best and worst states to play soccer in

[arsenalfc08]

I don't know if this is the topic to start college discussions, but I'm going to ask anyway lol.

What is the best combo for an athlete to stand out to college recruiters? I have a 4.6 weighted going into my Junior Year and play Varsity on a pretty big school. We are in the division for the biggest school like population wise and will be challenging for state next year. I also am trying to play up with the U18 age group at my club so I can go to the Disney Tournament which is apparently really big for college recruitment over the summer.

Anyways, do you basically need to show you can handle the workload of college while maintaining a high level of play at the college level?

I know my level of play can compete at college level, or atleast I can keep up with college players I can't change the game though, not now atleast.

Good grades and test scores are a plus. It helps out the coaches a lot. A 4.6 GPA (out of 4.0 I'm assuming) is stellar! What are your test scores like? I don't think college coaches really care about handling the workload, but it def. helps to show you have good grades. Most coaches really bend over backwards, and jump through a lot of hoops to try and get players to commit (the ones with low grades and low test scores). They work with admissions to get this kids accepted. Now thats not say they won't do well in college, most do, but it gives you an idea.

I'd seriously get on a good club team. This is where college recruiting happens. Contrary to popular belief college recruitment doesn't happen through high school soccer. Coaches simply don't have the time and money to travel state to state to see 1-2 guys playing high school soccer. Club soccer, big college showcase tournaments, nationals,etc are where it happens.

College really isn't that hard, unless your studying a science. If you manage your time well, study and go to class, you should be able to maintain the eligability GPA, I think its a 2.5

I suggest making a soccer resume. Include grades, any ap or honors classes, academic awards done, test scores, soccer things like awards, odp involvement,etc.

Fill out those recruit questionare forms. As I said in a previous post a lot of this falls on the player, plus it can't hurt.

[AmericanFutballer]

Hah, that's my weighted GPA, yes. Unweighted it's a 3.9, I had a zero period class (AP Statistics) last year I got a B+ in...

My ACT and SAT scores are decent right now, I officially take both next year, but I've taken them my sophmore year as the PSAT and the practice ACT that my whole school takes. If my scores improve next year I have high enough SAT scores and a high enough GPA to get into an Ivy League school, right now schools like UF will accept me as well.

But wouldn't it make life easier for coaches to pick a student who is decent at soccer and who they know will not have any problems keeping up with work? I know if they really have they'll make sure the athlete will take the lowest classes to keep them eligible but i don't know...


And yea, I assumed club is where it all happens. As I said i'm trying to play with a team at the Disney tournament next year so that will help. Also State Cup is a good way to showcase yourself right?

About the science thing, I'm thinking about going into Biochemistry so then I'm screwed haha.

Finally, do you have any template for the resume? Or a good website that coaches may actually look at to showcase my talents? Or that kinda gives a heads up to what college recruiters actually look for? I'll definitely do the recruit questioare forms though, I'm trying to find a D1 school that is a good possibility for me to play for, and who has good programs as well.

[arsenalfc08]

Hah, that's my weighted GPA, yes. Unweighted it's a 3.9, I had a zero period class (AP Statistics) last year I got a B+ in...

My ACT and SAT scores are decent right now, I officially take both next year, but I've taken them my sophmore year as the PSAT and the practice ACT that my whole school takes. If my scores improve next year I have high enough SAT scores and a high enough GPA to get into an Ivy League school, right now schools like UF will accept me as well.

But wouldn't it make life easier for coaches to pick a student who is decent at soccer and who they know will not have any problems keeping up with work? I know if they really have they'll make sure the athlete will take the lowest classes to keep them eligible but i don't know...


And yea, I assumed club is where it all happens. As I said i'm trying to play with a team at the Disney tournament next year so that will help. Also State Cup is a good way to showcase yourself right?

About the science thing, I'm thinking about going into Biochemistry so then I'm screwed haha.

Finally, do you have any template for the resume? Or a good website that coaches may actually look at to showcase my talents? Or that kinda gives a heads up to what college recruiters actually look for? I'll definitely do the recruit questioare forms though, I'm trying to find a D1 school that is a good possibility for me to play for, and who has good programs as well.

I don't think you'll have a problem getting accepted into a school or soccer program. You have the grades to show your serious about academics and if you play well then teams should notice.

I wouldn't worry about Biochem. I know a guy who is playing in college and studying Biology, he is doing fine.

Where would you want to play? Do you want to stay in Florida or the surrounding states?

I don't have a resume templete for soccer but something like

Name
Address
Phone number
email

-skip down a line or tow

Objectives: List your skills as a soccer play and academics,future major, future goals in soccer or career, or both.

Experience- List any soccer awards you've won, odp or club involvment (include years and age groups), list high school experience as well and awards won for high school.

Academic experience- current gpa, any academic awards won (honor roll or similar), most recent ACT/SAT score (you can always update it later when you take it again), name of high school your attending.

References- soccer coaches, maybe a teacher at school or guidance counselor, include phone numbers for your references.

[Pichichi]

This might help you. I sent this email out to college coaches when I was looking to play soccer in college.

Just a little template..


Dear Coach *****-

I am a senior at ** in **,MD and am interested in attending ****. I've heard good things about the school as well as your program.

I am also very interested in playing soccer while I'm in college. I have been a starting outside defender on my high school varsity team for the past two years. We won the Maryland 3A state championship in 2007 and were a regional finalist this year. I received a team award for outstanding play this year as well as a booster's award for sportsmanship. I also start in the same field position for Team Takoma in the National Capital Soccer League (NCSL) Div. 1.

My weighted GPA is 3.79 and my three-part SAT score was 1,830.

I would appreciate hearing from you if you think my profile is potentially good enough to play for you.

Thank you.

****** ******
(***)-***-****


Worked out well. Had about 6 coaches express various levels of interest. Also having done the whole thing I'd say it's almost mandatory to go to the college of interest talk with the coach, try to practice with the team and during summer of junior to senior year attend the soccer camp and express your interest.

[MUFC1994]

right now schools like UF will accept me as well.

I don't think UF has a soccer program though......

Also State Cup is a good way to showcase yourself right?

Not really......Scouts aren't going to go to any games except maybe like the quarters, semis, and finals.....and maybe 2-3 scouts will show up. Mostly you get scouted if you get out of state cup and make it to regionals or nationals. But college showcases like the disney one and score at the shore get a good amount of college scouts. But most tournaments have a list of scouts that will attend....

But if you can get onto a good academy team.......you get college, pro, and national team scouts at most games....

[AmericanFutballer]

right now schools like UF will accept me as well.

I don't think UF has a soccer program though......

Also State Cup is a good way to showcase yourself right?

Not really......Scouts aren't going to go to any games except maybe like the quarters, semis, and finals.....and maybe 2-3 scouts will show up. Mostly you get scouted if you get out of state cup and make it to regionals or nationals. But college showcases like the disney one and score at the shore get a good amount of college scouts. But most tournaments have a list of scouts that will attend....

But if you can get onto a good academy team.......you get college, pro, and national team scouts at most games....

Nah UF just has a club team. And the age group above me made it to the finals at Disney beat some european teams that were there or something either this year or last so it is a decent competition.


@arsenalfc08

Thanks for the help, it really is appreciated

Right now I just started looking at programs that colleges have to offer, and looking at D1 schools, if I'll play anywhere it will be outside of florida (most likely) because I have a Florida Prepaid account thing so my college is already paid for in the state of Florida. I was hoping to check out Ivy League schools but saw they don't offer academic scholariships, so if you have any info on D1 schools with strong science/math programs let me know.

[arsenalfc08]

right now schools like UF will accept me as well.

I don't think UF has a soccer program though......

Also State Cup is a good way to showcase yourself right?

Not really......Scouts aren't going to go to any games except maybe like the quarters, semis, and finals.....and maybe 2-3 scouts will show up. Mostly you get scouted if you get out of state cup and make it to regionals or nationals. But college showcases like the disney one and score at the shore get a good amount of college scouts. But most tournaments have a list of scouts that will attend....

But if you can get onto a good academy team.......you get college, pro, and national team scouts at most games....

Nah UF just has a club team. And the age group above me made it to the finals at Disney beat some european teams that were there or something either this year or last so it is a decent competition.


@arsenalfc08

Thanks for the help, it really is appreciated

Right now I just started looking at programs that colleges have to offer, and looking at D1 schools, if I'll play anywhere it will be outside of florida (most likely) because I have a Florida Prepaid account thing so my college is already paid for in the state of Florida. I was hoping to check out Ivy League schools but saw they don't offer academic scholariships, so if you have any info on D1 schools with strong science/math programs let me know.

I'll look around for you.

I'm assuming Biochemistry falls under the chemistry major category. Furman seems to have an excellent chemistry major. Its the same school that Dempsey and Clark attened http://www.engagefurman.com/index.asp?id=162

Coastal Carolina looks nice. Its in Myrtle Beach http://www.coastal.edu/

I'd even try UNC. Playing time may be kinda hard, but I've never seen you play so I can't judge. I'd give it a shot, you've got the grades.

Cal Poly has a biochem major and D1 soccer. http://www.calpoly.edu/
http://www.gopoly.com/index.php?p=sports&id=29911

[AmericanFutballer]

Those look decent thank you. I've been looking at the roster and most Defenders playing for these schools are my size and weight right now (5'10" and 160lbs) I still have two years left till college but that's a plus right? haha, are you getting these colleges of the top of your head or are you researching them? Because I have no clue how to find good colleges in the US, I'm seeing my guidance counselor this year to start talking about this but if I have any prior knowledge it would be helpful (in terms of colleges I'm interested in).

I guess I just have to get my name out there now, I haven't tried out for ODP yet because I always have problems around tryout dates. Last time my doctor told me I had wolf parkinsons white disease (basically saying I would die from cardiac arrest if I played again) which turned out to be completely wrong...and two years ago I tried to go but realized I just was not good enough so I just kept training to get ready for the next year, which I would have done decent, I still wasn't ready for state. I'm hoping this year (is 16 too old to go to tryouts?) with a full year of Varsity under my belt I'll be ready to go deeper in the ODP pool.

[arsenalfc08]

Those look decent thank you. I've been looking at the roster and most Defenders playing for these schools are my size and weight right now (5'10" and 160lbs) I still have two years left till college but that's a plus right? haha, are you getting these colleges of the top of your head or are you researching them? Because I have no clue how to find good colleges in the US, I'm seeing my guidance counselor this year to start talking about this but if I have any prior knowledge it would be helpful (in terms of colleges I'm interested in).

I guess I just have to get my name out there now, I haven't tried out for ODP yet because I always have problems around tryout dates. Last time my doctor told me I had wolf parkinsons white disease (basically saying I would die from cardiac arrest if I played again) which turned out to be completely wrong...and two years ago I tried to go but realized I just was not good enough so I just kept training to get ready for the next year, which I would have done decent, I still wasn't ready for state. I'm hoping this year (is 16 too old to go to tryouts?) with a full year of Varsity under my belt I'll be ready to go deeper in the ODP pool.

I'm getting some of them off the top of my head. Since you wanted biochem/science I figured some Cali schools would be good. I'll look for some more.

ODP cutoffs depend on your state. Some its 16 others its not, it just depends. I looked at the Florida ODP site and they allow tryouts from 92's-96's so you should be able to tryout this year. http://www.fysa.com/odp/RegionD/index_E.html

St. Louis University has a biochem major. Twellman and others went there. http://www.slubillikens.com/sports/m-so ... -body.html

University of Akron has biochem. http://www.gozips.com/SportSelect.dbml? ... PSID=47176