Take the first week to create your Top 20 College List based upon the criteria below. Create a pros and cons list, as you uncover details about various colleges to build your list. This will be your target list you work off of for the next four weeks.Remember: The majority of the colleges on your list should be realistic options both athletically and academically.

 

✔️ Your To-Do : Write down your top 20 schools. Congrats; you just created your recruiting list and will be working off this in the coming weeks! Do you need help with your college search and compiling college coach emails? If you find yourself spending time Googling different colleges and searching for coaches emails, you always have the option to upgrade your account to SZ OwnTheZone Package (just login to your SZ Player Account and click: Join). You can track your Top College List and have access to college coach email addresses.  

Your Week 2 objective is to start connecting with college coaches that are on your Top 20 list. Email. Email. Email. Remember, they are hunkered down, too, and welcome recruits reaching out to them. This "downtime" is a HUGE opportunity to make an impact. Think about it: right before a big tournament, coaches receive hundreds of emails. Today, they are probably only receiving a few per day. You can make an impact and stand out more by emailing today, and they actually have time to open all their emails now.

✔️ Your To-Do: Send one email to every college program within your Top 20 list. Create a folder within your email account labeled "recruiting emails," and save your sent emails there, so that you can keep track and properly follow up. As mentioned in Week 1, If you find yourself spending time Googling different colleges and searching for coaches emails, you can upgrade your account to SZ OwnTheZone Package (just login to your SZ Player Account and click: Join).  

During Week 3, begin gathering your game highlights over the past six months to compile into a reel. Right now, since you are unable to play in front of college coaches, highlight video/clips have become an important part of the recruiting process. By sending coaches your highlights, you are still staying in front of coaches. Here are some things to consider when creating your highlight video:

✔️ Your To-Do: Write down what you want the coaches to see about you. A coach has only a few minutes to make a decision on you, so what do you want to come across as you, the player? Make sure your video contains the important aspects noted above and that it is produced in a shareable link.

Week 4 will be your chance to circle back with another touch point to your Top 20 College List. Your highlight video may now be complete, which is a perfect reason to follow up. And if it's not quite done yet, even sending them a teaser with a few clips is a great reason to touch base with them again. Whatever your reason, it's important to use this "downtime" to get on their radar and the perfect way to do so is through consistent communication.

✔️ Your To-Do : It's time to send a follow-up email. Refer back to your email folder "Recruiting Emails" and your Top 20 College List and make sure that every coach gets a follow-up/personalized email from you that includes your highlight video or a teaser clip that gives them an idea of the type of player you are. If you use SZ OwnTheZone service, make sure to keep your "Favorites List/Top College List" up to date. Always remember: the more effort you put into your recruiting process, the more college soccer opportunity you will have.