There is no exact timeline and the recruiting process is unique for every student-athlete. It tends to start earlier for female soccer players than males. In general, it is never too early to start researching the recruiting process, looking at schools, and recording video. Be committed in your intent to play in college. Be dedicated athletically, academically and in your communications to target schools.

Explore more than one level. We want to build a solid recruiting foundation. Create a targeted list of schools. Make sure most of your target schools are an athletic and academic fit. Have a few stretch schools and a few safeties as well.

If you’ve sent out your video, attended a few camps at Division I schools and competed in a handful of tournaments without hearing from Division I schools, you should try looking at another level.

All levels of college soccer are very good, and any opportunity is worth considering. Be realistic in your self-assessment and listen to the advice of others. There are lots of opportunities at Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA, and NJCCA levels.

This answer varies depending on the division you are looking at. Most often, coaches will present a financial aid package which shows the total of academic, athletic, departmental scholarships. Soccer is an NCAA equivalency sport, which means coaches get a set amount of scholarship money to divide across their roster. Division I level, the soccer scholarship limit is 9.9 for men and 14 for women. With average roster sizes around 24-30 and only 6 to 8 openings each year to replace outgoing seniors and transfers, most offers tend to be partial athletic scholarships.

ID camps and showcase tournaments can help you get seen and hopefully recruited by college coaches. But attending the wrong ones can be a waste of time and money. You should look into attending camps at colleges you’ve identified as good athletic and academic fits or ID camps that have coaches in attendance that are a good fit for you. For showcases, check the website to see which college programs have confirmed attendance and email coaches to let them know you will be there.

If you can afford it, try to attend 1 to 2 camps each season. 

After the camp or showcase, follow up by sending thank you notes to coaches. An email is fine, but a phone call or a handwritten letter can help you really stand out.

To get on a college coach’s radar, cover all your bases—email, phone, and social media. Start your intro email by stating your name, grad year and primary position(s) on the field. Include a schedule of any upcoming tournaments or camps you’re planning to attend. Conclude the email by outlining your next steps–for example, telling the coach to expect a call from you tomorrow afternoon. Use social media to create recruiting accounts, where you can post highlights, accomplishments, check out college program accounts, and keep college coaches connected to your recruitment. Follow the soccer programs you are interested in on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and comment on their Facebook page after games.

Once you make a list of target schools, reach out to those coaches and invite them to watch you play.  Call coaches to ask for feedback after they see you play or after they have viewed your profile. Then, ask them if they think you could be a fit for their team.

Each coach has a different timeline. Student-athletes need to be proactive and have clear and concise communication. Don’t be afraid to call and ask questions.

Making calls to college coaches can be intimidating at first. Ease your nerves by starting with calls to schools where you think you’d be a shoe-in. Coaches talk on the phone with recruits all the time—they know you’re nervous. Cold calling coaches isn’t always fun, but sticking with it and casting a wide net can give you plenty of options.

If one coach doesn’t see you as a roster fit, be graceful and explore other options. Soccer is an art form, not a science.

Video is a great way to get in front of college coaches and convince them to evaluate you in person. A great recruiting video can be a beneficial tool in an athlete’s recruiting. While coaches prefer evaluating players in person, often at club events, a well-done video can make athletes stand out and get on the radar. In a recruiting video, coaches want to see match footage with field players making 20-25 plays. Keep the video appropriate length. Three to five minutes. Do not lose them with repeats and simple plays. Stack most of your best plays at the beginning and then sprinkle in more of your best plays throughout the video. Start your video off with a bang and grab their attention. Showcase your absolute best!