SHOWCASES 

What is a college soccer showcase? College soccer showcases are events hosted by soccer committees who invite college coaches at all levels to watch young soccer players play for the possibility of getting recruited by a college soccer coach. College showcases are hosted in numerous locations, multiple times a year, and in all sorts of weather conditions. These showcases are usually very competitive and are always composed of players at different skill levels. In most common or most popular showcase like the Nike soccer showcase, are usually filled with the best of the best players out there and the top coaches in the nation. College soccer showcases usually aren't free and the average per club is about $250 depending on the one you go to. One needs to be in a club team in other to participate in a college soccer showcase and increase your chances of getting recruited. If you aren't enrolled in a club, there are some methods you could use to perform in a showcase. One could enroll in a club as a guest player and most elite clubs require some form of tryout to see where one fits on the team. Showcases are great because it helps you evaluate yourself compared to other players in your graduating year, and your chances of getting recruited. It is also good for the coaches because, it helps them weed out the players with high potentials from other players who need to improve on their technical, mental, skill, and physical aspects. I would like to focus this article on how one could excel in a showcase, and stand out from the thousands of players who participate in these fantastic events. There are many components that add up to make you look good in the eyes of college coaches and I hope that the components I am about to share with you guys will be helpful in speeding up your recruiting process 

I will likely to strictly advice that these tips are strictly from my experience and knowledge I have gained from elite coaches and other recruited players. One of the most important components that college scouts look for is leadership. Leadership is one of the most important aspect in the game of soccer and the players with the greatest leadership attributes stand out to college scouts. You could show and train  your leadership potentials in numerous ways. One method you could use is communication. Using this method is efficient because communicating with your teammates both on and off the ball shows that you are not only going to improve your personal skill set, but also your teammates' who will learn from your leadership roles.  

College coaches also look at the player's punctuality. Coming to the game about an hour and a half early, getting everything setup and especially coordinate the warm up is really important because it tells the coaches that you are consistent and could be counted on. Appearance and behavior is also another form of punctuality they look at because the player's relationship with the coach and teammates, is significant to the team's overall performance. Behavior towards the referee is extremely important because, when a player gives a referee the respect that he or she deserves, the coaches see it as that the player can be easily coached. Appearance, looking professional and having all required equipment for the game is also important because it shows that you are a well respected lady or a gentleman who has fantastic professional traits that cannot be altered. 

Passion is a very important aspect of getting recruited because of all the commitments one needs to have towards the beautiful game of soccer. Playing with a smile on your face and going at the ball hard, communicating and motivating your teammates tells the coach that you love the game and everything about it. Been passionate means that been positive no matter what, especially if your team is losing, keeping your head as well as your co players in the game, shows that you love the game much more than just the results. This attribute is valuable to the coaches because, it shows them that you can keep the team moving whether in a winning situation, or a heartbreaking losing situation. You could also show how passionate you are about soccer by playing fair and been a good competitor. This attribute also ties in with leadership and college teams want players who will be leaders both in and outside of team. The reason why passion is so valuable to college coaches is because, passion is an attribute that you can't teach. Coaches sort out players that have unteachable attributes from those who don't, and these little aspects can totally change your chances of developing your professional soccer career. 

Determination is a fantastic trait to have because it says a lot about you as person and as player. Coaches want players who are teachable, now what does that mean? Well, it means that coaches want players who are willing to learn, listen to instructions, and determined to learn new things from the coach, the assistant coach, the whole soccer staff, and co players. Determination doesn't differ much from passion especially when we are talking soccer. You almost show determination in the field the same way you show passion. Just like passion, you can show how determined you are on the field especially when trailing by a goal, and motivating your other teammates to keep working alongside you to equalize and tie if not win the game. 

There are a lot more attributes that you can have, which can increase your chances of been recruited and the ones I listed above are just a part of the puzzle. My tips to you guys is, play as much as you can. Play anywhere, in the streets, in the grocery store, just simply get as much playing in as possible. I promise you my friends, you will definitely see a dramatic improvement in your ball control, and all around ball movement. My final advice is that, talk to your coach about the recruiting process, and try to go to as much ID camps and showcases possible. I hope that these few tips will help speed up your recruiting chances. 

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