It is an option to create a player profile on the team website, for players who are U15 and older.  For players who are interested in playing soccer in college, you may want to add your profile.  Whether you add your profile, and the amount of information you choose to share is completely up to each individual.  It is recommended that players update their profile beginning at the U15 age level.

In order to update your profile there are several steps.  You may need help the first time.  Don’t hesitate to ask.

1.) Click on your name on the roster on the team homepage. If you see a player login button below your photo, click that and follow the instructions.  If there is no login button, contact  nancy@omiliak.com  and tell me the email that you would like displayed on the website.  (Usually it is the player’s email.) 

2.) Once the email is updated on the team website, you can go to the team page and select your name.  Click on the player login, it will ask for your email address.  If you do not yet have a pin, click on the link to have one sent to you at the bottom of the box.

3.) The system will send a pin to the email you provided.  The player can then log in and update their profile.

If you have your login (or once you get it) , and want to update, follow these instructions:

1. Go to the home page
2. Click on players name in the roster
3. It brings up players page.
4. Just above the jersey #  in the red border is a green box with “modify player info”
5. Click on that, and edit at will.

In some cases the login is not available on the individual players website.  You can use the "team admin login" link above the team photo on the front page, and you will be prompted for your email address and password.

It may help to look at profiles that have already been completed.  There are some already done on our team roster, you can also look at other teams pages and click through the rosters to get ideas for completing your own profile.  You can find links to the other team pages by clicking here.   Gary Whitehouse of VSI mentioned that in the Club soccer area list achievements from 2008 and onward.

Many High School soccer players think they will "be discovered" by a great College.  Although this may be true for an elite handful of recruits each year, most players will have to market themselves to Colleges, in order to "be discovered" 

Mark Collings, Crossfire coach and head coach of the men’s SPU soccer team advises kids to first pick the school they want to go to, make sure to make the grades required to get in, and then look at the soccer. 

The number of ssoccer scholarships per school is dictated by the NCAA. 

Men’s soccer
NCAA DI 9.9 scholarships per college
NCAA DII 9 scholarships per college

They have the flexibility to divide the scholarship money among more athletes.  In fact most teams have 25-30 rostered players. The highest awards going to the most sought after recruits.  Scholarships are available in Div. I and Div II programs.  Division III programs are not allowed to provide athletic scholarships, but in many cases the athletic department will work with the admissions department to help with financing through other channels.

Gary Whitehouse from VSI recommends that players put together a sports resume.  You can find a sample resume by clicking here, and then looking for the link on the left side titled "Crossfire Sample Resume".  I would also suggest doing a search for "writing a sports resume" online, and you will find many examples and instructions about writing a sports resume, cover letter, etc.  The resume is in addition to the online profile. 

If you look at the list of College Coaches who are attending the Nike Crossfire College Camp, you can see if there are any schools listed that you really hope to play for.  It is appropriate for the athletes to email a coach and let them know that they will be attending this event.  The email should include the player resume.  You should only make contact with coaches where you have a true interest in their program, and where your academic achievement is at a level to be considered for admission.   You should know that the coaches are not allowed to respond directly to the players until the first day of their junior year.  Coaches prefer to deal directly with players, not parents.

For boys, the number of scholarships is only about 1/2 in the Div I and Div. II levels, compared to the number available for girls at that level.

Our team will be arranging a meeting with VSI to learn more about this process in the near future.  Each Crossfire family is also entitled to a one hour free consultation each year with VSI to learn more about the college application process, whether you plan to play soccer or not.

Suggested reading.  You can download this handbook from the NCAA for free, which has much information about the college recruiting process.  Click here to get the guide.

Another online resource is the NCAA eligibility center.  You can visit it here.   Click on 2010 and after for more information.

The NCAA rules for players contacting Colleges, and Colleges contacting players are very strict.

Players can make unofficial visits to schools at any time.  Players can also call or email coaches.

Coaches can not contact players until September 1 or their junior year in High School.

To confirm that a coach has received a communication from you, you can also ask them to send you admission materials.  They are allowed to do that.