Recruiting Insider: Colby coach Seth Benjamin on non-negotiables & more
Colby women's soccer coach Seth Benjamin offers instruction to players. (Ashley L. Conti)
The college soccer recruiting world can be, in a word, complicated.
What do coaches look for on and off the field? How does a prospective player stand out above the rest? What is key in finding the “right fit” at the next level?
To answer those questions and more, New England Soccer Journal is connecting with coaches across the region for their perspective on how families can navigate the landscape.
We’re getting underway with Colby women’s soccer coach Seth Benjamin. His team is coming off back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and is on the rise in the NESCAC, one of the premier Division 3 conferences nationally.
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
1. To get things started: On the field, what is your biggest recruiting non-negotiable?
The first thing is effort and work rate, which comes in a lot of different ways. You want a kid to be focused fully, no matter how the game’s going for them, no matter how the game’s going for their team. And they’ve got to work on both sides of the ball, regardless of what position they play. The second, and it’s tied in with our style, we need players who want to be on the ball. No matter what — if it’s a goalkeeper, center back, center forward, midfielder, outside back — they need to show that bravery and fearlessness when they’re in possession. They don’t hide, they’re always available, and they have the confidence to execute.
2. Let’s go off the pitch: What is your biggest recruiting non-negotiable?
Colby is a high-academic school, so that’s a given for anybody we’re considering. That’s our starting point. Then you branch into team culture and the attitude of the individual recruit. That takes time to understand fully, right? You want to see them in different situations, off the field, on their visit — we want feedback from the faculty they meet, from the admissions counselor they meet with, our players are hanging out with them on visits. We want them to be someone who inspires trust and care, showing that they truly care about their teammates.
One other thing is how they interact with their parents on a visit. Do they let their parents ask some questions? Do they let their parents be part of the conversation? Are the parents driving the interactions, or is the player? I think that’s super insightful on whether or not they fit into our culture, because if you’re able to be yourself with your parents there, then you’re showing your true self.
3. When you’re evaluating players, on or off the field, is there a trait or characteristic that really stands out to you?
They need to be a good communicator, to show that they can not only communicate clearly, but also effectively. You don’t always have to be super positive in your communication, but is it accomplishing something and productive? The example I use is that it’s tough to hear a player yelling at their teammates to calm down. Those two things don’t match up, right? Yes, there are times when you need to communicate urgently and maybe loudly. But that’s certainly not always the case, and tone matters.
Also, the game of soccer is free-flowing and players are constantly making small choices where, inevitably, mistakes are going to happen. How do you respond? If you give the ball away, you’re mis-hitting a pass or missing a shot that maybe should have gone in. What is your reaction and response to the next play? You need to have a short memory and stay driven to help the team.
Then off the field, we’re looking for student-athletes who are curious. Colby has so many opportunities to explore so many avenues, not just with classes, but also outside interests. Those are the kids who really thrive at Colby. So we’ll also ask them things like what’s the last book they read, where they traveled last, what was the adventure they had over the summer, even just their hobbies beyond soccer. It gives us a full scope of who they are.
4. Let’s flip it: During the recruiting process, what traits or characteristics can be a deal-breaker?
This one’s easy. It’s a lack of effort after a mistake, it’s your body language, it’s your response to a bad moment. We talk about palms up — we don’t want to see that response and a bad attitude. Then, with communication, you can’t let your frustrations dominate things. And lastly, of course we want you to be passionate about soccer. But it should be one of your priorities, not the priority. We might not be the best fit if you’re saying, ‘I’m going to do two things in college, and that’s play soccer and go to my classes.’ We want well-rounded young women who are bought into all Colby has to offer.
5. Turning the page, how do you balance your own evaluations and relationships with coaches at the club or scholastic level?
We try to balance it by looking for overlaps with our coaching style or playing style. That way, they can give us an evaluation of how a player fits into a position, what their qualities are with and against the ball. Those relationships are really important. That said, we do hold our own evaluations probably at the top. You want to apply your own perspective and trust that gut instinct.
6. What’s the importance of ID camps and clinics vs. showcases and tournaments?
The showcases are great because you know exactly what the level of competition is. That helps establish a baseline and better inform an evaluation. You want to see enough of a player in that environment, and not just a small snapshot, but those are really valuable opportunities.
Then, with ID camps, it’s an opportunity for players to see our campus and get a feel for our school. We get to interact with them in a different setting than club or school soccer, and we get to know them a little bit in an environment that mirrors what they’d be part of.
7. There’s a huge pool of prospective players out there. So, what’s key to standing out and becoming a serious prospect for a program?
For us, the soccer part is the baseline. Those things can often be pretty cut and dry. But what really helps is the human connection.
A really important part of our recruiting process is that we do a Zoom call and ask them to come with any questions they have about our program, our coaching, and what life will be like here. A player can really stand out in the questions they ask. There’s a lot of overlap in the questions, and that’s not to say you need to try to be super unique. But we want to feel like you’re invested in this and definitely interested in Colby. I can tell from this question that she’s done her research, she’s thought things through with depth and detail.
You have to be at a certain level as a soccer player, yes. But what will make you stand out, if it came down to two or three kids who were at the same level, is the connection.
8. We often hear that players shouldn’t pick a school because of the coach. I recognize I’m talking with a coach, so it’s a little ironic to ask this: Do you agree with that sentiment?
My perspective is to have the school lead the way, then look at the soccer piece. You want to work well with the coach and their style or approach. There’s a lot to unpack within that, but you have to love the school first and foremost. If you can see yourself growing and expanding as a young person at Colby, then this can work.
I’ll give an example: Waterville is not a big town, and we’re in central Maine. We’re pretty rural. Say you want to be in an urban setting, but you love what we do and how we play and you really like my coaching style. It’s probably not going work, right? Because you’re just never going to be fully comfortable in the campus setting and environment. Which all goes to say it’s a blend where soccer’s just a piece of the puzzle, especially at a D3 school.
9. To put a bow on things, and I recognize this is broad: What’s your biggest piece of advice to players who are looking to get recruited?
Go where you’re wanted. There’s maybe 1% of of high school-age players who are wanted everywhere because of the talent they have. But for the vast majority of players, that’s just not reality.
I think that a lot of young people get caught up in wanting to achieve a certain level, a certain division, and they’re missing fantastic opportunities to go where they’re really wanted. If you find that environment, odds are you’re contributing in a really meaningful way, you’re going to have a key role on or off the field, and you’re going to be happy with your choice.
We’re all ambitious and should chase our dreams; just don’t lose sight of the big picture and what you’re really committing to.
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Recruiting Insider: Colby coach Seth Benjamin on non-negotiables & more
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