The 5 Day Challenge - Day #2 - How to Build Your Perfect College Soccer List

Nov 4 (edited) • General Discussion/Question?

Welcome to Day 2 of the 5-Day Recruiting Challenge!

Yesterday, you set the foundation with your highlight video.

Today, you’ll build the framework for your college recruiting journey. By the end of the five days, you’ll be organized, confident, and “Scholarship Ready!”

⚽ - Let’s get started.

Today’s Mission: Build Your Targeted College List

Many college prospects make the mistake of casting too wide a net, emailing dozens of coaches at random. This “spray and pray” approach is rarely effective, as coaches can quickly spot when you haven’t done your research.

Today, you’ll create a smart, focused list of schools that truly fit you—academically, athletically, and personally. A solid, realistic list is one of your best recruiting tools.

⚽ - Step 1: Honest Self-Assessment

Before you start building your list, take stock of what you offer and what you want.

Academics:

What are your favorite subjects, and what might you want to study?
What’s your GPA and standardized test score (if you have one)?
Do you prefer big lecture halls or small classes?

Athletics:

What’s your current soccer level? (ECNL, GA, NPL, high school varsity, etc.)
What are your strengths and areas for improvement?
Ask your club or high school coach: “At what level of college soccer do you think I could make an impact?”

Personal Fit:

Do you want to be close to home or far away?
Would you rather be at a large university in a city, or a small college in a quieter place?
What are your family’s financial parameters for college?

Use these answers as a filter. Let them guide you as you narrow down from thousands of college soccer programs to those that truly fit your unique profile.

⚽ - Step 2: Organize by Tiers

A well-crafted college list has three sections.

Aim for 25-30 programs divided among these tiers:

1. Target Schools (10-15 schools) Schools where your academics and soccer skills are an excellent match for their current roster. You’ll likely be a strong recruiting candidate at these programs.

2. Reach Schools (5-10 schools)Top-tier soccer or academic programs, a stretch above your current level. Put your absolute dream schools here—just know the odds are steeper.

3. Likely Schools (5-10 schools) Places where your academic and soccer profiles exceed the team’s typical recruit. These schools offer great options, including early playing time.

It's ok if your list is more than 30 schools, we can shrink it as we proceed.

⚽ - Step 3: Researching Programs

With your tiers in mind, it’s time to research. Here’s how to find the right schools for you:

Analyze College Rosters

Go to the team websites you’re interested in and review their roster. For each player at your position, ask:

Which club did they play for? Which league?
What honors did they earn in high school?
Where are they from? (Some coaches recruit heavily from specific clubs or areas.)

If a roster skews toward players from elite national leagues, and you aren’t on that level, that program may be a Reach or not a great fit. That’s not a criticism—it’s helpful information.

Follow Your Peers

Look at where players from your club or local league have landed recently. If athletes with similar skills join Division II or III schools, that’s a clue those programs should be on your Target list.

Use Search Tools

Resources like the NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA websites let you filter by sport, division, location, and major. These are great for discovering programs you might not know.

Visit the NCAA Website for a listing of the current college ranking (RPI)

Women - https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/soccer-women/d1/ncaa-womens-soccer-rpi

(Use the drop down feature to move between D1, D2 and D3)

Men - https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/soccer-men/d1/ncaa-mens-soccer-rpi

(Use the drop down feature to move between D1, D2 and D3)

The Fast Track: CSN

All this research takes time, and it’s normal to feel overwhelmed!

Rather than spend weeks poring over rosters, you can use a tool for a serious shortcut.

A College Soccer Network (CSN) Number makes building your list fast and accurate. Here’s how:

Submit your academic and athletic profile.
The CSN system compares it against a database of all college soccer programs.
You get a data-driven, customized list of schools that fit you best in 24 hours.

Benefits of a CSN List:

No guesswork: You get a list of schools that match your profile and are looking for players like you.
Streamlined outreach: Target, Reach, and Likely schools are all organized for you.
Save time and money: You’ll avoid wasting effort on unnecessary camps and emails to schools that aren’t a fit.

A CSN score gives you not just a list, but an actionable recruiting plan tailored to who you are - You can purchase your CSN Number by visiting the classroom section at the very top of this page.

Day 2 Action Step

Your task today is to build your preliminary list of 25–30 schools. You have two options:

🛠️ DIY Approach

Block out a few hours. Using the self-assessment and research steps above, find the programs that fit your academic, soccer, and personal needs. Build your three tiers: Target, Reach, and Likely.

🚨 Fast Track with CSN

Acquire your CSN Number and fill out their profile form - https://www.skool.com/steve-coxon-soccer-network-4997/classroom/b3492207?md=c096911e52004095baaf945faf1aad9a

In 24 hours, you’ll have a professional, customized list and a head start on outreach.

Whichever approach you choose, do NOT skip this step. A well-crafted list is what separates a frustrating and random recruiting process from a focused, organized, and successful one.

⚽ - FREEBIE ALERT UPDATE

Unfortunately, I don’t have the bandwidth to review more than three school lists today, (COMPLETED) and I want to make sure I give each one the attention it deserves. I hope you understand!

If anyone else would like a full breakdown of their recruiting list of schools, please consider purchasing the CSN Number from the Classroom section.

Name:
Gender:
Position:
Graduation Year:
Team Name (Exact):
League (ECNL, ECRL, GA):
GPA
5 schools you’re most interested in:

Great job on Day 2!

Tomorrow, you’ll learn how to use your new list to reach out to coaches—writing the perfect introductory email that gets their attention and response.

Stay focused, take action, and get ready to make serious progress on your scholarship journey!

By all means post your list of schools below and If I identify any red flags I can give you some pointers!