College Soccer Camp

Do I need to attend a college soccer camp?

The camp season is approaching as your student athletes anxiously await their opportunity to jump-start their college process. Camps give athletes the opportunity to compete against other athletes from around the country. They are especially attractive to athletes who are trying to get discovered by college coaches. Following this guide will help you manage your athletes’ expectations for camps.

Student athletes won’t “get discovered” there: most camps are just that …… they provide basic training. These camps are often crowded with hundreds of athletes, meaning they won’t get close attention from coaches. College coaches will already have a list of the athletes they want to scout during the event.

The College Program banner

Know where your athletes rank on the coaches’ lists before they go. Make sure a relationship is already established between the college coach and the athlete before they go to the camp. The coach should have received the student athletes profile and email expressing his/her interest in the schools academic and athletic program. Plus keep in mind college camps will have additional coaches from other colleges, assisting with the instruction. It is important to contact these coaches ahead of the camp as well. This is your first impression as a player. So if you are not at your best, then this first impression might not be right. Be sure to attend a camp physically and mentally prepared to play.

Some programs have camps just for seniors; they might hold an “advanced” or “elite” camp, and/or several one-day camps. These are important to attend, as the coach might only select a few recruits, thus eliminating the “clutter” of the hundreds of athletes at regular camps. Again these are important to get noticed as a potential recruit.

Camps and combines are an excellent way to find out where an athlete ranks against the competition. It is important to choose camps wisely based on your ability to play at these schools and that these schools fit your academic and social needs.

Do you know what schools/camps match your college needs?

Tim Twellman 

www.chooseitright.com

 

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