A coach evaluates a 2027-class soccer player's recruiting profile and finds solid technical skills but zero Division I interest. She needs significant Division III attention by next year to stay on track, and her current strategy of 15 generic emails won't cut it. The coach recommends a two-part framework: how college coaches see her and what level she actually plays at.
Well, my diagnosis with your situation as a 2027 is I'm pretty impressed with your video. I think you are a very good soccer player. I'm not going to put Division 1 out of the question. I would say today, from what you told me, it's a bit of a reach, but not necessarily like your technical ability is there. I think your athletic ability will come with time because you're still young, but the biggest thing is going to be time under exposure. You obviously know about the different levels and you're playing for a good club, but exposure is the key to Division 1. And also getting interest. So when I asked you how many phone calls have you had and you've told me zero, you're not on track to play Division 1. Girls soccer typically are going to be done recruiting your junior year to play Division 1. So by this time next year, you'll have— if you want to play D1, you will have to have significant interest and offers from D3 schools. Does that make sense? Yeah. So I don't want to take that out of the question. I also know that between your mom and I, we want you to go to a great school. And to go to the higher-level academic schools, whether it's D2, or D1, they're very competitive because every kid wants to go to those schools. Now, with your grades, we're not going to MIT, Stanford, UVA. We're not going to those schools. Now, that's okay. I didn't go to those schools either. But we still want you to go to a school that serves your major and can get you an internship so you can get a job one day. Does that make sense? So my diagnosis is I'm concerned with the limited interest you have. And sending 15 emails is never going to cut it, not even close. Now on the flip side, you are really good, so I'm surprised that you don't have more interest, 'cause I think, like I know the other girls I have who are 27s, and I think you're better than they are, and you're playing at a higher level than some of them. So I'm going, how come they have more calls than you? And this is where the recruiting process comes into play. So what I wanna do is kinda show you what I think you need to do. I just wanna add one other thing. When I look at your video, you know, I kind of put it in two categories. Category 1, what will college coaches think? Category 2, you know, what level are you? Look, like, your first goal, which I think you obviously you've seen, is great. Your through balls are fantastic. You know, I am, like I said, I like you as a soccer player. I think there's a lot of potential here, but it's gonna be how many college coaches can we get to know who you are? Does that make sense? Yeah. Okay, so with that in mind, I wanna show you what I think you need to do if you wanna play college soccer. Okay.
