Philadelphia Soccer Club
Student Athlete Guide
To
Playing Intercollegiate Soccer
Bill O’Neill
Technical Director
Philadelphia Soccer Club
Step Up and Stand Out!
 If you want to play intercollegiate soccer, it all starts
with you!
 PSC Coaches and Board of Directors will do everything
they can to facilitate that desire.
 Talk to your coach, techinical director and college
guidance counselor about your interest in playing
college athletics.
Do I really want to play for an
intercollegiate soccer team?
 Why?
 Are you prepared physically and mentally to do
everything you need to do to find the right academic
and athletic “fit”?
 Do you understand how being a recruited athlete will
affect your college process?
 Do you understand the commitment of being part of an
intercollegiate athletic team?
I want to play intercollegiate
sports…Now What?
 Ensure you are NCAA eligible by registering with the NCAA
Eligibility Center.
 Make sure you are taking NCAA approved coursework.
 Take standardized test. SAT/ACT scores are necessary for
coaches to determine eligibility.
 Visit Web-sites of Schools you are interested in attending.
Academically and Athletically.
 Send introduction letter to the coach via e-mail.
 Fill out college recruitment form on-line. If available.
 Send resume of academic and athletic accomplishments to coach.
It all starts with “You”!
 Self Recruit, you are your own best advocate!
 Return all questionnaires promptly.
 Email more, but call often – Don’t wait to be called!
 Send college coaches game schedule
 Send any recent accomplishments as the season goes
along.
 Attend College Camps and Showcases.
 Don’t be swayed, know what you want!
• * Cordial interaction
with coaches and
teammates
• * Attitude towards
authority
figures\coaches and
teammates
• * Signs of misdirected
anger
• * Proper responsibility
taking
• * Does he make others
around him better or
worse?
• * Is he/she a cause or
a cure for trouble and
disruptions?
• * Is he/she a
comfortable leader?
Academically
• * Alertness (being in
the game)
• * Knowledge of the
game
• * Ability to react
correctly
• * Intuit nature (does the
game come easy)
• * Ability to focus
• * Ability to rise to the
challenge
• * Does he/she know all
that he/she should
know about the game
and what it takes to
succeed?
• * How often does
he/she react correctly
to a situation?
Emotionally/Socially
• * Excellence in 5 tools
of the game
• * Condition of body
• * Strengths &
Weaknesses of body
• * Potential for growth
• * Is this player raw or
polished?
• * Project how good this
player can become
• * Is he/she a worker or
does he/she look lazy.
• * How much effort does
this player expend to
play at the top of
his/her game?
• * Ceiling...how much
better can he get given
physical body given?
Mentally
Physically
What College Coaches Look for
in a Student Athlete
• Has he/she performed
well in the classroom?
• SAT/ACT Scores
• NCAA Approved
Coursework
• Transcripts sent to
NCAA Eligibility Center
• Worked Hard and got
the best grades they
could!
What College Coaches Look
for in a Student Athlete
Physically

Condition of body

Strengths & Weaknesses of body

Potential for growth

Is this player raw or polished?

Project how good this player can become

Is he/she a worker or does he/she look lazy.

How much effort does this player expend to play at the top of his/her game?

Ceiling...how much better can he get given physical body given?
What College Coaches Look
for in a Student Athlete
Mentally
 Alertness (being in the game)
 Knowledge of the game
 Ability to react correctly
 Intuit nature (does the game come easy)
 Ability to focus
 Ability to rise to the challenge
 Does he/she know all that he/she should know about the game and what it
takes to succeed?
 How often does he/she react correctly to a situation?
What College Coaches Look
for in a Student Athlete
Emotionally and Socially
 Cordial interaction with coaches and teammates
 Attitude towards authority figures\coaches and teammates
 Signs of misdirected anger
 Proper responsibility taking
 Does he/she make others around them better or worse?
 Is he/she a cause or a cure for trouble and disruptions?
 Is he/she a comfortable leader
What College Coaches Look
for in a Student Athlete
Academically
 Has he/she performed well in the classroom?
 SAT/ACT Scores
 NCAA Approved Coursework
 Transcripts sent to NCAA Eligibility Center
 Worked Hard and got the best grades they could!
Parents Role!

Make sure that this is HIS/HER dream and not YOURS!

Have a coach evaluate and give you an HONEST opinion of your son's or daughter’s talent.

Set realistic goals for your child. Don't put him/her in a situation where they are destined to fail.

Develop a plan to help him/her succeed at the level he/she is capable of playing.

Do your homework. Know what is needed and be well educated in the process.

Investigate. Investigate every showcase, recruiter, school, coach and program that shows interest in
your daughter/son.

Research. Know the recruiting rules.

Take a long-term approach to your decision making. Always look at what is best for your child's future.

Help your child prioritize their life. What are the things that are truly important to them and to your
family?
Time to Plan, Juniors!
Winter/Spring/Summer
Spring/Summer/Fall
 Talk with coach and college
 College Visits
guidance about interest.
 Send out Introduction
Letters.
 Send out Resume.
 Follow up with emails and
calls.
 Meet with College Coaches
 Meet players on the team
 Check out campus and
facilities
 Attend Camps and
Showcases
 Complete NCAA Eligibility
Center Registration.
You Run the Show!
 Don’t Assume No Call means No Interest!
 Don’t Assume Coach Support means Guaranteed
Admission!
 Work with your parents, not against! Be a Team!
 Don’t sever ties with coaches too early!
 Don’t Let Coaches Dictate Your Priorities!
 Lead the Dance! Don’t Be a Wallflower!
Take Your Game to the Next
Level!