2017 Boys Soccer Verbal Commitments

[Unregistered]

Not sure what you are trying to say but if it is that only 1 Ma. player in Div.1 played much last year then you are wrong.

Actually he's very wrong.

[Unregistered]

Not sure what you are trying to say but if it is that only 1 Ma. player in Div.1 played much last year then you are wrong.

I was looking at the Revs in response to an earlier post. The 1 player is in regard to that club. While more played from MA in D1 for 2016 class, it was only 20% of those who committed. It is normally around 50%.

[Unregistered]

I was looking at the Revs in response to an earlier post. The 1 player is in regard to that club. While more played from MA in D1 for 2016 class, it was only 20% of those who committed. It is normally around 50%.

This topic is very illustrative of the defects in Amercan soccer. I feel that coaching and scouting is very poor and the tunnel vision on DAP is flat out detrimental.

Case in point is UMass Lowell (finished at #11 in Division 1 in the country) who had 5 or 6 core players from Mass. that never played DAP (or were even on many high level coaches radar). But they obviously have a hard working coach who scouted well and put together a team whose whole was greater than the sum of the parts.

[Unregistered]

This topic is very illustrative of the defects in Amercan soccer. I feel that coaching and scouting is very poor and the tunnel vision on DAP is flat out detrimental.

Case in point is UMass Lowell (finished at #11 in Division 1 in the country) who had 5 or 6 core players from Mass. that never played DAP (or were even on many high level coaches radar). But they obviously have a hard working coach who scouted well and put together a team whose whole was greater than the sum of the parts.

He also loaded up on some international stars, pushing some of that MA talent aside. No different than other local teams, though.

[Unregistered]

kinda different if he is playing 5 kids that weren't playing dap or on most d1 coaches radar

[Unregistered]

He also loaded up on some international stars, pushing some of that MA talent aside. No different than other local teams, though.

The international players are only indicative of one thing which I previously noted. The coach worked hard and scouted well. The players from Mass. were all deserving of their minutes (no way would this team had been this successful without 11 quality players at all times) yet they got there without DAP and this coach found FIVE of them that could all play. And play very well.

Just another observation fwiw. Every Lowell game was a battle. My point being that there is a lot of talent out there and few players are heads and shoulders above the rest . I tend to think the kids that were smart and the most dedicated and hard working got the minutes and it doesn't matter if were on a DAP team or town soccer. If you are fortunate enough to get onto a college team, work your butt off, pay attention and you will likely get a chance to bypass kids that came in more highly touted and play some serious minutes.

[Unregistered]

You sound disgruntled. But I happen to agree that having a "lazy f*ck coach/club" doesn't help since as you pointed out the odds are already stacked against you. Truthfully you first have to be above average but then you need some sort of help. The least a coach/club can do is put the team in tournaments/brackets where the coaches you want to be seen by will be watching. Now if they actually wanted to advocate for you that would be even better.

Not disgruntled. My son is getting quite a bit of playtime. I am just being factual. Our club helped and attending a couple of showcases did the trick.

[Unregistered]

Regarding the point about not knowing until later where some kids will go, my son got in early action to one school that wants him and has been told by another that he will be getting in on regular admission (the coach had not see him play until a Nov. tournament and their early action deadline was before that). He has not had a chance to do an overnight at either school, so he is not 100% sure yet where he will go.

I just use his example to say there are probably several good players putting academics and other criteria above soccer, but the coaches are impressed enough to wait for that decision from both the admissions office and the player.

[Unregistered]

Regarding the point about not knowing until later where some kids will go, my son got in early action to one school that wants him and has been told by another that he will be getting in on regular admission (the coach had not see him play until a Nov. tournament and their early action deadline was before that). He has not had a chance to do an overnight at either school, so he is not 100% sure yet where he will go.

I just use his example to say there are probably several good players putting academics and other criteria above soccer, but the coaches are impressed enough to wait for that decision from both the admissions office and the player.

Doesn't seem optimal. This generally doesn't happen unless they lose top recruits.

[Unregistered]

He also loaded up on some international stars, pushing some of that MA talent aside. No different than other local teams, though.

And his star MA player was in his late 20's

[Unregistered]

Doesn't seem optimal. This generally doesn't happen unless they lose top recruits.

I've seen it happen plenty with boys but it tends to be lower quality programs and almost always D3 (D1 tends to be the drop out factors and doesn't happen often). But if kids are getting a chance to play at a college of their choice good for them.

[Unregistered]

Regarding the point about not knowing until later where some kids will go, my son got in early action to one school that wants him and has been told by another that he will be getting in on regular admission (the coach had not see him play until a Nov. tournament and their early action deadline was before that). He has not had a chance to do an overnight at either school, so he is not 100% sure yet where he will go.

I just use his example to say there are probably several good players putting academics and other criteria above soccer, but the coaches are impressed enough to wait for that decision from both the admissions office and the player.

I never said that recruiting ends after february or even earlier. I only pointed out that about 90% of D1 and D2 recruiting is done by then. I would even guess that 70-90% of D3 is done as well. After February, coaches may still be scrambling to fill final spots. Although this seems ridiculous, consider the reality that while your son is waiting on the regular admission at the other school, the first school may go and offer his spot to another who seems more committed and ready to decide. Regarding playtime, it is likely that the coach at the 'other' school, that is waiting for regular admissions, will not see your son as 'top-dog' but just a filler....otherwise the coach would have put more weight behind your boy. He might even now be stringing your boy along to see what his options are.

That considered, now your son really has to think where he wants to go and for what reasons.

[Unregistered]

OP of this point. Yes, the colleges my son has as options at are D3 and while both had good records last year, they are not likely to get far into the national tournament. However, he likes the coaches and the players he has met at both places and the schools are good fits for his academic interests. So, he will have a chance to play 4 years of college soccer (neither team tends to cut much, they just bring in 8-10 recruits each year and it is usually a couple players per year who drop out) and have strong academic options, including studying abroad.

I am sure other players have similar options. And if a kid ends up at schools like RPI or Clarkson that are not soccer powerhouses, then congratulations to them. They will get to play the beautiful game and come away with a great education.

[Unregistered]

Doesn't seem optimal. This generally doesn't happen unless they lose top recruits.

Remember this is D3. The priority is to get into the stretch school. The soccer will land where it lands.

[Unregistered]

OP of this point. Yes, the colleges my son has as options at are D3 and while both had good records last year, they are not likely to get far into the national tournament. However, he likes the coaches and the players he has met at both places and the schools are good fits for his academic interests. So, he will have a chance to play 4 years of college soccer (neither team tends to cut much, they just bring in 8-10 recruits each year and it is usually a couple players per year who drop out) and have strong academic options, including studying abroad.

I am sure other players have similar options. And if a kid ends up at schools like RPI or Clarkson that are not soccer powerhouses, then congratulations to them. They will get to play the beautiful game and come away with a great education.

Finally a poster with some common sense. My kid is a year behind yours but in a similar boat. It's all about the educational/school fit first THEN soccer. He's pretty certain he doesn't want the D1 grind - he has an older sibling that plays D1 in another sport so we're well versed - and wants more flexibility to do internships and study abroad. Frankly some of the D1 coaches he's met with seem like di*ks. If he can overlay soccer on top of that then that's great. If it doesn't happen he'll still play club and adult leagues, and he's been helping coach a young travel team and loves it. If you'd asked me 12-18 months ago I'd say he wanted D1 all the way. But now that he's out looking at schools and talking to coaches it has shifted to D3. I'm a big believer that things happen for a reason.