College Planning content exclusively provided by the NCSA

NCSA RECRUITING CORNER

The Reality of Local Fame in the Competitive Game of Recruiting

I recently attended a local high school soccer game.  As I stood there, it was obvious that one player was the standout.  The crowd certainly knew her, and the parents around me did as well.  When a perfectly-placed shot from 20 yards out hit the crossbar the teenage boys in the crowd chanted her name.  It was quite impressive and entertaining. 

While I sat there watching this game, I began to think about all of the student-athletes I work with on a daily basis as a Recruiting Coach with NCSA.  I wondered which ones were that standout girl on their high school team.  I felt really excited for them and their collegiate athletic dreams.  I cheered in my head for them, “Yeah!”  My heart raced and I felt like I was back on the high school soccer field again.  I remember all of the collegiate dreams I had as a high school player. 

Then reality hit and I thought about all of the numbers at my desk; percentages that are collected, compiled, computed, and posted.  These are numbers that I am well aware of as a Recruiting Coach.   

There are an estimated 321,555 women’s high school soccer players nationwide and about 358,935 men’s players.  Out of those boys, less than 3 in 50, or about 5.5% will go on to play men’s soccer at a NCAA member institution and of those girls about 6.8% will go on to play women’s soccer at a NCAA member institution. Out of those that do play; only 1% make a Division I roster and of that 1% of high school boys and girls, only 0.8% of them will end up with a full-ride scholarship.  
 
Now I look back at the standout player, who at this point is controlling the whole game.  I have to consider whether she is one of the elite 0.8%.  After some thought on the matter, I decided she was not.    

The moral of this story is that local fame does not equal high level recruiting. There are an endless amount of players vying for a spot on each coach’s team.  I know from experience that any coach at the Top 25 level is inundated with letters, emails, and videos everyday.  Your local high school celebrity is something to be relished and reminisced upon, but do not feel a sense of entitlement because of it.  Be sure to take into consideration that in recruiting you are now competing against an entire nation of high school stand-outs.  Go for the gold, but be realistic about where your ability will truly take you.

About NCSA
NCSA, the “Official Scouting Organization and Provider of Recruiting Education” for Cal South, is the premier source for matching high school scholar – athletes with colleges and universities across the country. NCSA is the "Eyes & Ears" of more than 35,000 college coaches, who rely on NCSA's experienced scouting team and instant response capabilities to provide them with quality prospective recruits. NCSA prides itself in educating high school student-athletes and their families about the college recruiting process. Visit www.ncsasports.org for more information about NCSA.