Roseville Area High School Girls Soccer College Recruiting - Nicole Lee

The Process of Marketing Yourself You can begin to set your course for becoming a college student-athlete as early as your first year of high school. You can begin by simply taking the right academic courses in school, and finding the most challenging level of athletic competition. The following is a year-by year breakdown of things you should be focused on from the fall of your freshman year through the summer after your senior year of high school.

Freshman & Sophomore Year Academic Preparation Familiarize yourself with the NCAA Clearinghouse required courses for graduation A solid course load during your first two years of high school is recommended to ensure you meet graduation requirements Plan to take a PSAT class during your sophomore year to prepare for SAT/ACT Athletic Preparation Seek out highest level of competition and training available Seek out select programs that have exposure to college courses Consider an Overnight camp to understand what it is like to live away from home Begin to keep a list of athletic accomplishments

Summer Before Junior Year Send your club team schedule to colleges on your list so they can watch you compete Get an in-depth and honest evaluation from your coach to help guide you toward the appropriate level of competition Consider attending summer camps at the colleges on your list Make sure your coach is active in promoting you as a player and responding to colleges and coaches interested in you Ask your club coach for a letter of recommendation

Junior Year – Academic Prep Continue to take a solid course year as your junior year grades are very important, Plan to take the SAT or ACT, Submit SAT/ACT test score to NCAA Clearinghouse, Keep a list of you volunteer and extracurricular activities, Develop a list with the help of guidance counselors, coaches, and your parent of the schools that may be a good match for your academic and athletic interests and talents, Visit College websites, request informational materials,

Junior Year – Athletic Prep Develop a player profile sheet, Plan to make both official and unofficial visits to colleges on your list, Play and train at highest level available to you Respond to any questionnaires or postcards you receive from prospective colleges, Fill out the on-line, prospective student-athlete questionnaires for the colleges of interest.

Summer before your Senior Year Train and play at the highest level available to you, Seek out teams to play on, or guest play on, that will give you exposure to colleges, Contact coaches from the colleges on your list and let them know your level of interest in their program and school, Send your club team schedule to colleges you want to see you play.

Senior Year – Academic Prep Review your grades and transcripts with your guidance counselor to make sure you meet all of the NCAA Clearinghouse requirements, Avoid taking a reduced course load your senior year. Colleges want to see you continue to take challenging courses and getting good grades, especially during first semester, Complete your college essay, Complete and submit college applications, Plan visits and tours to the schools you have applied to and speak with their admissions department about their acceptance process, Fill out FAFSA after Jan 1st, review FAFSA & Student Aid Report (SAR) with your parents, Research and apply for any additional scholarships and grants that may be available.

Senior Year – Athletic Prep As you narrow down your list of possible colleges to attend, keep in contact with those schools and coaches, Update player profile sheet, Play and train at the highest level available to you, Make your final official and unofficial college visits.

Summer after Senior Year Play for a team that will help get you prepared for the rigors of college soccer season, Complete the summer work-out provided by the college team you are joining, Manage your time between training, playing, summer job, and your friends, Breathe a sigh of relief….you made it!

Be a good citizen Your reputation, “good or bad”, can affect you in the recruiting process. The “kids being kids” defense will only go so far and many coaches will not take chances on committing scholarship dollars to recruits with character issues. Bolster your resume by being active in your community, your school, and/or your faith.

Tips and Suggestions Ask coaches for honest and realistic recommendations. Some coaches are notorious for giving glowing reviews regardless of their abilities, Visit colleges in your immediate area as a freshman and sophomore to get a sense of the size and feel of various campuses, Make an effort to stop by college campuses on family vacations or on athletic trips to cities and states not frequently visited, Watch college soccer games to gauge levels and abilities of players and programs.

Highlight Videos & DVD’s Don’t make videos that are too long unless a coach has asked for a complete game, normally 5-7 minutes will suffice, College coaches do not want a video of you scoring six goals against the weakest team in your league, it may not be representative of your true abilities, Wider and higher angle for filming work better than ground level videos that are solely focused on you. Game context is important.

Tips and Suggestions Personalize letters to prospective coaches. “Dear Coach Johnson” is better than just “Dear Coach”. Coaches are less interested in reading a form letter that was sent to multiple schools, Return questionnaires, emails, etc. immediately if they are from schools you are interested in, Be PROACTIVE! Actively market yourself to the colleges you want to attend, Be honest with the coaches and the colleges you are not interested in, Communication is important. Specify the best way to contact you, whether it’s via text, email, or phone call.

Parental Involvement Positive parental support is often very important to the success of students and athletes. Mom and Dad can be a great resource and guides on your quest to find the right college. Your parents are also often the people transporting you to and from your college visits, joining you on tours, and even some meetings. However, academic advisors and coaches want to speak to YOU. You should be the one answering and asking questions with advisors, coaches and players, NOT your parents. Coaches are recruiting you, NOT your parents, so make sure that you are the one most involved in the give and take during discussions on your visits.

Recruiting Information All information from tonight’s presentation is located on our website..