an unenthusiastic recruit. To put it simply, college coaches are weary of parents who are the initiators in the recruiting process. Coaches want to hear from the kids. They want to know if kids are well spoken, mature, intelligent and enthusiastic about their university. In other words, coaches do not want to recruit the parent. Similarly some club coaches use the promise or lure of a college scholarship to bring players onto their team. Make sure you use due diligence when dissecting the motives behind these promises to you during their recruitment efforts.