College Soccer Interview Preparation

Category: Advice for Players

When you enter your senior year in high school, you will be able to meet and/or speak with potential college coaches. Many coaches believe in having an interview with players and sometimes parents. Just like a job interview, this is your chance to not only shine has a player, but also to find out more information about the coach, team and school.

The following are some questions to help you prepare for your college soccer interview:

About the College

  • Is it a four year or two year school?
  • Is the school public or private?
  • Where is the school located? A small town, or in an urban area?
  • What is the campus like? Open or Closed?
  • How large is the school, what is the undergraduate enrollment?
  • What is the academic calendar – quarters, semesters, trimesters?
  • Do most students live on campus or in off-campus apartments?
  • What is the student housing like?
  • Do the members of the soccer team room together?
  • What do you do to help players with their school work? Is tutoring provided?

About the Soccer Program and Team

  • What division is the school? (I, II, III, NAIA, NJCAA)
  • What conference does the team belong to?
  • What important non-conference teams are scheduled?
  • Can a schedule be provided for next fall?
  • What is/was the team’s conference and overall record this year?
  • How many players will there be on the roster?
  • How many will travel with the team?
  • What type of training happens between seasons?
  • What is the pre-season schedule?
  • What is the practice schedule after school starts?
  • Including meetings, training, travel, and matches, how much time is required?
  • What facilities and staff are available to take care of injuries and rehab?
  • What style of play does the team have?

About next year’s Team

  • How many seniors are graduating?
  • Are there red shirt players returning?
  • Where would I play in the team?
  • How many other players are playing that position?
  • How much playing time should I expect as a freshman?
  • Are there other players being recruited for that position?

Some coaches may ask for your game schedule, resume, letters and references before you actually meet, so have these prepared early on. The letters and references can be from past coaches as well as coaches from high school, club, ODP, etc. If you are using past coaches, be courteous and call those coaches first, asking if you can use them as a reference. They will be better prepared to accept calls on your behalf.