College Recruitment Question

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I hate to give too much personal info on Talking Soccer - for obvious reasons. I'll just say she's in 8th grade, so it's time to start thinking about these things (although it seems early still).

She wants to play soccer in college. I don't realistically think she'd make a top DI school and that's OK, but I know that she's capable of more than CC (because we've seen them play). And I don't care much about scholarships. Yes, they are great, but it's not about the money. It's about my daughter doing what she loves, which is soccer. Soccer keeps her busy, happy, and out of trouble.

Yes, she does very well in school, and she is very driven. I think she'll try out for the different level teams and see if there's even a choice in the end.

Too easy to dismiss CC programs as NCAA and NAIA schools still recruit from them as well. It should be part of the questions someone might ask of those schools-"Which NCAA schools have your players gone on to play for?"

Being capable of playing more than the CC level is moot if the grades/test scores make it difficult for a NCAA or NAIA school to recruit a player-those coaches encourage players to play CC and they do come out to watch them at those games.

[Unregistered]

Too easy to dismiss CC programs as NCAA and NAIA schools still recruit from them as well. It should be part of the questions someone might ask of those schools-"Which NCAA schools have your players gone on to play for?"

Being capable of playing more than the CC level is moot if the grades/test scores make it difficult for a NCAA or NAIA school to recruit a player-those coaches encourage players to play CC and they do come out to watch them at those games.

All true and well and good. But since the podter said his D is a good student it doesn't really apply in this case.

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I hate to give too much personal info on Talking Soccer - for obvious reasons. I'll just say she's in 8th grade, so it's time to start thinking about these things (although it seems early still).

She wants to play soccer in college. I don't realistically think she'd make a top DI school and that's OK, but I know that she's capable of more than CC (because we've seen them play). And I don't care much about scholarships. Yes, they are great, but it's not about the money. It's about my daughter doing what she loves, which is soccer. Soccer keeps her busy, happy, and out of trouble.

Yes, she does very well in school, and she is very driven. I think she'll try out for the different level teams and see if there's even a choice in the end.

My daughter has similar interests to yours regarding playing college soccer. She's a sophomore in high school playing club level soccer. She has very good grades and will go to a school based on academics, and then will see if she wants to play soccer there. If it turns out that the school she attends has a D1 program, she might try to walk on because they cannot give every player a scholarship and they keep a fairly large roster. Her skill set will be plenty good enough to compete at D1 although she would not be one of their better players. However, she might decide it's too much commitment to play D1. If she goes to a D2, D3 or NAIA school, we will contact the coach and let him/her know which summer tournaments she will be playing so that they have the opportunity to evaluate her. The D2, D3 and NAIA coaches need interested players to inquire with them and they have prospective athlete questionnaires at their websites. It's good to inquire beginning the summer going into her junior year in high school. If the coach does not see her play, and she will be attending his/her school, her club coach can ask for her to attend pre-season training as a potential walk on player. College coaches usually allow this. If she wants to play in college and continues to play competitive club soccer, there is a college or university out there for her.

[Unregistered]

My daughter has similar interests to yours regarding playing college soccer. She's a sophomore in high school playing club level soccer. She has very good grades and will go to a school based on academics, and then will see if she wants to play soccer there. If it turns out that the school she attends has a D1 program, she might try to walk on because they cannot give every player a scholarship and they keep a fairly large roster. Her skill set will be plenty good enough to compete at D1 although she would not be one of their better players. However, she might decide it's too much commitment to play D1. If she goes to a D2, D3 or NAIA school, we will contact the coach and let him/her know which summer tournaments she will be playing so that they have the opportunity to evaluate her. The D2, D3 and NAIA coaches need interested players to inquire with them and they have prospective athlete questionnaires at their websites. It's good to inquire beginning the summer going into her junior year in high school. If the coach does not see her play, and she will be attending his/her school, her club coach can ask for her to attend pre-season training as a potential walk on player. College coaches usually allow this. If she wants to play in college and continues to play competitive club soccer, there is a college or university out there for her.

Inquiring the summer before Junior year is pretty late these days on the girls' side. Has been for many years.

[Unregistered]

Inquiring the summer before Junior year is pretty late these days on the girls' side. Has been for many years.

Not for a non scholarship player.

[Unregistered]

What ever you do, avoid alienating the coaches during the official visit so they don't pull your offer. ECNL clubs should teach a course on this.

[Unregistered]

What ever you do, avoid alienating the coaches during the official visit so they don't pull your offer. ECNL clubs should teach a course on this.

Thanks for the super insightful tip. This is like saying "whatever you do avoid alienating your prospective employer during a job interview so they don't offer you the job."

[Unregistered]

Not for a non scholarship player.

No for most except low level programs, mostly D3s. And whoever posted about the walk-on illusion needs to sober up. In better programs walk-ons are very rare and the likelihood of lasting past year 1 is even more slim. Sure it doesn't cost a coach much of anything to carry way more players than necessary, but those beyond say the top 22-24 are considered practice cones for #1-24. They are expendable and will never see the field.

[Unregistered]

What ever you do, avoid alienating the coaches during the official visit so they don't pull your offer. ECNL clubs should teach a course on this.

Applies to parents as much as the players. Plenty of offers are not extended because a coach deems the parent(s) as too big of a pain in the azz to deal with. A good program has plenty of players to chose from. Any hint of trouble they'll move on to the next player on the list

[Unregistered]

No for most except low level programs, mostly D3s. And whoever posted about the walk-on illusion needs to sober up. In better programs walk-ons are very rare and the likelihood of lasting past year 1 is even more slim. Sure it doesn't cost a coach much of anything to carry way more players than necessary, but those beyond say the top 22-24 are considered practice cones for #1-24. They are expendable and will never see the field.

This is not true, talk to your club coaches

[Unregistered]

No for most except low level programs, mostly D3s. And whoever posted about the walk-on illusion needs to sober up. In better programs walk-ons are very rare and the likelihood of lasting past year 1 is even more slim. Sure it doesn't cost a coach much of anything to carry way more players than necessary, but those beyond say the top 22-24 are considered practice cones for #1-24. They are expendable and will never see the field.

True for other states maybe but Oregon girls don't generally make verbals or commit until junior or senior year. How many sophs are listed with verbals? One? No one seems willing to admit what our soccer realities are. The poster that said dd is waiting made it clear that academics are #1 and if dd gets to play soccer, that will be a bonus. Realistic & smart. Oregon only gets a few D1 (& usually lower D1) anyway. Hope OR girls aren't going to be devastated when they don't get full ride offers to UCLA, Stanford & Notre Dame their sophomore year. Most won't commit until junior or senior year, with little money & to lower soccer & academic level schools. That has been our reality for years.

[Unregistered]

More than one sophomore has already committed verbally, even in Oregon.

[Unregistered]

More than one sophomore has already committed verbally, even in Oregon.

NCAA rules do not allow recruitment until July 1 of Junior year.

[Unregistered]

NCAA rules do not allow recruitment until July 1 of Junior year.

Not true at all. Schools can recruit 7th graders if they want it is how they communicate is limited by NCAA

[Unregistered]

Not true at all. Schools can recruit 7th graders if they want it is how they communicate is limited by NCAA

True and off the top of my head at least 5 sophomores are verbally committed all D1, maybe more.