Rules for Being Recruited

There are thousands of youth soccer players cross the U.S. and around the world who dream of playing soccer in college, and even beyond. Whether you’re a blue chip soccer player or just trying to make your college soccer team as a walk-on, there is a process that all players must go through in order to become eligible, known as the NCAA Clearinghouse.

The NCAA Clearinghouse is an organization that works with the NCAA (National Colligate Athletic Association) and serves as the governing body for all Division I, II, and III athletics. Students who want to participate in NCAA athletics their freshmen year, must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse prior to that time. The clearinghouse evaluates a prospective student athlete’s academic record and determines if they are eligible to participate in college athletics as a freshman.

In order to register with the clearinghouse, each student must complete the Student Release Form after his/her junior year in high school. This allows the high school that you have attended permission to send the clearinghouse your transcripts, test scores, and all other necessary material. The Student Release Form also gives the clearinghouse permission to send your academic information to colleges that request your eligibility status. You can register online at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net and get further information on this process.

For players that are trying to get recruited to play soccer at a division I college, there are additional rules and time-lines that must be followed.

You, as a prospective student athlete, may begin making telephone calls to college coaches, both to introduce yourself and to show interest in their school, at any time during high school. However, you will only receive recruiting materials (recruiting letters) beginning on September 1st of your junior year. You may make an unlimited number of unofficial visits to the colleges of your choice at anytime, although you may not start making official visits (contacting the coach) until the first day of school your senior year. You are limited to a maximum of five official visit in all.

College coaches are not allowed to make telephone calls to you until July 1st of your junior year. From that point on they may contact you no more than once a week over the phone. College coaches are allowed to evaluate you and contact you no more than seven times during your senior year and no more than three times off the college campus during your senior year. Rules and dates are a little bit different for being recruited to a division II and III school, so again you can go to the clearinghouse website for further details.