How to Email College Coaches for Soccer Recruiting
College soccer's competitiveness continues to rise, particularly in the recruiting side of things. With the emergence of the transfer portal, the growing youth soccer landscape, more leagues, and a surge in gifted young players worldwide coming into the college soccer scene, the statistical odds of getting recruited continue to become slimmer. Making a memorable impression on college coaches during initial contact is crucial.
Emailing plays a pivotal role in this process and is single-handedly one of the best ways to get in contact with coaches. Soccer is not a big money making sport like football and basketball. You will need to be proactive in your recruiting process.
Depending on the purpose of reaching out—whether it's for an upcoming showcase, ID camp attendance, or general interest—the approach to communication should vary slightly, but there's no need to reinvent the wheel. Despite the reasons for contact, certain commonalities should stay consistent. For instance, refrain from generic statements about the school and its program, phrases like "I am interested in your program" can signal mass emailing to multiple coaches. Do your research to identify specific aspects of the college that resonate with you, such as academic programs, campus size, or institutional history. A tailored message to that specific coach demonstrates genuine interest and effort on your part.
Click here to download free templates for connecting with coaches.
Other phrases such as "I like your style of play” should be avoided. Unless you've closely observed and truly appreciate a coach's team's playing style you should avoid that phrase altogether. Such statements may not be the current direction of the team or coaching staff, potentially misrepresenting your potential impact for that schoo.
After expressing genuine interest in the college, proceed to share important player profile information, including club affiliations, achievements, graduation year, academic performance, and any distinguishing attributes that set you apart.
Following your initial part of the email, it is time to get into the reason for your reaching out. There are typically 3 reasons for reaching out to a college coach:
Upcoming Showcases
Notify the coach of your participation in a showcase and extend a personal invitation for them to attend your games. Provide details in a concise format that includes opponents' names, locations, field numbers, and game times. Between clearly stating your game schedule and having some personalization at the beginning of your email the likelihood of them showing up or at least reaching back out is substantially higher.
Game #1: Opponent Name
Location:
Field #:
Time:
ID Camps
Introduce yourself and reiterate your interest in the college. Alongside player profile information, include a well-compiled highlight video to showcase your skills. Highlight videos offer coaches a glimpse of your abilities prior to the camp, potentially influencing their focus during the event. When expressing interest, dive deeper into what specifically attracts you to the college, you could mention not only the soccer program but also the academic side.
General Interest
Even without a specific upcoming event, reaching out to express general interest can be beneficial. Inquire about upcoming ID camps or showcase events the school plans to attend, seeking potential overlaps with your schedule might help you find a way to cross paths with the coach in the future. When reaching out about general interest it is imperative to distinguish yourself from other inquiries and attach a comprehensive player profile detailing your achievements and soccer background. Additionally, ensure the inclusion of a well-crafted highlight video allowing the coach to get a glimpse at whether they should continue the conversation with you!
Click here to download free templates for connecting with coaches.
Also lastly and a very common mistake! Make sure these emails are coming from the player. Nothign worse than the parent emailing on behalf of the player or coming from a parent email!
Despite what you are reaching out about, attaching a high-quality highlight video to your email or having one readily available upon request is strongly recommended. For those in need of creating or enhancing their highlight videos, services like Tekkers Media specialize in producing tailored soccer highlight reels that align with your player profile, instilling confidence in your presentation to college coaches.
Regardless of your reason make sure you maintain professionalism and demonstrate respect in all communications with coaches, employing proper grammar and avoiding slang. As a representative of both you and the program, professionalism is paramount. By upholding these standards, you maximize your chances of leaving a positive impression and advancing your recruitment prospects.