College Scholarship offers..

[Unregistered]

Not sure if you are just using them as examples or actually got offers from all the conferences you mention “(MAAC, PL, Ivy, Big 10, ACC)”, but ACC and Big 10 are really different experiences than the others mentioned both in the average level of player and the intensity of the program. Not disparaging the others; just pointing out that you were targeting over a wide spectrum.

Yes, that's the point, and it was actually worse than that.
Last year at this time contact was allowed, so conversations started early. We didn't know her ceiling and she kept options open. Engagement climbed the ladder with the calendar. After January tourneys MAAC / America East tried to jump line with statements like we are ready to offer if you are ready to commit. As the spring progressed the higher level programs became more active as they saw more play in league games, and spring tourneys. As better test scores landed the PL and Ivy coach interest became real. She had maintained contact with all of them through April, so when Jun 15 arrived they were all checking to see where they stood.

I know these are good problems to have, and I recognize this could be perceived as a brag, but I don't mean it that way. It just reinforces that need to know your desired level and explore what FIT means before rushing to engage with coaches. The "fun" of being recruited quickly turns into confusion, distraction, and stress that 16 year-old girls aren't typically ready to experience.

[Unregistered]

Were the offers vastly different or relatively close?

Because Ivy was in the mix along with Universities with network TV budgets there is obviously a vast difference between nothing and everything. Also the offers didn't follow a logical pattern. Each coach has specific characteristics they value in a player, and a method for deploying their offers. Don't be surprised when a coach from a "lower" program has less or even no interest than a coach in a more prestigious program.

[Unregistered]

Yes, that's the point, and it was actually worse than that.
Last year at this time contact was allowed, so conversations started early. We didn't know her ceiling and she kept options open. Engagement climbed the ladder with the calendar. After January tourneys MAAC / America East tried to jump line with statements like we are ready to offer if you are ready to commit. As the spring progressed the higher level programs became more active as they saw more play in league games, and spring tourneys. As better test scores landed the PL and Ivy coach interest became real. She had maintained contact with all of them through April, so when Jun 15 arrived they were all checking to see where they stood.

I know these are good problems to have, and I recognize this could be perceived as a brag, but I don't mean it that way. It just reinforces that need to know your desired level and explore what FIT means before rushing to engage with coaches. The "fun" of being recruited quickly turns into confusion, distraction, and stress that 16 year-old girls aren't typically ready to experience.

I’m glad I made my daughter narrow down her target schools before sophomore year. It made it so much easier to plan out contacts and ID camps. We only did one ID camp at what we thought was a stretch soccer program for her, but ended up getting an offer. That threw me a little, but not her because she really wasn’t interested in the school; so I know what you mean by distraction. Our experience was also similar with the offers, they were all over the place. In the end, it all worked out. Hope your daughter enjoys her experience.

[Unregistered]

Just be prepared to manage expectations if no one is contacting you June 15 or the response isn't what you thought it would be like. Before the rule change my 2021 had talked to several coaches and they were watching her league and tournament games. We assumed they were very interested. Was very disappointed when June 15 came around and only 1 texted her. Ended up committing elsewhere. We did everything we thought we were suppose to do but it was a confidence crusher on my daughter.

Shame. My d was in a different situation. Had multiple offers by end of soph year. This was before the new rules. I wish she would have waited.

[Unregistered]

And agree, the stress it created was part of why she just wanted it done. Also not a brag. And we were very grateful for all the interest (and still gets interest as a current college player), but i wish she waited.

[Unregistered]

Not sure if you are just using them as examples or actually got offers from all the conferences you mention “(MAAC, PL, Ivy, Big 10, ACC)”, but ACC and Big 10 are really different experiences than the others mentioned both in the average level of player and the intensity of the program. Not disparaging the others; just pointing out that you were targeting over a wide spectrum.

If you target properly you will end up crossing multiple conferences simply because your targets will all be within a few dozen ranking points of each other. While there will be some variations it not as extreme as you are suggesting because of their relativity to each other

[Unregistered]

If you target properly you will end up crossing multiple conferences simply because your targets will all be within a few dozen ranking points of each other. While there will be some variations it not as extreme as you are suggesting because of their relativity to each other

Exactly - but targeting isn't as easy as it sounds.
my experience is that most parents are pretty grounded and few start out with conviction that player is P5 material or has test scores for Ivy. We start with what we think is realistic and then adjust

[Unregistered]

Because Ivy was in the mix along with Universities with network TV budgets there is obviously a vast difference between nothing and everything. Also the offers didn't follow a logical pattern. Each coach has specific characteristics they value in a player, and a method for deploying their offers. Don't be surprised when a coach from a "lower" program has less or even no interest than a coach in a more prestigious program.

OK, thanks for that! My 04 has been getting a lot of interest from schools that we thought were a reach, yet a good amount of her "safety" soccer schools have shown zippo! Glad to hear that that's common.

[Unregistered]

OK, thanks for that! My 04 has been getting a lot of interest from schools that we thought were a reach, yet a good amount of her "safety" soccer schools have shown zippo! Glad to hear that that's common.

One would think it would be a logical process but it isn't always. However, keep in mind that coaches from lower level programs aren't generally in the same time crunch higher level ones are. They aren't competing for the same players. Also, as someone said above, you may thing there's several really interested but nothing ever materializes. That means you're on their 2nd or even 3rd tier list. They give their top recruits offers first, see who accepts then work down the list from there. Best advice we ever got is keep a lot of options open. Treat it like a non athlete should- have a few reaches, a few pretty certains and a few safeties.

[Unregistered]

OK, thanks for that! My 04 has been getting a lot of interest from schools that we thought were a reach, yet a good amount of her "safety" soccer schools have shown zippo! Glad to hear that that's common.

Same with my 03 son! It is surprising to me too.

[Unregistered]

And agree, the stress it created was part of why she just wanted it done. Also not a brag. And we were very grateful for all the interest (and still gets interest as a current college player), but i wish she waited.

When you say they “still get interest as a current college player”, does that mean other college coaches can try to recruit players to transfer?

[Unregistered]

Done a better job figuring out where my kid could get out on the field and play before we started the whole process.

With 25-30 player rosters common, probably only half of them get decent playing time. Are the bench players happy just to be on the roster? Who ends up happier, the P5 commit who got to brag in high school about the high level commit or the player who went to not as impressive a soccer program but plays significant minutes? I just can’t imagine the good starting players that play all game before college, being happy not playing much in college.

[Unregistered]

With 25-30 player rosters common, probably only half of them get decent playing time. Are the bench players happy just to be on the roster? Who ends up happier, the P5 commit who got to brag in high school about the high level commit or the player who went to not as impressive a soccer program but plays significant minutes? I just can’t imagine the good starting players that play all game before college, being happy not playing much in college.

For some players they land at the school not knowing where they fit in with the program. At P5 schools they do know playing freshman year is likely off the table. Still, they stay with the program and put their time in working on fitness and nutrition. They enjoy the other non-playing perks of being on the team like sisterhood/brotherhood. It’s not until after sophomore season when they play very little do they truly get a snapshot glimpse of where they stand on the team, esp if there are freshmen playing over them. Then they quit or enter the transfer portal.

[Unregistered]

When you say they “still get interest as a current college player”, does that mean other college coaches can try to recruit players to transfer?

Word gets to you that spots are open that they will open a spot for you. We received interest each yr in college so far. Coaches can not.

[Unregistered]

Once you go into the portal, you put whatever you have at your current gig at risk.