Across the continent, the 2017 season is coming to an end and unless you are part of a select, elite few, the time has come to direct your focus towards the 2018 season. There is no downtime in football. Already coaches are swarming on recruiting websites and looking at prospects for the upcoming season. A few selected players have already been plucked off the market, while the rest of us confront the idea that it is now time to start the inevitable, the insidious process of finding ourselves a roster spot and a home for the next half year.
The following list has been constructed in an attempt to facilitate the recruiting process. These highlighted items, if followed, should give you the best possible chance of signing with a team for the upcoming season. Follow these tips and we’ll make sure that come 2018 you’re handling kickoff returns instead of product returns, that you’re delivering spirals instead of pizzas, or that you’re running corners instead of sweeping them.
Set up your profile – Europlayers is the leading platform for recruiting and if you haven’t done so already, I would suggest creating a profile. Ensure that it is polished and up to date. Remember, prospective teams don’t know you, so paint them a corresponding picture with your profile. Be sure to include the following…
- Photos – I would recommend including a professional headshot, especially one from a previous team. I’ve seen far too many grainy selfies circulating on these recruiting sites. Also, feel free to include an informative action shot. Something that highlights your athleticism or style of play.
- Film – Keep it short, put your best highlights first, showcase some versatility, and take advantage of the editing tools available to you
- Bio – References, awards, stats, include any information here that further markets you as a player and as a teammate. Remember your profile is your resume and you are trying to sell yourself.
Do your research – Don’t start blindly messaging teams saying things like “Check my tape, it’s fire.” Do your research. Search for a team that fits your needs and you theirs. Then, personally cater your message to them. Tell them why you are interested in them and what benefits you can bring to the team. Don’t undervalue this step. Teams are flooded with messages every day and if yours looks like it has been copied, pasted and mass-messaged, don’t expect a reply. I must reiterate, DON’T UNDERVALUE THIS STEP.
Upgrade your account – This is a worthwhile investment if you are serious about finding a team. Before my first season, I would spend hours combing through and comparing prospective teams. There is nothing more frustrating than seeing “You’ve exceeded your daily search limit” right when you start to make some progress.
Check your lineage – Check to see if you’re eligible for a second passport. My mother was born in the UK and though she only spent a measly three years there, I thus became eligible for my British passport. Check your lineage, having “Dual-passport” next to your name increases your stock as teams don’t necessarily need to consider you an “Import.” Be wary though of the time this will take, it is an intricate process that requires a fair bit of paperwork.
Be patiently proactive – Finding the right team is an arduous process and those who start early and do their research will be the ones strapping up the pads for the 2018 season. Don’t sit around waiting for teams to come find you, do your research and play some offense. And though the waiting game is never fun, being patient and proactive is the best attitude to adopt while pursuing prospective teams.
The process of finding and messaging teams is by no means a casual activity. The work is tedious, boring, and filled with rejection and unanswered messages. And though the process is, well, a process, the work must be put in, the groundwork must be laid. If you aren’t the most athletic player, be the most persistent. If you don’t have an incredible tape, then do the most research. There are innumerable ways to find yourself a roster spot for the 2018 season, they just require a bit of hard work. Fortunately, being football players, you’re already quite accustomed to it.