Cincinnati kids playing college soccer?

I know there is a ton of talent produced out of Cincinnati. Name your top high school player you’ve seen play in the past 4-5 years.

Any of those kids go onto play college soccer?
 
 
The numbers aren't great. That is a fact. Even worse now that there's no UC men's soccer to have a few Cincinnati-area kids on the roster.
Not sure I follow the logic of how UC not having a team affects the talent level of kids in the Cincinnati area.
 
Not sure I follow the logic of how UC not having a team affects the talent level of kids in the Cincinnati area.
One less college program (make it two less because of Cincinnati Christian also closing) = fewer local kids with local playing opportunities.

That make sense?
 
One less college program (make it two less because of Cincinnati Christian also closing) = fewer local kids with local playing opportunities.

That make sense?
A local school having a soccer program or not doesn't change the level of talent of kids in that area though. That's where I'm confused.
 
Well if kids are talented enough to play college why would a local school not offering a soccer program mean they won't play college ball?
When programs are cut, there aren't roster spots that just magically appear out of nowhere.

Add into that that roughly 50% of all college students go [maximum] 90 miles away from home, then the odds are even less -- especially when there aren't programs that are added when programs are cut.

Then, throw in that Thomas More now has 28 international players, which is probably the most they've ever had in a single season.

It's not always about "talent" as it can be about opportunities. When opportunities go away, the talent won't always end up on a roster.

Take these three programs (UC, CCU, TMU) as an example: maybe 90+ roster spots available (28 - UC, 30 - CCU, 40 - TMU). Take away the 58 from two programs cut and TMU now being very international, there are 76 less roster spots available for local players.
 
Not many sadly…Burlew from Finneytown gets good time at NKU…most schools are loaded up with international players…MSJ is almost entirely local kids…the Madeira kid at Xavier has not been on the pitch yet that I am aware…not sure about the big defender from 7 Hills who went to Michigan..there really isn’t very much opportunity for kids to play in college ….men’s soccer is under funded ( 9.9 scholarships for 24 roster spots) and too many schools don’t even bother fielding a mens team with title 9 restrictions …I think the SEC only has a few teams? It is sad
 
The international thing really tips the scales.

Why get and 18 year old american when you can bring in a 20-25 year old foreigner that played academy since he was 12?

That being said there are a ton of D3s in Ohio looking for players. If you have god grades you can find a spot. Playing time is a different story.
 
I know there is a ton of talent produced out of Cincinnati. Name your top high school player you’ve seen play in the past 4-5 years.

Any of those kids go onto play college soccer?
There have been a handful of local kids going onto the next level. Transy has seen a good number of kids, they seem to recruit Cincinnati pretty well. John Carroll in Cleveland has landed a few, Ohio State and University of Indianapolis landed a players from St X. Wittenberg recruits locally.
 
Sam Martin. And he played only a few minutes at UC ... in basketball.

This is a great thread.

Boy's youth soccer is a scam. Expensive clubs selling dreams. Not many D1 opportunities. Smaller colleges are just a money grab to increase enrollment. Waaay to many international student athletes. At some D3 colleges, student athletes make up almost 50% of the student body?

U of Indy has 60+ kids on their soccer team! Yes! You read that correctly.
 
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Sam Martin. And he played only a few minutes at UC ... in basketball.

This is a great thread.

Boy's youth soccer is a scam. Expensive clubs selling dreams. Not many D1 opportunities. Smaller colleges are just a money grab to increase enrollment. Waaay to many international student athletes. At some D3 colleges, student athletes make up almost 50% of the student body?

U of Indy has 60+ kids on their soccer team! Yes! You read that correctly.
There is 60 kids over at IU-Bloomington? That’s insane you can’t possibly play most of those kids.
 
Ben Damge is at Kentucky playing
Kees from Loveland is playing at Whittenburg
Sam McKee plays at Ohio Northern
I know many who are or have played for their college club teams. The idea of playing Div 1 is great, but is a ton of work, scholarship money may or may not be there for you (good gosh, if you have to split among 60!), risk of injury. My son likes that playing club still allows him the freedom to play other intramural sports (including men's and coed soccer)
 
There is 60 kids over at IU-Bloomington? That’s insane you can’t possibly play most of those kids.
University of Indianapolis, a Division 2 school. They have 8 keepers and about a third of the team are international.

Speaking of IU Bloomington. A very good soccer school. A Centerville kid who was an All American for CUP and High School first team player is essentially walking on next year. No (partial) scholly. Our of state tuition.

I get following your dream, but his family probably spent $100k on club soccer. Hopefully he sees the field, and wins a National Championship. If not, ouch.
 
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Sam Martin. And he played only a few minutes at UC ... in basketball.

This is a great thread.

Boy's youth soccer is a scam. Expensive clubs selling dreams. Not many D1 opportunities. Smaller colleges are just a money grab to increase enrollment. Waaay to many international student athletes. At some D3 colleges, student athletes make up almost 50% of the student body?

U of Indy has 60+ kids on their soccer team! Yes! You read that correctly.
I know…I have watched this first hand with friends and family….Invest that 100k over 10 years and you can pay for college! I do like what I call realistic club soccer…kids that just want to play, no delusional parents or being fed hogwash by a club (that by the way makes a ton of money!)….reasonable fees…no ridiculous travel…kids that play high school and just want to keep at it in the Spring…there are several clubs like this around the city. Leave the weekend league games in Chicago for the kool aid drinkers 😎
 
Sam Martin. And he played only a few minutes at UC ... in basketball.

This is a great thread.

Boy's youth soccer is a scam. Expensive clubs selling dreams. Not many D1 opportunities. Smaller colleges are just a money grab to increase enrollment. Waaay to many international student athletes. At some D3 colleges, student athletes make up almost 50% of the student body?

U of Indy has 60+ kids on their soccer team! Yes! You read that correctly.
Some D2 and D3 programs have huge numbers as well

College of Charleston his 47 players

37 are foreign

As one coach I know is prone to say... college soccer is the most expensive club you will ever play for.
 
Some D2 and D3 programs have huge numbers as well

College of Charleston his 47 players

37 are foreign

As one coach I know is prone to say... college soccer is the most expensive club you will ever play for.
That sounds ridiculous! In addition many schools give extra scholarship 💰 ( academic, “leadership “ or diversity) to international athletes…err…umm students…Maybe the NCAA should pay attention and limit roster sizes at D2 and D3 like they do for every sport in D1…cap it at 24.
 
I would also love to see more opportunities for our high school players to play at the next level but don’t know anyway to go about that without coming off sounding like an isolationist…
 
I would also love to see more opportunities for our high school players to play at the next level but don’t know anyway to go about that without coming off sounding like an isolationist…
They also have to want to play at the next level.

Too many in the area talk like it, but when it's presented to them to do it...they won't. The excuses come out. A load of other reasons -- some can be legitimate, others are just words because a kid is too scared to step out of a comfort zone. The DI pursuit is truly real in the area, but largely overvalued and overhyped. Many of the local/regional DI programs have less resources and opportunities than some of the DII/DIII programs around.

I would have included NAIA, but those in the region are becoming less and less, plus not exactly great places to land (for the most part).
 
They also have to want to play at the next level.

Too many in the area talk like it, but when it's presented to them to do it...they won't. The excuses come out. A load of other reasons -- some can be legitimate, others are just words because a kid is too scared to step out of a comfort zone. The DI pursuit is truly real in the area, but largely overvalued and overhyped. Many of the local/regional DI programs have less resources and opportunities than some of the DII/DIII programs around.

I would have included NAIA, but those in the region are becoming less and less, plus not exactly great places to land (for the most part).
It's almost like we need somewhere else for kids to go to train soccer where they dont have to be a full time athlete AND a full time student at the same time.
 
My son probably could be playing in college next year (at a D3 level). He had coaches that expressed interest in him this past fall. But pretty early on this year, he said he wasn't interested in playing at the next level. Primarily because the schools that he was interested in going to weren't a fit for him soccer and he wasn't going to go to a specific college just to play soccer. Not a lot of D3 schools have engineering programs (Case Western and Ohio Northern are the only Ohio ones that come to mind).

He said he's planning on either trying out for club or just playing intramurals. He still loves the game, he just doesn't want it to become him life during college. We didn't mind paying for all the club tuition and travel because 1.) he did truly love to play and 2.) we were fortunately able to afford it.
 
It's almost like we need somewhere else for kids to go to train soccer where they dont have to be a full time athlete AND a full time student at the same time.
As if some magical place did exist (outside of Europe, South and Central America, Africa and Asia)…you are speaking gibberish 🤣.
 
As if some magical place did exist (outside of Europe, South and Central America, Africa and Asia)…you are speaking gibberish 🤣.
There are leagues and places this exists. Even locally/regionally. It's not hard to get involved. It's also not hard to do it yourself (generalized you, not speaking to anyone in particular on this forum).

It's also not hard to try to push the local clubs to do something for this either. Get involved. Open up doors. Spread the word. There is a lot of soccer all over, just have to find it sometimes. Not everything will come to your front door and get you off the couch.
 
More pay to play…more money for big clubs already overstuffed pockets? The difference is simple…players don’t pay..they attend academies that are paid for by professional clubs…and there are tons of them around the world…sure our MLS clubs have academies but I am not seeing very many “homegrown “ players emerge…the structure and goals seem entirely different…we have minor league baseball and the G league in basketball which are similar to the system of world soccer (although not exactly). Pay to play is cork in the bottle here in the states…instead of identifying the best players…we (collectively) identify the best players who can afford exorbitant fees…severely limiting the scope and pool of players…just look at the USMNT…players raised in other parts of the world…Pulisic, from my hometown, grew up in England..and because of dual citizenship went to play professionally in Europe as a teenager. So, while there maybe regional leagues for young adults it would seem they are just essentially rec leagues? Pony up some $$ and play…which is fine..plenty of that in basketball as well…I was merely pointing out that outside of college…which seems to be dominated by foreign players we don’t have many avenues for high school players.
 
Brady Shapiro from LE played at Wilmington and then transferred to Wright State. He played almost 1,000 minutes last year.
 
Sam Martin. And he played only a few minutes at UC ... in basketball.

This is a great thread.

Boy's youth soccer is a scam. Expensive clubs selling dreams. Not many D1 opportunities. Smaller colleges are just a money grab to increase enrollment. Waaay to many international student athletes. At some D3 colleges, student athletes make up almost 50% of the student body?

U of Indy has 60+ kids on their soccer team! Yes! You read that correctly.
UIndy does play a "JV" schedule or whatever they call it. That is how they help justify so many kids on the roster. I think that is common in D2 and D3.
 
More pay to play…more money for big clubs already overstuffed pockets? The difference is simple…players don’t pay..they attend academies that are paid for by professional clubs…and there are tons of them around the world…sure our MLS clubs have academies but I am not seeing very many “homegrown “ players emerge…the structure and goals seem entirely different…we have minor league baseball and the G league in basketball which are similar to the system of world soccer (although not exactly). Pay to play is cork in the bottle here in the states…instead of identifying the best players…we (collectively) identify the best players who can afford exorbitant fees…severely limiting the scope and pool of players…just look at the USMNT…players raised in other parts of the world…Pulisic, from my hometown, grew up in England..and because of dual citizenship went to play professionally in Europe as a teenager. So, while there maybe regional leagues for young adults it would seem they are just essentially rec leagues? Pony up some $$ and play…which is fine..plenty of that in basketball as well…I was merely pointing out that outside of college…which seems to be dominated by foreign players we don’t have many avenues for high school players.
A little technicality here, Pulisic did not "grow up in England." He spent a year there before he was even 7. Spent most of his time in Pennsylvania, with a stint in Michigan.
 
More pay to play…more money for big clubs already overstuffed pockets? The difference is simple…players don’t pay..they attend academies that are paid for by professional clubs…and there are tons of them around the world…sure our MLS clubs have academies but I am not seeing very many “homegrown “ players emerge…the structure and goals seem entirely different…we have minor league baseball and the G league in basketball which are similar to the system of world soccer (although not exactly). Pay to play is cork in the bottle here in the states…instead of identifying the best players…we (collectively) identify the best players who can afford exorbitant fees…severely limiting the scope and pool of players…just look at the USMNT…players raised in other parts of the world…Pulisic, from my hometown, grew up in England..and because of dual citizenship went to play professionally in Europe as a teenager. So, while there maybe regional leagues for young adults it would seem they are just essentially rec leagues? Pony up some $$ and play…which is fine..plenty of that in basketball as well…I was merely pointing out that outside of college…which seems to be dominated by foreign players we don’t have many avenues for high school players.
Bring back the sunday leagues
 
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