Highlight tapes are crucial to the recruiting process for many sports, soccer included. However, a bad highlight tape could push away any interest in you as a recruit so you need to make sure yours is of good-quality. Here are five tips specific to soccer recruits to make sure your highlight tape is working for you, not against you.
1. Keep It Short
No coach wants to watch a ten-minute highlight video. College coaches are busy sorting through hundreds of recruits, so a highlight tape of 3-6 minutes is more than enough to show a coach what you can do and will allow them to view the whole video. If you have a lot more clips to use, make another highlight video and separate the two based on time such as the first half of the season from the second half.
Related: Want to Wow Recruiters? Top 5 Platforms to Help You Create the Best Highlight Reel
2. Capture Attention
Your best clips should be in the beginning. If you're a keeper, put some of your best saves in front. For forwards, show some of your best goals along with some good clips showing your best attributes whether that be speed, strength, or any other quality that will separate you. Some of your best assists and goals for midfielders and some of your best defensive work (college coaches love great 1v1 defenders) for defenders.
3. Point Yourself Out
It never hurts to put a circle around you or a simple arrow at the beginning of the play. It's not always obvious which player you are in the beginning (however if it isn't obvious by the end of the play, that clip probably shouldn't be getting used) and it will make things easier for the coach.
Related: Green Mountain College Soccer Coach Dave Morris on Recruiting, Social Media, and More!
4. Keep the Music Simple (If You Use It At All)
Music isn't necessary for highlight tapes. In fact, it is probably safer not to include music in your highlight video. With that said, if you are going to include it, don't use music that a college coach wouldn't want to hear–no curse words or anything like that. Some simple background music will do just fine to accompany your highlight video, but don't feel obligated to accompany your tape with music if it's not your style.
Related: Dos and Don'ts of Making Highlight Videos for Athletes
5. Include An Introductory Slide
While music is optional, a good introduction is not. If a college coach is watching your highlight video, they probably already know your background to a certain extent for information such as name and position, but an introductory frame with information like your height, team, graduation year, and contact information is not the worst idea. In fact, many coaches will appreciate it and if some don't, it will not make or break the video. Just make sure the introduction is simple and short so that the coaches can get to watching you play quickly.
Highlight tips are meant to show what you can do and pique initial interest from coaches–don't ruin your video with dumb mistakes like bad music or dragging it out too long. Follow these tips to make sure your highlight tape is working in your favor to get you to the next level of your athletic career.
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* Originally published on December 21, 2022, by Scott Abramson
