UVM Soccer Coach Speaks to Students about Playing Sports in College

Brad Cole, Associate Head Coach of UVM Men's Soccer and former coach at Cornell and U Portland, visited campus and met with Rice students & families to share insights on the recruiting process and life as a college athlete. Coach Cole led the team to a national championship this year and was joined by two current players who shared their experiences from the student perspective.

Here are a few highlights from his talk:

• Big Commitment, but Worth It
  Students described their rigorous training schedule, workouts, lifts, class & homework commitments, and routines of their typical day. They clearly showed that it's a big commitment to play a sport in college and it means balancing training time with studying and schoolwork. They emphasized that it's worth it if you're doing something you love. Coach Cole encouraged athletes to think about WHY you want to play a sport in college, and encouraged students to find the right fit division and school for them.
  
  
• Stand Out in the Recruitment Process by being Professional & Authentic
  Coach Cole receives a LOT of emails every day from potential students introducing themselves. He said the ones that stand out to coaches are those that communicate in a professional manner, respond quickly if he reaches out to them, and make an authentic connection. It is important for students to be able to talk about interests aside from the sport, gel with other members of the team, and can truly be themselves. He encouraged athletes to ask their coaches who know them well for their personal recommendations about next steps for that athlete.  
  
  
• Finances & Scholarships
  Coach Cole described the different scholarship options available in D1, D2, and D3 schools. He encouraged students to maintain good grades for their best chance at getting a good package from a school. He also said that athletic scholarships are never for 4 years, they're subject to change year to year, and that athletes need to consider if they'd be happy at a school if they weren't playing a sport.
  
  
• Social Media & Player Profiles
  Coach Cole said it's important to have an exciting highlight video that shows the skill and depth of an athlete. He encouraged all students to be good digital citizens and have social media profiles that are clean, professional, and separate from personal accounts. Organization and including your year, GPA, relevant player stats, and contact information is really important and should be made easy to access so coaches can reach back out to you.

Bottom line: Pursue your dream, do what you love, but recognize finding the right balance and fit for you as an individual student athlete is the most important part of this process. Communicating professionally, being yourself, and giving your best effort in all areas of life will give you the best chance at success.