April College Recruiting Newsletter 2024

Welcome to the Kings Hammer April College Recruiting Newsletter! The club is excited to work with you to accomplish all of your player’s goals for this upcoming soccer year, on and off of the soccer field. Each month, we will be providing this resource to help you navigate the craziness that is the college recruiting process. We hope you find value in this newsletter and we are excited to assist in this exciting process for your family!

This month’s College Recruiting Newsletter will dive into the importance and benefits of ID Camps and how to get the most out of your experience.

Attending ID Camps

Sorting out the College ID Camp Landscape

Spring Soccer is in full swing and many of our Kings Hammer high school age group players are likely to see a number of advertisements or invitations for upcoming college ID camps. For those unfamiliar with them, ID Camps can be a great opportunity for players to get a close-up look at what it’s like to be a player in a college program, interact with the coaches and players, and potentially check out a campus. These events can be very valuable to current high school players who want to continue their academic and soccer career in college as they are designed for individuals who are looking to compete against higher level competition as well as gain exposure with college coaches. This article will provide some insight on these opportunities and what each player needs to be aware of prior to selecting and attending one (or more.)

Why Attend an ID Camp?

There are four primary reasons to attend a College ID Camp/Clinic or Showcase:

1. Gain college exposure.

2. Improve your skills to become a better player.

3. Evaluate your abilities against other players.

4. Experience a specific college environment.

Types of ID Camps

There are three primary types of College ID Camps and Clinics:

1. Independent College ID Camp hosted by a third party.

2. College Camp hosted by a College Program.

3. College ID Camp / Clinic hosted, managed, and run by a college program only

Independent College ID Camp

An organization that has no affiliation with any college program will bring in college coaches to work their camps. These events are typically NOT on a college campus, but may be near one or more colleges. Many college coaches who do the camp circuit over the summer use it as an opportunity to earn extra income. It is also gives the coaches a chance to do some recruiting while working the camp. Most of the college coaches in attendance will train, identify, and evaluate the campers that are participating. Some college coaches will just be on-site to observe. Here are some popular college soccer recruiting camps.

Exact Soccer Camps
Future 500 Soccer Camp
Elite College Soccer Camps
Soccer Camps USA

College ID Camps hosted by a college

There are many college head coaches that will run their own camps in the summer as a way to increase income for their staff and program. The host college will typically bring in a number of other college coaches from the area to work their camps. The level of play at these camps can vary greatly and the age groups are sometimes wider. These camps often are multiple day events (3-5 days)

College ID Camp/Clinic hosted, managed, and run by a college program only

These tend to be smaller and shorter events that are scheduled throughout the year. These camps typically last 1-3 days where prospective student-athletes will get the opportunity to experience what it would be like to attend that school and play for that program. Be aware that these types of camps are also money makers for the college programs. Nearly all college programs, DI, DII, and DIII has their own College ID camp/clinic throughout the year. Visit each program’s website to find out more info about possible camps or clinics. The one-day clinics are a great opportunity to get a feel of what it would be like to play for that program. They are typically affordable $75 – $150 for the day (plus any associated travel expenses.) If you want to get identified by a program, you may have better odds attending 4 – 5 one day clinics rather than going to one of the big camps and pay about the same amount.

Picking the Right Camp for You

No matter which type of camp you may be attending an ID camp can be a major investment of both time and money, making it crucial that players pick camps that are the best fit for them. What does this mean? Below are some questions you should be asking as you work to determine which camp is the best choice for you.

How long does the ID camp last? There is a wide variety of formats for how universities and colleges run their ID camps, one of the major factors being length. While some programs only run 1 day camps, others run residential camps where potential student athlete’s come for multiple days and sleep in dorms, apartments, or other campus living with other campers. The longer you are able to spend on a program’s campus and around the staff, the better of an idea you’ll get as to how they operate.

How much money does the camp cost? Summer ID camps generally contribute to a lot of a program’s fundraising budget, and because of this, sometimes the prices can get a bit high. When selecting ID camps to attend, weigh the cost of the camp (along with travel, food, lodging if necessary) with your interest in the school. Attending 10 different 1 day camps at 10 different programs can be pricy! Only attend camps of schools that you are legitimately interested in learning more about in order to save money during the process.

Is this program legitimately interested in me as a player? ID camps are a great opportunity for you to get noticed by a college coach, as it allows you to play in front of them for day(s) at a time and really make your mark. However, there are some things you can do to really determine if the program whose camp you’re interested in attending is interested in you as a player prior to attending. Has the coaching staff already seen you play? Have you built a prior relationship with the coaches? Did you receive a personal invite to camp, or did you receive a mass email along with every other player on your club team? The more of these questions you can answer, the more you will be able to make an educated decision on whether or not attending the camp is the best use of your time.

How many college coaches will be at the ID Camp? While some ID camps only have coaches from the respective program working/coaching, others have coaches from multiple programs. When researching ID camps that you are interested in, try to get an idea of how many college coaches will be in attendance as well as how many programs will be represented. There are camps that have representation from dozens of coaches and programs, which may be of more interest than a program that just has representation from one school, depending on where you are in your specific recruiting process.

Ultimately, the ID Camp experience is one that should fill players with optimism and excitement. The opportunity to visit different campuses, play in front of college coaches and potentially with college players, as well as experience a sneak peek of life as a college athlete is an exciting one. However, choosing the right camp is important so choosing efficiently and effectively is important.

Make the Most Out of Your Camp Experience

Now that you have discovered your reasons to attend an ID camp, identified types of camps, and selected the camps you are going to attend, here are some tips to really make the most out of your College Camp Experience.

Make Contact with the Coaches. Review the list of college coaches who will be attending the camp. If there are schools that you may be interested in, write to the coaching staff expressing interest in their program. Let them know that you will be attending the camp and that you look forward to meeting them and having them watch you play. Be personal! Be Specific! Be Honest! You should start building a relationship with the college coach before arriving for camp. Include you Kings Hammer coach in email communications with each college so that the coach can reach out to them as needed.

Get face time with a college coach. While you are at camp to find the opportunity to personally meet the coaches whose programs you are interested in. Try to take a couple minutes to introduce yourself and tell them a little bit about yourself. The best times to do that is during check-in if coaches are available, walking to and from the training fields, and in the cafeteria. Be aware college coaches are not permitted to have any recruiting conversations with you during the camp.

Be Vocal and Positive on the Field. College coaches look for players who possess leadership qualities. Any player who has a voice on the field will immediately stand out as long as it is in a positive or constructive way. If you have the opportunity to be vocal, speak up as a positive influence and leader for your team. All of these qualities demonstrate your relentless and positive attitude, and those are two key characteristics all coaches find impressive.

Train Hard, Play Hard and Run Hard! If you are trying to make a good first impression on a college coach your attitude and your work ethic are your most controllable assets, and one of the best ways to set yourself apart from the crowd. If you lose the ball, work hard to get it back within the context of the game. If you have the ball know when to keep it and when to give it up. If you get knocked down, get back up. If you are on the field, stay focused on the ball and always keep your feet moving.

Be respectful. Be sure to respect all members of the camp including the coaches, counselors, teammates, and campus staff. College coaches are not just evaluating you on the field but they are watching how you carry yourself off the field as well.

Request Feedback. College coaches seek players who are students of the game. A player who shows a coach they are willing to learn and improve will separate themselves from players who don’t go that extra mile. Use this opportunity to engage with coaches about your game. Speak to them after a training session or game about what you might be able to work on to improve. Coaches love when a player takes ownership over their own athletic development.

Have fun! Playing soccer should be fun! That is why we play! If you are not enjoying yourself it will show in how you approach the game. Coaches want players on their team who have passion for the game. These are the players who believe working hard and improving is fun.

Follow-Up with College Coaches. You should always follow up with any college coaches you interacted with while at camp. You should thank them for working with you or taking the time to speak with you. If you can try to reference something specific, conversation or drill to help trigger their memory.

If you follow through with these 8 simple steps no doubt you will stand out as qualified prospective student-athlete to some college coaches. Obviously, your abilities will be an important aspect of this process but on a level playing field these things will give you the edge over your competitors.

SportsRecruits Resources – Upcoming Webinars

Kings Hammer College Commitments

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