Ask the Coach, Women's College D1

[Unregistered]

OP here again. The size argument is as futile as the ECNL vs. DA argument. Everyone has an opinion. No one is likely to change that opinion, and the only truth goes back to my mantra---which you can conveniently use to answer many questions in soccer---if you're good, you're good!!

THAT being said, I will share my opinion based on my experience in D1 soccer: Generally speaking, size is a factor. Before everyone loses their minds and starts citing Messi and company, let me also say that one of the very best, toughest, most impactful soccer players I ever saw was Diana Matheson. Listed officially at 5'0, she's probably 4'11 in bare feet. She was a stud on the Canadian National team, Ivy League rooking of the year, Ivy League Player of the year, and led Princeton to an NCAA final four in 2004. She's an absolute beast, if you want google you can find some highlights. And, the tiniest thing you've ever seen. She alone blows the doors off the size argument.

However, she is the exception, not the norm, and I've seen many crazy good players that are top dogs in D3 simply because they would get crushed physically in D1. For most, NOT ALL, it is an issue. With the throngs of young girls playing soccer, the talent pool is huge, and humans have progressively gotten bigger so now instead of just finding the skilled, athletic, and fast players, we can find lots of skilled, athletic, and fast players, who, by the way are also big. All things being equal, any coach would go for the bigger body.

One poster referenced the physicality and it's totally true. I was also at the ICC Futures tourney and would 100% agree with the American style vs. the European style. Its true for our USWNT as well. The rest of the world had caught up and surpassed our Women's game in terms of technical ability.....we do not play the prettiest soccer, but we are good enough and are just way better athletes. We can argue all day about that, but we did win 2 World Cups.

only 2?

[Unregistered]

only 2?

Hah, sorry didn't have coffee and my brain isn't functioning....my mind gets hung up on 2 the back to back since I attended both finals!! But, shame on me.... **** = 4 STARS baby.

[Unregistered]

In terms of choosing a preferred college, is there any point in trying to find one that suits a player's style of playing? I am probably not wording the question properly, but my daughter is struggling with narrowing down the list of colleges that she is interested in. She has tried to focus on where the academics are well suited and also where she has a realistic chance of making the team but beyond that, she hasn't really seen enough of any college team's games to make an informed decision.

[Unregistered]

Agreed. DMatheson is an all time fav. An Energizer bunny who looks unassuming but never one to be underestimated.
Talent is talent no matter what size packaging.

[Unregistered]

In terms of choosing a preferred college, is there any point in trying to find one that suits a player's style of playing? I am probably not wording the question properly, but my daughter is struggling with narrowing down the list of colleges that she is interested in. She has tried to focus on where the academics are well suited and also where she has a realistic chance of making the team but beyond that, she hasn't really seen enough of any college team's games to make an informed decision.

Sure that should be another factor in her decision if that's important to her. If she is accustomed to playing a possession, building out of the back style, and wouldn't be comfortable with a Kicking and Screaming--Will Ferell "kick it to the italians" type of style, then she should do some homework. Ask the coach, ask the players, and perhaps she could find footage online, or watch games which are streamed for just about all programs now--not sure what year she is, and unfortunately she may not have the opportunity to even do that, depending on if and when we return to playing.

It would also be relevant for certain types of players especially...if your daughter is an attacking outside back who had the freedom to join the attack, but the college team tend to keep their outside backs home for example. Fair question to ask the coach--what role does he/she see you fitting into their system??

[Unregistered]

I watched this game too. PDA was totally outplayed (lost 2-0). But the college style of big and fast will never change. You can see this in the NWSL too. It's a rare event when the ball crosses the half on the ground.

True. My kid after a game in college when she was a freshman came off the field saying i thought soccer was played mostly on the ground. This was directed at her team too. Horrible.

[Unregistered]

Hah, sorry didn't have coffee and my brain isn't functioning....my mind gets hung up on 2 the back to back since I attended both finals!! But, shame on me.... **** = 4 STARS baby.

The women's success has been great and something to be proud of but I worry that it will make us complacent. As good as our women have been there is no doubt that part of US success is due to the fact that the development of our women's game was ahead of that in other countries. We still have a ways to go providing women the same opportunities as men but what we've done already is far more than many countries. As other women's programs come on line this advantage is going to go away and as other countries with greater soccer culture model their women's programs after their men's established and successful programs we are going to fall behind if we don't understand that you won't continue to win these games with a play style that assumes we are individually just bigger and better.

[Unregistered]

The women's success has been great and something to be proud of but I worry that it will make us complacent. As good as our women have been there is no doubt that part of US success is due to the fact that the development of our women's game was ahead of that in other countries. We still have a ways to go providing women the same opportunities as men but what we've done already is far more than many countries. As other women's programs come on line this advantage is going to go away and as other countries with greater soccer culture model their women's programs after their men's established and successful programs we are going to fall behind if we don't understand that you won't continue to win these games with a play style that assumes we are individually just bigger and better.

I feel like I've been hearing this argument for the last 5 years...sure there have been some scares and disappointments here and there, but honestly the USWNT is still by far the most dominant on the world stage. I know I felt there were some RIDICULOUS coaching decisions made along the way. When you look at players like LaVelle (25), Dunn (28), Ertz (28), Mewis (27) and the crop of kids in college, I think they're going to be A-OK for some time.

[Unregistered]

I feel like I've been hearing this argument for the last 5 years...sure there have been some scares and disappointments here and there, but honestly the USWNT is still by far the most dominant on the world stage. I know I felt there were some RIDICULOUS coaching decisions made along the way. When you look at players like LaVelle (25), Dunn (28), Ertz (28), Mewis (27) and the crop of kids in college, I think they're going to be A-OK for some time.

That’s the kind of thinking I’m worried about.

[Unregistered]

I watched this game too. PDA was totally outplayed (lost 2-0). But the college style of big and fast will never change. You can see this in the NWSL too. It's a rare event when the ball crosses the half on the ground.

I dont understand people who want to change things that work or ignore reality to score points. College style is a massive generalization. What teams are you talking about? most of the best ones are not described by big and fast.

[Unregistered]

As a parent of a rising senior in college, my observation is that it's very hard for a smaller player to succeed in D1. Yes, it's possible, and there certainly are exceptions, but I would bet that 85% - 90% + of the players who actually log significant minutes are at least 5'6".

In terms of physicality, D1 is closer aligned with High School soccer rather than high end ECNL or GDAP styles. Some games are border line excessively violent, imo. There are some bad-arse girls out there, especially on the back line and holding mids. This cannot be understated. They are no longer kids who have to answer to you, the parent, or their youth coach that they are intimated by, they are young adults and many really don't give an F about the opponent and usually aren't intimated by their college coach if they are getting significant minutes.

Most of the shorter girls on my daughters team are either practice players or significantly injury prone, or both.

JMHO.

unless you tell us what team you are talking about, your comment is pretty worthless

[Unregistered]

True. My kid after a game in college when she was a freshman came off the field saying i thought soccer was played mostly on the ground. This was directed at her team too. Horrible.

dont get it. if the quality of play was important to her, why did she go there? you lose all rights to complain if you go there

[Unregistered]

I feel like I've been hearing this argument for the last 5 years...sure there have been some scares and disappointments here and there, but honestly the USWNT is still by far the most dominant on the world stage. I know I felt there were some RIDICULOUS coaching decisions made along the way. When you look at players like LaVelle (25), Dunn (28), Ertz (28), Mewis (27) and the crop of kids in college, I think they're going to be A-OK for some time.

They nearly lost to England at World Cup. If England's coach had subbed sooner, US may not have advanced to finals. Other countries have kids in our college system too like England.
No a slam dunk anymore for US.

[Unregistered]

dont get it. if the quality of play was important to her, why did she go there? you lose all rights to complain if you go there

My kid was surprised as well. Some kids are not taught the game correctly. I see kids in college that do not fully understand off side. They wait for ball to pass them before they move. Players expect other players to know by college.

[Unregistered]

True. My kid after a game in college when she was a freshman came off the field saying i thought soccer was played mostly on the ground. This was directed at her team too. Horrible.

Your kid is “special”.