SoccerWire has launched a content series featuring advice from anonymous college recruiting experts, including coaches with extensive experience at the highest levels of the college game. SoccerWire’s recruiting experts will provide answers to some of the most common and challenging questions that come up from players and parents on issues surrounding the recruiting process. To read more college recruiting posts from SoccerWire, click here.
Continue reading for a look at the newest edition of the series, with advice on how to get the most out of ID camps. New recruiting questions can be submitted anytime to [email protected] or via direct message on social media on X, Facebook or Instagram.
With ID camps becoming a way to get more individual attention in today’s overcrowded recruiting process, here are some best practices for before, during and after the event:
PRE AND POST CAMP EMAIL AND SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
With college coaches being as busy as they always are, its extremely important to ‘remind them’ how excited you are to be attending the event. Sending one quick EMAIL that includes the entire coaching staff (not just the Head Coach) a couple of days before the event, as well as a quick comment on all of their social media platforms expressing how much you are looking forward to the camp is always impactful for the recruit.
Similarly, an email and social media post AFTER the event (either that evening or the following day) thanking them for the experience and mentioning one or two things that you really enjoyed during the event will make a lasting impression as well.
BEST PRACTICES DURING THE ID CAMP
– Introduce yourself to all of the coaches before the camp starts. Typically, all recruits are sitting in silence uncomfortably while coaches are setting up cones, etc which is a perfect time to show leadership by simply walking up to each individual coach tell them your name and how much you are looking forward to the chance to work with them all camp.
– To show even more leadership and preparation, ask a player near you their name if they would like to get some touches on the ball before the drills start. (coaches will notice this as well and you will suddenly see other players starting to get touches on the ball after they see you)
– Always run on and off the field between drills. Sounds simple but college coaches DO notice this all the time.
– Be prepared and focused during the fundamentals drills that most camps begin with. First touch and passing accuracy need to be perfect and your focus to start any ID camp.
– 7v7 and 11v11s: These are two of the most impactful segments of any ID camp. College coaches will either assign each recruit a position to play or simply allow the players to decide themselves. If there is no direction from college coaches regarding positions, immediately run out to your most comfortable and best position (or tell the team immediately that you are being recruited at that position). If another player runs out as or says they are being recruited at that position as well, tell them you will switch with them after 15 min or so, since college coaches tend to scout less as the scrimmages go on.
– Always ask for the name of each player around you during these segments of the camp and call them by name as the 7v7 and 11v11s are played.
– If a turnover is made because your 7v7 or 11v11 teammate does not make the correct run but it was the correct pass, a college coach will only care that it was the correct pass. Focus on yourself and your own game, not your teammates. Stay focused on playing to YOUR full potential, because that is the only thing college coaches are looking for.
– Show positive body language throughout the entire event. A recruit will not secure a scholarship solely from positive body language, but they can certainly LOSE an opportunity showing ANY poor body language at any point during the event. Always encourage everyone around you are remain positive and supportive throughout.
– Do NOT overthink who you are playing with during 7v7 or especially during 11v11s. This is a common mistake and parents overthink this at ID camps all the time. College coaches have a thousand reasons for some of the combinations they put together, and some are to simply see how a recruit will REACT to situations. Again, stay positive and show positive body language.
– At the end of every ID camp, the recent trend is for a huge line to form with everyone saying thank you to the coaching staff at the same time. Wait until that line is over and walk up to thank each coach individually afterwards, and make sure you mention one specific thing you liked about the camp or their coaching style when thanking them.
