College soccer -d1

[theonenonli]

So I went to some camps, and 1 D1 College said I could play for them. I was just wondering what the standard is for D1 NCAA soccer is? Thanks.

[arsenalfc08]

IMO college soccer does nothing for your development. Academics should be your main focus. You also have to keep a certain gpa in order to play.

In college soccer you also have unlimited subs. You'll play about 10 games in the fall, maybe more if you make a conference tournament run. You'll then play about 5 games in the spring and then be done.

[pickyourheadup]

If a coach says he would like you on the team, he obviously thinks you have the potential to do well. This being said you might want to ask if you would be red shirted if you did accept his offer. Red Shirted means you won't be playing in games, just practicing. I know a player who got a full scholarship to a school and was red shirted his Freshman year.

It is very important that you take a look at this site:

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?key=/ncaa/ ... d+athletes

You should make sure:
1. You are eligible both academically and athletically.
2. The coach is following legal recruiting methods.

Also take a look at the other links.

Congratulations

[Nat_H]

So I went to some camps, and 1 D1 College said I could play for them. I was just wondering what the standard is for D1 NCAA soccer is? Thanks.

What college is that?

[mustahfa14]

man arsenalfc08 you raelly do not like college soccer. Maybe the gameplay (subs games..so on) isn't the best, but it really is not that bad. You usually play 16-20 games. plus conference tournaments, and plus all the playoff games if you make it that far. You get training 5 days a week. Good training facilites. Some D1 schools allow you to get 1 free pair of shoes. Physically, college soccer is the next huge step in developement.

I am playing D1 for Bradley University (other d2 school fell through). Im not playing this season because of my late commitment to bradley (so one season of school club ), but I can tell you it is a pretty high level.

so make sure you are physically fit! They have a lot of fitness tests. Also be sure tactically you have a pretty good understanding of the game, and skill wise for D1 is good.

[arsenalfc08]

man arsenalfc08 you raelly do not like college soccer. Maybe the gameplay (subs games..so on) isn't the best, but it really is not that bad. You usually play 16-20 games. plus conference tournaments, and plus all the playoff games if you make it that far. You get training 5 days a week. Good training facilites. Some D1 schools allow you to get 1 free pair of shoes. Physically, college soccer is the next huge step in developement.

I am playing D1 for Bradley University (other d2 school fell through). Im not playing this season because of my late commitment to bradley (so one season of school club ), but I can tell you it is a pretty high level.

so make sure you are physically fit! They have a lot of fitness tests. Also be sure tactically you have a pretty good understanding of the game, and skill wise for D1 is good.

I don't hate it. I just don't agree with a lot of it. What is unlimited subs going to teach a player? I think college soccer is fine but you shouldn't choose a college just because of soccer. Your going to college to get an education. Playing soccer in college is just a bonus. For those wanting to play in college hoping they will go pro need to realize its a long shot. Only a few kids get picked in MLS (and some of the kids who are drafted get cut) and European clubs could care less if you played soccer in college. Jay DeMerit is a prime example. Good college career,played with Chicago Fire's PDL team, didn't get drafted. Now look at him, MLS's loss is Watord/USMNT's gain. It just proves how hard it is to make it,especially in MLS.

Make sure the college your going to has a major you want. Make sure you academically eligiable to play (grades,test scores). Just because the coach wants you to play on the team doesn't mean its all set in stone, you still have to be accepted into the college.

As Pickyourhead up said, ask about redshirting (it isn't all bad, it usually means the team wants to protect the player because they see potential but don't feel there ready right away to play), playing time, scholarships (if needed).

mustahfa14 i've heard of Bradley. I remember seeing an espn segment about a Bradley soccer player. He died somehow, maybe a fire. I don't remember. It was really sad. You should look into a PDL team in the summer for something to do. I think the only one is Illinois is Chicago Fires's PDL team. I don't know how far away it is from your school.

Its not impossible to go pro from playing in college but just be realistic. Have a backup plan (degree). That being said if you play well someone should notice, but don't put all your eggs into the pro soccer basket, academics are important too. Even if you make it pro you could get injured, and you won't play forever, you certainly won't be making millions in MLS either, so backups and financial planning are good.

[mustahfa14]

Ok thank you for clarifying, I see where are coming from now.
Yea the kid died in a fire, so it is a big deal with the soccer program.

Yea I played for the fire jrs. so the next in line for my age would be either the chicago fire super 20s or chicago fire PDL. Both are relatively close, and a lot of the bradley soccer players play for one team or the other. So it is a definate possibility.

btw theonenonli, which school is it?

[arsenalfc08]

Ok thank you for clarifying, I see where are coming from now.
Yea the kid died in a fire, so it is a big deal with the soccer program.

Yea I played for the fire jrs. so the next in line for my age would be either the chicago fire super 20s or chicago fire PDL. Both are relatively close, and a lot of the bradley soccer players play for one team or the other. So it is a definate possibility.

btw theonenonli, which school is it?

I would def. try. Since you played for the fire jrs. they should already know you. I'd give it a try. A few guys from my local PDL team were invited to England (couldn't get a work permit though) and had trials with USL teams.

[Soccer4Life]

IMO college soccer does nothing for your development. Academics should be your main focus. You also have to keep a certain gpa in order to play.

In college soccer you also have unlimited subs. You'll play about 10 games in the fall, maybe more if you make a conference tournament run. You'll then play about 5 games in the spring and then be done.

Do you play college soccer?

You say it's hard to go pro from college soccer, but what better options are there in the US? Go to Belgium? You get unlimited subs in club soccer. Should we all just play for the closest club to our house to give us an extra 30 minutes to study every night? College soccer is great for development. It's a huge step physically and it gets you much closer to a professional level than does just club then PDL or something similar.

[arsenalfc08]

IMO college soccer does nothing for your development. Academics should be your main focus. You also have to keep a certain gpa in order to play.

In college soccer you also have unlimited subs. You'll play about 10 games in the fall, maybe more if you make a conference tournament run. You'll then play about 5 games in the spring and then be done.

Do you play college soccer?

You say it's hard to go pro from college soccer, but what better options are there in the US? Go to Belgium? You get unlimited subs in club soccer. Should we all just play for the closest club to our house to give us an extra 30 minutes to study every night? College soccer is great for development. It's a huge step physically and it gets you much closer to a professional level than does just club then PDL or something similar.

As I said in my other post i don't hate it I just don't agree with some of the rules. Its the best thing for most kids, well pretty much all kids in America because only a few can leave right out of high school and make it in Scandinavia.

But as I said in my other post you should mainly be going for a degree. Just because you play college soccer doesn't mean you'll go pro in America or Europe. Some do obviously but when you think of all the kids who are playing college soccer, its not that many who go pro. Obviously college soccer is the way or an option to go pro in America but again it isn't guaranteed. As I said in my other post only a few kids get drafted in MLS and even some guys who are drafted are cut, especially since MLS reduced its roster sizes and cut the reserve league.

[Soccer4Life]

Okay, but you're going from "college soccer does nothing for development" to you need to find the best of both worlds and pick an educationally suiting college with a soccer program on par with your level of playing. I'm just saying college soccer absolutely helps your development and makes you a better player.

[arsenalfc08]

Okay, but you're going from "college soccer does nothing for development" to you need to find the best of both worlds and pick an educationally suiting college with a soccer program on par with your level of playing. I'm just saying college soccer absolutely helps your development and makes you a better player.

I know I understand now that I was wrong. I would obviously love all players to play in Europe as it would benefit their development, but its not how we do it in America. If MLS is serious about the development academies(hopefully they will add girls academies to) and just regular MLS academies it will be a huge step forward in terms of youth development. But it all cost money the one downfall of us soccer.

[arsenalfc08]

A better more rational post I made almost a year ago in the college tips thread.




You can call/email them all you want but coaches can't formally recruit you until september 1st of your junior year. That doesn't mean you can't get a head start.

Don't just look at a school for soccer, the main reason you should be going is for academics. Also talk to some of the soccer players, see how their day goes and their time management. Can they handle college classes and soccer. Most schools play year around, the regular season in the fall and most have some kind of spring season (spring isn't as long as the fall).

Don't forget academics is very important. Don't go in thinking the professor will just let you slide by. Yes it does happen but don't count on it because if you end up bombing a test but thinking "he or she will pass me" and they don't, your in deep sh*t. You need to meet a certain gpa in order to be able to playl (this is at all colleges no matter what level).

Also don't count out lower divison schools. Just because the school isn't d1 doesn't mean they aren't good. I know players who play for div3 or lower and they are great players. Look at the draft for NFL and NBA, playlers from divison 2-3 schools get picked up all the time. It's not about the school but what you make of your career while your there. If your scoring goals in every game that will get you noticed.

[Soccer4Life]

I don't disagree. But you have to admit that many players don't see it that way. I would love to play for a school that is very strong academically and with good athletics. And I absolutely plan on it. However, many people just go to the best athletic school they can and I don't think that's a major problem as long as they end up being happy. I know plenty of women who went to UNC just because it was the top soccer program. They ended up being soccer coaches and stay at home moms and they are all extremely happy. As long as you have a plan, I say roll with it. Should you plan to play professionally? Maybe make it your biggest hope in life, but be armed with back-up options. I don't plan on just going to the best academic school that I get accepted to nor the best soccer program. I want to find a happy medium, but I understand both ends of the spectrum and I think people just need to realize the outcome of their choice.

[arsenalfc08]

I don't disagree. But you have to admit that many players don't see it that way. I would love to play for a school that is very strong academically and with good athletics. And I absolutely plan on it. However, many people just go to the best athletic school they can and I don't think that's a major problem as long as they end up being happy. I know plenty of women who went to UNC just because it was the top soccer program. They ended up being soccer coaches and stay at home moms and they are all extremely happy. As long as you have a plan, I say roll with it. Should you plan to play professionally? Maybe make it your biggest hope in life, but be armed with back-up options. I don't plan on just going to the best academic school that I get accepted to nor the best soccer program. I want to find a happy medium, but I understand both ends of the spectrum and I think people just need to realize the outcome of their choice.

This is a good post. I think most people think its one way or the other. Some think they have to go to a good soccer specific school but they need to really think it through. The odds of getting significant playing time at a top soccer school are slim. Some guys at those schools maybe play 30 minutes a season. Some schools rosters are deep to, so you really gotta do your homework. Know yourself as a player. Thats why its important that the college has a major or majors you would be interested in. That way you can truly be happy all around.

Academics still need to be a strong focus. Not everyone will go pro and even if you do you may not make a lot of money, you could get injured,etc. Soccer won't last forever but that degree you earn is permanent.