WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE RECRUITING PROCESS:
From the eyes of a college soccer coach...
Journal Entry December 2016
Over the past few years, I have noticed the same questions from athletes and parents at ID Camps and College Nights. When my colleagues and I speak at showcase events, we often discuss the mistakes recruits make when contacting us or sending highlight tapes. And then there are the parents; they don't understand that we are not recruiting them, we are recruiting their son or daughter. Â
Every once in a while, we share a great success story of a recruit and how they handled the entire recruiting process.Â
I know there has to be a better way to educate athletes and parents on the recruiting process. Recruiting is not about getting in front of as many coaches as possible; it is all about getting in front of the right coaches and showcasing the value they can bring to our programs.Â
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I remember the day I had breakfast with one of my mentors and told him I wanted to build a recruiting education platform that taught leadership skills as part of the process. It had to tell the real story about recruiting, be authentic (from the perspective of a college coach with 25 years of experience), be affordable and scalable, and leverage technology to deliver it virtually.
[The picture to the right is from that meeting, April 2017]
Journal Entry October 2018
I woke up at 5:00 AM this morning with a very vivid picture in my head.
Coaches don't recruit success; they recruit Significance. Coaches desire Athletes of Significance.Â
Christian, go build your sports leadership and recruiting education platform! Call it:
 "AOS- The Athlete of Significance."
Journal Entry November 2019
Meet Joe and Jane Nutmeg, the AOS Avatars.
Joe and Jane Nutmeg are junior and senior high school soccer players who aspire to play at the collegiate level. Currently, their focus is on becoming collegiate soccer players and securing scholarships to play.
Jane Nutmeg really wants to realize the dream of playing college soccer and having a great college experience.
She would be ecstatic if she could identify 3-4 colleges to play for, meet the coach and team, and avoid getting frustrated with the recruiting process.
Unfortunately, Jane still needs to learn how to communicate with college coaches and get noticed.  Joe Nutmeg is also really frustrated.
- The fact that the college recruiting process is overwhelming.
- That he doesn't know where to start, or he feels as if they started too late.
- Connecting with college coaches seems like an impossible task.
Finally, so-called experts are saying they will get us in front of college coaches, but I never hear back from the schools that I am interested in attending.Â
Plus, they still feel like they need to get the answers to these questions before moving forward:
- How do I start the search process to find the right place to place?
- How do I communicate with coaches to get noticed?
- When is the best time to talk with coaches?
- What are coaches looking for in a college soccer player?
Joe Nutmeg is also still hung up on the idea that recruiting services cost money but don't always deliver.
OR
At times, it seems as if my high coaches don't have the time or the know-how to help me get recruited.
AND
My parents become over-involved in the recruiting process, and it feels as if they are hindering more than helping.
IN FACT
The brother and sister, Nutmeg, feel that the misinformation about the recruiting process won't help them succeed in becoming collegiate soccer players or securing a scholarship to play.
Ultimately, they want to play for a college soccer team, attend a college that prepares them for a future, and graduate with little to no debt.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE JOE AND JANE?
I had the pleasure of witnessing Coach DeVries mentor and coach both my high school boys' club and high school soccer teams. It was impressive to see him apply leadership and business techniques to teach and lead both teams. He used the DISC personality assessment to adapt his teaching and communication styles to individual players and the team as a whole, improving player skills and leadership. My boys are ready for college.
Chris Ashcraft - Father of two soccer players
Coach DeVries is a mentor, a leader, and most of all a friend of mine. Through his leadership and generosity, I was allowed to grow as an athlete, student, but most of all into a confident man. I owe a lot to him as a coach, the values he instills in his players and students are changes that last a lifetime.
Tyler Simpson - Former NCAA Division III Soccer Player
MEET THE TEAM
WORLD-CLASS COACHES DEDICATED TO YOUR DEVELOPMENT ON AND OFF THE FIELD
CHRISTIAN DEVRIES
With over 30 years of collegiate coaching experience and six championships, Coach Christian DeVries is dedicated to developing Athletes of Significance while guiding families through the college recruiting process with clarity, purpose, and confidence.
“Coach the athlete as a unique individual, and you will ultimately get a better athlete.”
With over 30 years of coaching experience across NCAA Division II, Division III, NAIA, and junior college programs, Coach Christian DeVries has built his career on developing athletes who are as strong in character as they compete.
A six-time championship-winning coach, Christian’s influence has shaped hundreds of players, many of whom have gone on to coach, lead, and inspire others. As the architect of College Player Pathway, he provides families with the education and clarity they need to navigate college recruiting with confidence and purpose.
Christian’s mission is simple:
To help every player realize that their potential is limitless, not just in the game, but in life.
MATT CLARK
Coach Matt Clark leads one of the nation’s most respected goalkeeper programs, developing confident, intelligent leaders who command the game through discipline, decision-making, and presence.
“Goalkeeping isn’t just about making saves; it’s about building leaders.”
As the Director of Goalkeeping and Co-Founder of Post to Post+, Coach Matthew Clark brings a technical, tactical, and leadership-driven approach to every session.
A lifelong student of the game, Matthew has developed one of the region’s most respected goalkeeper training programs, built on discipline, decision-making, and communication. His players learn to lead from the back, command with confidence, and compete with purpose.
Coach Clark’s goalkeeper curriculum is now a cornerstone of the Next Level Camps, preparing goalkeepers not only to perform under pressure but also to inspire trust and stability within their teams.
Matt's mission is simple:
“I train keepers to think like coaches, to read the game, make decisions, and lead with presence.”
STEVE RICHARDS
Coach Steve Richards leads AOS’s international scouting pathway, connecting U.S. players to elite opportunities across Europe while using the global game to foster growth, independence, and leadership beyond the field.
“The game is global and so are the opportunities for players who are willing to grow.”
As the Director of Next Level Scouting, Coach Steve Richards leads the international arm of Post to Post+, connecting U.S. players with professional academies and development programs across England, Spain, and Germany.
Steve’s passion lies in creating global experiences that combine competition, education, and cultural immersion. He believes true growth happens when players are pushed outside their comfort zone, not just as athletes, but as young men and women learning to live and lead with purpose.
Through Next Level Scouting (Live • Study • Play), Steve and his team help athletes experience soccer as a bridge to global understanding, academic opportunity, and lifelong confidence.
Steve's mission is simple:
“Our job isn’t just to identify talent. It’s to prepare players to thrive when opportunity arrives.”
Join the movement of athletes, coaches, and leaders pursuing Significance over success.