The901CollegeSoccerReport

Six former NCAA soccer players (D1, D2, D3) from all over, now living in the 901, watching and promoting our local college soccer teams. #901NCAASoccer

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@IHateSoccerPod Let's also remember that there are more than 340 D1 teams, so the term "D1 Soccer" on the women's side covers every team from NCAA Champions with professional level players to other colleges labeled D1 that couldn't compete within a mid-level D3 conference

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@fritdog23 @ImYouthSoccer It's a fair question, and we did a VERY UNSCIENTIFIC look at this in December.
If you can find this - it's a 5-post thread.

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@ImCollegeSoccer Truth
approx 130 ECNL clubs, 120 GA clubs and 300 MLS Next clubs.
You're 1 player on 1 of these clubs - doesn't make you D1 (or even NCAA) material
Colleges will not magically "find" you, but if they do, you might not be as good as the thousands of others out there

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@ImYouthSoccer Recruits ...

VERBAL OFFERS ARE NOT BINDING.

The term "verbal offer" really isn't a thing - it's just a coach saying that they might end up taking you when all is said and done, and you might end up agreeing to it.

But there is NO COMMITMENT on either side until papers signed.

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@alixonmartinez2 If have good grades / scores, it's amazing how much academic money some of these D3 programs can find for you.
And yes, it's academic money ... but sometimes you have to go through the athletic department to get it. It's money ... given to you because of you athletic ability.

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@fitsoccerqueen "Blessed to announce that I am taking my soccer skills to Division 1 ..."
When you have to announce to everyone that your school is D1 in soccer (because nobodys ever heard of the college), you might have been able to get a better college experience at a D2 / D3 program

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@fitsoccerqueen Into the Transfer Portal you'll go ... but likely won't ever get out.

Going into the portal is EASY ... getting an offer to play elsewhere is much, much harder than you think.

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@Don_K_Williams 1 - All D1 teams > D2 / D3 teams.
Just know, there are some terrible D1 teams out there, and the top D2 and D3 teams have better athletes and play better soccer

2 - Follow your club's "pathway to the pros". 99% of you are NOT going pro in soccer (and USL2 is NOT semi-pro)

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@fitsoccerqueen Many players who could play at level D1 programs opt for the academics at some higher level D3 programs (UAA, NESCAC, and others)
Tremendous win-win, both academically and athletically

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@IHateSoccerPod Not too surprising.
Not long ago, a scholarship was a (practically) guarantee of 4 years of being on the roster. Nobody was asked to leave, and generally the only new players each season were freshmen
Now it's a 1-year (4 month) promise - not worth it if education is priority

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@ImYouthSoccer Truth
The top D2/D3 programs play better soccer than the bottom D1 programs.
Massey Rankings - from a few years ago, but still holds

Logically also makes sense - student athletes players will go to NESCAC or UAA instead of bottom D1 schools just for the D1 label

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@LukeSheekey Why only soccer? Why not have split seasons (year round basically) lacrosse, field hockey, cross country?
And why not the women?

If soccer was a revenue sport, I could understand.

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@jmmurdock3 @ImCollegeSoccer Truth
It's a numbers game. EVEN IF every player on a roster is "exceptional", 11 start and 18 in a rotation.
That's 10 (still talented) players who will watch every game.
At season end, remove the bottom 3-4 and replace with better ones (w college experience) via the Portal.

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@cwponton Outside of a player (parents') soccer bubble, nobody cares is you played soccer D1, D2, D3, NAIA, JC. Nobody (outside of your bubble) really knows the difference.
"I played soccer in college"
"oh - cool"
It could have been intramurals, and it has the same impact on most others

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@ImCollegeSoccer Fact!
Which is why making the best choice (academics and athletics) while still in high school is so important - and the best choice might not be D1.
We know many recruits who took their sole D1 offer and ended up in the portal, and out of soccer, just 4 months after enrolling.

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@ImYouthSoccer Truth
If you're entering the Portal with very few minutes (<200), you should be happy to have any coach / team / Division show interest
Put a great deal of effort into choosing the best situation when leaving from HS
Education will impact your future much more than playing time

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@JamesAFurey Many schools have multiple - maybe 10-25 - straight-A students (unweighted 4.0), which seemed to be close to impossible 20 years ago
Plenty of students graduate with a B or better in AP Calculus yet can't do true honors level pre-calc
Thankfully the ACT/SAT shows no bias

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@cwhall75 The Transfer Portal - where dreams go to die

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@BallzSoccer @LVHoosierGK Exactly
Academics first, and if soccer works out there as well, great.
Use soccer to your advantage - you don't need a large alumni base or big university, just a good one (look at NESCAC schools, for example).

[The901CollegeSoccerReport @The901R]

@johnvarlas It's the off-season, I should keep myself "relevant" in social media, so I'll post this .... which basically just says "I'm going to be a senior at Brentwood next year", which we already knew.