What College Coaches Are Really Looking For (Beyond Talent)

primusmarketing1
Jul 17
4 min read

When it comes to getting recruited for college soccer, talent matters, but it’s far from the only thing coaches are evaluating.

Across NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, and Canadian schools, coaches are constantly scouting for players who fit their program, both on and off the pitch. And with thousands of players competing globally, it’s the intangibles that often make the difference.

In this blog, we’ll break down the key non-skill traits college coaches care about and how you can stand out, regardless of your playing background.

⚽ Yes, Ability Matters — But It’s Just the Starting Point

Every college coach is looking for players who can:

Play at the speed and physicality of the college level
Understand systems and tactical instructions
Contribute to their team’s style and needs

But once that baseline is met, it’s not the most technical player who always gets picked. It’s the one who shows they’ll add value to the program every day, not just on match day.

🔑 Top Traits Coaches Look For (Besides Talent)

Here’s what coaches are really watching, whether you realize it or not:

🧠 Coachability

One of the biggest green flags in recruitment.

Coaches want to see players who:

Take feedback well (without excuses or attitude)
Adjust quickly after instruction
Stay focused during tough sessions or bad games

Being coachable shows you’re willing to grow, not just show off what you already know.

💼 Work Rate & Mentality

Coaches are building a team, not a highlight reel. They're looking for players who:

Run when they’re tired
Defend as hard as they attack
Show up early and stay late

This attitude translates across training, the weight room, academics, and off the field. Players with strong work ethic raise the standard for everyone.

💬 Body Language & Presence

Scouts and coaches often make first impressions in seconds, not minutes.

Bad signs:

Hands on hips
Eye-rolling when subbed
Head down after mistakes

Good signs:

Energy when you're not on the ball
Supporting teammates
Staying locked in from warm-up to final whistle

Your body language is always speaking, make sure it’s saying the right things.

🎓 Academic Responsibility

Especially early in recruitment, your transcript matters more than your technique.

Coaches want players who:

Can stay eligible
Don’t create headaches for academic advisors
Take pride in being a student-athlete, not just an athlete

If your grades are slipping, so are your chances, even if your footwork is elite.

🧭 Leadership & Accountability

Leadership doesn’t always mean yelling or wearing the captain’s armband.

It’s about:

Doing the right thing even when no one’s watching
Picking up teammates
Owning mistakes
Representing the team and the school with maturity

Coaches love recruiting players who make their job easier and who inspire others to step up.

🔁 In Games, On Video, and in Person — It All Shows

Whether a coach is watching you at a showcase, evaluating your highlight reel, or checking in with your current coach, these traits shine through.

👉 On video: Are you jogging back? Or sprinting to recover?

👉 At Showcases: Are you the one talking? Or waiting to be led?

👉 On Calls: Are you polite, engaged, asking questions and prepared?

Everything counts. Most players think recruiting is just about performance but for coaches, it’s often about projection. They’re not just watching who you are, they’re imagining who you’ll become.

💪 Bonus Advantage: Men’s Football Experience

One of the biggest things college coaches value, especially when recruiting international players, is seeing that you've already stepped up to men’s football.

Why? Because the college game is fast, physical, and mentally demanding, more so than youth or academy setups.

Playing men's football shows coaches:

You've competed against older, stronger players
You can handle the physicality of the college level
You're used to pressure and real consequences on the pitch

Even if you're not in a professional environment, regular first-team minutes whether that’s in non-league, semi-pro, or adult amateur sides, go a long way in proving you’re ready to make the jump.

It shows you're not just technically capable, but that you’ve already adapted to real game speed, real contact, and real accountability which youth football often lacks.

✅ How to Stand Out the Right Way

Here are 5 ways to show coaches you’re more than just talented:

Send organized, respectful emails that show effort
Show up fit and focused — especially at showcases
Be the hardest worker off the ball, not just on it
Respond quickly to coaches and advisors — communication counts
Keep your social media clean — yes, they check

At Primus, we help players not only build their recruitment profiles, but prepare for every step that comes after. It’s not about pretending to be perfect, it’s about becoming the player and person coaches want to bring in.

Ready to make the right impression — and back it up?

👉 Explore how we help at PrimusSportsPartners.com Where you go matters, but who you are matters more.