Do college coaches pay much attention to U19?

[Unregistered]

I'm not making them fearful they will miss out I'm trying to educate how this game gets played. From what I'm reading you keep trying to pretend that none of this is happening. The clubs generally do a horrible job explaining how the timeline impacts players of various levels and then how and when players of different levels should solicit offers. They have everyone rushing out like fools chasing programs beyond their kid's playing ability because the clubs don't want to burst their bubbles and potentially impact their cash flow. This all comes down to being objective and understanding where your kid fits in the soccer pyramid. Once you do that you know where and when to go. That is the real travesty here, the clubs have everyone thinking all of the programs recruit as though they were a top 10 program when they don't. Most college coaches understand that they have to wait on other programs further up the rankings to pass on kids before they can get a shot at the talent they will likely land. Recruiting is about the waterfall effect and it is not a sprint.

Agreed. Clubs don't help the situation at all. Many aren't honest with families about where their kids fit (some parents get it, many do not until they're well into the process and see that things aren't falling into place). Some clubs contribute to the paranoia of missing out because it's become a warped badge of honor to have a full roster of committed players as soon as possible. While there is very early recruiting going on that is for the super studs and doesn't apply to many more typical players. As you said if parents understand where their kid fits and what types of programs are best suited for them then they are less likely to panic and the process can be more successful and less stressful

[Unregistered]

Agreed. Clubs don't help the situation at all. Many aren't honest with families about where their kids fit (some parents get it, many do not until they're well into the process and see that things aren't falling into place). Some clubs contribute to the paranoia of missing out because it's become a warped badge of honor to have a full roster of committed players as soon as possible. While there is very early recruiting going on that is for the super studs and doesn't apply to many more typical players. As you said if parents understand where their kid fits and what types of programs are best suited for them then they are less likely to panic and the process can be more successful and less stressful

I don't think all clubs do this. In fact, we had a good experience at different clubs with all our kids, the last getting ready to go. The club was very clear about where our kids could play and brutally honest with where other kids could play. I think a bunch of you are talking to each other and I would not be shocked if you are with the same club. Rather than complaining on TS, why don't you talk to your club?

[Unregistered]

I don't think all clubs do this. In fact, we had a good experience at different clubs with all our kids, the last getting ready to go. The club was very clear about where our kids could play and brutally honest with where other kids could play. I think a bunch of you are talking to each other and I would not be shocked if you are with the same club. Rather than complaining on TS, why don't you talk to your club?

I didn't say all clubs do it but certainly some do. What some people experience isn't representative at all. Also, I'm not the one questioning my club, merely pointing out that the clubs are contributing to the present mess that is girls soccer recruitment. Parents are already on edge as it is. Having a club that can't calm nerves won't help them.

I'm curious to see what the LAX changes have brought to the process. If it works hopefully other sports will adopt it.

[Unregistered]

I don't think all clubs do this. In fact, we had a good experience at different clubs with all our kids, the last getting ready to go. The club was very clear about where our kids could play and brutally honest with where other kids could play. I think a bunch of you are talking to each other and I would not be shocked if you are with the same club. Rather than complaining on TS, why don't you talk to your club?

Honestly this is one of the issues that basically grew out of the ECNL and how they marketed their league. Go back over the years and read some of the old ECNL threads. You can very clearly tell that they sold their showcases as the primary mechanism for getting recruited and that turned the process into one big fishing expedition that ultimately put the families on the end of the string waiting for college coaches to bite. That's a big part of the reason why the recruiting timeline just jumped up so quickly. When my first kid went through all of this 10 years ago the very best girls were committing at the tail end of their sophomore year, heading into their junior year. Once the ECNL hit that all jumped up to the 8th grade. It's not a coincidence.

[Unregistered]

Honestly this is one of the issues that basically grew out of the ECNL and how they marketed their league. Go back over the years and read some of the old ECNL threads. You can very clearly tell that they sold their showcases as the primary mechanism for getting recruited and that turned the process into one big fishing expedition that ultimately put the families on the end of the string waiting for college coaches to bite. That's a big part of the reason why the recruiting timeline just jumped up so quickly. When my first kid went through all of this 10 years ago the very best girls were committing at the tail end of their sophomore year, heading into their junior year. Once the ECNL hit that all jumped up to the 8th grade. It's not a coincidence.

I think you've twisted the ECNL narrative a bit. We were told that the showcases were the best way to have coaches see the kids who they'd been in contact with. It was made really clear to us; you make a target list, send letters and schedules to coaches, begin a dialogue if possible, then play well when they come to see you at a showcase. The showcases were NEVER positioned as a place to be "discovered," even though it does happen on occasion.

[Unregistered]

I think you've twisted the ECNL narrative a bit. We were told that the showcases were the best way to have coaches see the kids who they'd been in contact with. It was made really clear to us; you make a target list, send letters and schedules to coaches, begin a dialogue if possible, then play well when they come to see you at a showcase. The showcases were NEVER positioned as a place to be "discovered," even though it does happen on occasion.

Maybe now, but not in the early days when they were selling the ECNL as the one stop shopping spot for college coaches

[Unregistered]

I think you've twisted the ECNL narrative a bit. We were told that the showcases were the best way to have coaches see the kids who they'd been in contact with. It was made really clear to us; you make a target list, send letters and schedules to coaches, begin a dialogue if possible, then play well when they come to see you at a showcase. The showcases were NEVER positioned as a place to be "discovered," even though it does happen on occasion.

I completely agree with this post. That was our experience, and we were guided by the club.

[Unregistered]

I think you've twisted the ECNL narrative a bit. We were told that the showcases were the best way to have coaches see the kids who they'd been in contact with. It was made really clear to us; you make a target list, send letters and schedules to coaches, begin a dialogue if possible, then play well when they come to see you at a showcase. The showcases were NEVER positioned as a place to be "discovered," even though it does happen on occasion.

You are being naive. Lets say you wrote to UConn expression interest and they cam to see you. Just so happens that 5 other similar schools at the game then sent you a letter after the game ? What do you do id one oif them is a school that you had not considered before. The showcase thing absolutely pushes up timelines because it puts kids in the shop window quit e often long before they are really ready to make any decision.

My kid wrote to no one and got letters from schools like FSU, Syracuse, WVU in 8th grade. I told her to create a generic letter that said ty for the interest, but I am not ready to make any decisions yet. I have no doubt that she could have gotten an offer from all of them and a very good one, but to me it was pointless.

This is the primary ECNL selling point. It really is overkill for the best players. They just dont need it and those minutes should be used by kids who do. Combining some kind of national championship with showcasing is idiotic.

[Unregistered]

Combining some kind of national championship with showcasing is idiotic.

Both GDA and ECNL should limit themselves to one national championship event with just the top maybe 1/3rd of all teams (based on regional playoffs). Then have one more regional showcase to better line up local players and local schools. Time and money is being wasted, lining the pockets of the mandated travel agencies and hotels

[Unregistered]

You are being naive. Lets say you wrote to UConn expression interest and they cam to see you. Just so happens that 5 other similar schools at the game then sent you a letter after the game ? What do you do id one oif them is a school that you had not considered before. The showcase thing absolutely pushes up timelines because it puts kids in the shop window quit e often long before they are really ready to make any decision.

My kid wrote to no one and got letters from schools like FSU, Syracuse, WVU in 8th grade. I told her to create a generic letter that said ty for the interest, but I am not ready to make any decisions yet. I have no doubt that she could have gotten an offer from all of them and a very good one, but to me it was pointless.

This is the primary ECNL selling point. It really is overkill for the best players. They just dont need it and those minutes should be used by kids who do. Combining some kind of national championship with showcasing is idiotic.

Their problem is most of their clubs were actively indoctrinating their families against different recruiting philosophies so they don't know what they don't know. You are actually right on the money. If you followed the targeting methodology that some clubs laid out you realized you didn't actually need the showcases and went to individual id clinics in lieu of them. That defeated the whole rationale behind the ECNL. At least around here the ECNL clubs really did minimize the value of targeting and pushed the need for attending showcases. It was their marketing advantage.

[Unregistered]

Boys side are not U18s. They are all committed.

Completely incorrect. The easiest way to demonstrate this: The 2019 Boys Verbal Commitments thread hasn't even been created yet.