MLS Next vs EDP for college recruitment

[Unregistered]

My son wants to play for his HS team and because of that he can not play MLS Next. If he plays EDP he can play both.

IS MLS Next worth him not playing for his HS team for recruiting purposes?

[Unregistered]

Reality check. If he’s in MLS next and he’s not on a MLS team, his chances for recruitment are low. There are very few scholies for boys and the MLS teams have a stranglehold on scholies for any school one might want to attend.

So play high school. Go ECNL over edp if he’s good enough.

[Unregistered]

Reality check. If he’s in MLS next and he’s not on a MLS team, his chances for recruitment are low. There are very few scholies for boys and the MLS teams have a stranglehold on scholies for any school one might want to attend.

So play high school. Go ECNL over edp if he’s good enough.

Accurate. Mens college soccer teams get 9 scholarships max and most of the $ goes to foreign players now (half of the rosters). MLSN is great if you are on NYCFC or Red Bulls but playing for nysc or fcw will not do you much good if you are hunting $.

[Unregistered]

Reality check. If he’s in MLS next and he’s not on a MLS team, his chances for recruitment are low. There are very few scholies for boys and the MLS teams have a stranglehold on scholies for any school one might want to attend.

So play high school. Go ECNL over edp if he’s good enough.

Listen, even if you are MLS your chances arent great with so many internationals taking up less than 2700 D1 scholarships (for all 4 years ..... literally less than 700 scholarships in the entire country for each class in D1 and about half of those or more go to internationals ... do the math!).

[Unregistered]

That is true, but if you’re on NYCFC or RB you do have a significantly higher chance to get a scholarship than at MO or GWB, etc.

[Unregistered]

My son wants to play for his HS team and because of that he can not play MLS Next. If he plays EDP he can play both.

IS MLS Next worth him not playing for his HS team for recruiting purposes?

Probably depends upon what type of college you are looking for. If you want mid-to-high D1, it's easier to get scouted and taken seriously from a stronger platform. Even if you look good, it's not worth the colleges' time to travel to watch you against weaker competition, which is what they assume is the case when you're not playing in the stronger leagues. If you're looking D3, though, it's probably fine either way, although top academic D3 schools definitely were plentiful at the MLS Next Cup in Frisco in late June. They know that they can use their academic strength to get a few kids from MLS Next teams (including the non-MLS academies) who will be at the top of their pool in D3, but want more balance, more academics, more playing time etc.

As far as money goes, D1 scholarship money is lower for men's soccer regardless and is often pretty limited because the coaches split it up to tiny shares per player. Might only cover books for example. Some D3 schools will actually give you a better financial package for a strong athletic/academic combo (even more if you have need too and can offer the school some diversity). So, I wouldn't rule out either just on a financial basis.

[Unregistered]

All good advice - the odds aren't great so if he wants to play HS have him do it. You can't get those years back. He might be able to land a spot on a low level D1 team or D3 where having MLS credentials is much less necessary. It will take more hustle to get recruited because the exposure isn't nearly the same as MLS but it can happen. Take a look at some rosters and who plays at some schools he might be interested in see where players came from - it's eye opening

Also - make sure he keeps his grades up. This can't be stressed enough. A good player with good grades will have more options. Few soccer players get an academic break from the admissions office, even more so D3. If he choses not to play those grades will still pay off.

[Unregistered]

All good advice - the odds aren't great so if he wants to play HS have him do it. You can't get those years back. He might be able to land a spot on a low level D1 team or D3 where having MLS credentials is much less necessary. It will take more hustle to get recruited because the exposure isn't nearly the same as MLS but it can happen. Take a look at some rosters and who plays at some schools he might be interested in see where players came from - it's eye opening

Also - make sure he keeps his grades up. This can't be stressed enough. A good player with good grades will have more options. Few soccer players get an academic break from the admissions office, even more so D3. If he choses not to play those grades will still pay off.

This is spot on. It is not impossible to get recruited if you are not at an MLS Next club, but being at one will certainly up your chances. All things being equal, coaches would prefer to observe a player in the highest level of competition possible. On the other hand, I am aware of several local kids who went the HS/non-MLS Next club route that are now playing at (and starting) at D1 schools. Contact coaches from the schools he is interested in and advise them which showcases his team will attend. Maybe go to an ID clinic/session at a particular school - but always communicate with the coach beforehand. If he just shows up out of the blue, the coach won't know who he is and he may get lost in the masses. But, yes, above all, keep the grades up. It makes no difference how good you are at soccer if you can't get past the admissions process because of poor academics.

[Unregistered]

This is spot on. It is not impossible to get recruited if you are not at an MLS Next club, but being at one will certainly up your chances. All things being equal, coaches would prefer to observe a player in the highest level of competition possible. On the other hand, I am aware of several local kids who went the HS/non-MLS Next club route that are now playing at (and starting) at D1 schools. Contact coaches from the schools he is interested in and advise them which showcases his team will attend. Maybe go to an ID clinic/session at a particular school - but always communicate with the coach beforehand. If he just shows up out of the blue, the coach won't know who he is and he may get lost in the masses. But, yes, above all, keep the grades up. It makes no difference how good you are at soccer if you can't get past the admissions process because of poor academics.

op here - yes some non MLS players make it to D1 but it's all about the level. It's increasingly rate to get onto higher level rosters without the MLS patch or a foreign passport, even harder to be a starter. Like I said look at rosters and stats to see who is playing the most. Making a roster is one thing but you also want to play.

I also recommend to the thread op to go watch some college games this fall with his player. That also can be an eye opener.

[Unregistered]

I would also add that if he's a bench player on the MLS Next team, then definitely play HS.

[Unregistered]

op here - yes some non MLS players make it to D1 but it's all about the level. It's increasingly rate to get onto higher level rosters without the MLS patch or a foreign passport, even harder to be a starter. Like I said look at rosters and stats to see who is playing the most. Making a roster is one thing but you also want to play.

I also recommend to the thread op to go watch some college games this fall with his player. That also can be an eye opener.

True... I happen to be friendly with an assistant men's coach at a local mid-level D1 school. He mentioned that the 2021 freshman class has 6 local kids coming in - 1 from NYRB, 2 from another MLS Next club, and 3 from non-MLS Next local clubs. Of these 3, he said only one had a decent chance to be a contributor and the other 2 would be end-of-the-bench-types. And, unsurprisingly, approx. 40% of the returning players are not from the US. I also am friendly with the family of a local kid who played EDP and HS ball for 4 years and became a starter at his D1 school as a freshman. I would say that this kid is an extremely rare exception.

[Guest]

Would you recommend an academy that’s NCAA OR EDP? What is the difference?

[Guest]

In my experience - the folks here are all true to a degree. I can only speak from my experience but as with many things in life it can come down to who you know. If you are not at player from a true MLS affiliated club it will be a hustle - heck it is even a hustle for some of those players from what I've seen. I would say the majority of non MLS players that are recruited to play D1 are local players who have club coaches that have a relationship with the local college. Once you build that trust it tends to stick.

Unless you garner all state or all american honors it would be difficult to be seen playing purely HS. ECNL players can definitely get looks at high caliber D3's. I've seen it.

[Guest]

Listen, even if you are MLS your chances arent great with so many internationals taking up less than 2700 D1 scholarships (for all 4 years ..... literally less than 700 scholarships in the entire country for each class in D1 and about half of those or more go to internationals ... do the math!).

Not sure why coaches are taking the international academy flunkies still. Made sense before America had a mature academy system. Now it’s more about the free Euro trip to “scout”. If these players were actually talented they’d play in the USL Championship.

[Guest]

Not sure why coaches are taking the international academy flunkies still. Made sense before America had a mature academy system. Now it’s more about the free Euro trip to “scout”. If these players were actually talented they’d play in the USL Championship.

Because those that couldn't make in the pros abroad are mostly (not all) still better trained than our academy system players. They were in the system to hopefully play pro one day, not to be a D1 college athlete. They're hungrier. Some are here hoping to get a shot at MLS.

Coaches take the players they think will help them win. Until they start seeing more of that here the numbers will stay the same. Despite our gains in sending more players abroad it's still a very small number. Again, when that trend really improves then we can start giving the system a pat on the back.