Winter College Recruiting Newsletter 2025

Welcome to the quarterly Kings Hammer College Recruiting Newsletter! The club is excited to work with you to accomplish all of your goals for this upcoming soccer year, on and off of the soccer field. This season, we will be providing this resource on a quarterly basis to help you navigate the craziness that is the college recruiting process and keep yourself on track. We hope you find value in this newsletter and we are excited to assist in this exciting process for your family!

In this installment, Octavia Saunders, our National Director of Data & Analytics, will prepare you to take on college showcases, show you how to utilize SportsRecruits during these events, and share an interview with Kings Hammer alum Park Byland!

Preparing for College Showcases

With showcase season approaching, it’s important that every player takes proactive steps to stand out to college coaches, it’s time for players to take ownership of their recruiting journey both on and off the field. Preparation doesn’t start when you step onto the showcase pitch, it begins in training. The habits you build every week, from your work rate and technical development to your focus in sessions, are what ultimately prepare you to perform when college coaches are watching.

Beyond training, showcase preparation means being intentional and organized in how you present yourself to schools. Start by researching which colleges will be attending your event. Identify programs that align with your academic and athletic goals and take the initiative to reach out to those coaches at least a week before the showcase. In your email, include your team name, grad year, jersey number, position, and game schedule, and share a short, professional note explaining why you’re interested in their program. Coaches notice when players demonstrate effort and genuine interest.

Don’t go through the process alone, make sure to communicate with your club coach about what types of schools might be a good fit for you. Your coach knows your strengths, and development areas, and can often help identify programs that match your level and goals. They can also reach out to college coaches on your behalf or provide valuable feedback. Asking for guidance not only shows initiative but also helps ensure your outreach is strategic and realistic.

Equally important is creating and sharing a highlight reel that captures the best version of you as a player. A polished video should highlight your strengths, decision-making, and impact moments on the field. Use it as a visual introduction to your game, your goal is to have the video make college coaches want to come see you play live. Attach (or link) this highlight reel in the same email where you share your schedule so coaches can capture the coaches attention and encourages them to see you compete live.

Getting the Most Out of Events with SportsRecruits

Each Kings Hammer high-school aged player has access to the Sports Recruits platform to assist them with getting ahead of the recruiting process. Please see our Fall College Recruiting Newsletter to get started in SportsRecruits. Below are some steps to take to improve your chances of being seen at an event.

Before Each Event

Update Your Profile
- Your SportsRecruits Profile is your active resume. Keep information up to date on all recruiting spaces
- Read for More Info: SportsRecruits Bio – What is it and Why is it so Important
Build or Update your Favorite Schools
- Add Schools to your favorites list – increases the odds of appearing on searches conducted by that college’s coaches
Message College Coaches
- Read for More Info: SportsRecruits email template and info – Utilize SportsRecruits Messaging platform to email coaches about your upcoming events. Include coaches attending and those not attending. See the link above for an email template provided by SportsRecruits.
  - 3 Types of Messages
    - Intro message – first time message to a coach/college providing basic information
    - Pre-season message – follow-up message to a coach/college providing as much information about your season as possible (outline)
    - Pre-Event message – sent prior to the event, providing more details on how the coach can find you (match details, jersey number, colors if known, etc)
- Watch For More Info: SportsRecruits – Messaging College Coaches Webinar

During the Event

Be Your Best
- Come prepared – sleep, hydration, fuel, and prior practices
- Work hard at all times – there are no “small moments”
- Movement on and off the ball highlights awareness and intelligence
Character Counts – you are being recruited (watched) throughout the event
- Encourage teammates whether you are playing or on the sidelines
- Show respect to referees, teammates, coaches, and parents
- Body language says a great deal about a player

After the Event

Message Coaches
- Thank those who attended and/or watched you – check notifications on SportsRecruits to see who viewed your profile
- Update those who were unable to attend and provide an update on the event
- Watch For More Info: SportsRecruits – Messaging College Coaches Webinar
Video – building out an event highlight reel for your profile
- Show your core attributes – pace, hustle, vision, good dribbling, good passing, etc
- Put goals scored (or prevented) first, then assists or chances created
- Versatility
- 50/50 Challenges
- Read for More: SportsRecruits – Building a Professional Highlight Reel

College Recruiting Stories: Checking In with Parker Byland

Recent College Commitments

Congratulations to the most recent Kings Hammer soccer players to make their college commitment decisions! Remember to post your commitment to your Sports Recruits account, send a commitment photo to info@kingshammer.com, and include or tag your club’s local Kings Hammer page on any social media posts so that we can be recognize you for your achievements!