College ID camps are a vital component of getting recruited to play college soccer. With a number of options available, how do families decide where to spend their hard earned money? Here are 5 key things to think about when comparing ID camps:

1. Are The Coaches Actually Attending?

Most ID camps list a certain number of colleges on their website as attending an upcoming ID camp. The most important question here is: are the coaches actually going to be there? Some ID camp coach lists end up being pretty different in person than they were advertised online. It is important to evaluate the reputation of the ID camp provider when deciding which camp to attend. We advise that you speak to college coaches and older players who have attended ID camps to give you a sense of which are the best to attend.

In terms of college coach lists, we do things a bit differently at Future 500. Every coach advertised by Future 500 has explicitly agreed to attend the requisite camp. Our process of coach sign ups results in accurate coaches lists at every camp. The level of care we have for the coach lists is just one reason why we consistently receive excellent feedback from families and players. Future 500 has a stellar reputation with college coaches and families as a result of years of honest, high level ID camps.

2. How Are The Coaches Organized?

Another important component of the recruiting value of an ID camp concerns how the coaches are organized. The main question here is: are coaches actually going to see my child play? 

Some camps don’t put much thought into the flow of coaches during the event. At Future 500 we have a detailed schedule and matrix that connects the movements of our players to the coaches movements at camp. We take great care to ensure that every coach watches every player, multiple times.

3. What Are Virtual Coaches?

Be wary of virtual coaches. Some ID Camps try to increase the perceived value of their advertised list of coaches by including a variety of top colleges as ‘virtual coaches’ on their camp lists. At worst this is deceptive, at best the camp is sending film to these coaches after their event with no guarantee that it is ever seen by them. You can purchase high quality VEO game film, but it is up to you to send these to coaches who were not physically present at camp. 

4. Who Actually Runs The Camp?

Another important aspect to consider when evaluating ID camps concerns who actually runs the camp, and how much support there is at camp. Some camps have college coaches running things, or employ the minimum number of people required to deliver the camp – making it hard to ensure everything runs smoothly for the benefit of the players. Future 500 employs some of our top members of staff to run each event, as well as hiring current college players to help ensure everything runs smoothly. This level of organization ensures that players and coaches are where they need to be at all times so that recruiting exposure is maximized. 

5. How Many Coaches Are Attending?

The number of coaches attending is another important consideration when making a camp choice. Smaller camps might be more intimate, while larger camps provide more exposure to more college coaches. Future 500 features both 1-Day and 2-Day ID Camps featuring top college coaches from around the nation, organized to ensure the best identification opportunity on the market. We do this with help from our detailed organization of coaches and players, our top level support staff and our mission to help aspiring college players get identified.

Interested in signing up for one of our upcoming college ID camps? Save your spot today by clicking here.