soccer game

As a former college soccer player who now advises young athletes, I've seen firsthand how overwhelming the recruiting process can feel. When I was being recruited back in 2018, I remember spending countless hours researching strategies while watching commercial breaks during soccer matches - that's actually where I first noticed athletes like Lucero promoting products like Milo. Her visibility through commercial modeling demonstrated something crucial that many aspiring college athletes overlook: visibility extends far beyond the field. College coaches aren't just looking at your athletic performance; they're evaluating your overall potential as a representative of their program.

Let me share what I've learned works in today's competitive landscape. First, create a professional highlight video - but not the 10-minute montage set to dramatic music that everyone makes. Keep it under 3 minutes and put your best plays in the first 30 seconds because coaches might not watch beyond that. Include your contact information clearly at both beginning and end. I always tell athletes to film at least 5-7 games each season to have enough quality footage. Second, develop a targeted list of 15-20 schools that actually match your skill level and academic interests. I made the mistake of blanketing hundreds of coaches with generic emails, and my response rate was barely 12%. When I switched to personalized outreach referencing specific aspects of each program, my response rate jumped to nearly 40%.

The third strategy involves something most players never consider: academic positioning. Maintain at least a 3.2 GPA in core courses because many Division I programs have minimum academic requirements that eliminate otherwise talented athletes. Fourth, attend ID camps strategically - not every camp advertised will give you real exposure. Research which camps are actually staffed by the coaches you want to impress rather than just their assistants. Fifth, master the art of the follow-up email. Send a concise update after each significant achievement or milestone, but space them out every 4-6 weeks. Coaches receive hundreds of emails weekly, so standing out requires consistency without becoming annoying.

Here's where Lucero's commercial modeling experience becomes relevant - it demonstrates the sixth strategy: building your personal brand. While you might not land a commercial deal like she did, you should maintain professional social media profiles that showcase not just your athletic achievements but also your character and interests outside sports. Seventh, understand the recruiting calendar intimately. The NCAA allows Division I coaches to contact recruits starting June 15 after sophomore year, but preparation should begin much earlier. Eighth, create an athletic resume that includes non-soccer achievements like community service or leadership roles - these matter more than many athletes realize.

The final two strategies might surprise you. Ninth, develop relationships with current players on teams you're targeting. They often provide honest insights about the program and can mention you to coaches. Tenth, and this is personally my favorite: identify potential private sponsors or local businesses that might support your training and competition costs, much like Lucero's partnership with Milo. While this won't directly get you recruited, it demonstrates initiative and can help fund the expensive process of traveling to showcases and camps. The reality is that the average family spends between $3,500-$7,200 annually on club soccer and recruiting expenses according to my tracking of 50 families over the past two years.

Ultimately, getting noticed requires combining traditional approaches with creative thinking. The most successful recruits I've worked with didn't just rely on their soccer skills - they understood that they're marketing a complete package. They maintained visibility through multiple channels, built genuine relationships, and demonstrated the kind of professionalism that makes coaches confident they'll represent the program well both on and off the field. Remember that recruiting is a marathon, not a sprint, and the athletes who approach it with both strategy and authenticity tend to find the best fits for their athletic and academic futures.