College Soccer

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Oh how this made me laugh, as JK has already told players that if you want to go pro you need to go to Europe!

"College soccer is failing to retain high-caliber players who are, the NSCAA says, “choosing to forego a college soccer experience in favor of professional opportunities due to perceived college developmental deficiencies.”

Without calendar changes, the fear among college advocates is the USSF will begin advising players to skip NCAA soccer altogether. Already, MLS clubs are signing teenagers from their youth academies, prospects who bypass college or attend for only a year or two."

Sorry but unless college coaching improves this will forever be the case. It isn't just about the intensity of the season. College football and basketball has many highly respected coaches that can (and often do) move into the professional coaching ranks with ease. To get better coaches you need to pay more. That takes university investment. Soccer is not a priority for schools.

Name the last successful college football coach that made a successful transition to the NFL. For that matter basketball coaches too

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An interesting snippet from an article posted prior -

"The NCAA Division I men's final four draws poorly in December. The model for increased support is the NCAA lacrosse final four, which regularly draws crowds of 25,000 or more in late spring.

The record NCAA Tournament crowd for NCAA Division I men's soccer is 21,319 for the 1995 semifinals in Richmond that included Bruce Arena's last game as Virginia coach before he headed off to MLS, which launched in 1996."

So in other words, ticket sales....Always remember folks, the NCAA doesn't care about your student


http://www.socceramerica.com/article...?edition=16023

Very true. And did you see this from the WashPo article? It's all about the money folks

"Also, without scheduling conflicts with college football and basketball, postseason soccer matches in May would have a greater opportunity to appear on live TV. On the current calendar, few soccer tournament matches are televised until the College Cup – out of sight, out of mind. In the spring, college sports currently filling TV slots are softball, baseball and lacrosse."

[Unregistered]

Very true. And did you see this from the WashPo article? It's all about the money folks

"Also, without scheduling conflicts with college football and basketball, postseason soccer matches in May would have a greater opportunity to appear on live TV. On the current calendar, few soccer tournament matches are televised until the College Cup – out of sight, out of mind. In the spring, college sports currently filling TV slots are softball, baseball and lacrosse."

It's ALWAYS about the money.

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Name the last successful college football coach that made a successful transition to the NFL. For that matter basketball coaches too

Not all recent but a place to start...NBA is a tougher one to find good examples

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/...nfl/ss-BBkXXAr

I'm not the poster btw - but his/her point that college soccer coaches aren't always that great is valid. In football and basketball there are coaches that do great jobs of training players who go on to have successful professional careers. That is why players who really have pro potential are in a quandry - walk away from a great education or work/train overseas to better your professional prospects? I agree that extending the season isn't going to change that

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It's ALWAYS about the money.

I don't understand how anyone could think any differently

[Unregistered]

Oh how this made me laugh, as JK has already told players that if you want to go pro you need to go to Europe!

"College soccer is failing to retain high-caliber players who are, the NSCAA says, “choosing to forego a college soccer experience in favor of professional opportunities due to perceived college developmental deficiencies.”

Without calendar changes, the fear among college advocates is the USSF will begin advising players to skip NCAA soccer altogether. Already, MLS clubs are signing teenagers from their youth academies, prospects who bypass college or attend for only a year or two."

Sorry but unless college coaching improves this will forever be the case. It isn't just about the intensity of the season. College football and basketball has many highly respected coaches that can (and often do) move into the professional coaching ranks with ease. To get better coaches you need to pay more. That takes university investment. Soccer is not a priority for schools.

From Will Parchman of Top Drawer

"I don’t think there’s ever been a college commit exodus to the pro ranks like 2016. Something like 15-20 top recruits are pros now."

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Name the last successful college football coach that made a successful transition to the NFL. For that matter basketball coaches too

O'Brien Penn State/Houston. 😊

[Unregistered]

From Will Parchman of Top Drawer

"I don’t think there’s ever been a college commit exodus to the pro ranks like 2016. Something like 15-20 top recruits are pros now."

What was the rule the NCAA made with regards to MBB players? One year of college before going pro? Had to be 18 years of age? Something like that.

Still won't stop the exodus....

And didn't a gal forgo college soccer for a pro contract in Europe somewhere?

[Unregistered]

What was the rule the NCAA made with regards to MBB players? One year of college before going pro? Had to be 18 years of age? Something like that.

Still won't stop the exodus....

And didn't a gal forgo college soccer for a pro contract in Europe somewhere?

Yes Lindsey Horan went pro with PSG out of high school

[Unregistered]

From Will Parchman of Top Drawer

"I don’t think there’s ever been a college commit exodus to the pro ranks like 2016. Something like 15-20 top recruits are pros now."

Where'd they all go - MLS or Europe?

[Unregistered]

What was the rule the NCAA made with regards to MBB players? One year of college before going pro? Had to be 18 years of age? Something like that.

Still won't stop the exodus....

And didn't a gal forgo college soccer for a pro contract in Europe somewhere?

I know for basketball it's one year. Not sure about football. I get it - if you're a hot prospect for one of those sports and they're dangling a nice juicy contract in front of you, do you risk an injury playing for a school? But in soccer not only is the money much lower but the real action is in Europe. Tough to tell a 18-19 year old kid go to Europe (culture/language) to train, plus there's significant work rules/Visa issues. If MLS can start paying better, then maybe more would jump ship earlier. Or they could set aside a large cash bonus for players so that if they play for X amount of time that bonus is theirs to return to college once the leave/retire? Then for certain more would leave and go pro.

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Or maybe spend the $$ on the youngsters instead of an over the hill English chap who, while fossilized, could still play with the Yanks. What does that say about U.S. Men's soccer?

That's the one thing America is good for- Money.

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Where'd they all go - MLS or Europe?

Some stayed domestically. Can't go to MLS until the January MLS Super draft so they go play in USL.

Others go to Europe. Latest example was an Akron commit went to a low level La Liga team

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For the posters of boys in the DA: Do you think your son(s) are getting better training/experience with the DA? If you don't think your son(s) might be one of the few to go pro, do you think the DA is helping your son(s) to be offered scholarships to schools that you think might not have occurred if your son(s) were at a club (high level or otherwise).

I'm wondering if the GDA will be worth the time and expense. Probably too early to speculate but I'm sure there are lessons from the boys sure that can be shared.

[Unregistered]

For the posters of boys in the DA: Do you think your son(s) are getting better training/experience with the DA? If you don't think your son(s) might be one of the few to go pro, do you think the DA is helping your son(s) to be offered scholarships to schools that you think might not have occurred if your son(s) were at a club (high level or otherwise).

I'm wondering if the GDA will be worth the time and expense. Probably too early to speculate but I'm sure there are lessons from the boys sure that can be shared.

Yes the training and exposure is better in Boys DAP. However that is not really transferable to the GDA because the boys never had the option of ECNL. The Boys DAP is the highest rung on the youth ladder. Then it's NPL which is a big drop off from DAP

In the case of the girls ECNL is the highest rung and training and exposure is great. GDA will at best be the same but not better for many years if at all