- What specific actions did you take in high school to increase your chances of getting recruited by a college soccer team?
The biggest thing for me was sending emails. I sent countless emails to almost EVERY D1 school. It was tedious work, but my philosophy was to open as many doors as possible, and step through the ones that stayed open. I also used the help of the club resources like Tibor to make sure I was leveraging all of the connections I had. Tibor was key in finalizing the school where I ended up. - How did you balance academics and soccer during your high school years, and what advice would you give to others facing this challenge?
To balance school and academics I sacrificed social outings. While I was able to have good friends and enjoy my high school years, there were times when I simply had to miss parties or mid week hang outs because I needed to get my schoolwork done before practice. At the end of the day it didn’t really feel like a sacrifice because I genuinely loved football. Another thing I did (might go against advice that you have heard) was I did not take any honors classes or AP. I took all on level classes, and was able to get straight A’s while applying minimal effort to school. My friends would have huge homework loads, and instead I would be able to get extra training in. I’m not saying do this, I’m just sharing my perspective. I do think never feeling stress in school allowed me to put more focus and training hours into football. - What was the most significant difference you noticed between club soccer and college soccer, and how did you adapt?
The biggest difference between club and college soccer is the speed of play and the athleticism needed. In college, you must be willing to cover tons of miles and press the entire match. At club at times maybe I could “chill” and be a luxury player. My biggest advice would be to defend hard and hungry regardless of your position. My dad and I use the phrase defend like a lion. Instead of having to add this to your game when you get to college like I did, you will already have it. In addition, the technical level is also significantly higher. If you spend 10 minutes every day juggling with a wall, your touch will develop very quickly. - What skills or qualities do you think are essential for a high school player to develop if they want to play at the college level?
On the field, you must be clearly better than most other players in your position. For example as a winger, are you winning 1v1s and providing goals/assist every game? As an outside defender, are you winning your defensive 1v1 duels? Are you joining the attack and getting crosses off? These are just a few examples. There is no one skill that college players need. At the end of the day you must stand out as superior to the club level. - Can you walk us through your recruitment process, and what tips would you give to high school players going through it?
As a freshman, I began sending out emails to hundreds of schools. I continued doing this while simultaneously making a list of my top schools. Schools that were on my list of schools that also continued dialogue with me were the ones I further pursued. From there I made sure they got to see me play in person. You must share your schedules with coaches- nobody will recruit you if they don’t see you play live. As coaches saw me play live and concrete interests came in during my junior and senior year, I took visits to schools to see what felt right. To be honest, younger me would have wanted to go to a bigger name school. It ended up working out where those schools offered me no money but a spot on the team. I decided to go to a place where I was given a healthy scholarship (I felt wanted) and it paid off. You don’t have to go to the big names to be successful. - How did you handle the physical and mental demands of playing at a higher level in college?
The biggest thing I did to make the transition was to take control of my mind. If you have a weak mind every day will be a challenge. “Why didn’t I start? Why didn’t I play? Am I good enough?” These thoughts will take over your life and the game will lose its fun. Once I got to college I realized these things would happen and began to read and meditate. Learn to believe in your abilities unconditionally and to play your best every day. I attribute most of my success in college onward to the mental side of the game that I have developed through meditation, visualization, etc. - What are some common mistakes high school players make when trying to get recruited, and how can they avoid them?
The biggest mistake young players make is thinking they’ve done enough. They send 10 emails and believe they’re doing what they need. Send 50,60,70 emails. When you put energy to the world that you want to be a D1 player, there is no cap to what can happen. But, when you limit yourself to only certain schools or even only coaches who contact you first, your opportunities are NOT as big. - What kind of support system did you have in place during your high school and college years, and how important was it to your success?
My support system is probably the most important part on my journey. It consisted of my family as well as my close friends on the team who I could talk through anything with. Even still I talk to my mom and dad every day. For me it always helps to debrief my training, practice, etc with them and then also talk about things other than football. With my team the biggest thing I’ve noticed is that being vulnerable about my feelings has allowed me to be the most successful. When I was able to talk about stuff openly, then my friends felt that they could also. This really helped us through the hard times as a D1 athlete. - What’s the most important advice you’d give to a high school player who wants to play professionally one day?
OUTWORK EVERYONE, believe in yourself unconditionally, train your mind so you can play freely regardless of what anybody says. - Looking back, what’s one thing you wish you had done differently during your high school years to prepare for college soccer?
I will give two things. 1-Play wall ball for 10+ minutes a day. Literally stand in front of a wall and perfect your craft. I realized that if I wanted to play pro, I simply needed to take a good touch 100% of the time. Wall ball has completely leveled up my game. I now never worry about basic technical actions while I’m playing. I can put my energy into other parts of my game. 2- Learn to meditate, control your mind, and have unbreakable confidence. Obviously nobody is perfect and I 1000% have confidence slumps sometimes, but being able to control them has absolutely given me power in creating my future. Find a book, watch YouTube videos, whatever your avenue. I think learning about the mental side of the game is pivotal. Both of these 2 tips I didn’t do until I was in college, and you can start now!
Riley Lynch: QnA with Blackhawks Soccer/Phoenix Rising FC Alumni, current professional player
