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April College Recruiting Newsletter 2022

Welcome to the Kings Hammer April College Recruiting Newsletter! The club is excited to work with you to accomplish all of your player’s goals for this upcoming calendar year, on and off of the soccer field. We hope you find value in this newsletter and are excited to assist in this exciting process for your family!

College ID Camps

Spring Soccer is in full swing, and by now most of our Kings Hammer high school age group players are probably being bombarded via email, social media, or their teams with College Camp opportunities. For those unfamiliar with them, ID Camps can be a great opportunity for players to get a close-up look at what it’s like to be a player in a college program, interact with the coaches and players, and potentially check out a campus. These events can be very valuable to current high school players who want to continue their academic and soccer career in college as they are designed for individuals who are looking to compete against higher level competition as well as gain exposure with college coaches. Below we will attempt to provide some insight on these opportunities and what each player needs to be aware of prior to selecting and attending one (or more.)

Types of ID Camps

There are three primary types of College ID Camps and Clinics:

  • Independent College ID Camp hosted by a third party.
  • College Camp hosted by a College Program.
  • College ID Camp / Clinic hosted, managed, and run by a college program only

Independent College ID Camp – An organization that has no affiliation with any college program will bring in college coaches to work their camps. These events are typically NOT on a college campus, but may be near one or more colleges. Many college coaches who do the camp circuit over the summer use it as an opportunity to earn extra income. It is also gives the coaches a chance to do some recruiting while working the camp. While college coaches are there they will train, identify, and evaluate the campers that are in attendance. Here are some popular college soccer recruiting camps.

College ID Camps hosted by a college – There are many college head coaches that will run their own camps in the summer as a way to increase income for their staff and program. The host college will typically bring in a number of other college coaches from the area to work their camps. The level of play at these camps can vary greatly and the age groups are sometimes wider. These camps often are multiple day events (3-5 days)

College ID Camp/Clinic managed and staffed by that college program only – These tend to be smaller and shorter events that are scheduled throughout the year. These camps typically last 1-3 days where prospective student-athletes will get the opportunity to experience what it would be like to attend that school and play for that program. Be aware that these types of camps are also money makers for the college programs. Nearly all college programs, DI, DII, and DIII has their own College ID camp/clinic throughout the year. Visit each program’s website to find out more info about possible camps or clinics. The one-day clinics are a great opportunity to get a feel of what it would be like to play for that program. They are typically affordable $75 – $150 for the day (plus any associated travel expenses.)  If you want to get identified by a program, you may have better odds attending 4 – 5 one day clinics rather than going to one of the big camps and pay about the same amount.

Why Attend an ID Camp

There are four primary reasons to attend a College ID Camp/Clinic or Showcase:

  1. Gain college exposure.
  2. Improve your skills to become a better player.
  3. Compete against higher level of competition to evaluate your abilities against other players.
  4. Experience a specific college program environment.

Picking the Right Camp for You

No matter which type of camp you may be attending an ID camp can be a major investment of both time and money, making it crucial that players pick camps that are the best fit for them. What does this mean? Below are some questions you should be asking as you work to determine which camp is the best choice for you.

  • How long does the ID camp last? There is a wide variety of formats for how universities and colleges run their ID camps, one of the major factors being length. While some programs only run 1 day camps, others run residential camps where potential student athlete’s come for multiple days and sleep in dorms, apartments, or other campus living with other campers. The longer you are able to spend on a program’s campus and around the staff, the better of an idea you’ll get as to how they operate.
  • How much money does the camp cost? Summer ID camps generally contribute to a lot of a program’s fundraising budget, and because of this, sometimes the prices can get a bit high. When selecting ID camps to attend, weigh the cost of the camp (along with travel, food, lodging if necessary) with your interest in the school. Attending 10 different 1 day camps at 10 different programs can be pricy! Only attend camps of schools that you are legitimately interested in learning more about in order to save money during the process.
  • Is this program legitimately interested in me as a player? ID camps are a great opportunity for you to get noticed by a college coach, as it allows you to play in front of them for day(s) at a time and really make your mark. However, there are some things you can do to really determine if the program whose camp you’re interested in attending is interested in you as a player prior to attending. Has the coaching staff already seen you play? Have you built a prior relationship with the coaches? Did you receive a personal invite to camp, or did you receive a mass email along with every other player on your club team? The more of these questions you can answer, the more you will be able to make an educated decision on whether or not attending the camp is the best use of your time.
  • How many college coaches will be at the ID Camp? While some ID camps only have coaches from the respective program working/coaching, others have coaches from multiple programs. When researching ID camps that you are interested in, try to get an idea of how many college coaches will be in attendance as well as how many programs will be represented. There are camps that have representation from dozens of coaches and programs, which may be of more interest than a program that just has representation from one school, depending on where you are in your specific recruiting process.

Ultimately, the ID Camp experience is one that should fill players with optimism and excitement. The opportunity to visit different campuses, play in front of college coaches and potentially with college players, as well as experience a sneak peek of life as a college athlete is an exciting one. However, choosing the right camp is important so choosing efficiently and effectively is important

How to Make the Most Out of Your Camp Experience

Now that you have discovered your reasons to attend an ID camp, identified types of camps, and selected the camps you are going to attend, here are some tips to really make the most out of your College Camp Experience.

  • Make Contact with the Coaches – Review the list of college coaches who will be attending the camp. If there are schools that you may be interested in, write to the coaching staff expressing interest in their program. Let them know that you will be attending the camp and that you look forward to meeting them and having them watch you play. Be personal! Be Specific! Be Honest! You should start building a relationship with the college coach before arriving for camp. Include you Kings Hammer coach in email communications with each college so that the coach can reach out to them as needed.
  • Get face time with a college coach – While you are at camp to find the opportunity to personally meet the coaches whose programs you are interested in. Try to take a couple minutes to introduce yourself and tell them a little bit about yourself. The best times to do that is during check-in if coaches are available, walking to and from the training fields, and in the cafeteria. Be aware college coaches are not permitted to have any recruiting conversations with you during the camp.
  • Be Vocal and Positive on the Field – College coaches look for players who possess leadership qualities. Any player who has a voice on the field will immediately stand out as long as it is in a positive or constructive way. If you have the opportunity to be vocal, speak up as a positive influence and leader for your team. All of these qualities demonstrate your relentless and positive attitude, and those are two key characteristics all coaches find impressive.
  • Train HardPlay Hard and Run Hard – If you are trying to make a good first impression on a college coach your attitude and your work ethic are your most controllable assets, and one of the best ways to set yourself apart from the crowd. If you lose the ball, work hard to get it back within the context of the game. If you have the ball know when to keep it and when to give it up. If you get knocked down, get back up. If you are on the field, stay focused on the ball and always keep your feet moving.
  • Respect – Be sure that you respect all members of the camp including the coaches, counselors, teammates, and campus staff. College coaches are not just evaluating you on the field but they are watching how you carry yourself off the field as well.
  • Request Feedback – College coaches seek players who are students of the game. A player who shows a coach they are willing to learn and improve will separate themselves from players who don’t go that extra mile. Use this opportunity to engage with coaches about your game. Speak to them after a training session or game about what you might be able to work on to improve. Coaches love when a player takes ownership over their own athletic development.
  • FUN – Playing soccer should be fun! That is why we play! If you are not enjoying yourself it will show in how you approach the game. Coaches want players on their team who have passion for the game. These are the players who believe working hard and improving is fun.
  • Follow-Up – You should always follow up with any college coaches you interacted with while at camp. You should thank them for working with you or taking the time to speak with you. If you can try to reference something specific, conversation or drill to help trigger their memory.

If you follow through with these 8 simple steps no doubt you will stand out as qualified prospective student-athlete to some college coaches. Obviously, your abilities will be an important aspect of this process but on a level playing field these things will give you the edge over your competitors.

College Commitments

  • Natalie Bain – Xavier University
  • Eleanor Simkonis – Cleveland State University
  • Mya Gerak – University of Kentucky
  • Summer Denigan – Florida State University
  • Marina Ruthsatz – Wright State University
  • Claire Wiseman – Ohio Northern University
  • Faith Broering – University of Cincinnati
  • Jade Rehberger – Illinois State University
  • Danielle Hicks – Ashland University
  • Maddy Murphy – Eastern Kentucky University
  • Annie Isphording – Johns Hopkins University
  • Kali Funk – Ashland University
  • Ella Madden – Ohio Northern University
  • Molly McNeill – Cedarville University
  • Sarah Zimmerman – Washington and Lee University
  • Morgan Gerak – Michigan State University
  • Katie Adams – Ohio Wesleyan University
  • Meg Gessner – Northern Kentucky University
  • Emily Duffey – Hanover College
  • Sydney Noble – University of Findlay
  • Kaitlyn Siefert – University of Findlay
  • Chloe Spitzer – Berea College
  • Shyanne Iles – University of Southern Illinois
  • CJ DeBra – Youngstown State University
  • Sarah Henson – Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
  • Courtney Lindgren – California University of Pennsylvania
  • Jackson Byrd – Mount St. Joseph University
  • Leo Bill – Transylvania University
  • Adam Gritton – Spalding University
  • Amber Branum – Wright State University
  • Tyron Reynolds – Spalding University
  • Abby Cole – Mount Saint Joseph University
  • Ella Madden – Fairmont State University
  • Shannon Crogan – Northern Kentucky University
  • Jon Gordon – Asbury University
  • Will Freson – Marietta College
  • Macie Chappell – Campbellsville University
  • Riley Arnold – Ohio Dominican
  • Elizabeth Dreas – Austin Peay State University
  • Emily Lloyd – Florida Southern College
  • Ellie Greenwell – Ohio University
  • Shannon Crogan – Northern Kentucky University
  • Zara Graff – Wright State University
  • Abby Unkraut – University of Georgia

2023 Verbal College Commitments:

  • Amanda Schlueter – Ohio State University
  • Sophie Decker – Marian University
  • Ruby Dunlevy – Eastern Kentucky University

Remember to post your commitment to your Sports Recruits account and send commitment photos to info@kingshammer.com so that you can be recognized for your achievements.

Our goal is to continue to develop all of our players and their respective teams with an improved player development model and pathway during the new Fall 2022 – Spring 23 season after the tryouts.

Your player’s coach both as a volunteer and paid licensed and certified coach is part of our team and will continue to be part of our soccer club and community. The new partnership is aware that our responsibility as a youth club is to provide more support and resources to each coach so that our players and parents experience is even better.

We plan to have most of our current coaching team to continue to lead their assigned teams for the upcoming season unless there is a conflict with their schedule and/or another opportunity they prefer to pursue in the club which we may consider and appoint a new coach as a result.

Uniforms are set to change for the Fall 2022 – Spring 2023 season and we plan to keep the new and upcoming kits for 2-year period as that is the cycle suggested by the manufacturers.

Our new uniform/player kit brand will be Nike.

Pricing will be very comparable to our current brand of uniforms/player kits as we plan to add more value to the assortment of products that our players currently receive.

No. We will be using Soccer Village as our vendor for our families to order their new season uniforms/player kits.

Soccer Village will provide sample sizes during tryouts for the new uniforms/player kits so that you can order the correct sizing for your player.

Click here to view the Soccer Village website.

Fees will be an all-inclusive model that will cover all expenses (except uniform and personal travel).

No separate club fees and team dues.

Families will have an improved payment plan option of 8 installments with an initial deposit.

Financial Aid and Scholarships will still be available to our families. More information will be added to the website once tryouts have concluded.

Teams will continue to train at the same locations. A big part of this partnership is to work with the city and other independent locations to improve and invest in facilities to create a better training and playing environment.

Kings Hammer is one of the most recognizable privately held clubs in the Midwest.

Founded in 1993 in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area.

2 US Youth National titles, 2 runners-up, 4 US Youth Region 2 Champs, 42 OH State Cups, 25 KY State Cups.

In 2020, they added a U23 team in the Ohio Valley Premier League, winning the league’s inaugural season in the Fall of 2020.

In 2021, they joined USL League Two, the pre-professional division of the USL in the US and adding a USL-W team for the 2022 season.

Kings Hammer is backed by Corporex, a privately held investment company with broad holdings throughout the United States. CPX creates investment opportunities for their capital partners through traditional real estate assets as well as an ever-broadening array of other opportunistic investments including Commonwealth Hotels, Kings Hammer Soccer LLC, Alpine Mountain Ranch & Club and Five Seasons Family Sports Clubs. Their ability to create exceptional value through these investments is rooted in their 56-year history as a BUILDER. Why Kings Hammer?

A Complete Pathway to support an all-inclusive player development

Grassroots-Premier-Academy-Professional Development

  • Pathway will start with grassroots and premier program for the 2022/23 season
  • All-inclusive pay structure with flexible and affordable payment plans that covers all costs. 

No additional team fees (uniform/player kits & personal travel are not included)

  • Additional showcases and ID platforms through KH events & network
  • Unique travel and network opportunities through KH and its partners
  • Increased scholarship support through club and local foundation
  • Affordable uniform costs with better assortment through Nike and SV partnership
  • Play Metrics operations & comm. Platform connects the entire club
  • Techne training app – Supporting self-improvement at home
  • Sports Recruits (College recruitment platform and support)
  • College recruitment seminar
  • Player/Parent Education through KH Education Division
  • Kings Hammer Speaker Series – Platform created to present relevant youth soccer information. National and International guest speakers
  • Use of camera & technology for further development opportunities
  • Kings Hammer Goalkeeper Union for specialized training

Our goal is to make Kings Hammer Murfreesboro SC one of the most successful regional youth soccer clubs that focuses on player development with the proper core values. We plan to recruit and retain all coaches that will enable us to achieve our player development pathway for our players in the long run.

Kings Hammer Murfreesboro will continue to offer all levels of appropriate aged training for all level players. Click here to see our new and improved player development pathway.

Kings Hammer Murfreesboro will continue to offer programs all year round.

Full details of all programming will be released in May 2022.

Yes, the logo and the name will change to represent the new King Hammer Murfreesboro.

We will be combining local, regional, and possibly national sponsorships to generate the resources and scale up the opportunities for our Murfreesboro area players and teams. The benefit of our partnerships has impacted our families far beyond just sponsorships.

 

Technically, No. The Board of Director of MSC have agreed unanimously to sign a 6-year Partnership Agreement to outsource the management of the club to Kings Hammer to elevate the services we are currently and increase the opportunities to have a bigger economic impact to our community with this partnership.

Kings Hammer provides professional player development, great customer service, and offers an inclusive approach to youth soccer.  Kings Hammer Murfreesboro SC will elevate the scale of a community club with access to the highest-level opportunities for players to reach their fullest potential. Throughout the tiered system of development, players and coaches will be able to develop in the appropriate tiered programming, network and expertise provided by Kings Hammer Soccer Club.

Our Recreational Program, which will be branded as our Grassroots Program will continue to play their games at Richard Siegel Soccer Complex under the umbrella of Kings Hammer Murfreesboro SC with more support and resources for both players, parents and volunteer coaches of the program.

Our Academy and Select Program, which will be branded as our Premier Program will continue to train and play their games at Richard Siegel Soccer Complex as well as other locations they currently travel as part of their JDL and TSL games schedule versus other TSSA member organizations and youth soccer clubs.

Our future Premier Program teams will also continue to travel and attend tournaments within the state of TN and possibly other states based on their specific development need and skill level as a team.

No. However Kings Hammer Murfreesboro SC will have an improved structured player development model and a pathway that can support each individual player to play at different levels and assist players achieve their specific goals.

No. Kings Hammer have strong program representation in both States and their players play in their respective locations. The newly formed King Hammer Murfreesboro SC player will continue to play their JDL and TSL games in our area against other TSSA member organizations as scheduled by our state.

Premier Program teams may eventually travel to tournaments in Kentucky and Ohio as a result our partnership with Kings Hammer and vice versa.

As the club grows, we may potentially combine top players from each location to create regional development teams to compete at higher caliber events, showcases to create additional opportunities our players. 

That is our overarching goal and plan. However, it will take some time until we can have teams that can compete in higher level platforms. As Kings Hammer Murfreesboro, we’ve already started working towards a strategic development plan to prepare our club to be part of these leagues and compete at the highest level possible in a short amount of time.