So you think you can play?

You dominate your local club league. You run circles around your teammates at practice. And on your high school team? You’re a living legend; you don’t even break a sweat.

You know the only logical step to take is up. The U.S. Youth National Team is where you want to be.

But how can you get there? How do you get noticed?

We talked to U18 Women’s National Team head coach Dave Chesler and U20 WNT coach Jill Ellis to find out what the ambitious and talented youth soccer player - like you - can do to get the recognition he or she deserves.

Here’s Part I of our interview.

TopDrawerSoccer.com: Let’s say a player has all the talent in the world but just isn’t getting seen by scouts. What can he or she do to get noticed?

Jill Ellis: Well, there are different avenues to be seen. As a player, you definitely need to go and compete on a club team where you will be challenged every day by the players around you. Try out for the ODP team. Put yourself in an environment you’re not comfortable with - test your limits, break your boundaries, challenge yourself every single day.

Dave Chesler: For me, the biggest thing is we have to see a player. College coaches are a big resource for us, because they see the players in their region in depth. It’s just too big of a country to see everyone ourselves. We do have scouts that go to the major events like ECNL and the regional championships, and certainly ODP is still an important filter. But really, for the players, it comes down to playing at a recognizable club, at high-level events, to really have the best opportunity to be seen.

TopDrawerSoccer.com: What can a player do individually, from a technical or fitness standpoint, to increase their chances of making it to the top?

Jill Ellis: Really, the athleticism and the speed of the game gets harder as you get on. But not everyone can be the best athlete on the field at all times. So if you can take care of the ball, possess and be composed on the ball, it’s a big advantage.

Dave Chesler: There are very few all-around ultimate players that defend and attack as well as anybody, so players should focus on one aspect of their game that really is exceptional and makes them stand out. Be an expert in one part of the game instead of trying to do everything at once. If you’re a wide player that penetrates well, or a striker that holds the ball up well, that’s your specialty. That’s what you see out here [at National Team camp], a collection of players that each have some individual talent, one thing that they really excel at on the field.

Also, it’s important for players to keep developing their strength, explosive movement. There are a lot of club athletes that think they’re fine, just because they’re ahead of everybody locally. But there’s always another level in that regard: there is always someone elsewhere working harder than you.

Stay tuned for Part II.