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March College Recruiting Newsletter 2023

Welcome to the Kings Hammer March College Recruiting Newsletter! The club is excited to work with you to accomplish all of your player’s goals for this upcoming calendar year, on and off of the soccer field. Each month, we will be providing this resource to not only help you navigate the craziness that is the college recruiting process, but also provide personal development materials and resources to assist in growing individually while living a more purpose and value-driven lifestyle. We hope you find value in this newsletter and are excited to assist in this exciting process for your family!

Creating a Highlight Video

College coaches are always looking for players to improve their rosters and recruiting classes, and one of the easiest and quickest ways to catch a coach’s attention anywhere and anytime is by putting together and sending a highlight video of yourself. Furthermore, COVID-19 has completely changed college recruiting for the foreseeable future. More than ever before, creating a highlight video that helps you stand out as a player can be a tremendous asset for players. Below are five strategies to consider when creating your highlight video to help you stand out from the crowd!

  • Start your video strong- Some coaches receive dozens of highlight videos each day, so it is important that you highlight your best qualities and clips right away. Make a positive impression by leading your video with your top plays.
  • Keep it short- It is better to include too little and leave the coach wanting more film as opposed to including too much and the coach losing interest. Involve your best moments and try to keep your video to 3-5 minutes tops. If a coach responds asking for more film, your video was a hit!
  • Include all phases of the game- As a forward, it is important to showcase your goalscoring ability. But are you dominant in the air? A good pressing player? Can you fly past players with your speed? Do your best to show yourself in different areas on the field, and doing different things.
  • Highlight yourself- Make things easy on the coach by highlighting yourself in each clip. By keeping the focus on you, you keep the attention of the coach. You can highlight yourself by using an arrow, circle, spotlight, or many other tools.
  • Include contact info- At the beginning and end of your video, include contact information to help assist the college coach in reaching out to you, or any references you may have.

Ultimately, your willingness to get your video to as many coaches as possible and your work ethic in following-up, asking questions, and communicating will assist in building relationships with college coaches (we will discuss this in a later newsletter). However, nothing gets the relationship off to a better start than having an eye-catching highlight video. The above tips should assist you in creating a video reel that gets you on the radar of your dream school and one step closer to playing collegiate soccer!

Remember that ALL Kings Hammer High School age group players have a FREE account on the Sports Recruits platform.  This is a great tool for you to utilize in the college search and recruiting process.  This includes a video editing resource located in the athlete profile.  You can find more information on using video in your recruiting as well as guides on creating and using video by clicking the links below:

Personal Development- What is My Why?

Hopefully you have been following along on previous Personal Development suggestions (if not you can find past Newsletters on our website.) If so, you should have a list of goals that you are aspiring to accomplish this year as well as a list of core values that are important to you and will help guide you in your everyday life. This section of our newsletter will help us to try to tie both of those ideas together with one sentence that you can view as your own personal mission statement that motivates, inspires, and guides you during whatever life may throw at you.

Before we dive into developing your mission statement, ask yourself this question: “What is my Why?” Your own personal why refers to your sense of purpose, a culmination of your values and goals that allows you to focus your efforts on what matters most, compelling you to take risks and push forward regardless of the odds or challenges. If you are sitting here reading this thinking “I have no idea what my life’s purpose is,” you are not alone. In all reality, many people much older than you probably have the same answer! While you may not know your life’s purpose or your why right now, here are four questions that you can ask yourself from Forbes magazine that can help you get a little bit closer.

  1. What makes you come alive? Think about what you are passionate about.
  2. What are your innate strengths? Think about the things you’ve always been good at.
  3. Where do you add the most value? Think about the problems you really enjoy solving.
  4. How will you measure your life? Think about the things you want the most.

Take some time to answer the above questions. After doing so, try to come up with one brief, powerful statement that will inspire and guide you on your path through life. This can be referred to as your own personal mission statement. An example of a personal mission statement can be found below:

“I want to be somebody that is on a relentless pursuit of growth, learning, and achievement while keeping my relationships with friends and family at the center of my life.”

Your mission statement should be personal to YOU! Without any specific structure in mind, do your best to create a 1-2 sentence mission statement that you can refer to each and every day.

Click here to view the Simon Sinek – Start with Why Video

Monthly Help Links from SportsRecruits

Sports Recruits also hosts webinars each month on a variety of topics.  Here is what is coming in April:

Click on the webinar title to go to the registration page and sign up to attend. You can also catch replays of past webinars by clicking on the link below.

College Commitments

  • CJ DeBra – Youngstown State University
  • Riley Arnold – Ohio Dominican
  • Ellie Greenwell – Ohio University
  • Zara Graff – Wright State University
  • Abby Unkraut – University of Georgia
  • Mia Fiore – Xavier University
  • Victoria Zappasodi – Cleveland State
  • Ella Smith – Miami University
  • Jordan Church – Arkansas State University
  • Amanda Schlueter – Ohio State University
  • Sophie Decker – Marian University
  • Ruby Dunlevy – Eastern Kentucky University
  • Margo Roberts – Ohio Dominican University
  • Olivia Parmer – Marian University
  • Emma Morrison – Kentucky Christian University
  • Shannon Ott – Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
  • Rose Vigran – George Washington University
  • Jill Planeaux – Ohio Dominican University
  • Katie Hoog – Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
  • Millie Cluxton – College of Charleston
  • Mia Jackson – Purdue University Fort Wayne
  • Chloe Morrison – Milligan University
  • Kalyn Rich – Baldwin Wallace University
  • Ella James – Baldwin Wallace University
  • Donna Bundy – Northern Kentucky University
  • Timothy Griffin – Northern Kentucky University
  • Aiden Byrd – Transylvania University
  • Avery May – University of Dayton
  • Caitlin Burger – Wright State University
  • Sophia Kuerze – Wright State University
  • Lainey Smith – University of Dayton
  • Aliana Weibel – Kent State University
  • Peyton Jones – Thomas More University
  • Asia Espiritu – West Liberty University
  • Faith George – Thomas More University
  • Sydney Bortz – University of Richmond
  • Brynn Collins – Taylor University
  • Ellie Walker – University of Tennessee Southern
  • Trey Pitzer – Heidelburg University
  • Barrett Moore – Otterbein University
  • Mallory Como – University of Toledo
  • Brooke Wilson – University of Richmond
  • Brynn Collins – Taylor University
  • Brennin Sanders – Mount St. Joseph University
  • Molly Robinson – Transylvania University
  • Ashtyn Ivy – Austin Peay State University
  • Lexi Kollar – Otterbein University
  • Reece Heisel – Transylvania University
  • Ayden Theobald – Thomas More University
  • Killian Riley – Mount St. Joseph University

Remember to post your commitment to your Sports Recruits account and send commitment photos to info@kingshammer.com so that you can be recognized for your achievements.

Tryout FAQ’s

How do I register for tryouts?
ALL soccer-athletes MUST COMPLETE the tryout registration online before participating in the tryout process. Click here to register now!

*Please make sure that you register online at least 24 hours in advance to ensure that the soccer athlete is in the system and we have your information to notify you after the tryout process.  There is a Registration Steps document on the Tryouts page that will walk you through the process. Each soccer athlete should attend both tryout days if possible. If you are unable to attend both days please reach out to the Program Director listed below.

Birth Years for the 2022/2023 Season
For the 2022/2023 season, Kings Hammer will follow U.S Youth Soccer’s guidelines and will organize its teams by birth year:

*Interested players must register to try out for their birth year.

Can my child play up an age group?
Any player playing up will be at the discretion of their respective director. All players need to register and attend the tryout for their correct age group.

What should I wear/bring to tryouts?
Please come prepared with a fully inflated soccer ball, proper footwear, shin guards, and water. Each prospective soccer-athlete will receive one free Kings Hammer Soccer Club tryout t-shirt with a tryout identification number on the back of the t-shirt.  Each prospective player will be identified by the identification number throughout the process and MUST wear this t-shirt at each tryout session for the 2022/2023 soccer year.

We will not be able to attend tryouts or are new to the area and missed tryouts. Is there a process in place to allow for an alternate tryout?
Yes! If you are not able to attend tryouts or missed the tryout dates, please register and then contact the Director for the Program/Age Group you wish to tryout for so that arrangements can be made. We also hold supplemental tryouts throughout the year. Roster openings may be limited after the initial tryout period.

What are the differences between Academy and Premier?
Our Academy provides a highly competitive environment for higher-level soccer athletes. This program provides those athletes with the best local training offered by our qualified and professional staff. Our Academy teams play at the highest possible level providing showcase opportunities to College, Professional, and National level programs.

The Premier Program is a community-based program. The Premier Program provides the opportunity for players to play other sports or have other interests outside of soccer. This program is designed to be flexible, convenient, and affordable.

Can I try out for multiple programs?
We encourage anyone who wants to tryout for all levels to do so. Current KHSC players can ask their coach/director for guidance if they are unsure about which program to tryout for. You will need to register for each tryout separately.

If I tryout for a program and don’t make it, can I try out for another program?
Yes. If you don’t make an Academy team, we strongly encourage you to tryout for a Premier team, attending tryouts for at least one day.

If you don’t make a Premier team, the Classic Program may be an option. Contact Michelle Okumura (michelle@kingshammer.com) if you’d like to pursue this option.

Will there be more than one team in each age group?
Yes, when possible, there will be more than one team per age group, per program. It all depends on the number of players at tryouts and their skill level.

If my child doesn’t make the top team, can they move up during the year?
Yes, there may be opportunities to move up throughout the year as long as the coach/director feels it is in the best interest of the player’s development. There may also be opportunities to guest play across all levels.

What can I expect after tryouts?
After tryouts you can expect communication from the club in the form of an email.  (Please double-check that your email is correct in the PlayMetrics system, this is the email we use) This will either be an acceptance email, offering your child a position on a team, or an email letting you know that they should tryout for a different program. Players who are offered positions on a team may also receive a phone call from their coach. All communication will come within 24-48 hours of the end of the last tryout. You will then have 24 hours to either accept or decline your email before your spot is offered to another child.

What are the next steps if my child makes a team?

  1. If you are new to the club, you will receive more information regarding your uniform ordering in your confirmation email.
  2. If you are part of the Academy or Premier Programs, you will receive the link to Demosphere to register your child in the state system in your confirmation email as well.

How long is the season?

  • Academy
    • U11-U14: August-November, January-May (possible post-season in June)
    • U15-U19: November-May
  • Premier
    • U7-U14: August-October, March-May
    • U15-U19: November-December, March-May

My child is in middle school but plays on a U15 team. Will there be a fall U15 program for trapped players?
Yes, we will offer a program for trapped 8th graders for the fall season depending on interest. The program will run from August to October and is open to players that are currently in the 8th grade that will be playing on a U15 team starting in November 2022. Questions please contact:

Academy North: Ryan Handbury | ryan@kingshammer.com
Academy South Boys: James Thomas | james@kingshammer.com
Academy South Girls: Chris Black | chris@kingshammer.com
Academy Bluegrass Boys: Dan Ensley  | dan@kingshammer.com
Academy Bluegrass Girls: Megan Adkins | megan@kingshammer.com

Can a team come to the club and join as a team?
Yes! The team can join the Classic Program. For more information please reach out to Michelle Okumura at michelle@kingshammer.com.

Who is in charge of hiring coaches?
If you are interested in a coaching opportunity, please fill out the following coaching form – https://kingshammer.com/interested-in-coaching/

Program Directors:

Academy North: Ryan Handbury | ryan@kingshammer.com
Academy South Girls: Chris Black | chris@kingshammer.com
Academy South Boys: James Thomas | james@kingshammer.com
Academy Bluegrass Boys: Dan Ensley | dan@kingshammer.com
Academy Bluegrass Girls: Megan Adkins | megan@kingshammer.com
Premier Xenia: Brent Lewis | brent@kingshammer.com
Premier North: Wil Cagle | wil@kingshammer.com
Premier Sycamore: Ryan Handbury | ryan@kingshammer.com
Premier Central: Michael Ratliff | michaelr@kingshammer.com
Premier South: David Shemilt | dshemilt@kingshammer.com
Premier Versailles: Brandon Cummons | brandon@kingshammer.com
Premier Lexington: Fonyam Atanga | fonyam@kignshammer.com