83: What Data from over 200 College Coaches tells us about Recruiting

In this episode, Don Williams of SRUSA sat down with Matt Anderson and Matt Baehr, who each surveyed nearly 200 college soccer coaches, to uncover what truly shapes college recruiting today. Matt Anderson (Manchester Metropolitan University, UK) His research focused on player identification, qualities coaches value most, and talent development pathways. He shared insights into what separates a recruitable athlete from the rest, emphasizing skill acquisition, psychological factors, and long-term growth. Matt Baehr (Discover College Soccer) His survey explored the recruiting ecosystem—where coaches recruit from, how they allocate budgets, staffing sizes, and trends in scouting. His findings highlight the practical realities of recruiting logistics and the environments where players are most visible to college coaches. Together, the discussion gave families and athletes a 360-degree view of how college coaches evaluate talent and operate within their recruiting frameworks. This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating the U.S. college soccer pathway—parents, players, and coaches alike—because it combines data-driven insights with on-the-ground realities. 🔗 Connect with the Guests Matt Baehr — Discover College Soccer Website: www.discovercollegesoccer.com X (Twitter): www.x.com/Discover_CS Instagram: www.instagram.com/discover_cs Facebook: Discover College Soccer Matt Anderson — Manchester Metropolitan University X (Twitter): www.x.com/MatthewAndrew23 Email: [email protected] Role: PhD, Senior Lecturer in Sport & Exercise Psychology (focus: skill acquisition, talent ID & development) This episode is brought to you by Sports Recruiting USA (SRUSA), the College Soccer Recruiting Experts. 🌐 Check us out online: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sportsrecruitingusa X (Twitter): https://www.twitter.com/SRUSA_Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sportsrecruitingusa Threads: https://www.threads.net/@sportsrecruitingusa TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@collegesoccer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/sportsrecruitingusa Website: https://www.sportsrecruitingusa.com/

Sponsored by Gap Year Soccer & Sports Recruiting USA (SRUSA) In this episode of Inside College Soccer, host Don Williams welcomes Nick Lemke, RD 🥗, a registered dietitian who works with athletes to optimize performance through better fueling. This Q&A-style conversation dives into the nutrition questions athletes and parents ask most often: ⚽️ What to eat before, during, and after games. 💧 Hydration tips that actually impact performance. 📅 The difference between fueling on training days, rest days, and tournament weekends. 👩‍🦰 Nutrition challenges for female athletes. 🌱 Vegetarian and vegan considerations. 💊 Supplements: when things like creatine, electrolytes, or protein powders make sense. 🔥 The habits that separate “average” athletes from great ones. Nick breaks it all down in a way that’s clear, practical, and easy for players, parents, and coaches to apply right away. 🎧 Listen here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3o7QTfm9YU Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ru35r5NSjI94HCbd1DX7J Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/inside-college-soccer/id1480369430?i=1000725121059 This episode is brought to you by Sports Recruiting USA (SRUSA), the College Soccer Recruiting Experts. 🌐 Check us out online: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sportsrecruitingusa X (Twitter): https://www.twitter.com/SRUSA_Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sportsrecruitingusa Threads: https://www.threads.net/@sportsrecruitingusa TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@collegesoccer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/sportsrecruitingusa Website: https://www.sportsrecruitingusa.com/

In this special edition of Inside College Soccer, Don Williams answers a parent’s big question: “What’s the general timeline of the college soccer recruiting process?” If you’ve got a 2026 or 2027 player navigating emails, phone calls, ID camps, and wondering why coaches go quiet, this is the episode for you.

In this powerful episode of Inside College Soccer, SRUSA’s Don Williams sits down with Dr. Ryan Swanson, professor and author of A Beautiful Shame — a deeply personal and riveting book chronicling the final season of men’s soccer at the University of New Mexico. This story isn't just about a game. It’s about identity, sacrifice, and what happens when a successful program is abruptly cut from a university's future. With unprecedented access to the team, Dr. Swanson captures the voices of athletes, administrators, and legendary coach Jeremy Fishbein, the winningest coach in UNM history with a record of 161-87-45. The book highlights the raw emotion, cultural impact, and deeper meaning behind college soccer in America. Sponsored by: www.GapYearSoccer.com — the #1 soccer-focused gap year program in the world. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. Learn more: ryanswanson21.com/a-beautiful-shame

Sponsored by Gap Year Soccer & Sports Recruiting USA (SRUSA) In this episode, host Don Williams engages world-renowned sport psychologist Dan Abrahams in a deep dive into his soon-to-be-released book Compete, alongside his celebrated career and work. Dan unpacks what defines a great competitor and a high-performing team, and shares actionable insights for managing anxiety, anger, frustration, and fostering a championship mindset. 🧠 Meet Dan Abrahams Global Sport Psychologist with a Master’s in Sport Psychology and HCPC registration, Dan has served elite soccer clubs—Premier League, Championship, and national teams—to optimize performance through mindset uk.linkedin.com+15danabrahams.com+15listennotes.com+15. Former professional golfer, he brings unique insights from multiple sports into his coaching howsoccerexplainsleadership.com Author of four best-sellers: Soccer Tough, Soccer Tough II, Soccer Brain, and Golf Tough—each focusing on practical mental strategies for players and coaches footblogball.wordpress.com+4danabrahams.com+4surfsoccernation.com+4. 📘 New Book: Compete (working title) Focused on cultivating a competitive mindset, Compete helps athletes and teams define their competitive identity. Dan explores: Traits of great competitors & teams—clarity, resilience, adaptability, and collective purpose. Mental health tools—strategies for managing anxiety, anger, and frustration. High-performance routines—process over outcomes, emotional regulation, and staying present under pressure. 📈 The Dan Abrahams Soccer Academy A robust online platform offering: 3 core video series—Player, Coach, and Parent Tracks—with over 100 concise modules, Tools to build confidence, enhance focus, and create game-day routines and mindsets, Proven, bite-size lessons and real-life case studies used by parents and coaches internationally youtube.com+7howsoccerexplainsleadership.com+7norcalpremier.com+7behindthebest.colistennotes.com+4danabrahams.com+4footblogball.wordpress.com+4. 🔍 Special Topic Highlights What defines elite competitors & high-performing teams? Dan emphasizes a “high-performance mindset” founded on flexible process, psychological resilience, and collaborative “teamship” . Conquering anxiety, anger, frustration Through mental skills like self-awareness, process focus, and game-face routines, athletes can navigate emotional volatility in competition. Practical mindset coaching tools Dan outlines key techniques: scaling performance realistically, injecting process routines, situational self-talk, and mental warm-ups—helping athletes stay present and consistent. Empowering coaches & parents Communication strategies are critical. As Dan recently noted, “Every word a coach says builds confidence or damages it”—making precise, positive guidance essential norcalpremier.com+2soccertoday.com+2surfsoccernation.com+2. 👥 Media & Community The Sport Psych Show—Dan hosts this podcast, sharing expertise across sports and performance listennotes.com+10danabrahams.com+10howsoccerexplainsleadership.com+10. Active on social: X (@DanAbrahams77), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn—engaging with athletes, coaches, and parents globally youtube.com+15instagram.com+15howsoccerexplainsleadership.com+15. 🎧 Why This Episode Matters Athletes, coaches, and parents will walk away with: A playbook for mindset mastery: Simple, structured routines and principles that work under pressure. Insight into next-level competitor development: Understanding the psychological benchmarks separating good from great. Better communication strategies: Learn how to speak to athletes in ways that uplift and motivate—even in adversity. This is more than a podcast—it’s a mental strength master class aligned with SRUSA and Gap Year Soccer's mission to build resilient, college-ready athletes. This episode is brought to you by Sports Recruiting USA, the College Soccer Recruiting Experts. Check out us on social media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/sportsrecruitingusa X: www.twitter.com/SRUSA_Official Instagram: www.instagram.com/sportsrecruitingusa Threads: www.threads.net/@sportsrecruitingusa TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@collegesoccer LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/sportsrecruitingusa Website: https://www.sportsrecruitingusa.com/

🎙️ Inside College Soccer | Featuring Steve Purdy Presented by Sports Recruiting USA (SRUSA) In this episode, host Don Williams sits down with former professional and current trainer Steve Purdy to unfold a compelling story of resilience, adaptability, and passion—from Northern California youth leagues to Germany's 2.Bundesliga and MLS, and finally into elite coaching. 🧭 Journey Through the Game Purdy reflects on pivotal career milestones: breakout youth performances in Northern California, powering the Cal Golden Bears to a Pac‑10 title, testing himself in Europe with 1860 Munich, enduring injury setbacks, and representing both MLS clubs (FC Dallas, Portland Timbers) and El Salvador’s national team. His story illustrates the unpredictable, yet rewarding, path of pro soccer purdyperformance.com+7timbers.com+7linkedin.com+7purdyperformance.com+1purdyperformance.com+1. 🏋️‍♂️ Transition to Trainer & Vision for Development Today, Steve runs Purdy Performance in Green Bay, a comprehensive soccer training hub that blends technical, tactical, athletic, and mental conditioning—reflecting his own approach to holistic player growth purdyperformance.com+1soccerparents.com+1. Through private sessions, small groups, and camps, he supports players 7–18+ with customized programming. His offerings include: Elite & Development Tracks: including “Elite GK Academy” for ages 12–16—15 weeks of high‑tempo, position‑specific sessions covering all modern goalkeeper tools purdyperformance.com. Sports Performance Programs: functional strength, speed, agility, HIIT, and SPARTAN DEKA training—a full fitness suite beyond soccer purdyperformance.com+2soccerparents.com+2purdyperformance.com+2. 🌱 Mindset & Holistic Athlete Approach Purdy emphasizes that true player development extends beyond the pitch—his site details a strong focus on mental strength and lifestyle coaching, built from his background as a certified lifestyle and exercise coach linkedin.com. 📈 Impact & Legacy Under his leadership, Purdy Performance collaborates with the likes of SC Wave and The Talent Projekt to connect youth players with MLS Next, MWC, and YNL pathways—underscoring his role in fostering long-term elite athletes purdyperformance.com+4facebook.com+4purdyperformance.com+4. This episode is a masterclass in transition—showing how elite play, adversity, and strategic reinvention can reshape a career. For college athletes, coaches, and parents, Purdy’s insights offer actionable strategies in technical excellence and mental toughness, perfectly aligned with SRUSA’s mission to mold tomorrow’s soccer leaders. This episode is brought to you by Sports Recruiting USA, the College Soccer Recruiting Experts. Check out us on social media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/sportsrecruitingusa X: www.twitter.com/SRUSA_Official Instagram: www.instagram.com/sportsrecruitingusa Threads: www.threads.net/@sportsrecruitingusa TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@collegesoccer LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/sportsrecruitingusa Website: https://www.sportsrecruitingusa.com/ 

In our latest podcast episode, Don Williams had the privilege of diving deep into the world of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) with Kristi Dosh, author of the newly released book The Athlete’s NIL Playbook: The Complete Guide to Owning and Profiting from Your Name, Image, and Likeness (available for pre-order, set to release July 2, 2025, from Wiley). Kristi, a leading expert in sports business, shared invaluable insights on navigating the rapidly evolving NIL landscape for athletes at all levels. We explored the role of NIL collectives, which have become pivotal in facilitating deals for college athletes, often acting as a bridge between donors and players to secure lucrative opportunities. Kristi highlighted how these collectives are reshaping recruiting and team dynamics, particularly in light of the House v. NCAA settlement, which has ushered in a new era of college sports. This landmark settlement, finalized on June 6, 2025, allows schools to directly share up to $20.5 million annually with athletes, eliminates scholarship caps, and introduces roster limits, which could impact team sizes and walk-on opportunities. We also discussed how the settlement’s revenue-sharing model and the creation of the College Sports Commission will regulate NIL deals, with all third-party deals over $600 now subject to review by Deloitte’s NIL Go clearinghouse to ensure fair market value. The conversation expanded to the growing presence of NIL in high school and even elementary school-aged athletes, emphasizing the need for early education and guidance for young athletes and their families. Kristi stressed the importance of her book as a resource for parents navigating this complex space, a point she echoed in a recent X post: “One of the biggest reasons I wrote The Athlete's NIL Playbook was to educate parents about NIL and revenue sharing. So little education is being offered to parents, and it can be a lot to navigate” (@SportsBizMiss, June 17, 2025). Looking ahead, we discussed the future of NIL, including the increasing role of agents in helping athletes secure and manage deals. Kristi shared how agents can provide critical support, especially as schools and collectives take on more responsibility for facilitating NIL agreements under the new settlement rules. We also touched on potential challenges, such as Title IX concerns and ongoing lawsuits that could further shape the NIL landscape. This episode is a must-listen for athletes, parents, and fans looking to understand the business of college sports in the NIL era. Check out Kristi’s book for a comprehensive guide to maximizing NIL opportunities, and follow @SportsBizMiss on Facebook, X, and Instagram for the latest insights on sports business! 🎧  This episode is brought to you by Sports Recruiting USA, the College Soccer Recruiting Experts. Check out us on social media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/sportsrecruitingusa X: www.twitter.com/SRUSA_Official Instagram: www.instagram.com/sportsrecruitingusa Threads: www.threads.net/@sportsrecruitingusa TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@collegesoccer LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/sportsrecruitingusa Website: https://www.sportsrecruitingusa.com/ #CollegeSports #NIL #TheAthletesNILPlaybook 

SRUSA's consultant Kendyl Baird joins Don Williams to talk about her experience in college soccer and how she got to work in the recruiting world. This episode gives LOTS of #CollegeSoccer Recruiting Advice for players, parents and everyone else interested in the subject. To get in touch directly with Kendyl Baird please reach her at [email protected]. This episode is brought to you by Sports Recruiting USA, the College Soccer Recruiting Experts. Check out us on social media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/sportsrecruitingusa X: www.twitter.com/SRUSA_Official Instagram: www.instagram.com/sportsrecruitingusa Threads: www.threads.net/@sportsrecruitingusa TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@collegesoccer LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/sportsrecruitingusa Website: https://www.sportsrecruitingusa.com/

In this insightful episode of the Inside #CollegeSoccer Podcast, we sit down with Mitchell Heath, a former NCAA Division II soccer player and current SRUSA Consultant. Mitchell shares his unique journey from collegiate athlete to guiding aspiring soccer players through the U.S. college recruitment process. Key Highlights: - Mitchell's experiences and challenges as an NCAA D2 soccer player - Transitioning from player to consultant: motivations and insights - Common misconceptions about college soccer recruitment - Tips for aspiring athletes navigating the recruitment landscape - The role of SRUSA in supporting student-athletes' dreams Whether you're an aspiring college soccer player, a parent, or someone interested in the intricacies of sports recruitment, this episode offers valuable perspectives and advice. To get in touch directly with Mitchell Heath please reach him at [email protected]. This episode is brought to you by Sports Recruiting USA, the College Soccer Recruiting Experts. Check out us on social media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/sportsrecruitingusa X: www.twitter.com/SRUSA_Official Instagram: www.instagram.com/sportsrecruitingusa Threads: www.threads.net/@sportsrecruitingusa TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@collegesoccer LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/sportsrecruitingusa Website: https://www.sportsrecruitingusa.com/

In a two-part podcast series, the Inside College Soccer Podcast and Advanced Football Academy Podcast featured engaging conversations with Ben Garrick from Advanced Football Academy. In the first segment, hosted by the ICSP, Ben discussed his innovative project, which provides a comprehensive library of content focused on the technical, tactical, physical, and mental development of soccer players, offering valuable resources for players, coaches, and clubs. He also shared insights into his background, including his experience at the professional youth academy of Dundee FC in Scotland. In the second segment, hosted by AFA, Ben interviewed Don Williams from Sports Recruiting USA, delving into Don’s 30-year coaching career across professional, youth, and college soccer. The discussion explored key experiences and lessons learned, along with practical advice for young coaches starting their careers in the sport. This episode gives LOTS of #CollegeSoccer Recruiting Advice for players, parents and everyone else interested in the subject. To get in touch directly with Ben Garrick please reach him via DM on Instagram by going to @advanced.football.academy. This episode is brought to you by Sports Recruiting USA, the College Soccer Recruiting Experts. Check out us on social media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/sportsrecruitingusa X: www.twitter.com/SRUSA_Official Instagram: www.instagram.com/sportsrecruitingusa Threads: www.threads.net/@sportsrecruitingusa TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@collegesoccer LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/sportsrecruitingusa Website: https://www.sportsrecruitingusa.com/