Commitments to college

[Unregistered]

the fact that you don't recognize several others on the list as having "strong academics" says everything I need to know about you....

apparently not many of those brochures made it to his mailbox. too bad because his kid would have gotten a free ride based on financial need.

[Unregistered]

One school that any 2016 or 2016 from cfc ecnl could not get into, that's army. Only other one that has strong academics and would be iffy would be Hamilton, but every cfc ecnl player could play soccer there. Some of these schools, the only way someone would even know about them is the mass emails your kid gets when she takes the sat and scores above a 900.

I see the Count and Countess are back.

[Unregistered]

I see the Count and Countess are back.

That would not make much sense. A swing and a miss.

[Unregistered]

One school that any 2016 or 2016 from cfc ecnl could not get into, that's army. Only other one that has strong academics and would be iffy would be Hamilton, but every cfc ecnl player could play soccer there. Some of these schools, the only way someone would even know about them is the mass emails your kid gets when she takes the sat and scores above a 900.

Jelly brah?

[Unregistered]

I see the Count and Countess are back.

Not the OP - despite their being the worst kind of soccer parents ever, she's a great kid and works her tail off. And as much as I hate to say it CFC does have a better placement list than FSA. However, kids get themselves placed on college rosters and through the admissions process. All the arguing over which of our two mediocre clubs really is pointless. The state's talent is split and not always well trained. GDA (especially at OW) isn't going to fix that in this area.

FSA parent

[Unregistered]

Not the OP - despite their being the worst kind of soccer parents ever, she's a great kid and works her tail off. And as much as I hate to say it CFC does have a better placement list than FSA. However, kids get themselves placed on college rosters and through the admissions process. All the arguing over which of our two mediocre clubs really is pointless. The state's talent is split and not always well trained. GDA (especially at OW) isn't going to fix that in this area.

FSA parent

You complain about arguing over two mediocre clubs, but in the same statement you make the value judgement that CFC has a better placement list than FSA.

What makes it better exactly? What is the objective measure used to come to that conclusion? After all, you have decided that CFC is superior in this component than FSA. Isn't that pointless?

[Unregistered]

You must be crazy if you think the clubs don't have a lot to do with the girls and boys getting placed into college. Keep thinking that all these girls going to Ivy and Patriot league schools would have gotten in on their own. Not talking about the scholarship money they are getting either.

Check with northeast and southeast and academica if you think kids get to these schools on their own.

[Unregistered]

Will my daughter or son go to college and play?

After seeing the premier system close up for the last 7 yrs, ODP, countless coaches etc..I can tell you that the clubs honestly do very very little to create these college opportunities for kids. The list below is my opinion of what creates the best opportunity for athletes to play at the University of their choice.


1. Good Grades and possibly good ACT/SAT scores
2. A great coach who knows how to work with kids and young adults.
3. Student who trains hard outside of premier or travel.
4. Parents/family member/mentor who works with the student on programs to develop their skill, strength,agility,mental ability outside of premier or travel.
5. Parents/family member/mentor/service - help your student get recruited by D1,D2,D3,NAIA,Community College.
6. Premier club.

Pick a great coach before a club. The premier parents out there who have been through the system know that the club doesn't make the player, its the coach, parents, mentors and kids discipline in the classroom and training outside of premier. Paying all this money for the super clubs lands you very little in the way of exposure and your son or daughter still has to go to the campus and try out. The club can't help then. If your son or daughter is one of the top five players in the state then they don't need a super club anyway, the tryout will reveal their talent. They do need a club however. Academica has a u18 player who is a region 1 odp talent on her way to UCONN. Very talented. Not a super club. You never hear about these players, because they arent marketed the same way. Save the super cash and find a great coach.

[Unregistered]

You must be crazy if you think the clubs don't have a lot to do with the girls and boys getting placed into college. Keep thinking that all these girls going to Ivy and Patriot league schools would have gotten in on their own. Not talking about the scholarship money they are getting either.

Check with northeast and southeast and academica if you think kids get to these schools on their own.

FSA has gotten better from the Soccer Plus days.

As a club, the last soccer plus year, they had 9 wins as a club (U14-U18) out of 86 total ECNL games.

Interestingly enough, they team that has shown the least improvement is the one the DOC coaches.

At U14, Soccer plus was 0-19-3. At U15 they improved to 5-7-4. At U16 this year, they regressed to 2-11-3.

The only other team you can trace the progression on is the U15 soccer plus team that went 1-14-1. At U16 over at FSA, they went to 3-12-1. As U17s, they are 5-6-5.

The U16s that are the FSA U18s are still open for two results and could end up with a winning record for the first time in their history if they win both games.

[Unregistered]

FSA has gotten better from the Soccer Plus days.

As a club, the last soccer plus year, they had 9 wins as a club (U14-U18) out of 86 total ECNL games.

Interestingly enough, they team that has shown the least improvement is the one the DOC coaches.

At U14, Soccer plus was 0-19-3. At U15 they improved to 5-7-4. At U16 this year, they regressed to 2-11-3.

The only other team you can trace the progression on is the U15 soccer plus team that went 1-14-1. At U16 over at FSA, they went to 3-12-1. As U17s, they are 5-6-5.

The U16s that are the FSA U18s are still open for two results and could end up with a winning record for the first time in their history if they win both games.

Congrats on coming up from the depths of the basement. Now you're two years in and haven't gone much further and you admit one team regressed from last year. CFC not doing as well as they usually do this year. What was the post - passing someone going in reverse? Each side can argue about points vs standings etc. but net/net neither club does much outside of the area.

[Unregistered]

You complain about arguing over two mediocre clubs, but in the same statement you make the value judgement that CFC has a better placement list than FSA.

What makes it better exactly? What is the objective measure used to come to that conclusion? After all, you have decided that CFC is superior in this component than FSA. Isn't that pointless?

Not the OP but compare CFCs college list to FSA's. Definitely stronger academic and soccer programs. But CFC has been in the racket longer and has longer term relationships with some programs. I agree that players get themselves noticed and into schools, but a good word from a respected club coach carries weight with college coaches. A bad report can definitely sink a player

But don't worry FSA - you're still a newbie. There's plenty of room to catch up.

[Unregistered]

Not the OP but compare CFCs college list to FSA's. Definitely stronger academic and soccer programs. But CFC has been in the racket longer and has longer term relationships with some programs. I agree that players get themselves noticed and into schools, but a good word from a respected club coach carries weight with college coaches. A bad report can definitely sink a player

But don't worry FSA - you're still a newbie. There's plenty of room to catch up.

Agree with you. They seem to be improving. CFC has had a down year but still could finish ahead of FSA in club standings. You can argue back and forth about points...etc but I don't see it as a bad thing. With no one playing in state anymore, it's the closest thing to a rivalry there is. No bad blood. Just trying to finish ahead of the other. What's wrong with that? Why else do you compete? As for those bashing both programs, easy to do from the sidelines. Fact is CFC beat Stars in a couple of age groups and tied PDA in a couple as well. FSA had good results vs Stars as well. Shows both clubs can compete. Can they win a national championship? Doubtful. But then again CT never has had a REAL national champion ever. Regionals with 10 crappy teams and having to beat 1 good one en route to a two game national final hardly counts. Those CT teams that won back in the 90's would never have done so if they had to go through ALL of the top teams on their way. That's just the reality. Not intended to be a knock.

[Unregistered]

What school did your daughter end up at that your club coach didn't do a thing for? Yes 1 player from an occasional lower level club can end up at a top program but it is not the norm. How much scholarship money is that girl getting? I think FSA had a lot to do with their players going to Holy Cross, Seton Hall etc. if you think that MD didn't help a lot you are just silly. D1 college coaches rarely will take a player without contacting their club coach

[Unregistered]

What school did your daughter end up at that your club coach didn't do a thing for? Yes 1 player from an occasional lower level club can end up at a top program but it is not the norm. How much scholarship money is that girl getting? I think FSA had a lot to do with their players going to Holy Cross, Seton Hall etc. if you think that MD didn't help a lot you are just silly. D1 college coaches rarely will take a player without contacting their club coach

The real benefit of clubs for college placements is creating opportunities to be seen by college coaches. CFC and FSA can put its best players in front of hundreds of coaches at tournaments featuring high level play. That is invaluable. Even if a player isn't "discovered" at one of these tournaments, they also provide opportunities for coaches to confirm that a player can, in fact, play at that level.

[Unregistered]

What school did your daughter end up at that your club coach didn't do a thing for? Yes 1 player from an occasional lower level club can end up at a top program but it is not the norm. How much scholarship money is that girl getting? I think FSA had a lot to do with their players going to Holy Cross, Seton Hall etc. if you think that MD didn't help a lot you are just silly. D1 college coaches rarely will take a player without contacting their club coach

Holy Cross has slightly above average academics and very below average soccer program. Patriot league is a nice league, but after Army, Navy, Colgate....then Lehigh, Bucknell and Lafayette, the academics drop off. As for the soccer, BU, who really doesn't fit in the Patriot league (Urban school with 32K enrollment), is probably tops and even then they are mediocre D1 program.

As for MDs help. I am sure they checked in with him, but he didn't reach out and get those coaches on to his kids. My guess is the kid went to the HC clinic and got interest. Seton Hall probably stopped by an ecnl showcase, saw the kid and reach out to MD. At best he was a middle man for communication.