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Three coaches answer rapid-fire questions about youth soccer recruiting. MLS Next beats ECNL, ID camps beat showcases, and commit when you get an offer. For highlight reels, lead with your best goal and film side-ways, not vertical.
Three coaches answer rapid-fire questions about youth soccer recruiting. MLS Next beats ECNL, ID camps beat showcases, and commit when you get an offer. For highlight reels, lead with your best goal and film side-ways, not vertical.
MLS Next or ECNL?
MLS Next is the short answer.
It does depend if your ECNL team is going to playoffs or if your MLS Next team is not for some reason going to FEST or you are not on the roster going to FEST. But black or white, MLS Next.
ID camps or showcases?
Showcases are the best way to get recruited, but it doesn't allow it to be in your control.
Odds that the coach is going to watch the entire game that you're going to play, that the coach is going to watch you score.
So actually, I would pick ID camps.
D1 versus D3.
I would say Division 3, you will probably get more playing time and you'll get more money. Now, the prestige and your desire to play at the highest level would make you say Division 1. I played Division 1 soccer, and my brother— turn the camera— he Division 3 soccer, and he had a horrible experience because his coach was a prick. I, on the other hand, had the best experience ever. In fact, let me show you this really cool poster I have of me getting to be on on the website of my team because I got to play Division I soccer, and so I was on the schedule, which was really freaking cool because it was so Division I. However, I didn't play my freshman year that much, but then the next year I did get nearly a full ride and I played a bunch.
Committing early or waiting?
The short answer I would say is commit when the school makes you an offer, assuming you like the coach.
Now, if you're getting offers June 15th, this means prior to June 15th, You want to have done your research because once you get an offer, you should have 2 weeks to decide.
Email versus texting.
Texting is where you want to be.
In 85% of emails, the coach will leave their cell phone number.
So email them first, then text them.
Parent filming or team filming?
The big—
that was perfect. Team filming is key because that's usually from a VO or a trace, and trace is really great because it allows the bird's eye view.
After you get that footage, then mom and dad, please record side Sideways, not vertical.
We can always edit it to vertical, but if it's in vertical, you cannot edit it to horizontal. When you post on Instagram, for the love of goodness' sake, stop posting it horizontal. It must be 9:16 ratio.
Putting your best clip at the beginning or end?
Definitely put the best clip at the beginning.
For 85% of you, the best clip is a goal from outside of the box.
That's true for center backs, right backs, left backs, every position except for goalkeeper. If you don't have one, then then at least show us a goal first.
And if you don't have one, meaning you've never scored outside the box, go practice it in your backyard, then shoot 100 times and miss 99, and make sure the one is on video.
If you want to know what you should be doing based off your club level, I want you to comment the word change, and I will see if I can send you a list of questions about what you need to do in your situation.
