2021 Recruiting: 2002 v. 2003 evaluation

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College coaches don’t care about birth year. They only care about graduation year.

Also they will evaluate players they see and figure out who they are interested in and their grad year and go from there targeting what they need for the upcoming recruiting class.

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Of course college coaches only care about graduation year. However, it is MUCH easier to look like a stand out in speed of play, physicality, skills, etc if you are playing with and against 9th graders vs playing with and against 11th graders!

As two previous posters wrote:
1)ID camps can help sort this out
2)Similar problem yo how a college coach evaluates a player that is a star on a weak team in a weak league vs a solid (but not star) on a top team in a top league.

Based on past recruiting, the advantage goes to the solid players on the top teams since the college coaches know they will be solid. The star from the weak team & weak league often crumbles in college because they haven’t had to develop the skills & game iq required to play in the college game. Anyone looks good playing with & against weak players. Therefore, advantage should go to the 2002 born 2021 that is a solid or better player compared with and against juniors - especially if they play on a top team/league.

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god i hope coaches stop looking at all the stupid stuff by the time the kids are recruitable and focus on how they do on the field .... great technical skills, unbelievable quickness/speed, 360 vision ...... oh, that kid has all of those things but hes a 2000 senior .... i guess i will take the 2001 senior with half the skills and hope it works itself out ... gimme a break people ..... if you are worrying about nickles and dimes, the kid aint worth it!!

Coaches are managing their numbers by class and in the case of D1, they are managing their total available dollars.

Big difference if a kid is a junior vs senior in terms of availability of athletic funds. If you are simply chasing a roster spot then yes you don't need to worry about "nickels and dimes" otherwise you better believe it's an important detail.

Sorry you don't grasp this concept.

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This is definitely a true statement and sometimes it is better to stick out while that college coach is watching whether or not you are playing with juniors or freshmen. Most clubs have a balance of their 2021 sophomore class already recruited. The 2021's recruited as of now are the clubs top players.

College coaches aren’t dumb enough (most, anyway) to not realize a sophomore might just LOOK better because they are playing with and against 9th graders. Much more impressive and reliable if a player can play well with and against juniors. World of difference in those games!

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College coaches aren’t dumb enough (most, anyway) to not realize a sophomore might just LOOK better because they are playing with and against 9th graders. Much more impressive and reliable if a player can play well with and against juniors. World of difference in those games!

If you look at 2003 players who are already recruited in MA they were playing with same age or younger. The two Breakers now NEFC players, stars player, and south shore select player all who have a 2021 graduation year played with younger teammates when they were recruited. As someone mentioned earlier you will get noticed if you are consistent and play well.

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College coaches aren’t dumb enough (most, anyway) to not realize a sophomore might just LOOK better because they are playing with and against 9th graders. Much more impressive and reliable if a player can play well with and against juniors. World of difference in those games!

So let me get this straight, its better to be an average player or a sub with juniors than a star with freshmen. I only wish my daughter was a 2003 and not a 2002 fighting for playing time. I think the 2003 players hit the jackpot and when all the commitments are said and done they will fare far better.

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So let me get this straight, its better to be an average player or a sub with juniors than a star with freshmen. I only wish my daughter was a 2003 and not a 2002 fighting for playing time. I think the 2003 players hit the jackpot and when all the commitments are said and done they will fare far better.

From a coach’s perspective, it’s better to be the player who will be on their college field within 2 years. That’s when the rubber meets the road and offers are going out and LI’s are getting signed. Sure they’ll look at younger players, but too many things can happen between freshman and late sophomore/early junior year to make serious commitments for 95+% of players. Player interest, injuries, academic eligibility, etc. as HS upperclassmen is all unknown at freshman year. No coach wants to build their program on unknowns like that.

[Unregistered]

So let me get this straight, its better to be an average player or a sub with juniors than a star with freshmen. I only wish my daughter was a 2003 and not a 2002 fighting for playing time. I think the 2003 players hit the jackpot and when all the commitments are said and done they will fare far better.

I would think the 2002 playing with older kids would have the advantage, if they can get playing time, that is. My kid has played up an age group for a few years, and looked way better when playing with older players, who have much better soccer IQ. When playing back on age, she got frustrated, because teammates don't continue their runs, don't see her making a great run, the speed of play is slower, in addition to poorer passing and technical skills from the younger players. If your kid can hang with the kids a school grade older, they should come out looking like a better player.

[Unregistered]

I would think the 2002 playing with older kids would have the advantage, if they can get playing time, that is. My kid has played up an age group for a few years, and looked way better when playing with older players, who have much better soccer IQ. When playing back on age, she got frustrated, because teammates don't continue their runs, don't see her making a great run, the speed of play is slower, in addition to poorer passing and technical skills from the younger players. If your kid can hang with the kids a school grade older, they should come out looking like a better player.

Agree but not sure all college coaches realize the big difference. For example, the coach poster above yours didn’t realize that this whole discussion is about players who are the SAME graduation year. The problem now is the same graduation year players are forced to be on very different teams: In the 2021 example, all are in 10th grade but some are playing with a bunch of 11th graders and a some older 10th graders. The other 10th graders are playing with and against a bunch of younger sophomores and 9th graders. That’s a critical 2 year difference in experience, strength and skills! The smart college coaches will understand this and not be fooled by the 10th graders who only look like stars because they are playing against 9th graders. There will be coaches that are fooled though and their programs will suffer.

[Unregistered]

I would think the 2002 playing with older kids would have the advantage, if they can get playing time, that is. My kid has played up an age group for a few years, and looked way better when playing with older players, who have much better soccer IQ. When playing back on age, she got frustrated, because teammates don't continue their runs, don't see her making a great run, the speed of play is slower, in addition to poorer passing and technical skills from the younger players. If your kid can hang with the kids a school grade older, they should come out looking like a better player.

By the HS ages the differences in age groups become more subtle, especially for girls who have mostly done growing. Boys can keep growing well into high school and their puberty timelines are all over the map. It's all about standing out in the group you're with. Coaches are there to see the player, not the rest of the team

[Unregistered]

Just look at Ally Sentnor. Answer to your question.

[Unregistered]

Just look at Ally Sentnor. Answer to your question.

wait a minute. you want us to look at one kid as an example to understand what the trends are? ONE? there is no logic to this post

[Unregistered]

Agree but not sure all college coaches realize the big difference. For example, the coach poster above yours didn’t realize that this whole discussion is about players who are the SAME graduation year. The problem now is the same graduation year players are forced to be on very different teams: In the 2021 example, all are in 10th grade but some are playing with a bunch of 11th graders and a some older 10th graders. The other 10th graders are playing with and against a bunch of younger sophomores and 9th graders. That’s a critical 2 year difference in experience, strength and skills! The smart college coaches will understand this and not be fooled by the 10th graders who only look like stars because they are playing against 9th graders. There will be coaches that are fooled though and their programs will suffer.

True. The bump goes to the 2021 playing with and against juniors, not the 2021 playing with and against freshmen.
Same reason the bump generally goes to players on top teams playing in top leagues like GDA & ECNL over NPL players. Sure the NPL player looks like a star on a team of weaker players playing vs lesser competition in a weaker league but how can you be sure how they will do at a much faster pace vs much better players?
Same reason the bump generally goes to a player playing 2 years up. The 2003 born 2021 is essentially playing a year down and the 2002 born 2021 is essentially playing up one year. 2 year swing!
College coaches lose their jobs if they don’t get wins. In general they have to recruit more known solid players than risky players that might not pan out vs older/better competition because all they’ve ever played with is kids a grade younger while their 2002 grade mates have been playing with & against kids that are 2 grades older than their competition.
Same reason the bump generally goes to players playing in the top division of a league over ones in a division down.

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Congrats to AS givin the opportunity and having the talent to make it work.Not everyone gets the opportunity that may have the talent.

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By the HS ages the differences in age groups become more subtle, especially for girls who have mostly done growing. Boys can keep growing well into high school and their puberty timelines are all over the map. It's all about standing out in the group you're with. Coaches are there to see the player, not the rest of the team

An earlier poster named several 2021 players who are 03 birth years and committed already ahead of their 2002 peers. In those cases are the coaches not getting good players? I agree with this post. Its about the player and the skills that fit their program. The rest of it is nonsense.