A Good Player Can Play Anywhere

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Parents this is great advice.

Look, I’m not going to say this again, if you’re daughter isn’t playing in ecnl you’re an absolute loser and a bad parent. Now get in line and cut a check to an ecnl club, and if you’re daughter isn’t good then she plays in ECRL. Don’t be a loser. Get her on a pathway before it’s too late.

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Most D1 athletes at these schools with strong academic opportunities are discouraged from pursuing the tougher majors, because the demands of the sports is too much. Your not going to see many pre-med or chemical engineering majors on the soccer team at these schools.

That is absolutely a fact. Some D1 programs encourage players to take courses over the summer to lessen their fall semester school requirements. They learn from preseason that playing soccer is their “job”. They have mandatory requirements that demand the vast majority of their time. If your pre-med, engineering or any other major that requires the vast majority of your time then some of these colleges are not conducive for your education. D3 allows those student to be student/athletes with competitive soccer and also allows them to enjoy college life as well. It’s a win/win. Go look at the rosters of the top 20 D3 programs and they are filled with ECNL/DA athletes who made that decision to play D3 over D1 for academic reasons. BTW, while there are no athletic scholarships there are many who offer “merit/grant” scholarships as well as financial aid.

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That is absolutely a fact. Some D1 programs encourage players to take courses over the summer to lessen their fall semester school requirements. They learn from preseason that playing soccer is their “job”. They have mandatory requirements that demand the vast majority of their time. If your pre-med, engineering or any other major that requires the vast majority of your time then some of these colleges are not conducive for your education. D3 allows those student to be student/athletes with competitive soccer and also allows them to enjoy college life as well. It’s a win/win. Go look at the rosters of the top 20 D3 programs and they are filled with ECNL/DA athletes who made that decision to play D3 over D1 for academic reasons. BTW, while there are no athletic scholarships there are many who offer “merit/grant” scholarships as well as financial aid.

I don't disagree with what you say. But then the idea that these D3 teams can be competitive with D1 programs where the players spend most of their time (their "job") training and competing becomes far less likely. Even if they have good ECNL/DA athletes at these D3 schools, the fact that they only train 2hrs/day and less-so in the spring will have them falling behind their teammates who joined D1 schools that have 2-a-days and full spring training schedules.

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I don't disagree with what you say. But then the idea that these D3 teams can be competitive with D1 programs where the players spend most of their time (their "job") training and competing becomes far less likely. Even if they have good ECNL/DA athletes at these D3 schools, the fact that they only train 2hrs/day and less-so in the spring will have them falling behind their teammates who joined D1 schools that have 2-a-days and full spring training schedules.

Falling behind what? Whats the end goal? What is after college soccer for these girls?

I would say for the small few that intend to play professionally they will more than likely be in the D1 situation. But if you play D3 and if its less competitive what does that actually mean for a girl?

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Very smart response.

Falling behind what? Whats the end goal? What is after college soccer for these girls?

I would say for the small few that intend to play professionally they will more than likely be in the D1 situation. But if you play D3 and if its less competitive what does that actually mean for a girl?

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Falling behind what? Whats the end goal? What is after college soccer for these girls?

I would say for the small few that intend to play professionally they will more than likely be in the D1 situation. But if you play D3 and if its less competitive what does that actually mean for a girl?

I'm talking about college soccer, not life and career. Someone was saying that some D3 schools get players who are just as good as many D1 schools. And I agree with that. My point is that while these D3 schools do have good players from ECNL/DA that may be on-par with D1 schools, the level of soccer being played at even mid-level D1 soccer programs will be higher than the best D3 schools because the teams train and play more than at those D3 schools. Those who choose D3 schools fall behind those who choose D1 *from a soccer perspective* because they don't train as much.

Fwiw, my daughter is going to a D3 school (NESCAC) this fall, so yes, she made the choice you are referring to, looking at the school for academics first, sports second.

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I'm talking about college soccer, not life and career. Someone was saying that some D3 schools get players who are just as good as many D1 schools. And I agree with that. My point is that while these D3 schools do have good players from ECNL/DA that may be on-par with D1 schools, the level of soccer being played at even mid-level D1 soccer programs will be higher than the best D3 schools because the teams train and play more than at those D3 schools. Those who choose D3 schools fall behind those who choose D1 *from a soccer perspective* because they don't train as much.

Fwiw, my daughter is going to a D3 school (NESCAC) this fall, so yes, she made the choice you are referring to, looking at the school for academics first, sports second.

I gotcha. Makes sense now

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I'm talking about college soccer, not life and career. Someone was saying that some D3 schools get players who are just as good as many D1 schools. And I agree with that. My point is that while these D3 schools do have good players from ECNL/DA that may be on-par with D1 schools, the level of soccer being played at even mid-level D1 soccer programs will be higher than the best D3 schools because the teams train and play more than at those D3 schools. Those who choose D3 schools fall behind those who choose D1 *from a soccer perspective* because they don't train as much.

Fwiw, my daughter is going to a D3 school (NESCAC) this fall, so yes, she made the choice you are referring to, looking at the school for academics first, sports second.

I am a big supporter of these students who choose academics over D1. That being said I have seen enough D3 & D1 (mid major matches) to say that at least 4 NESCAC schools and at least 10 other D3 programs can compete vs. D1 programs. The difference as the above person said is speed of play and strength/conditioning. The D1 program is a job while D3 is academics first.

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I am a big supporter of these students who choose academics over D1. That being said I have seen enough D3 & D1 (mid major matches) to say that at least 4 NESCAC schools and at least 10 other D3 programs can compete vs. D1 programs. The difference as the above person said is speed of play and strength/conditioning. The D1 program is a job while D3 is academics first.

Would that be top NESCAC or D3 vs bottom D1 or you saying they could compete against a college cup team?

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Would that be top NESCAC or D3 vs bottom D1 or you saying they could compete against a college cup team?

My point is that they can compete vs. quite a few D1 colleges. Both top 5 NESCAC as well as other D3 programs. I am saying they could compete vs. Mid majors and beat most bottom D1 for sure. When I say compete I mean give them a good competitive match with a chance to win.

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My point is that they can compete vs. quite a few D1 colleges. Both top 5 NESCAC as well as other D3 programs. I am saying they could compete vs. Mid majors and beat most bottom D1 for sure. When I say compete I mean give them a good competitive match with a chance to win.

Just like everything else there are good programs and crap ones. Of course the top of one division can compete with the bottom of another. A good number of D1 schools are not D1 women's soccer competitive but tossed in because of other sports.