Ask the Coach, Women's College D1 PT2

[Unregistered]

I did this quite some time ago knowing that there are a lot of frustrated parents out there. We are beyond frustrated as well with the never ending Dead Period and the recruiting challenges created by Covid.

I am happy to answer questions and provide insight to the best of my ability with the following assumptions:

1) I coach at a Division 1 Women's Program
2) All programs have unique circumstances, and all coaches have different perspectives
3) My whole life has been devoted to the beautiful game and my only motivation is providing even the tiniest bit of assistance in these unprecedented times
4) I will not engage the naysayers and skeptics who will immediately say I'm not a coach
5) I registered a user name with the hopes of legitimizing my intent and have emailed the help desk no less than 4 times since June to no avail
6) You can access original thread and previously addressed questions here http://talking-soccer.com/TS4/showth...ighlight=coach

[Unregistered]

Granted it’s an extremely small sample size, but I was wondering if you had an opinion on the launch of the GAL?

[Unregistered]

When recruiting a player

1. How much do you consider the following (rank in order, list most important first, least important last).

A. In person scouting

B. Game videos

C. Showcase events

D in person meetings

E. Head coach interview

F. Other..please list item

[Unregistered]

When recruiting a player

1. How much do you consider the following (rank in order, list most important first, least important last).

A. In person scouting

B. Game videos

C. Showcase events

D in person meetings

E. Head coach interview

F. Other..please list item

In Person scouting/Showcase events are really the same thing and most important as our initial level of screening needs to be determining if player has ability to play at our level

In person meetings/Coach interview become part of next step to see if their personality/mentality/character meets our standard

Other: ACADEMICS...very important for us

Video: we don't rely too much on it, but that has changed recently since it's all we have!

[Unregistered]

Granted it’s an extremely small sample size, but I was wondering if you had an opinion on the launch of the GAL?

Really difficult to comment on this since we've not been permitted to attend any games as of yet. However, based on what we've seen, and feedback from some of our 21 commits who were previously DA and now GAL, I will say some of the score lines we're seeing are concerning!

[Unregistered]

I did this quite some time ago knowing that there are a lot of frustrated parents out there. We are beyond frustrated as well with the never ending Dead Period and the recruiting challenges created by Covid.

I am happy to answer questions and provide insight to the best of my ability with the following assumptions:

1) I coach at a Division 1 Women's Program
2) All programs have unique circumstances, and all coaches have different perspectives
3) My whole life has been devoted to the beautiful game and my only motivation is providing even the tiniest bit of assistance in these unprecedented times
4) I will not engage the naysayers and skeptics who will immediately say I'm not a coach
5) I registered a user name with the hopes of legitimizing my intent and have emailed the help desk no less than 4 times since June to no avail
6) You can access original thread and previously addressed questions here http://talking-soccer.com/TS4/showth...ighlight=coach

At what age should a player reach out if they are interested in your school. Should the first step be a letter with a showcase schedule? Will the school follow up to let them know they will be at a showcase or just watch games without players knowledge. Thanks

[Unregistered]

When recruiting a player

1. How much do you consider the following (rank in order, list most important first, least important last).

A. In person scouting

B. Game videos

C. Showcase events

D in person meetings

E. Head coach interview

F. Other..please list item

So telling you don’t list academics. Typical parent who has completely lost sight of the purpose of college.

Here is the formula.

1. Top grades
2. ECNL.

It’s not complicated.

[Unregistered]

At what age should a player reach out if they are interested in your school. Should the first step be a letter with a showcase schedule? Will the school follow up to let them know they will be at a showcase or just watch games without players knowledge. Thanks

We get plenty of emails from 8th graders! (even 7th) Never too early to get on our radar, and we can actually speak to players before they enter High School as they don't meet definition of Prospective Student Athlete. We don't make a habit of this, or solicit these players, but a handful will reach out to us asking to talk.

Once you enter HS, we can't communicate, nor let you know we'll be at the games because we aren't allowed to!

[Unregistered]

1.Great Grades 2. Have talent and good personality.

[Unregistered]

So telling you don’t list academics. Typical parent who has completely lost sight of the purpose of college.

Here is the formula.

1. Top grades
2. ECNL.

It’s not complicated.

Maybe the poster's kid is an average student, not considering a PL or Ivy-level program academically. If the coach is at a mid-level state school, there's no reason to worry about a kid's grades in the recruiting process. If the coach is at HYP or some other academically-driven school, then the academic qualifications are critical.

[Unregistered]

A kid should try for great grades regardless,mid level or not rankings mean nothing.

[Unregistered]

A kid should try for great grades regardless,mid level or not rankings mean nothing.

Good grades will give you many more options than being an average student, or a midling one with mad soccer skills. Coaches like players they won't have to push through admissions and that they don't have to worry about academically once they're on campus. Getting some nice merit money never hurt anyone either and it sticks all four years.

[Unregistered]

A kid should try for great grades regardless,mid level or not rankings mean nothing.

Of course a kid should try to do their best academically. My point was from the perspective of the coach/recruiter. Coaches at certain programs know that grades are a non-issue for their recruits.

I know players recruited to quite a few P5 programs that were NEVER asked about grades or test scores. They certainly don’t matter for a player looking at a Penn State or NC State or Alabama the way they would at Georgetown, Northwestern, the Ivies, etc. For many coaches, the question of whether an athlete can get through admissions or not is a non-issue.

[Unregistered]

Of course a kid should try to do their best academically. My point was from the perspective of the coach/recruiter. Coaches at certain programs know that grades are a non-issue for their recruits.

I know players recruited to quite a few P5 programs that were NEVER asked about grades or test scores. They certainly don’t matter for a player looking at a Penn State or NC State or Alabama the way they would at Georgetown, Northwestern, the Ivies, etc. For many coaches, the question of whether an athlete can get through admissions or not is a non-issue.

And the state will see a handful of players at programs of that caliber, in a good year. For the rest, keep your grades up, prepare for the SAT (assuming it returns as a metric after this year). There are plenty of quality academic D1s that will care about your grades as will the highly desirable D3s.

[Unregistered]

And the state will see a handful of players at programs of that caliber, in a good year. For the rest, keep your grades up, prepare for the SAT (assuming it returns as a metric after this year). There are plenty of quality academic D1s that will care about your grades as will the highly desirable D3s.

Not to nitpick too much, but how much do you think schools like Bryant, Central Ct, UHartford, Delaware, Fairfield, UML, URI care about the grades of their soccer recruits? If the kid can contribute on the field and they're willing to pick the school over other options, that's all that matters. It's not just an ACC / Big10 / SEC phenomenon; the RPI level of the program is irrelevant.