July College Recruiting Newsletter 2024

Welcome to the Kings Hammer July 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 ways you can establish a rapport with college coaches.

ESTABLISHING A RAPPORT WITH COLLEGE COACHES

With the passing of both the June 15th and July 15th contact dates, and the August 1st opening of Official Visits, those of you entering your Junior or Senior season can begin to have directed email, phone, and in-person conversations with all levels of college coaches and programs. Now you, as a potential student athlete, can begin to establish a rapport and relationship with those coaches who are on your short list.

However, as the Fall season quickly approaches, College Soccer will soon be in full swing which means college coaches’ time will be at a premium. This will make it even more important to enter a conversation with a coach with a plan in place, in order to best steer the conversation where you want it to go. There is a strategy that is needed in order to balance building a personal relationship that helps you to stand out, while also getting vital information that can help you in your recruiting process. Below you will find 9 questions (3 soccer related, 3 culture related, 3 college related) to ask college coaches that can not only help you get to know them and their programs better, but also show proactivity and preparation on your part.

Soccer Questions

Can you describe your team’s principles of play? This is a much better question than asking coaches what formation their team plays. By asking about principles, you will get a much better sense of HOW the team plays. Formations and systems of play can adapt, but the principles of a program should remain regardless of the shape they are playing.
What attributes are needed from a player in my position in order to fit your team’s identity? Asking about player traits that are specific to each team’s identity (principles of play) for your position will give you a better sense of how a team likes to play and if your natural style of play as a player will fit with what the program is trying to do on the field.
What are some non-negotiable attributes that every player on your team has in an ideal world? By asking this question, you get a deeper understanding of how a coach truly wants to play. If they say “comfort on the ball,” you can assume they want to keep the ball and possess. If they say “speed,” this may mean they want to press and play in transition a bit more. Ultimately, each coach has things they prioritize in all players, and asking this question should give you an inside look on what that is.

Culture Questions

How do the core values of your program align with the core values that you have personally? This is a fantastic question that allows you to get a sense of the culture of the program, as well as the morals and personal values that the coach embodies.
How does your team handle conflict? This question is a great indicator of a team’s culture and how they react when faced with adversity.
What makes your program special? As you are navigating this process, each program will have somewhat similar answers to the common questions that are asked. By asking coaches what makes their program special, you will get a clear sense of the program’s vision.

College Life Questions

What does a typical day/week look like for a student-athlete in your program? This helps you understand the balance between academics, athletics, and personal time.
What kind of academic support is available for student-athletes? It’s crucial to know about tutoring, study halls, and other resources to help you succeed academically.
What Student Housing is available, and do student athletes live together? These questions can help you get a clear picture of the housing situation and ensure it meets your needs and preferences

Topic Resources

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT – CREATING STANDARDS/HABITS

A lot of what we’ve talked about to this point in this section of the newsletter should be pointing you towards becoming the best version of yourself. But how you live your life on a day-to-day basis is more important than the words you have put onto paper or the things you’ve said you are going to do. Just like in college soccer, every program has great ideas of what they want their culture to look like. But the best programs are the ones that are a living embodiment of their values and principals and act accordingly because it is inside them and part of who they are. If you have created a list of values that are important to you, it is vital that you are intentional about living them out each day. Just as important, if you have goals that you have set for yourself as a player or person, it is important that you are setting yourself up for success with the daily habits and rituals that you have created for yourself. Easier said than done! It is human nature to have dips in energy, motivation, and to fall into a state of complacency. There are ways to combat this, and it all comes down to being intentional in your actions. Below are 5 ways to help you stay the course in your quest for becoming the best version of yourself!

Start each day with positivity

Whether it be a motivational video, reading a page out of a book, or simply taking time to be thankful for another day, being intentional about being excited for what is to come in the day will give you a spark of energy.

Be intentional with who you surround yourself with

Are your friends like-minded in wanting to improve? Or are they inhibiting you from reaching your goals with their words and actions? Often times, you are a byproduct of who you surround yourself with. It is much easier to stay motivated if you are surrounded by motivated individuals!

Make a daily to-do list

Having small things which you want to accomplish each day can make your goals seem less insurmountable. Set tasks for each day that are able to be met, and take the time to be proud of yourself as you achieve each small milestone!

Reflect on your progress

Being intentional about taking 5-10 minutes, whether it be in thought or in writing (journaling) to think about where you’ve been, how far you’ve come, and where you want to go can be very motivating. Before bed each night, instead of scrolling through Tik-Tok for hours, take 5 minutes to think about your goals and how you can continue to manifest them.

Enjoy the process

Ultimately, no one knows you better than you. If you need to take a day to rest and recover, do it. If you feel the need to push a little harder, do it. You will never get to where you want to go if you do not LOVE what you are doing. Keep this at the center of your mindset and you will be surprised at just how far you can go.

Sports Recruits Webinars and Articles

June 15th Has Passed- Now What?

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!