College Soccer

[Unregistered]

There are plenty of places where a child can get a fine education and play some soccer. The problem with this site is unless they are in either the Ivy League or NESCAC the trolls don't believe they exist because they aren't high brow enough for them to brag about at the water cooler.

Then there's the other group that thinks if you're not playing D1 you're a loser. I applaud anyone who gets to play in college and it's they're happy with they're choices all's the better.

[Unregistered]

Then there's the other group that thinks if you're not playing D1 you're a loser. I applaud anyone who gets to play in college and it's they're happy with they're choices all's the better.

And most parents aren’t honest about it. “My kid played in ACC” usually means didn’t play, bench blisters, misery and then quit.

[Unregistered]

Then there's the other group that thinks if you're not playing D1 you're a loser. I applaud anyone who gets to play in college and it's they're happy with they're choices all's the better.

[Raises hand] Call me a loser then, I'm OK with that.

You play the hand you've been dealt.

[Unregistered]

[Raises hand] Call me a loser then, I'm OK with that.

You play the hand you've been dealt.

hey if you admit it that's great. Many then go with the "he/she decided academics was more important" when in fact they couldn't get any decent D1 interest. Yes I know many D3 athletes do make that choice, but typically they make it up front not half way through recruiting.

[Unregistered]

hey if you admit it that's great. Many then go with the "he/she decided academics was more important" when in fact they couldn't get any decent D1 interest. Yes I know many D3 athletes do make that choice, but typically they make it up front not half way through recruiting.

I paid for college 100% by myself. The commitment needed to play D1, and still work a full-time job, wasn't an option. So, I turned down some offers (nobody offered much $$ and these weren't power schools). The small D3 school allowed me to play beyond HS (I still do in my 50's) and still work.

My kid is in a similar position now. She's evaluating some D1 offers (more $$ and better programs than I had) vs. D3 schools. I told her flat out: "You're down in 5 years no matter what you decide. Do what best sets yourself up for the next stage in life."

We'll see where that takes her. She has the pride and determination that is pushing her toward D1, but the realization of what she wants her education (and entire college experience to be) pulling her in another direction.

But, players absolutely decide to forego a D1 commitment for many reasons. Those who can do it, great. I honestly mean that and no sarcasm intended. It doesn't mean anything after school, though.

[Unregistered]

Then there's the other group that thinks if you're not playing D1 you're a loser. I applaud anyone who gets to play in college and it's they're happy with they're choices all's the better.

Correction.. the kid isn't a loser, their parents are. Kids end up where their talents and ambitions take them. It really doesn't matter whether their landing place is Harvard or Pine Manor just about every educational institution has it's esteemed alumni. Whether or not the kid becomes one of them really comes down to how driven the individual kid is. Its time for everyone to recognize that it's the parents who try to manufacture prestige for their kids efforts by paying through the nose for activities like "elite" youth soccer and then scoffing at other kids educational choices that are the real problem. Seriously getting onto the soccer team at a fine institution like Williams is 99% about what the kid does in the classroom and only 1% on the soccer field. Parents who tell you you need to do things like the GA/ECNL to get there have more money than sense and functionally are just using their money to create an illusion of grandeur around their kid. The cold hard reality of the situation is if their kid was both truly bright and truly an above average soccer player there are many more options out there for than most of them are willing to acknowledge. Places like Williams functionally are last resort choices when it comes to the elite youth soccer path when parents realize that their isn't a lot of interest scholarship interest and the grades aren't good enough for the Ivy League. Doesn't make the kid bad (quite the contrary) but we all laugh at their parents.

[Unregistered]

Correction.. the kid isn't a loser, their parents are. Kids end up where their talents and ambitions take them. It really doesn't matter whether their landing place is Harvard or Pine Manor just about every educational institution has it's esteemed alumni. Whether or not the kid becomes one of them really comes down to how driven the individual kid is. Its time for everyone to recognize that it's the parents who try to manufacture prestige for their kids efforts by paying through the nose for activities like "elite" youth soccer and then scoffing at other kids educational choices that are the real problem. Seriously getting onto the soccer team at a fine institution like Williams is 99% about what the kid does in the classroom and only 1% on the soccer field. Parents who tell you you need to do things like the GA/ECNL to get there have more money than sense and functionally are just using their money to create an illusion of grandeur around their kid. The cold hard reality of the situation is if their kid was both truly bright and truly an above average soccer player there are many more options out there for than most of them are willing to acknowledge. Places like Williams functionally are last resort choices when it comes to the elite youth soccer path when parents realize that their isn't a lot of interest scholarship interest and the grades aren't good enough for the Ivy League. Doesn't make the kid bad (quite the contrary) but we all laugh at their parents.

You really are clueless. Every coach my child talked to understood the level of play at ECNL. It mattered and opened doors. Williams as ‘last resort choice’??? Thanks for the laugh!

[Unregistered]

Oh my God he's back! One of his verbal tics is the giveaway. Well, that, and his point that he's beaten to death over the past years.

[Unregistered]

You really are clueless. Every coach my child talked to understood the level of play at ECNL. It mattered and opened doors. Williams as ‘last resort choice’??? Thanks for the laugh!

It really doesn't matter. That's a fact. The only way your kid will end up on the Williams roster is if they're academically qualified to get into Williams. That's another fact. Flying all over the country with an ECNL team in pursuit of that roster spot is folly. Please understand that with schools like Williams the admissions part comes first and the athlete's scores have to be within the normal admission pool parameters to even be considered for admission before you can start thinking about a tip. The really scary part of the narrative is parents typically buy into things like the ECNL years before and will have spent tens of thousands of dollars on youth soccer before they will even have a hint that their kid will have the sort of grades to get into a school like Williams.

[Unregistered]

hey if you admit it that's great. Many then go with the "he/she decided academics was more important" when in fact they couldn't get any decent D1 interest. Yes I know many D3 athletes do make that choice, but typically they make it up front not half way through recruiting.

If you are pursuing really high level academics..some schools are D1 and some are D3. If a player is not recruited to a D1 ivy, I don't see a student forgoing the a really high level academic D3 for a lower academic D1 just for the sake of D1 soccer.

[Unregistered]

If you are pursuing really high level academics..some schools are D1 and some are D3. If a player is not recruited to a D1 ivy, I don't see a student forgoing the a really high level academic D3 for a lower academic D1 just for the sake of D1 soccer.

Unless they really need the money and will not get need met from richly endowed D3.

[Unregistered]

If you are pursuing really high level academics..some schools are D1 and some are D3. If a player is not recruited to a D1 ivy, I don't see a student forgoing the a really high level academic D3 for a lower academic D1 just for the sake of D1 soccer.

It doesn't happen frequently but regularly enough. Like someone said above it may be the only way a player can go to college without incurring big time debt. We're not talking about top D1 athletes here either, but mostly level ones. If you have to grades and are a top player you have loads of great choices. There are many low level D1 programs that still have good academics, they just aren't good soccer programs. Get some money to play there vs paying full ride at a D3? It's an offer that should be seriously considered.

The only time those choices make me nervous is if a kid does takes more than a few steps down academically just to play D1. I've seen it happen more with boys - maybe because there isn't much money involved on the men's side? I don't know but i've seen some head scratching choices.

[Unregistered]

It doesn't happen frequently but regularly enough. Like someone said above it may be the only way a player can go to college without incurring big time debt. We're not talking about top D1 athletes here either, but mostly level ones. If you have to grades and are a top player you have loads of great choices. There are many low level D1 programs that still have good academics, they just aren't good soccer programs. Get some money to play there vs paying full ride at a D3? It's an offer that should be seriously considered.

The only time those choices make me nervous is if a kid does takes more than a few steps down academically just to play D1. I've seen it happen more with boys - maybe because there isn't much money involved on the men's side? I don't know but i've seen some head scratching choices.

Not talking about good academics. Talking about the top academic programs out there

[Unregistered]

Not talking about good academics. Talking about the top academic programs out there

"top academic" parents are like "top soccer" parents - few and far between in actuality

[Unregistered]

I laugh at all of this. Folks there is really a simple answer for all of this academic posturing. Have your kid take the School and College Ability Test from the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. It can be taken as young as the second grade. If they pass muster with CTY then it is [u]reasonable[u] to assume that they have a shot at making it into a top tier academic institution. That's the earliest and most reliable pre read out there.