Soccer ID Camps: Are They Worth It?

Soccer ID camps have become very popular all across the United States, with many young men and women joining them. It’s a chance to improve their game but also get noticed by recruiters.

However, joining a camp isn’t free, and people don’t want to spend their money if it isn’t going to help them. That’s why many young athletes want to know if soccer ID camps are worth it.

Soccer ID camps are worth it if you’re a young athlete and have potential in the sport. Many recruiters participate in the organization of soccer ID camps, and if you have what it takes, they’ll try to recruit you. However, if you’re not good enough, you shouldn’t waste your money on attending.

Soccer ID camps can be a massively useful tool if you’re looking for more exposure, but you should tread lightly, as they’re not cheap, and you don’t want to spend money on something that won’t help you.

In this article, I’ll be taking a closer look at these camps, determining if they’re right for you.

I’ll be answering questions such as:

  • what is a college ID soccer camp,
  • what can you expect at soccer ID camps,
  • how much do these camps cost,
  • how to prepare for these camps,
  • and are they worth it?

And don’t forget to watch the video at the end giving you some top insider tips on college ID camps from coaches that have spent years recruiting players at these camps.

Let’s get started!

What Is a College Soccer ID Camp?

To recognize the worth of a soccer ID camp, we first need to understand what they are and what you will get out of it.

Then we can accurately judge what the benefits will be.

College soccer ID camps are athletic events where you spend time with your peers, training, and playing soccer. In a soccer ID camp, real coaches will coach you, and recruiters for soccer teams will observe you play.

Soccer ID camp training session
Soccer ID camp training session

These events usually aren’t long, 1-2 days, but more extended camps last anything from a week to a month.

You’ll be training, eating, and spending time with coaches and other players.

If you’ve only played soccer on an amateur level, then this will be the first time that you’ll experience a real athletic institution.

You’ll learn how soccer really works, including all the administrative and managerial things.

You’ll get to spend a lot of time with like-minded individuals who are also looking to pave their way in this sport, and you’ll be able to help one another improve their game.

You’ll also be in direct contact and under management from real coaches who know what they’re doing. They’ll be able to recognize your talents and show you how to improve and build on what you already have.

Soccer camps are a great chance to impress coaches and recruiters who will want to sign you and take your career to the next level.

When you’re choosing your soccer camp, there are a few things that you should keep in mind.

Firstly, talk to your coach.

Coaches usually have a lot of experience with soccer camps, not to mention that they might have been part of one, and they’ll know who to recommend and tell you who to avoid.

You should look at all the soccer camps available to you, and choose one of them.

Do your research on the camp, read reviews and comments left behind by the people who have attended the camp.

Make sure to check their social media, see if it’s active, and notice the quality of their posts. Most of these soccer camps will have an active social media account where they promote their work.

Lack of social media presence today is a clear signal of an organization not working properly.

Make sure to ask all the questions you need.

These soccer camps all have references, and they will aim to draw you in, so you’re right to ask questions.

Read and watch testimonials from players who attended the camp before you. Most players who talk positively of a camp do it for a reason, and if they aren’t any testimonials, you should then mark that camp with a red flag.

Try to get in touch with anyone you know that’s actually been to the camp you’re interested in attending.

Ask them about their experiences and what they’ve been through at the camp.

If you’re seriously looking to attend a soccer camp, you should look for a recommendation from your coach.

Many of these camps are crazily competitive, and they can’t possibly host everyone who applies. Players who send in a recommendation from their coach are more likely to get called up.

Many of these camps restrict attendance to players who actually play in a club, be it in an amateur league or on a higher level.

Their sole goal is to let coaches evaluate top talent, and they’re not going to call you in if you don’t seem worth it.

If you do get recruited, do you know what college soccer players are paid? If not check out my article – Are College Soccer Players Paid?

What Can I Expect at Soccer ID Camp?

The first thing you’ll do each day at a soccer camp is have a nutritious breakfast.

Nutrition is vital in an athlete’s life, and you’ll learn that you need to stick with a strict dieting program if you want to train well.

Healthy soccer diet

Following that, you’ll usually have soccer practice until lunch.

Following lunch, you’ll have some rest, usually an hour or two, before your second training session of the day.

This session is followed by dinner and free time, with a meeting following that. This meeting is significant, as it’s a briefing with the coaches who will point out all the weaknesses in your game and advise you on how to improve them.

There will also be a Q&A time.

You’ll notice that a lot of your time is spent talking and looking at videos taken that day.

Players sometimes can’t notice their own mistakes from their perspective, and taking a look at their game from the perspective of an observer can do a lot to increase their skill level.

Your coaches will also spend a lot of time talking about tactics, as many players just hit the ball senselessly without a plan in mind, and coaches always want to instill a tactic and a strategy in their team.

Sports have dramatically evolved over the past thirty years. It’s not so easy to become a professional athlete nowadays (despite many athletes raising eyebrows as to just how they managed to get to the level that they’re at).

You’re going to face a lot of competition at this camp.

Soccer ID Camp Cost

Soccer camps can cost anything from $100 to over $500. This cost depends mostly on the length and the quality of the camp.

The camps that are going to be the most expensive are the most exclusive ones and the longest ones.

There are, however, some options of going for free.

Many recruiters attend high school soccer games in search of a good player, and if they take notice of you, they could invite you to the camp for free.

It’d be very smart to grab this opportunity, as many professional soccer players start out like this.

How to Prepare for Soccer ID Camp?

You will most likely receive a list of things you need to take with you to a soccer camp, but there are a few things that all soccer camps require.

  • Soccer cleats for both firm ground and soft ground,
  • shin pads,
  • shorts,
  • t-shirts,
  • and soccer socks.

If you need recommendations for equipment to buy, then check out my recommended soccer gear pages here.

You should also arrive in peak physical condition.

This is your chance to show how good you are and you don’t want to miss the opportunity to impress because you weren’t prepared to put the extra effort in.

This is one of the reasons I created a Soccer Fitness Guide for you.

ebook cover and text

Included in this guide is a 30-day step-by-step fitness plan specifically designed for soccer players, that will ensure you are in peak condition for the moment it counts.

Don’t leave you opportunity for success to chance.

Get hold of this fitness guide now and be better than the competition you are about to face!

Are Soccer ID Camps Worth It?

Now we have established what soccer ID camps are about and what potential benefits you will receive from one, we can move on to “the big question” – Are soccer ID camps worth it?

If you’re a good soccer player and want the opportunity to get noticed by recruiters, then soccer camps are absolutely worth it. These are the places where you’ll first get noticed by coaches and potentially offered a scholarship.

Although you don’t always need a scholarship to play college soccer, attending a college soccer camp and impressing the coaches will increase your chances of being offered one.

It’s also great to work with professional coaches and other staff members to get a more realistic feeling of how professional sports actually function.

If you want to be successful as a soccer player, you’ll need to have proper coaching.

However, if you just want to play soccer with someone like-minded for fun, it’s much better to join an amateur team. Soccer is the most beautiful game, and you don’t need a professional surrounding to enjoy it.

Here are a few pros and cons of soccer camps and college sports camps in general.

Networking is the most crucial element of modern business, and despite the beauty, sports are still a business. It’s all about who you know nowadays.

Fortunately, camps are great at networking.

You will meet a lot of people here who are all going to be willing to help you.

Prospective athletes will get in touch with professional coaches who will point them in the right direction, maybe even give them a recommendation and send them to a club where they can achieve something.

You’ll also meet many student-athletes from all around the country, and you’ll be able to share your experiences. It’s always good to build relationships with people who can help you and have experience in the field.

female soccer players
Train with other student-athletes

These camps also employ qualified coaches, so you’ll get instructions on how to improve as a player.

The coaches will help you in developing your level of skill with advanced college-level instruction.

Personalized advice and education from professional soccer coaches are the reason why soccer ID camps are worth it and can be the edge you need for your next soccer season.

You’ll also get a fair and unbiased assessment of your skills.

You may be underrating or overrating yourself when you play with your friends or your teammates. In camps, however, you’re put in an environment of players your age who are all chasing the same thing.

You’ll get a clear sense of how good or bad you are and what you need to do to improve your game.

Coaches aren’t ones to ignore mistakes, and you’ll get an earful about all the things you’re doing badly.

You’ll also get praise for the things you’re doing well, but your coaches are going to insist on improvement. You’ll get an unbiased opinion from coaches who aren’t around you every day and can see your potential for what it is.

There are a few cons, as well.

Soccer camps aren’t cheap.

There are even elite camps (that we didn’t mention), which can cost up to $1000. That’s a downside if you’re not going to gain anything from them.

It’s also crowded.

Soccer camps need to make money too, and so many players will show up that you won’t exactly have too much time with your coach.

One on one time is much appreciated by all players, but you won’t have too much of that.

Location is another problem with soccer camps, as there are great soccer camps that are far away, and traveling that far can cost a lot of money.

Soccer camps actually face many rejections just because players who were accepted can’t make their way that far. This is a big problem, because soccer camps will rarely cover the travel costs, and they’ll do that only if they see you as exceptional and want you to attend.

On top of that, you need to have the proper equipment for playing. 

Conclusion

Attending a soccer camp can be a great experience that will tremendously improve your skill, but you should be careful when applying.

If you’re not looking to invest in your game and don’t care about being recruited, then spending money on soccer camps is a waste of money.

However, if you have real talent and believe you can showcase it to someone interested, soccer camps can be a great way to do that.

Make sure to talk to your coaches and take their advice, as they’ll know what’s best for you.

If you’ve decided that attending a soccer ID camp is the next step for you then check out this video below that will give you some great insider tips on how to choose and prepare for the right camp for you.

College ID Camps Insider Secrets

For more helpful soccer information check out one of my other articles:

Sources used for this article:

Ben Clayfield

Hi! My name's Ben. I've played, watched, read about, and enjoyed soccer throughout my life. I really enjoy finding out more about the game I love and sharing it with you all. Find out more about me here - Ben Clayfield

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