Recruiting Tips for Parents Just Starting the Process

Overlap; which D3 did she decide on (if you don't mind my asking)? Took my DD to ECS ID camp in Connecticut last month and directly after she got offers from a few in upstate New York, Chicago. There were a few programs that weren't even on our radar until the offers that look pretty solid (RPI, Univ Rochester, UChicago). As a sophomore she probably won't make a move until SAT/ACT done but wants to go out of state for college. Congrats to your DD!
 
Overlap; which D3 did she decide on (if you don't mind my asking)? Took my DD to ECS ID camp in Connecticut last month and directly after she got offers from a few in upstate New York, Chicago. There were a few programs that weren't even on our radar until the offers that look pretty solid (RPI, Univ Rochester, UChicago). As a sophomore she probably won't make a move until SAT/ACT done but wants to go out of state for college. Congrats to your DD!

When my DD was going through the recruiting process we went to a few northeast ID camps that were put on by coaches she had been in contact with. The outcome of those two trips in January and February were my daughter telling me there was no way she was going to a college that was in any part of the country were it snowed and the average temperature got below 60 degrees. The six feet of snow in the Boston area, Pennsylvania and New York were a huge turnoff for her.
 
Overlap; which D3 did she decide on (if you don't mind my asking)? Took my DD to ECS ID camp in Connecticut last month and directly after she got offers from a few in upstate New York, Chicago. There were a few programs that weren't even on our radar until the offers that look pretty solid (RPI, Univ Rochester, UChicago). As a sophomore she probably won't make a move until SAT/ACT done but wants to go out of state for college. Congrats to your DD!

You say your player received solid offers from RPI, Rochester and Chicago? Those are D3 schools that cannot offer athletic scholarships. You say she is a sophomore that hasn't taken standardized testing yet...so they can't offer any academic $ yet. What exactly did they offer?
 
When my DD was going through the recruiting process we went to a few northeast ID camps that were put on by coaches she had been in contact with. The outcome of those two trips in January and February were my daughter telling me there was no way she was going to a college that was in any part of the country were it snowed and the average temperature got below 60 degrees. The six feet of snow in the Boston area, Pennsylvania and New York were a huge turnoff for her.
to each their own...it's just weather. boston, philly, and nyc have much to offer that ca can't.
 
Overlap; which D3 did she decide on (if you don't mind my asking)? Took my DD to ECS ID camp in Connecticut last month and directly after she got offers from a few in upstate New York, Chicago. There were a few programs that weren't even on our radar until the offers that look pretty solid (RPI, Univ Rochester, UChicago). As a sophomore she probably won't make a move until SAT/ACT done but wants to go out of state for college. Congrats to your DD!

Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY, it's smaller than her HS was but, she loves it and she's doing really well academically. I give her all the credit, she put herself out there prior to the Las Vegas Player's Showcase in her Junior year. She sent invites to her school's of interest, (about 7-8 schools), she did her research online about each of the school's and then started to visit the one's close by. I think almost all were there to see her play and the invites and offers happened right after LV. I personally think a lot of her decision was because it was something different, cold weather and they were test optional :rolleyes: We had her going on her 3rd ACT test to get a better score and she was pretty much over it. It's pretty hard to be a parent during this process, we want what's best, we just need to keep in mind that it's their journey and that's very hard at times. She really did take control and we just went along for the ride, pretty crazy looking back at this last year. The thing that starts to set in after they leave is, it really does end at some point (soccer) so, hopefully they pick a school that will give them the best opportunity to excel. I don't think I could have scripted a better first year, they won their first Conference title in the schools history, 10 of her team mates are still playing, 4 made it to the first round of NCAA D3 Conference finals, she was asked to intern as a freshman for the DA and she's loving it, pretty awesome for their first year......as our youngest who is now a Junior, has no clue what she wants to do, insert emoji pulling out their own hair! :eek:
 
Just phone calls/emails/letters from coaches expressing interest and asking her to come by visit with girls on team and see the program. DD not looking for athletic $; just top tier academic school and a chance to play soccer in college. I spent 4 yrs in New York during graduate school; considered it California appreciation time :)
 
Can anyone comment if NCSA is worth using (and possibly paying for the premium memberships/services) for building an athlete’s profile and being guided/filtered in the process of being seen by and communicating with coaches? http://www.ncsasports.org/
We contemplated using the NCSA service at the beginning of the recruiting process. I also have a good friend who did pay for the service for his daughter. They were happy with the outcome and felt there was a benefit. She found a great D2 school that was the perfect fit for her, and she is graduating this year after 4 years of starting, inbetween injuries. They probably would not have found this school without NCSA assistance.

We elected not to use the service, but we planned on using them by the end of sophomore year, if we weren't getting the results we wanted by doing it ourselves (with constructive assistance from the club). We did 2 conference calls with them, and felt they could contribute to the process, but still wanted to see what would happen without them. She received considerable interest during her freshman year from a number of institutions, which led us to believe we didn't need any outside assistance. She committed in Dec of her sophomore year to her dream school, so we were happy with the outcome as well.

It all just depends on the situation...I do recall thinking that it was a better value the earlier you signed up. Unless they have changed the payment system, it was a fixed fee no matter when the player signs up.
 
We contemplated using the NCSA service at the beginning of the recruiting process. I also have a good friend who did pay for the service for his daughter. They were happy with the outcome and felt there was a benefit. She found a great D2 school that was the perfect fit for her, and she is graduating this year after 4 years of starting, inbetween injuries. They probably would not have found this school without NCSA assistance.

We elected not to use the service, but we planned on using them by the end of sophomore year, if we weren't getting the results we wanted by doing it ourselves (with constructive assistance from the club). We did 2 conference calls with them, and felt they could contribute to the process, but still wanted to see what would happen without them. She received considerable interest during her freshman year from a number of institutions, which led us to believe we didn't need any outside assistance. She committed in Dec of her sophomore year to her dream school, so we were happy with the outcome as well.

It all just depends on the situation...I do recall thinking that it was a better value the earlier you signed up. Unless they have changed the payment system, it was a fixed fee no matter when the player signs up.

I thought that Oregon was her dream school or was NC State the dream school among schools that were actually interested?
 
The average lifespan of a college player is 1.5 years?? Where did you get this stat? That seems hard to believe. Very interesting though. Thanks for a follow-up with resource, Overlap. I'm sending my dd away to a college for 4 years...no complaining, no quitting (as it's in out region and I still want to see her play) :)
I'm not sure if you have an older that went through this transition. If not, be aware. There are so many variables your player will face while away from home. You can't prepare yourself or her for all of it. You just gotta walk through it. Best of luck. I can promise you there will be some complaining, maybe a lot. It's natural. I would guess that Overlap's info, as it pertains to college player's lifespans, is accurate when a player goes out of state.

Your player will be figuring everything out on their own: Time, class, soccer, the roommate, teammates, friendships, relationships with coaches, playing time, pecking order on the roster, success and failure on the field, GPA pressures, possible injuries, when and what to eat, sleep, parties, boys, alcohol (it's everywhere, some places will even have other substances), hosting recruits, community service, whether or not they have their car. All of that stuff will be part of your new reality, and most of the time you can only be an ear on the phone. For some it's too much to take. My daughter's roommate for example, flamed out after one semester. Still going to school, but is no longer on the soccer team....... For some, if they've chosen right, do the work, and have some good forutne, they have the time of their lives.
 
I'm not sure if you have an older that went through this transition. If not, be aware. There are so many variables your player will face while away from home. You can't prepare yourself or her for all of it. You just gotta walk through it. Best of luck. I can promise you there will be some complaining, maybe a lot. It's natural. I would guess that Overlap's info, as it pertains to college player's lifespans, is accurate when a player goes out of state.

Your player will be figuring everything out on their own: Time, class, soccer, the roommate, teammates, friendships, relationships with coaches, playing time, pecking order on the roster, success and failure on the field, GPA pressures, possible injuries, when and what to eat, sleep, parties, boys, alcohol (it's everywhere, some places will even have other substances), hosting recruits, community service, whether or not they have their car. All of that stuff will be part of your new reality, and most of the time you can only be an ear on the phone. For some it's too much to take. My daughter's roommate for example, flamed out after one semester. Still going to school, but is no longer on the soccer team....... For some, if they've chosen right, do the work, and have some good forutne, they have the time of their lives.

It is amazing when it works out like they envisioned it. All it takes is a realistic assessment of what they want, a plan, a support system and LOTS OF HARD WORK!!
 
Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY, it's smaller than her HS was but, she loves it and she's doing really well academically. I give her all the credit, she put herself out there prior to the Las Vegas Player's Showcase in her Junior year. She sent invites to her school's of interest, (about 7-8 schools), she did her research online about each of the school's and then started to visit the one's close by. I think almost all were there to see her play and the invites and offers happened right after LV. I personally think a lot of her decision was because it was something different, cold weather and they were test optional :rolleyes: We had her going on her 3rd ACT test to get a better score and she was pretty much over it. It's pretty hard to be a parent during this process, we want what's best, we just need to keep in mind that it's their journey and that's very hard at times. She really did take control and we just went along for the ride, pretty crazy looking back at this last year. The thing that starts to set in after they leave is, it really does end at some point (soccer) so, hopefully they pick a school that will give them the best opportunity to excel. I don't think I could have scripted a better first year, they won their first Conference title in the schools history, 10 of her team mates are still playing, 4 made it to the first round of NCAA D3 Conference finals, she was asked to intern as a freshman for the DA and she's loving it, pretty awesome for their first year......as our youngest who is now a Junior, has no clue what she wants to do, insert emoji pulling out their own hair! :eek:

Bless your daughter, having grown up next door to Oneonta in Cooperstown I could not wait to get out. Love visiting in the summer, but man those winters in upstate are brutal.

Don't get me wrong, it is a picturesque town, with two colleges, and a great lifestyle, but talk about remote. In comparison to Southern California that had to be a big change!!

I remember in the mid 70's to 80's they had a very strong Men's program that made the NCAA final 4 a few times. Bringing back memories of before my HS even had a soccer team.
 
Bless your daughter, having grown up next door to Oneonta in Cooperstown I could not wait to get out. Love visiting in the summer, but man those winters in upstate are brutal.

Don't get me wrong, it is a picturesque town, with two colleges, and a great lifestyle, but talk about remote. In comparison to Southern California that had to be a big change!!

I remember in the mid 70's to 80's they had a very strong Men's program that made the NCAA final 4 a few times. Bringing back memories of before my HS even had a soccer team.

I'm still surprised that was the school she picked. I think a lot had to do with her visit in August, it was absolutely beautiful, they treated her like a rock star during the session and she really hit it off with several of the player's. I was shocked it was a 7 hour flight and when I got to Albany, another 1.5 hour car drive! :eek: One of the guys that was on that 80's team has a daughter on the team, they have tailgate parties at every game and they had a celebration this year for the men's team player's this year. I love the fact that it's such a big soccer school and they actually won their first ever women's conference title this year. It really has been a great experience so far.
 
The visit was always the key. We did multiple visits but my kid felt it the second we entered town. Everything was all about the school. Great experience. Your kid will know where home is when she gets there
 
The visit was always the key. We did multiple visits but my kid felt it the second we entered town. Everything was all about the school. Great experience. Your kid will know where home is when she gets there

So true,... funny how we think "we" know what's going to happen and what really happens along the way :D as I always told everyone else, we're just along for the ride, it's their journey and it really does work the way it's supposed to, it really has been an incredible journey...and sure goes way too fast!
 
Looking for some feedback on my DD's current scenario and not sure what/if we should be doing anything differently... She has interest from a good 8-10 D1 programs, with 3 that are actively recruiting her (no offers yet). One of the 3 that is actively recruiting her is in her top 5 schools and they have made a significant impression on her. We are doing what we can to get her exposure to other schools in order to provide her with some experience and also give her something to weigh against this specific school so she can make informed decisions when the time comes. I guess my question is... What should we be doing to leverage the current recruiting situation in order to push the process along outside of our scheduled showcases this Spring and Summer? Appreciate any words of wisdom...
 
Looking for some feedback on my DD's current scenario and not sure what/if we should be doing anything differently... She has interest from a good 8-10 D1 programs, with 3 that are actively recruiting her (no offers yet). One of the 3 that is actively recruiting her is in her top 5 schools and they have made a significant impression on her. We are doing what we can to get her exposure to other schools in order to provide her with some experience and also give her something to weigh against this specific school so she can make informed decisions when the time comes. I guess my question is... What should we be doing to leverage the current recruiting situation in order to push the process along outside of our scheduled showcases this Spring and Summer? Appreciate any words of wisdom...
Fairly opened ended question: Don't know what year your daughter is which is fairly important. The top tier players (national pool players)will be recruited and offered and verbally committed generally 8th grade through 10th grade. The rest will be recruited and offered from 10th grade to senior year with the bulk committing their junior year. So a lot depends on where your DD is currently.
If she is in the first tier, they will start making offers and at some point they will set a timeframe. That time frame will depend on what stage in the process that your are and they are. It will not be open ended as they need to move on to other recruits so they don't lose them. If she is in the second tier you should probably set a timeframe if they haven't already asked that question. Time frame needs to be realistic based on ability and offer expectations. That should help push the offers toward that time frame. Once one offer comes through that generally helps to push the others to make offers if they are truly interested. FYI, don't ever lie about offers as the coaches and clubs talk and will find out. Once and offer comes you can let the others know that she has an offer, be honest but not specific. Hopefully that helps some.
 
Fairly opened ended question: Don't know what year your daughter is which is fairly important. The top tier players (national pool players)will be recruited and offered and verbally committed generally 8th grade through 10th grade. The rest will be recruited and offered from 10th grade to senior year with the bulk committing their junior year. So a lot depends on where your DD is currently.
If she is in the first tier, they will start making offers and at some point they will set a timeframe. That time frame will depend on what stage in the process that your are and they are. It will not be open ended as they need to move on to other recruits so they don't lose them. If she is in the second tier you should probably set a timeframe if they haven't already asked that question. Time frame needs to be realistic based on ability and offer expectations. That should help push the offers toward that time frame. Once one offer comes through that generally helps to push the others to make offers if they are truly interested. FYI, don't ever lie about offers as the coaches and clubs talk and will find out. Once and offer comes you can let the others know that she has an offer, be honest but not specific. Hopefully that helps some.

Thank you for the response. DD is an 03 and not in the National team pool yet, but has been invited to just about everything else. Hopefully that changes in the coming months. The one school I'm talking about said as much when we met with them, in terms of an offer. They said that an offer will be coming. However, they weren't specific about exactly when, but said that when it comes we would have roughly 2 weeks to decide. My sense is that it will come toward the end of this season and hence our need to kind of understand what we should be doing between now and then. Hope that makes sense...
 
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