In this episode of Soccer Geeks, we spoke with Elliot Mark, founder of Recruit Fluency, a company dedicated to educating parents about the recruitment process. Elliott shared with us that he wants to “show them the path so that they can take their son or daughter through the recruitment process themselves, without having to outsource their child’s future to a service or an agency and maybe get pulled in the wrong direction.” The company does this through video modules, among other things.
As a young player, Elliot worked with coaches such as Bobby Montgomery, Kevin Anderson, and Gary Book. He credits these coaches’ mentorship and involvement as part of what drove him to start Recruit Fluency. Elliot played for Lehigh University, starting as a freshman, and serving as captain for two years. Injuries led him to coaching directly after college; for nearly five years, he worked at Florida Atlantic University as their head of recruitment.
Elliot shared several important things to keep in mind to help you get your kids in front of the right audience. Here are two of them to get you started.
1. Play at the highest level possible.
Today that might include programs like ECNL and MLS, but it’s important to know that the best programs are always changing. Elliott said, “when you play, you need to play at that level to get the most visibility from college coaches.”
2. Self-awareness
This piece of advice is more directed toward players, although parents should keep it in mind too. How good as a player are you? Really, what’s the likelihood of your getting into the schools you’re hoping for? Not everyone is a D1 player. Or, someone might be a D1 player, but the school’s academics prove challenging. This is the situation Elliot found himself in at Lehigh University. Beyond soccer, are you setting yourself (or your child) up for success? Elliot said he likes to ask parents, “Are those schools aligned with your son and your daughter and your daughter’s academic and athletic prowess?”
For more great tips and to hear more of the podcast, watch the full episode on YouTube or tune in wherever you listen to your podcasts.