Transferring Colleges?

[Unregistered]

OK we've learned the hard way that college coaches stretch the truth in a whole lot of ways. The situation my player walked into was not what was promised. His fault or coaches fault, it doesn't matter. Food stinks, dorm is a zoo, and athletic academic cooridinator is a misfit. My kid is miserable and wants out. What are the rules about transferring and how do we go about doing it?

Oh my god, this is EXACTLY my kids situation!! I don't believe it. I am not kidding. The school has dining hall hours exactly at training time, so the soccer team has to actually buy their food or use "dining dollars" to eat in the evening!! My kid has lost 10 pounds of muscle in 2 months!! And my kid can't go to sleep!! The school put my kid in a suite with nocturnal chocolate eating cigarette smoking tree sloths! They go to bed at 3 AM and wake up at 2 PM!!! It's ridiculous isn't it? And the coach gives no one a turn on the field (i.e. more than 10 mintues) unless coach has recruited them personally. Wow. I can't believe that this is so common.

Anyway, I think that as far as transferring goes it only matters if the kid has received athletic money. If the kid has not received athletic money the release is a formality and should not delay anybody's playing time if they go to another school in the same conference.

[Unregistered]

Oh my god, this is EXACTLY my kids situation!! I don't believe it. I am not kidding. The school has dining hall hours exactly at training time, so the soccer team has to actually buy their food or use "dining dollars" to eat in the evening!! My kid has lost 10 pounds of muscle in 2 months!! And my kid can't go to sleep!! The school put my kid in a suite with nocturnal chocolate eating cigarette smoking tree sloths! They go to bed at 3 AM and wake up at 2 PM!!! It's ridiculous isn't it? And the coach gives no one a turn on the field (i.e. more than 10 minutes) unless coach has recruited them personally. Wow. I can't believe that this is so common.

Anyway, I think that as far as transferring goes it only matters if the kid has received athletic money. If the kid has not received athletic money the release is a formality and should not delay anybody's playing time if they go to another school in the same conference.

Apparently this kid has received money and will need a new scholarship to continue elsewhere. Has anyone else experienced this with the scholarship issue?

[MASC]

You lose it and genreally there is no money at the new school. Make sure that the whole school decision is not based on the soccer situation. Don't make the same mistake twice.

It is amazing how important soccer is being made for a student in college. For 99% of the collegiate players they will not being making their living from soccer. In any case the first responder was spot on.

Having had a child go through this, they are guaranteed to lose credits. Be prepared to have to take summer classes or an extra semester to make-up the deficiencies. Tranfer as soon as possible. There is no upside to a child being mserable. He will not perform well acedemically or in sport. He will have lost any money connected to athletics and there probably is no money avaialble for him at a new school. Transfers tend to get less scholarship and grant money than incoming freshmen. Some schools after a semester of demonstrated high academic performance will provide greater aid.

Help him to move on.

The academic and social fit are more important than the soccer. He should have learned a significant life lesson:

Soccer is just a game.

[Unregistered]

You lose it and genreally there is no money at the new school. Make sure that the whole school decision is not based on the soccer situation. Don't make the same mistake twice.

It is amazing how important soccer is being made for a student in college. For 99% of the collegiate players they will not being making their living from soccer. In any case the first responder was spot on.

Having had a child go through this, they are guaranteed to lose credits. Be prepared to have to take summer classes or an extra semester to make-up the deficiencies. Tranfer as soon as possible. There is no upside to a child being mserable. He will not perform well acedemically or in sport. He will have lost any money connected to athletics and there probably is no money avaialble for him at a new school. Transfers tend to get less scholarship and grant money than incoming freshmen. Some schools after a semester of demonstrated high academic performance will provide greater aid.

Help him to move on.

The academic and social fit are more important than the soccer. He should have learned a significant life lesson:

Soccer is just a game.

Very good observations about getting burned twice with regard to soccer. My kid is in a competitive D2 school that has a mediocre team and still the coach will not sub. It's amazing. And the athletic trainer can not spell F-L-E-X-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y. We could try a less competitive D2, or maybe D3. At least she will play, and train better (hopefully).

Question: Can someone please recommend an enlightened athletic program where the kids have the opportunity to consume adequate protein, get rest, are kept in playing shape if they do not get the minutes on the field, and hopefully has a coach that knows he/she will have to sub to survive a schedule which requires playing 18 games in 8 weeks (inhuman!! european pros don't play that much!!!)?

[Unregistered]

Very good observations about getting burned twice with regard to soccer. My kid is in a competitive D2 school that has a mediocre team and still the coach will not sub. It's amazing. And the athletic trainer can not spell F-L-E-X-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y. We could try a less competitive D2, or maybe D3. At least she will play, and train better (hopefully).

Question: Can someone please recommend an enlightened athletic program where the kids have the opportunity to consume adequate protein, get rest, are kept in playing shape if they do not get the minutes on the field, and hopefully has a coach that knows he/she will have to sub to survive a schedule which requires playing 18 games in 8 weeks (inhuman!! european pros don't play that much!!!)?

many successful college programs will always scrimmage the reserves at least once a week so they can remain in somewhat game shape if called upon. In addition, if I was a reserve I would be making sure I was putting in additional work outs so my fitness level remains at a high level since I am not getting any work on game days so that I am ready if I do get an opportunity. no one to blame but oneself if you do not keep up your fitness level--I know this seems a little overkill, but if you are not playing on game day, and it doesn't really matter what sport, then you must put in extra work to remain fit so you are ready if called upon.

[Unregistered]

AW transferred from Santa Clara to Providence without missing a beat. I think the school you are leaving can wave the sitting out a year requirement.

AW withdrew from school. That's a totally different situation.

The issue with timing is the money. In D1, you need a formal release from the current coach in order to speak to anyone. If you wait until after the spring, your chance of getting money at another school goes from little to zero. Think about it in terms of recruiting high school aged players - it is the juniors that are considered for money, very few seniors will suddenly find themselves being offered scholarships if they haven't been already talking to coaches prior to that year. If your son waits, he will lose out. I would also caution that maybe finding the right school and program that offers him the balance he seeks is more important than what division he plays.

Good luck.

[Unregistered]

many successful college programs will always scrimmage the reserves at least once a week so they can remain in somewhat game shape if called upon. In addition, if I was a reserve I would be making sure I was putting in additional work outs so my fitness level remains at a high level since I am not getting any work on game days so that I am ready if I do get an opportunity. no one to blame but oneself if you do not keep up your fitness level--I know this seems a little overkill, but if you are not playing on game day, and it doesn't really matter what sport, then you must put in extra work to remain fit so you are ready if called upon.

Of course the players can put in the extrea time running....why doesn't the coach structure this into the program? I think that it is the coaches responsibility to build in fitness for kids who are handing out water bottles on game day .... why leave this to the individual players? Coach should control this. Don't put this on 18 year olds --first year away from home -- to come up with a program for themselves. that is what we are paying coach 20K/year to do.

[Unregistered]

Of course the players can put in the extrea time running....why doesn't the coach structure this into the program? I think that it is the coaches responsibility to build in fitness for kids who are handing out water bottles on game day .... why leave this to the individual players? Coach should control this. Don't put this on 18 year olds --first year away from home -- to come up with a program for themselves. that is what we are paying coach 20K/year to do.

I am sure that players that don't play on game day can go to the practice field and do some running in their own. Coaches can't do anything extra with anyone on a game day. It is called: your kid needs to be R-E-S-P-O-N-S-I-B-L-E. She/he is 18 (you need to realize this!!!) and must know that being fit it is her/his choice. Did you daughter/son present herself in the best shape at preaseason and then it went downhill? By the way you are not paying the coach...the school is paying him/her to put the best team together. Maybe your kid doesn't help. Did you ever think about that? Playing for a competitive college program is a previlege not a right.

[Unregistered]

Playing for a competitive college program is a previlege not a right.

It's really a job.

[Unregistered]

Very good observations about getting burned twice with regard to soccer. My kid is in a competitive D2 school that has a mediocre team and still the coach will not sub. It's amazing. And the athletic trainer can not spell F-L-E-X-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y. We could try a less competitive D2, or maybe D3. At least she will play, and train better (hopefully).

Question: Can someone please recommend an enlightened athletic program where the kids have the opportunity to consume adequate protein, get rest, are kept in playing shape if they do not get the minutes on the field, and hopefully has a coach that knows he/she will have to sub to survive a schedule which requires playing 18 games in 8 weeks (inhuman!! european pros don't play that much!!!)?

Yes, I do. Create your won college for her. All these stuff that you mentioned is up to the student/athlete to manage. Every program plays an average of 14 players per game, unless they are getting beat badly or beating someone badly. Yet they all have roster of 24+. Your kid will have to fight anywhere he/she goes (d1, d2, d3) to play. Please be realistic on assessing her ability as what you mentioned is not just coach's fault. Anyone healthy can be in shape in his/her own anytime of the year. Tell her/him not to get in shape during the season, but to be in shape for the season.

[Unregistered]

Why not just quit soccer? Maybe play intramural or club soccer?

[Unregistered]

Tell her/him not to get in shape during the season, but to be in shape for the season.


This is well put.

[Unregistered]

Yes, I do. Create your won college for her. All these stuff that you mentioned is up to the student/athlete to manage. Every program plays an average of 14 players per game, unless they are getting beat badly or beating someone badly. Yet they all have roster of 24+. Your kid will have to fight anywhere he/she goes (d1, d2, d3) to play. Please be realistic on assessing her ability as what you mentioned is not just coach's fault. Anyone healthy can be in shape in his/her own anytime of the year. Tell her/him not to get in shape during the season, but to be in shape for the season.

Totally unenlightened. And you are wrong about subs. SOme programs play 14 players per game many successful programs with coaches that have proven track records play more in NE 10. Just look at the boxscores and you will see some schools with very few subs (2-4 with few minutes) and others with 5-7+ ( for about 50 - 100% more minutes).

It's interesting how the successful coaches realize that you can't play your best 11 for 90 minutes and be competitive late season when you have a schedule that requires 18 games played in 8 weeks. St Rose is a good example of a school that has a very liberal subbing style and has been consistently successful year after year.

Oh and I do assess my kids abilities pretty well and have concluded the coach is either playing favorites, or is under some kind of pressure to assign minutes to kids that has little to do with putting out the most competitive team.

My kid is one of the very fittest kids on the team and scores high on strength tests and middle distance running on the team. As in, finishing first. Please don't talk to me about my kid being in shape. My kid trained for 4 months before coming to this school. Should my kid be starting? No. Should my kid be doing more than passing out water bottles? Yes. I have seen the team play and my kid could be contributing more but is simply not being considered, along with 13 other kids who are tourists on game day.

It's easy to spot a superstar. But when you are dealing with mixed skill players, coaches do not always assess the plusses and minuses correctly. And there are only two superstars on this team, everyone else is working on something.

If as a coach you do not track fitness and provide an outline of a fitness program you are missing out on an important part of the competitive equation. I would not "leave it to the kids."

[Unregistered]

Tell her/him not to get in shape during the season, but to be in shape for the season.


This is well put.

This isn't about being prepared for the season, this is about staying in shape during the season. Players that don't play need to run outside of practice. This needs to be part of the program.

[Unregistered]

Why not just quit soccer? Maybe play intramural or club soccer?

These options would have been better mentally and physically than what occurred. And they are not "quitting soccer." They are participating in soccer, the exact opposite of what happened.