CPOA Video Communications
Video Service Guidelines for Soccer
Overview: Coaches expect players to make plays – it is just as important to a
college coach how it develops and ends as the actual play itself.
They’re not looking to be entertained, however they are looking for an orderly and
concise production to evaluate an athlete’s tactical/technical ability, desire, and
knowledge of the sport. College coaches are concentrating on a high level of
competition for evaluation.
Be sure to include actual match situations whenever possible against superior talent if
you want coaches to evaluate your video seriously.
College is a business; collegiate recruiting is a business decision for coaches. To help
receive the best opportunity, you must be actively involved in the development of
your video. You are only going to have a coach’s attention for a very short period of
time, MAKE IT COUNT!
File Storage/Transfer: We will work with any file storage service, WeTransfer, DropBox,
MegaFile, etc., as long as no subscription is required. We have a DropBox account for
use
free
of
charge
–
for
more
information
contact
us
at
[email protected]
YouTube is an excellent, free source in which to share video files. Upload your footage
and send us the link(s). Please limit up to 1 GB per upload, with a limit of 2 (which is
roughly 2 hours of footage).
Flash Drives: If mailing footage to our office, use a of Flash Drive is a very smart, low
cost option.
Hudl Video: For those clients using Hudl footage, please be advised that Hudl does not
allow videos to be downloaded from their site, all videos are embedded. Therefore, a
‘Downloadable Link’ must be purchased. The cost is $9.00 and the link is active for 2
weeks only. This is an easy process done on the Hudl site, if you require assistance,
please let us know.
Pre-Edited Videos: If you are sending pre-edited video, be advised we will be previewing
the production and removing any inappropriate material and or music. Again, take an
active role in the development; the video must be full-screen and concentrating on your
skill, desire and knowledge – anything more is wasting a college coaches time.
CPOA Video Communications – Recording Information
Getting Ready to Record: Try to record during daylight hours with the sun to
your back when possible. Use a Tripod whenever possible. Very Important:
To improve the quality of your recording and to reproduce colors more
accurately (not to bright or to dark), you must set your camera’s “White Balance”. Refer
to the camera’s Instruction Manual for guidance.
If you need help with this process, contact us at [email protected].
Recording Action: Avoid weaving, bobbing or using the camera as a pointer. Do not
repeat ‘zoom’ in and out during the match. Use the zoom feature only when necessary.
Record a nice head-to-toe shot leaving space at the top and the bottom, making the
player the primary focus in the viewfinder. Always use the viewfinder; always make sure
the player is visible in the viewfinder. Concentrate on the player and how he or she is
performing. There is no such event as a ‘Perfect’ match and college coaches do not
expect to see one. The same would be true for recording Skills footage.
Recording Footage with Cell Phones: AARRGGHH! (That’s coaches speak). If you are
going to record video footage, please set the screen to ‘Full” and not the ‘Slender’
option. Coaches will be much happier with the results.
Recording a Personal Introduction: Follow the steps for ‘Getting Ready to Record’, then
do the following. Shoot indoors. There is too much ambient noise outdoors and often
times the athlete cannot be heard.
Record against a light-colored wall and stay away from windows. The camera will ‘see’
the light behind the subject and record that not the athlete (they will be a dark
silhouette). Most importantly, SPEAK UP! There’s nothing wrong with using a sheet to
read off of. Limit the message to 30 seconds. Athletes: Introduce yourself, give some
athletic and academic stats and thank the coach for watching your video. Use these
guidelines for recording HS, Club or Private coaches comments also.
Your on-line video is crucial to the success of your recruitment to college. Collegiate
recruiting is a 24/7 operation and the first place a coach is going to look for an
evaluation video is on-line. We offer two sites (cpoa.com and our YouTube channel),
and separate formats, flash and wmv (we’re the only company that offers multiple
formats for evaluating).
CPOA Video Communications – What to Record
Match Footage or Skills Video
Most coaches prefer Match Footage, for a play-by-play analysis of the athletes’ ability. From the
following list, find your position and record appropriately. Do not record at field/stadium level;
move to a higher point and shoot down if possible. If you have footage already recorded, use
these guidelines to include the appropriate plays on your video.
For recording:
Striker/Forwards/Wings: Match Footage - Camera Position: Make the athlete the
primary focus in the viewfinder. Example: If a pass is made, follow the ball until
received, then back to the athlete. Remember, this video is for coaches evaluation, be
sure they are evaluating YOUR son/daughter and not another player. What to look for:
Speed, field range and balance are very important. Goal, shots on goal, including penalty
kicks; assists; dribbling & possession; passing, including 1-touch & crosses; give and go;
headers, traps & tackles; throw-ins. The number of matches recorded is up to the
family. Good rule: Choose highlights from 1-3 of the athlete's best matches.
Skill Video: If match footage is not available and the athlete has a practice/training
routine, college coaches would be interested in seeing that footage. It will help them
understand the coaching they have received during schooling and or club. Please refer
to the section above "Recording Information" for help and advice; 3-5 repetitions of
each of the drills, including a short (up to :90 seconds), warm-up routine (stretching,
etc.).
Offensive Midfield: Match Footage - Camera Position: Make the athlete the primary
focus in the viewfinder. If a pass is made, follow the ball until received, then back to the
athlete. Remember, this video is for coaches evaluation, be sure they are evaluating
YOUR son/daughter and not another player. What to look for: Speed, field range and
balance are very important. Dribbling & possession; passing, including 1-touch &
crosses; give and go; assists; goal, shots on goal, including penalty kicks; headers, traps
& tackles; throw-ins. The number of matches recorded is up to the family. Choose
highlights from 1-3 of the athlete's best matches.
Skill Video: If match footage is not available and the athlete has a practice/training
routine, college coaches would be interested in seeing that footage. It will help them
understand the coaching they have received during schooling and or club. Please refer
to the section above, "Recording Information" for help and advice; 3-5 repetitions of
each of the drills, including a short (up to :90 seconds), warm-up routine (stretching,
etc.).
Defensive Midfield/Sweeper: Match Footage - Camera Position: Make the athlete the
primary focus in the viewfinder. Example: If a pass is made, follow the ball until
received, then back to the athlete. Remember, this video is for coaches evaluation, be
sure that they are evaluating YOUR son/daughter and not another player. What to look
for: Speed, field range and balance are very important. Clears; steals; possession &
dribbling; passing, including 1-touch; headers; traps; tackles; throw-ins. The number of
matches recorded is up to the family. Choose highlights from 1-3 of the athlete's best
matches.
Skills Video: If match footage is not available and the athlete has a practice/training
routine, college coaches would be interested in seeing that footage. It will help them
understand the coaching they have received during schooling and or club. Please refer
to the section above "Recording Information" for help and advice; 3-5 repetitions of
each of the drills, including a short (up to :90 seconds), warm-up routine (stretching,
etc.).
Goalkeeper: Match Footage - Camera Position: Make the athlete the primary focus in
the viewfinder. Example: Once a goal kick or field throw is made, follow the ball until
received, then back to the athlete. Remember, this video is for coaches evaluation, be
sure they are evaluating YOUR son/daughter and not another player. What to look for:
Speed, range, agility and balance and very important. Moving left or right, including
dives; punches; breakaway stops; punting; throws; goal kicks. The number of matches
recorded is up to the family. Choose highlights from 1-3 of athlete's best matches.
Skills Video: If match footage is not available and the athlete has a practice/training
routine, college coaches would be interested in seeing that footage. It will help them
understand the coaching they have received during schooling and or club. Please refer
to the section above "Recording Information" for help and advice; 3-5 repetitions each
of the drills, including a short (up to :90 seconds), warm-up routine (stretching, etc.).
Please be advised: The video lengths are considered “up to”. In other words, for Gold
Packages, the upload ready video is “up to” five minutes. For Platinum Clients, the
video is “up to” 10 minutes, etc. Many clients do not send enough footage to process
10/20 minute videos, which is fine. Remember, it is quality over quantity. Also, we
accept a maximum of 35 highlights for a video production; there isn’t a college coach in
this solar system that would evaluate a 100+ highlight video.
Highlights: MIX THEM UP! Show versatility, the all-around skill & ability – the more versatile the
athlete is, the more valuable they become to a coach.
Getting it Together: Highlights: Begin viewing at the start of the match. Once a play is found,
look at the clock on the player and write the time along with a brief description of the play (Very
Important), on the Video Editing Worksheet.
Match Footage: Once that section(s) is/are found, notate the ‘time’ (5:00 mark or 10:00 mark
of the match), on the Video Editing Worksheet. You can use multiple sections from different
matches.
The CPOA Video Editing Worksheet
Highlight Number
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
Disc# or Link URL
Time Start
Play Description