How to Make the Best Highlights Video as a Soccer Player
One of the biggest keys to getting the maximum number of opportunities and scholarships is making sure your video is as good as it can be. In today’s post, I’m going to list some things that will make it easier for you when you sit down to edit your video.
How to Make the Best Highlights Video as a Soccer Player
In college recruitment, many factors come into play. How good you are in school, how you communicate with coaches, and how skilled you are in your sport.
One of the biggest keys to getting the maximum number of opportunities and scholarships is making sure your video is as good as it can be. In today’s post, I’m going to list some things that will make it easier for you when you sit down to edit your video.
There are certain things you should pay more attention to than others. Stick with us in this post, and hopefully, you’ll feel a bit wiser when you’ve finished reading. 🙂
Length of Your Video
At Athleticademix, we believe the absolute best length for a highlight video is about 5 minutes. It shouldn’t be longer or shorter. 5 minutes is the magic number!
The reason for this is that very few coaches will give you an offer based solely on a highlight video. They will want to see one or more full games before extending an offer.
If you have a 5-minute video, you will have enough clips to show who you are. You also won’t have too many “half-decent” clips, which tends to happen when you try to make a 10-minute video.
Struggling to get your video down to 5 minutes? Luxury problem! Sit down and remove the clips you think are the worst; this means you have an awesome video in progress.
Keep in mind that the clips you use shouldn’t be too short, but also not too long. Did you score a goal? We want to see the pass before and how you got into position for the opportunity. But we don’t need to see the 7-8 passes that led up to it!
Try to determine what’s important versus what’s not to show. A clip that’s too long will slow down the pace of the video.
Prioritize the Right Clips
We all have different amounts of footage to work with, and we understand that! You’ll need to make the best out of the situation. If you’re sitting with a bunch of clips and need to prioritize which ones to include and which ones to leave out, here are a few things to keep in mind:
What environment is the match played in?
At the beginning of a clip, you want to show footage of a ”stadium” or field that looks professional. In other words, a clip with stands and a nice setting looks much better than one shot in a less impressive environment.
The first clips give an initial impression, and if you can give the impression that you often play in ”good” places, it may suggest that you come from a high level.
Who are the opponents I’m playing against?
If you have a clip where you dribble past four players and score top corner, that’s awesome! But who are you playing against? The first reaction from a coach to such a clip will be ”WOW!”. The second reaction will be to rewind and look at your opponents.
If it’s obvious that your opponents are making clear mistakes or are playing at a much lower level than you, this clip could raise more questions than it answers. So try to include your best clips against your best competition.
Always start with your best clips!
A college coach gets hundreds of videos sent to them every day. When you work with us, there’s a higher chance that the coach will watch your video because they know we’ve ”vetted” you first and that the coach will see you at a good level.
That said, if your first clips don’t stand out, the coach won’t watch the video all the way through just to be nice! Many times, a coach might stop watching your video after less than a minute if your opening clips are unremarkable. So, always start with your best clips.
Quality of the video footage
Do you have a clip that’s grainy or of poor quality? Skip it, and try to use clips with the sharpest image. A clip with low resolution can easily be seen as a bit ”amateurish,” and you want to create as few question marks as possible in your video.
So, what does a coach look for?
Of course, you should showcase the player you truly are. If you’re a hard-working midfielder, your first clips shouldn’t be of you dribbling and flicking the ball. They should be of you getting the opponent to eat dirt! 😉
Traits that college coaches appreciate include:
Physicality & Speed
College soccer moves fast! Do you have clips where you look fast or strong? Always include those clips. Demonstrating that you have good physicality or speed gives you an edge!
Will to Win
Do you have clips where you throw yourself to block a shot? Or where you do something extra for the team? Show it! Americans LOVE that. They are always looking for winners.
End Product
Coaches want to see that you make a difference. If you’re a defensive player, the coach wants to see how you make a difference defensively. If you’re an offensive player, the coach wants to see you score goals. They want to see you making an impact!
Which types of clips can I skip?
There really are no clips that are completely unnecessary, but there are clips you should have more of versus less. For example, if you have a clip where you make a sideways pass and nothing significant happens after that, skip it! Find clips where you make a real impact on the game.
Here’s the easiest way to specify what to focus on for each position, and what to leave out:
Goalkeeper
Focus primarily on clips where you save the ball—i.e., clips showing actions that a goalkeeper is primarily known for.
Avoid having too many clips that showcase your passing skills. A few clips are fine to include, but the majority of your clips should focus on saves and goalkeeper actions with your hands.
Tip! As a goalkeeper, we’d prefer if you filmed a 15-20 minute uncut training session showcasing your goalkeeping technique.
Fullback
Focus primarily on clips where you show you’re a solid defender. If you’re an attacking fullback, include clips that highlight your offensive contributions.
Avoid having too many clips of you just playing in the backline. If you want to showcase your passing, make sure it’s a clip where your pass makes a difference.
Center-back
First and foremost: clips where you’re defending! Show that you’re a center-back who protects the goal.
Avoid having too many clips of just playing in the backline. If you want to showcase your passing, include clips where your passes make a meaningful difference.
Winger
Include clips where you make a difference offensively. What’s your strength? Show it! If you’re an athletic winger, make sure to include clips that demonstrate your speed and strength.
Avoid clips where you pass the ball back to a central midfielder or defensive line. As a winger, coaches want to see you make an impact offensively.
Central Midfielder
Depending on whether you play as a defensive (6), central (8), or attacking (10) midfielder, your responsibilities may vary. Try to identify your strengths as a central midfielder and highlight them. Show clips where your key skills make a difference.
Avoid too many sideways passes. This is a common pitfall for central midfielders. If you want to showcase your passing skills, include the passes that break lines and create chances.
Forward
In addition to the obvious goal-scoring clips, make sure to include clips where you create offensive opportunities for your teammates. Are you a forward strong in link-up play? Show that! Are you a forward who makes great runs into space? Include that!
Avoid clips where there’s no offensive danger being created. The clips you include should lead to something offensive. It’s fine to add a few clips showing you’re good at pressing defensively. Americans love team players!
Avoid Fact Boxes
In your video, you don’t need to include slides where you talk about yourself. That’s what we are here for! When we market you, the coach will already have read about you and be aware of your achievements.
There’s no need for the coach to read your info twice. A “big” fact box can also come across as bragging. Let us do the bragging for you! You just focus on showcasing your video.
We will create a cover for your video to make it look as polished as possible. It’s just as important to us that your video looks great, so we both look good in front of the coaches. 🙂
Maintain a High Pace in the Video
If you have a clip where your shirt number is clearly visible, we recommend adding a small text while the clip is running. For example, you could write: “Forward – Yellow Team – #18,” allowing the coach to identify you.
If you want to use an arrow or circle to highlight yourself, try to do so while the clip is still playing. You want to maintain a good flow in the video, and often the tempo slows down when you freeze the frame and highlight yourself.
Make a quick mark while the clip is playing, so the coach can quickly identify who you are.
A Video Can Always Be Updated
During the college recruiting process, the most important thing is to create a video as soon as possible. Without a video, we can’t do anything! Many people wait until they have a video that feels PERFECT.
Nothing is ever perfect, and what’s most important is that we want coaches to know that you’re out there and available. If you wait until your video feels perfect, coaches might have already filled their spots.
The best thing is always to create a video with what you have today. Once you’ve filmed 3-4 more matches, you can remove and add clips, and send us an updated video. We’ll continue doing this until you reach the point where you get a commitment!
To summarize, you’re amazing just as you are. So make sure to showcase YOU in the video, show the player you are, and own it. We’ll find a coach who likes you for your playing style, so dare to show who you are!
For inspiration, you can always visit our YouTube channel where we upload everyone’s highlight videos.