Announcement

**Unregistered** · 04-12-2016, 07:22 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Three questions to be answered:
1) You have to know your kid
2) You have to honestly know where he fits. Threads like this along with input from the coaches help. You have to understand whether a D1 coach sees you as an impact player, a core player, or a depth player. They seldom tell you that directly but it's not hard to figure it out. Then you have to make sure your kid knows the range of possibilities that creates for him.
3) You have to guard against overshooting. It's great your senior year in HS to announce in class or at the dinner party that "My son's going D1!", but if it is as a depth player, the weight of that decision will rest heavy for four years.

Interesting that instead of questions you wrote statements with the final sentence in #3 reflecting the problem that I think many parents fall into or create...."It's great your senior year in HS to announce in class or at a dinner party that "my son is going D1"". First, it is not the parent's senior year. Second, you are highlighting the parent in this statement and not the kid. It is almost as though you are talking about yourself and perhaps regrets that you may have had.....
Nevertheless, your last statement in #3 is, in fact, the problem with unrealistic, unreasonable and Un-knowing parents and youth sports. They don't seem to be able to separate themselves and how they feel that they appear from how their kids appear and how their kids will be. Who is this supposed to be about???

**Unregistered** · 04-12-2016, 08:50 AM

[QUOTE=Unregistered;1789586]Interesting that instead of questions you wrote statements with the final sentence in #3 reflecting the problem that I think many parents fall into or create...."It's great your senior year in HS to announce in class or at a dinner party that "my son is going D1"". First, it is not the parent's senior year. Second, you are highlighting the parent in this statement and not the kid. It is almost as though you are talking about yourself and perhaps regrets that you may have had.....
Nevertheless, your last statement in #3 is, in fact, the problem with unrealistic, unreasonable and Un-knowing parents and youth sports. They don't seem to be able to separate themselves and how they feel that they appear from how their kids appear and how their kids will be.

U would think the Director and the President of the club would have a realistic opinion about own sons not being D1 impact players.

**Unregistered** · 04-12-2016, 12:06 PM

[QUOTE=Unregistered;1789678]

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Interesting that instead of questions you wrote statements with the final sentence in #3 reflecting the problem that I think many parents fall into or create...."It's great your senior year in HS to announce in class or at a dinner party that "my son is going D1"". First, it is not the parent's senior year. Second, you are highlighting the parent in this statement and not the kid. It is almost as though you are talking about yourself and perhaps regrets that you may have had.....
Nevertheless, your last statement in #3 is, in fact, the problem with unrealistic, unreasonable and Un-knowing parents and youth sports. They don't seem to be able to separate themselves and how they feel that they appear from how their kids appear and how their kids will be.

U would think the Director and the President of the club would have a realistic opinion about own sons not being D1 impact players.

One would think that the word stalker would mean something to you.

**Unregistered** · 04-13-2016, 08:21 AM

DIII delusions

The people on this thread who say you can play DIII soccer without having played club are about 30 years behind.

Even local teams like Babson, Brandeis, and MIT recruit about 1/4 of their roster from DAP-- never mind club teams!--around the country. Also, don't discount the high-level international players US players are competing against for roster spots.

When it comes to NESCAC schools, all this applies even more.

The idea of dabbling in some HS soccer, then "walking on" at your local DIII school...ha ha!

**Unregistered** · 04-13-2016, 08:45 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

The people on this thread who say you can play DIII soccer without having played club are about 30 years behind.

Even local teams like Babson, Brandeis, and MIT recruit about 1/4 of their roster from DAP-- never mind club teams!--around the country. Also, don't discount the high-level international players US players are competing against for roster spots.

When it comes to NESCAC schools, all this applies even more.

The idea of dabbling in some HS soccer, then "walking on" at your local DIII school...ha ha!

Don't need DAP. Play HS in Fall. Then good club team in Spring. Get good grades. BINGO!

**Unregistered** · 04-13-2016, 08:51 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

The people on this thread who say you can play DIII soccer without having played club are about 30 years behind.

Even local teams like Babson, Brandeis, and MIT recruit about 1/4 of their roster from DAP-- never mind club teams!--around the country. Also, don't discount the high-level international players US players are competing against for roster spots.

When it comes to NESCAC schools, all this applies even more.

The idea of dabbling in some HS soccer, then "walking on" at your local DIII school...ha ha!

Wasn't the whole idea of DAP to develop DI players?
Looking at most of U18 Bolts players it seems this is not the case, but I think this was just a very poorly developed group.

**Unregistered** · 04-13-2016, 09:09 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

The people on this thread who say you can play DIII soccer without having played club are about 30 years behind.

Even local teams like Babson, Brandeis, and MIT recruit about 1/4 of their roster from DAP-- never mind club teams!--around the country. Also, don't discount the high-level international players US players are competing against for roster spots.

When it comes to NESCAC schools, all this applies even more.

The idea of dabbling in some HS soccer, then "walking on" at your local DIII school...ha ha!

This comment about international recruits on the men's side is so true. American male soccer players have to compete globally for D1, D2, D3 roster spots - not with just other American males. Earning a spot on a college roster today is extremely competitive, much more so than on the women's side where American females are regarded as the world's best.

**Unregistered** · 04-13-2016, 09:37 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Don't need DAP. Play HS in Fall. Then good club team in Spring. Get good grades. BINGO!

Definitely for D3, even some low level D1. Now if you want top D1 you have to have DA credentials or a foreign passport

**Unregistered** · 04-13-2016, 09:39 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

This comment about international recruits on the men's side is so true. American male soccer players have to compete globally for D1, D2, D3 roster spots - not with just other American males. Earning a spot on a college roster today is extremely competitive, much more so than on the women's side where American females are regarded as the world's best.

My son is in the process now and is always looking over college rosters. Even at some smaller D2 and D3 schools the number of foreign players is amazing

**Unregistered** · 04-13-2016, 09:40 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Wasn't the whole idea of DAP to develop DI players?
Looking at most of U18 Bolts players it seems this is not the case, but I think this was just a very poorly developed group.

Bolt supporters/parents will say it's always been about academics :). That said even MLS programs aren't getting all their players into D1. YEs some kids are more driven by academic choices. But landing a top D1 program these days is very difficult on the mens's side

**Unregistered** · 04-13-2016, 11:23 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Don't need DAP. Play HS in Fall. Then good club team in Spring. Get good grades. BINGO!

This is very correct for DIII schools.....way less likely for D1 schools....but not impossible.
Regarding DIII, as said to me by a coach of a very good school and program, "99% of his team play club soccer" "The one or two that didn't are significantly weaker and see little playtime compared to the others".

One cannot say that club soccer is a necessity to produce quality players for college soccer at all levels. It is as likely to conclude that more interested and better soccer players are going to play club soccer.....but....per this DIII coach, the vast majority of recruiting comes during club soccer games and showcases. A high school CV might get a coach interested, but they are less likely to be impressed during a high school game. A supplement is a well designed highlight reel.

Bottom line....if you want to play college ball, you are going to have to be seen and you are going to have to 'sell' or 'advertise' yourself.....and, if you want to get into a decent academic school, you will still need to provide a transcript that the admissions office will be happy with. This latter point is defined as "yeah, they won't flunk out"