Have you ever had a bad experience with your high school coach? If so, you're not the only one! Soccer recruit Michael Cole had conducted himself well throughout his high school playing days, but still established a toxic relationship with his high school soccer coach. Unfortunately for Michael, this unhealthy dynamic resulted in him not being recommended to other colleges, limiting his chances of continuing his playing career.
Are you in a similar situation and don't know what to do? Michael's recruiting horror story offers perspective and good advice to recruits looking to get into college and proves that recruits can make the best of a bad situation.
Athlete Background
Michael Cole was a member of the state championship squad at La Cueva High School in New Mexico. He earned All-State honorable mention honors and All-District First Team honors in his senior year of 2018, scoring five goals and making 10 assists. Michael has also taken the trip over to Italy, having the experience to train with Chievo Verona Academy in 2017-18. With all his success and experience, Michael was ready to take the next step in playing soccer at college level.
But his recruitment process wasn't all smooth sailing.
Relationship Problems
Firstly, Michael says that being from Albuquerque, New Mexico, isn't the most ideal place to get recruited at college's on the East Coast. “[Living] in a remote place where playing East Coast college soccer was the main goal [made] it a lot harder because coaches don't really want to spend their time to come and see you and it's expensive to travel,” he recalled. “Going to showcases is also an option but choosing the right one is key.”
The relationship with Michael's high school soccer coach is where his recruiting horror story begins. “My high school coach didn't want to promote me at all,” Michael said. “I had to do the work all by myself by reaching out to coaches and networking.” Michael recalls how difficult this relationship made his recruiting process. “Although it's a subjective opinion, the coach didn't support me while I was playing and simply didn't like me,” Michael said. Plus, Michael was not only a great athlete but he was also a hard-working student with a 4.7 GPA, making him a dream recruit for any college coach. “I was on the team the longest, never got the decision to be a captain, had a great attitude on and off the field, being one of the best wingers in the state,” Michael said. “But [my coach] liked the guys that partied and had a so-called better social life.” Having this kind of relationship with his coach proved to be difficult to deal with and made it even harder to get recruited at a college.
Michael got lots of negative feedback from his coach which didn't make things any easier. “He didn't think I was Division 1 material, he said that I'd maybe make it to a D3 school if luck was on my side,” Michael said. Although this feedback was a struggle to deal with, Michael used this as motivation to prove his coach wrong and to carry out the recruitment process on his own. “I sent lots of emails reaching out to college coaches,” Michael recalled. “I hated doing it, but it had to be done.”
Related: Recruiting Horror Story: Experiencing False Hope
Michael's Advice
Michael's experience with his high school coach wasn't a great one at all, and maybe you could be experiencing the same thing. If you're in the same boat, Michael advises you to “build a relationship with your high school coach,” and adds that “This is so important because they have the capability to help you in the recruitment process, network, and provide recommendations to college coaches.” Throughout his difficult recruitment experience, Michael knows that it's still possible to have a good outcome in a rough situation. “Believe in yourself,” he emphasized. “You need to be your number one supporter. I did, and look where it got me–in a D1 soccer program. So I would say, keep believing, no ones going to do the work for you so you'll have to do it yourself, and anything is possible”.
A bonus tip that Michael gives is to attend ID camps and showcases if they're affordable and accessible. “ID camps and showcases will be most valuable if you're already speaking to a coach that will be in attendance,” he said. “They're also good for your development because it allows you to play and experience playing with different players in different environments.”
The Next Chapter
Although Michael never got recruited to a college to play soccer, he still managed to make it on to a D1 soccer program during his sophomore year. He stayed motivated and determined by attending a trial hosted by the school and impressed so much that he was given a spot on the roster. Michael is now a senior at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County with stellar grades, all while getting the chance to live his dream as a D1 athlete throughout the remainder of his time at college. Although Michael had his own recruiting horror story, his recruiting process shows that you should never give up in achieving what you want and that anything could happen if you stay dedicated and committed to your sport!
Have a horror story of your own? Email us at [email protected].
* Originally published on April 18, 2023, by Rhys Davies
