College Recruiting

For players that want to play in college or simply want to keep that option open, U.S. PARMA is committed to ensuring that they are properly prepared for the journey to the next level of play. It starts with the training on the field with the emphasis first on technical skills then on the tactical part of the game with the physical (fitness) and mental (psychological) elements as well. But in order to be recruited to a college soccer program, there is a lot of work to be done off the field.


U.S. PARMA provides a 27-page manual on college soccer recruiting to all of our U15-U18 players. This manual provides a step by step, easy to follow guide that takes a lot of confusion and uncertainty out of the process. Several current and former college coaches are on the club's staff and are more than happy to answer any questions or help in any way. There are also a few recent college graduates on the staff who can share their own insights and experiences on the subject. Of course, our youth players can always reach out to our older players who are currently playing in college. We know the manual works, just check out our Alumni page.


Most athletes that go on to play in college will play for an NCAA (National College Athletic Association) school, either Division1, Division 2 or Division 3. The NCAA website contains plenty of information on the recruiting process as well as academic and eligibility requirements. It is also a good idea to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center sometime during your sophomore year in high school to make sure your academic record is documented correctly.


The NCAA is not the only road to playing soccer or other sports in college. These other organizations also sanction collegiate athletics. Some schools might even be members of both the NCAA and one or more of the governing bodies below:


Whether a student-athlete eventually plays NCAA D1 or for a junior college, they should first look for a college or university that suits their academic, social and living needs first. Then they can see if the college soccer program might be a fit for them. For instance, these questions and more first need to be answered: What do I want to major in? Do I want a masters degree and if so, would I want to earn it at the same school as my undergraduate studies? Do I want a small school (under 2000 students) or a very large one (over 15,000 students) or something else in between? How far from home do I wish to be? Do I want a rural or suburban or urban campus? Once the student-athlete determines what kind of school would be of interest to them, they should look for schools that fit all of their criteria. There are many search engines and books available that can assist with this. These are just a few:


It is also a good idea for the student-athlete to get themselves listed with several soccer recruiting databases that are used by college coaches. These are free and only take a few minutes to complete: