Question for the experienced parents that went thru the recruiting process. If your son is on one of the top teams, maybe the top team in the region in E64, doesnt start, plays close to half the game though at U18/19 does it make sense to stay with that team or drop to their 2nd team and play in ECNL-RL play over half the game and start. What would college coaches rather see?
Club Question
- Thread starter Splus04
- Start date
I'm not sure it matters. Be up to your son on where what group he would like to play with (friends, playing time) Sounds like would be looking at D2 and D3 so development and getting ready to showcase his skills at the schools you/he is interested in at next level is most important at their college specific ID camps. Recently been through all of this and in looking back I always tell parents I know let them go where they have the most fun and enjoys it. Last 6-7 years have noticed a big drop in coaches at showcases, etc. Seeing them at their school specific ID camps as well as forwarding game tape/regular communication of interest from player to their coaches is most important IMO.
soccerdad72
Well-known member
College coaches are unlikely to see your son in ECNL-RL, but there would be more of a chance of them showing up at an E64 event.
But like you mentioned, he's thinking D3, he should choose the team he feels most comfortable with, attend an ID camp or two (ideally, one that the schools he's targeting will be at) and have him reach out to coaches individually.
But like you mentioned, he's thinking D3, he should choose the team he feels most comfortable with, attend an ID camp or two (ideally, one that the schools he's targeting will be at) and have him reach out to coaches individually.
My son plays D3 in Ohio. Start sending video and introductory emails to coaches and attend their specific camp is the way to go.
On on a side, one option that I think is highly overlooked is Club Soccer at D1 schools. I have seen several kids go this route in last few years through our club and I would probably say they are the most happy. Almost all Ohio D1 schools have a competitive club team. They train 2-3 days a week. They play 10-12 games in the fall and then have a year end playoffs to the National Championship. I believe OSU won it recently. They have a blast and if you have to miss a practice because of school, so be it. We had a player on my sons team which was Top 10-12 in country and won USYS Regionals who was the first player off the bench on our U17 and U18 team so played half the game He is at a MAC school and I talked to him this past spring and he said he has never been happier playing soccer than with his college club team. Just an FYI.
You look at like OSU, Miami and Cincinnati; the last two don't have D1 boys teams. If you have 20k kids plus, high probability there are 20-30 kids there that are pretty good and love to play just not with that level of commitment.
soccerdad72
Well-known member
Younger son is at Miami. He considered the club team, but said that it was still more commitment than he wanted to put into soccer at this point. He said they're a really good team - there's no lack of top level soccer talent there that just decided that intercollegiate soccer was not for them. I think they won Nationals last year.