Reply to College Recruiting Question Re: Visits

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I would say the reality is that soccer teams do not have much in the way of recruiting budgets.  If your kid can get there they would like to see them, but they cannot pay to have your kid come to campus.

With my kid we treated recruiting like you would a job search.  Take all invites that made sense to consider (no, not going to pay to fly to a school that you have no real interest in going too.).  Campus visits are essentially day long interviews.  How your kid dresses, acts, relates to the coaches and players are important.  The goal was to get an offer.

Sadly, my kid’s initial number 1 choice was her first visit.  It did not go great.  She did not dress the part, did not have questions and answers practiced.  It was a fumble.  I then made her practice with our friends playing the role of a coach, and she did two campus visits at schools she was not interested in attending for more practice.  She ended up doing 12 campus visits and got reasonably good at doing them and getting a decent offer.

Basically, the goal appearance wise was to look like you were already on the team.  To have several questions rehearsed that showed you knew something about the team and the school.  Coach asks, “What are you thinking of studying?”  How do you think a coach would consider Response 1; “I don’t know for sure, maybe something in business.”  Response 2; “Right now I am thinking business finance.  I spoke with Asst. Dean Smith and we talked about options for business majors.  She has been great and I scheduled another telephone conference.”

Coach asks, “Do you have any questions for me?”   (They always ask this.).  Interview skills need to kick in.  They will not without practice.  Has your kid ever sat down and had a 30 minute conversation with an adult they did not know?  What if your kid has a good interview question practiced and ready like, “I have been playing center and wing miss’s for my club team, and forward for my high school team.  It looks to me like you have 6 players coming back who play mid, where do you think I fit in your plans?”   Can your kid then pick up some point in the coach’s response to keep a conversation going?  Your kid does not need a ton of questions, but 3-4 planned and practiced ones are needed.

Your kid wants the coach to think that your kid is serious about coming to his/her school.

What else?

Before visiting spend time on the website.  Your kid should know (1) how the team did the last couple years (2) generally who is returning to play - names not needed but some idea where players stand and how things look for her incoming year.  Loaded with Juniors and Seniors or is there a big freshman class etc….

What is the town/city/campus like?

Have some questions ready for players.  Recruits are really only going to interact with players the coach wants them to meet.  What do they think of the dorm?  What is travel like?  Do they do stuff with older/younger teammates?  What’s off-season training like?  What do they think of the coach?

College is once again a very different dynamic than club or high school.  College coaches are not at all interested in hearing from parents.  It is a produce or die environment and it can take some getting used too.  And, older teammates are happy if you can help the team - as long as you are not taking their playing time.  But, mostly juniors and seniors have their own things going so it is typically not a social situation.  And, being on a college team is way to much time and effort to not play.  For every school your kid is interested in - take a look at the players on the current team.  Count up the seniors.  Go back 4 years.  Count up the freshman.  How many quit prior to senior year?  If it is about 50% then that’s about average.  It is a ton of work to not play.  Your kid has to be ready from Day 1.

[/quote]

Wow great response. I need to bookemark (not OP)[/quote]

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