ID Camps

[Guest]

For a kid just starting out in the recruiting process, can attending a larger camp like these provide feedback on the right level to target? D1, D2, etc? Our coach is a nice guy but seems to think everyone is going D1 and I don’t know. Was considering one of these camps for another opinion.

Kind of - coaches can't reach out to players until after sophomore year. However, at the camps they can get feedback personally from coaches. The coaches just can't talk about "recruiting." Another route is do an event at a D1 school that isn't of interest for your kid but soccer wise might be the right level. If they struggle to keep up it may be the best $150 you ever spend. Same if they do great. Any feedback is good feedback - including no feedback. That means you haven't targeted well.

BTW if you're questioning the D1 foot then there's probably a good reason for it. Also what does your player want? And do they really understand what a real grind D1 is? Have those discussions before they even start.

[Guest]

I really appreciate this feedback. Do you recommend one larger ID camp over another (iike Exact?).

Different poster - I'd just look at the schools any even claims they're bringing and see if they're programs of interest or not. But also confirm with the schools. Some of those camps over promise and under deliver. Also ask around with people you know, see if anyone has gone to anything

[Guest]

For a kid just starting out in the recruiting process, can attending a larger camp like these provide feedback on the right level to target? D1, D2, etc? Our coach is a nice guy but seems to think everyone is going D1 and I don’t know. Was considering one of these camps for another opinion.

Our strategy was to select the school first (Cost, GPA, location, majors, etc) and then soccer second...regardless of D1, 2 or 3. If your kid gets hurt and can't play then you don't want to be paying a lot of money for a school they don't like. Make a looonnnggg list of schools and start whittling it down based on internet info (Start with GPA range...most coaches won't look at your kid if they aren't in a range that they can push through admissions). Look at the team rosters. A lot of info will come off the internet and the schools soccer website. For example; What club programs do the coaches participate in? What does the players bio say about the levels the players came from (DA, ECNL, etc)? Are there a lot of international players?. This will help you narrow down your list. Once you have narrowed the list to your Safety, Target and Reach schools then fill out the recruiting form on the schools soccer website...this will show interest and you will also start getting a lot of email alerts for ID camps (Keep in mind that a lot of schools use the same standard form so you might be able to create an account and save some time). Make sure you have a highlight video before you fill out the form (Simple things to remember...minimal, non-offensive music, biggest highlights first, keep it under 4 minutes, etc). Also have a recent full game video for if you are applying to schools far away. If you are going to a camp make sure you email the coach before the camp. Most good club or prep coaches know the college coaches and they talk frequently. My kids prep coach had almost every coach in the eastern US in his phone. Use connections whenever you can.

Keep in mind that colleges are expensive. Most D1 programs don't get the 9.9 scholarships (Holy Cross MSOC only gets 3). My kid got some D1 money but would have definitely received more merit aid. It's something to think about if money is an issue. If you have to ask if your kid can play at the D1 level then they aren't a rockstar on everyone's radar...and you won't get money.

We spent many, many hours on the recruiting process it was pretty much a full time job (A lot of the challenges for us were the pandemic shut down and the re-opening which brough hundreds of kids to a single camp). Don't push your kid in one direction or another...it will play itself out. If your kid wants D1 but is a mid-D3 then he/she will end up where they should be. Coaches at Harvard aren't taking a 3.3 GPA player from a mediocre NPL team...but a smaller state school will. Last piece of advice...D1 is a lot of time and work (basically a job). They should be able to handle the academics while training/traveling/playing. If they struggle academically then a high-GPA school might be a challenge that negatively affects grades and development.

Sorry if some of this is obvious but when you start to go down the recruiting process it's easy to get distracted and waste time and money. We did. I enjoyed the travel and time with my son and we are both very happy with where he ended up but it easily could've gone in another direction. Good luck!

[Guest]

Just add to the above the importance of good grades can't be stressed enough. A solid player with good grades will have more interest than one with mediocre grades. Soccer coaches don't get the same kinds of favors from admissions offices as a big basketball program will. Good grades also can lead to a good deal of merit money which lasts all four years and can be obtained at D1 D2 and D3.

Also agree with a poster above that athletes need to really understand what a D1 commitment means. It means not much of a life outside of school and your team. It means far less balance, far fewer opportunities for study abroad and internships. Even certain majors aren't very feasible. This broader question should be addressed before targeting any programs

[Guest]

I really enjoy the feedback on this thread! This has been one of the more enjoyable threads on this site. I appreciate all the tips and things to look for/think about. Thank you!

[Guest]

One takeaway my D got from a cattle-call camp was during the Q&A (there were 50+ coaches there from D3 to D1 and from good programs) was that they want to hear from YOU, not your mom or dad. They can tell when an e-mail is written by an adult vs. a kid. They actually anticipate the occasional error as it shows the authenticity. For example I have done some writing over the years and drafted a couple for her. She was like "what is that word? I wouldn't use that word". Now, from my perspective, that particular choice was actually the best word for use in that scenario, but she never heard of it and absolutely wouldn't use it. So, we switched and she wrote them and I would review after.

Another thing we decided, and this is just us, is I wasn't getting on a plane to an ID Camp unless the school showed direct interest. She e-mailed a lot of schools and that mostly got her on a mass-mailer. I said I would send her anywhere if they showed interest, but if they weren't watching you or your videos or actually showing some interest, then no. Of course, that could change after the visit but I had to draw the line somewhere. I heard of a story of a kid who got a mass e-mail and replied back, essentially, "Thank you for your invite. Please review my highlight videos and let me know if my abilities and style will fit your program". If they didn't, he didn't go. It did force them to actually watch a little of him. No idea how it worked out but was a pretty ballsy tact, I think.

[Guest]

^ lots of mass invites out there. If you they don't come see you at an event, that's pretty solid proof they're not that into you. If they aren't going to your events, then have your club coach call and ask if there's genuine interest or not. Offer to send more game footage too.

On campus ID events can be very effective but not always from a cost effective standpoint and not if you aren't careful about selection. We also didn't have a endless cash supply to do them all and had to focus on the best prospects.

[Guest]

eeeesssshhhh I saw one painful interaction at an EXACT ID Camp. BC AC was walking toward a field, here comes a dad to flag her down and introduce himself. She is doing the watch check while giving him the head nod. He calls his daughter over, who says hello and seems a bit awkward in the conversation. Could be she's young and learning, which is fine. Could be she's beyond embarrassed about her dad. Either way, she's mostly standing there while dad chews the coach's ear off while coach is trying to get to where she was going. Ugh, it was awful to watch.

[Guest]

eeeesssshhhh I saw one painful interaction at an EXACT ID Camp. BC AC was walking toward a field, here comes a dad to flag her down and introduce himself. She is doing the watch check while giving him the head nod. He calls his daughter over, who says hello and seems a bit awkward in the conversation. Could be she's young and learning, which is fine. Could be she's beyond embarrassed about her dad. Either way, she's mostly standing there while dad chews the coach's ear off while coach is trying to get to where she was going. Ugh, it was awful to watch.

Select dads are the worst. Am I right?

[Guest]

Select dads are the worst. Am I right?

100% no idea where they were from, nor did I care to even look to figure it out. I told my D that and she was horrified.

[Guest]

Meant to add, I've seen it a few times at the large Showcases. I think coaches aren't allowed to talk to players much during the events, correct? But, parents have no shame in distracting coaches from watching while they chew their ears off. I just can't think that does anything but make it worse.

[Guest]

Meant to add, I've seen it a few times at the large Showcases. I think coaches aren't allowed to talk to players much during the events, correct? But, parents have no shame in distracting coaches from watching while they chew their ears off. I just can't think that does anything but make it worse.

If the players is a freshman or sophomore then coaches can only talk in general and give feedback, they just can't talk about recruiting or their schools. After June 15th past sophomore year it's all open

Parents should definitely stay away. This about their kids and their kids need to shine on their own.