International Development Academy

College Placement Program

rick@internationalda.com | internationalda.com

USA and Europe - The IDA Advantage


With an extensive network throughout Europe and the US, International Development Academy ensures a diverse range of experiences, resources, and exit opportunities for all of its affiliate partners and their communities.



The IDA College Placement Program
Guidance | Access | Opportunity


What We Offer

  1. 1.Maximizing your Exposure and Recruitment
  2. 2.Creating Your Highlight Film
  3. 3.Communication With Coaches
  4. 4.Navigating the Financial Process
  5. 5.Building Your List
  6. 6.Building Your Profile
  7. 7.Finding the Best Fit


Opportunities & experiences, it’s that simple. Our goal is to help ambitious student-athletes meet their athletic and educational goals in our world-class environments.

Building "The List"

Athletics | Academics | Culture

Choosing the university you want to go to for the next 4 years of your life is not simple. We work with the student-athlete and family to first define what's most important to them, and then build a realistic list of target programs that match that criteria.

  • Academic Offering - What do I want to study? Do I need to decide now?
  • Academic Fit - how are my grades? SAT scores? Room for improvement?
  • Class Size - what environment do I learn best in?
  • Location - where do I want to live for the next 4 years? Weather, proximity to family, East vs. West Coast, etc.
  • Soccer Program - How good am I? How important is playing time and game experience vs. a specific division or financial offer?
  • Cost - how important is cost compared to my other priorities?

The Player Profile

Strengths | Highlights | Marketability


We work hand-in-hand with the family to ensure the student-athlete is displaying his/her strengths as a student, individual, and athlete.

  • The whole package - student and athlete. Leverage your strengths in the classroom and on the field to increase your value.
  • What do coaches look for in a player profile?
  • What makes you unique and attractive to universities?
  • How will you stand out and leave an impression?
  • How do you structure your profile?

Maximizing Exposure

ID Camps | Showcases | Virtual Recruitment Platforms

Show universities what you bring to the table and why they should offer you a spot in their program. IDA works with each player and family to create the most effective plan to maximize the player's exposure and chances at being recruited.

  • ID Camps, Clinics, and Showcase events - which ones do I attend?
  • How to stand-out?
  • Pre- and post-event communication with coaches - will coaches attend my tournament games? How do I follow up with the coaches directly?
  • What recruitment platforms should I be putting my profile and video on?

The Highlight Video

Relevant | Dynamic | Attractive

An effective highlight video is the most important piece to the college recruitment puzzle. Coaches must be able to see a player's strengths displayed in a competitive setting. A highlight video is a player's first interview

  • Do you have existing game footage? If not, how will you get it?
  • Does your highlight footage accurately display your strengths as a player?
  • How long should it be?
  • When should I start compiling footage?

Damien Batilde - Tusculum University - Sophomore



Communication with Coaches

Direct Access | Real-Time Feedback | Transparency

An effective and consistent communication plan can significantly increase a player's recruitment opportunities and provide valuable feedback along the way. IDA works with over 200+ university programs and has direct access to the coaching staff. We advocate on behalf of the family with the coaches, and we also guide the family along the way on their communication.

  • Direct introductions with college coaches - IDA contacts the coaches and facilitates personal introductions.
  • Real Feedback - with IDA's access and network, we always aim to get transparent feedback from coaches as quickly as possible.
  • Consistent communication: email, phone, in-person, etc. What is the best way to communicate with coaches and build rapport?
  • Campus Visits - Official vs. Unofficial
  • Eligibility - NCAA, NAIA, JUCO

Navigating the Scholarship Process

Athletic | Academic | Financial Aid

Maximizing your scholarship package can be difference between going to your #1 pick or not. Receiving a full athletic scholarship is virtually impossible, so it's of the utmost importance that families know how to navigate the scholarship process, find academic and athletic scholarships, and explore all possible financial and needs-based aid options. IDA works with and on-behalf of the family with the university ensure they receive the optimal scholarship and aid amounts available.

  • Negotiating Scholarship Amounts - the right way and the wrong way.
  • Communicating with the coach - how do I manage effective communication with coaches, especially if I am receiving multiple offers?
  • The Whole Package - combining athletic and academic scholarships
  • Financial Aid / Needs-Based: every school varies in their needs-based scholarship criteria. IDA can help identify which schools best align with your financial needs as a family.

The Final Decision - The Right Fit

Confident | Thorough | Set Up For Success

Choosing a university one of the most important decisions an young student-athlete will make. When IDA reaches this final step of the process with a family, we know that no matter where the student-athlete decides to go, the options laid out for him/her are ones that closely aligned with their objectives and needs.

  • Making the decision - what's next?
  • Communicating your decision with coaches - accepting vs. declining an offer.
“They understood what my goal [getting a scholarship to a top US University] was,” he explained. “Their commitment to pushing us, to getting us to play at our highest level. It’s because they know what it takes to get a scholarship and reach that goal. They were really involved in the whole process, both on and off the field,” he said. “I really couldn’t have done it without them.”

Liam Gilligan - Creighton University Commit

IDA UK - Class of 2020/2021


The biggest compliment I can give IDA is the role they played in helping me gain a scholarship of $35K a year at St Francis University. In the space of 12 months my offer changed 100%. The confidence the IDA team gave me when I met Coach Essig for a second time, played a key role in the offer I received.

EJ Lang - St. Francis Commit

IDA UK - Class of 2020/2021

Interested?


Complete the IDA Player Profile

Prior to setting up a consultation, fill out our IDA Player Profile. This gives us a clearer picture of your background, experience, and what your goals are.


Setup A Consultation With Rick

I'm the Director of Global Development at International Development Academy, and I'm based in Florida, United States (EST US). Click the button below to book a consultation on my calendar. Look forward to meeting you soon!



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