Are you reaching out to college coaches ahead of your next National League event? Use these resources to craft an effective message that increases your odds of gaining their attention and getting them to see you play!
THE MOST ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF YOUR EMAIL
The most important factor when contacting college coaches ahead of any youth soccer event is to make sure your email is personalized and intentional. Coaches can easily spot an email that is created from a template and sent to numerous schools, so make sure your email is unique and indicates your genuine interest in that particular school and soccer program.
STRUCTURING YOUR EMAIL
The opening:
Begin your email by introducing yourself. Make sure to include your position, age/grad year, hometown and a brief overview of your athletic and academic background.
The body:
Follow your succinct introduction by explaining why you are interested in this particular school/program.Cover things such as: when you first learned about the school, what drew your attention to the school, if there is a particular area of study the school has that you wish to pursue, and any unique/personal information that can set your email apart from others.
The action:
(To help the event information stand out, consider bolding this section so that it visually grabs the coach’s attention)
Make it clear what action you’d like the coach to take by expressing your interest in having the coach attend your upcoming National League event to see you play. Include the key details, such as the event dates and location, along with your team’s specific game schedule. You can also emphasize that your team is trying to advance to the USYS National Championships, so the coach has a chance to see you in a highly competitive environment.
Remember that all games at National League national events are recorded, so you can let coaches know that they can access game video if they are unable to attend in person.
The closing:
Wrap up your email by briefly reiterating your interest the school/program and expressing how excited you are for the coach to see you play. Make sure to include your contact information, along with contact information for your club and/or high school coaches.
The National League website includes some helpful information for college coaches. Should you wish to include any of those links in your email, there are some URLs at the bottom of this webpage.
THE SUBJECT LINE
The email’s subject line is the first opportunity to capture the coach’s interest and let them know who you are. Include one or more of these items:
- Who you are (Name, position, grad year)
- Where you are from (hometown and/or state)
- How you fit in their program (GPA, height, standout athletic skill/attribute)
- Info in email (event schedule, video clips)
Example: John Smith, 2027 Left Back, 6ft-3, 4.0 GPA & 32 ACT @ NL Semifinals May 1
HELPFUL NATIONAL LEAGUE LINKS
Here are some links that could help connect coaches with info/resources for National League events.
College coach webpage: https://www.usysnationalleague.com/college-coaches-scouts/
(Links to sign up for events and get info on event dates/locations)
NCSA Coach Packet: https://www.coachpacket.com/
(App that has the latest schedules, rosters and player profiles for each national event)
Events webpage: https://www.usysnationalleague.com/national-events/
(Events visual showing the pathway to the USYS National Championships)