As spring nears, players and parents will be consumed by countless messages regarding College ID Camps being held throughout the country. Many clubs are now hosting their own camps to ‘showcase’ their players in front of college coaches, along with companies who run camps ranging from three or four hours in a single day to five or six full days with players staying in dorms or hotels. With all of these available options, how are families to determine what event might be best for their son or daughter? 

Games vs Training: What is Better For Recruiting?

While different ID Camps offer different experiences, most people sign up for these events for a fairly straightforward reason, to be evaluated and identified by college coaches. Many camps lose sight of that goal by adding time-filling sessions where “training” is incorporated into the camp schedule. The truth is that college coaches don’t need to watch a player in a passing progression or playing 5v2 to determine if they would be a good fit for their program.

So how do players get evaluated in a manner that college coaches can determine if the player will be a good fit for their program? By seeing them play 11v11 games in a competitive environment. When evaluating ID Camps, families should prioritize those that focus on playing 11v11 games.

How Many Colleges Is Right For You? 

Beyond the environment in which the camp is conducted, it is important to keep in mind how many camps an average player might attend over the four years in high school. Because of this, determining the value of an ID Camp is extremely important.

Is it better to attend an ID Camp that has 10-15 college coaches or a camp that has 50+ coaches? The answer will vary for every player but in most cases, especially for players at the beginning of the recruiting process you will benefit from attending camps with more coaches who can evaluate your play, from schools that you are actually interested in attending.

When looking to attend an ID Camp, keep in mind what your goal is, training or identification, and how can you maximize the camp experience? This should include:

#1 – The number of coaches who will be attending the camp

#2 – The quality of schools attending the camp

#3 – The location(s) of the camps you are considering

#4 – The optimal length of time that the player is available to attend camp(s)

#4 – The reputation of the organization running the camp

Here are 5 additional ways to compare ID Camps, as well as some tips on how to be seen by college coaches.

Future 500 ID Camps

Future 500 will provide you with the most in-depth exposure to the highest-quality collection of NCAA coaches available. Future 500’s detailed Maximum Exposure Matrix ensures that you will be seen by every coach making for your best opportunity for college coach exposure. Click here for more information.