ECNL vs. DA turf war has created a 'toxic environment'

[MakeAPlay]

Your still not answering my Q. Do you know how many players at UCLA get a full ride? You see MAP, I'm not very smart and I was always under the impression that everyone was getting a "full ride" in Girls Soccer, at least the Unicorns. I'm being very serious. I'm glad that your Unicorn got it all paid for and must importantly, stayed a Unicorn and Purple for that matter For the record, my dd hasn't had to pay a dime for anything, travel, team fees since she left Blues as an a 11 year old. Yup, there selling FREE FREE FREE soccer for the Unicorns starting when thier 12 years old in SOCal. Trust me, she's not the only one either. Problem is, it's not really *FEEE. If your paying to be in the DA, I have a sports franchise opportunity I would love to sell you. So let me say again, I have spend ZERO as I'm sure all the Unicorns now could say. If rich folks are paying $250,000 just to get admitted, then this education stuff is a lot more valuable to Americans than I thought. I think GIRLS SOCCER in America is CURRUPT!!!!!

Then you are in for a big shock and the pros might be a better destination for your player. She is too late to get what you are looking for from any good team. Now there are plenty of schools out there that might give you what you are looking for but unfortunately the best schools don't take risks with big money and only throw it after can't miss players.

I did answer your question by the way regarding full rides. I know what I paid. And regardless whether your 11 year old has been getting a soccer scholarship for club or not, I'm pretty sure that you at least paid for the plane ticket or something else and like I said to you I have paid less for my kid's college education than you have spent on club soccer in one manner or another and that is a fact. Now of course that doesn't include the $30k that I spent on club soccer to get her there because my kid didn't get a free ride in club. As a matter of fact, on my kid's old club team I helped pay the travel costs for another player on the team who's family wasn't able to afford it.

The corruption in Women's soccer comes from two places. US Soccer who doesn't care as long as they get what they want. And parents looking for the next best thing instead of realizing that they only way to get what your player is looking for is for her to put her head down and work for it.

Good luck to you and your player.

 

[MakeAPlay]

And for DA record, this year, I'm paying just like all the others on the team. Coach called, told me the fees, told me what he will do for my dd and I stroked a check like all the other parents. I don't want my kid to be a Unicorn. No special favors. No FREE anymore. Just play

I paid over $30k for club. Pretty good deal considering I have spent a little more than a 10th of that for a top 20 global university degree for my kid who graduated Magna Cum Laude. It's not what you spend it's what you get.

Good luck to you and your player.

 

[MWN]

Your still not answering my Q. Do you know how many players at UCLA get a full ride? You see MAP, I'm not very smart and I was always under the impression that everyone was getting a "full ride" in Girls Soccer, at least the Unicorns. .... So let me say again, I have spend ZERO as I'm sure all the Unicorns now could say. If rich folks are paying $250,000 just to get admitted, then this education stuff is a lot more valuable to Americans than I thought. I think GIRLS SOCCER in America is CURRUPT!!!!!

@Ellejustus - @MAP did answer your question:

UCLA has 35 players on the roster so that changes the math even further. Again I only know about my kid's deal and those who have shared with her or myself.

To my knowledge scholarship details are not publicly shared. Its not girls soccer that is corrupt is youth soccer in general. Too many guys with English accents selling a dream.

 

[Ellejustus]

Then you are in for a big shock and the pros might be a better destination for your player. She is too late to get what you are looking for from any good team. Now there are plenty of schools out there that might give you what you are looking for but unfortunately the best schools don't take risks with big money and only throw it after can't miss players.

I did answer your question by the way regarding full rides. I know what I paid. And regardless whether your 11 year old has been getting a soccer scholarship for club or not, I'm pretty sure that you at least paid for the plane ticket or something else and like I said to you I have paid less for my kid's college education than you have spent on club soccer in one manner or another and that is a fact. Now of course that doesn't include the $30k that I spent on club soccer to get her there because my kid didn't get a free ride in club. As a matter of fact, on my kid's old club team I helped pay the travel costs for another player on the team who's family wasn't able to afford it.

The corruption in Women's soccer comes from two places. US Soccer who doesn't care as long as they get what they want. And parents looking for the next best thing instead of realizing that they only way to get what your player is looking for is for her to put her head down and work for it.

Good luck to you and your player.

It's rich person's sport my friend and the reward is a great education for your dd. For others with a lot of money, they can own a big time club. It's a business that is tied to higher education and its corrupt to the core. My dd has no interest in the Unicron schools and 100% agree she lost her chance because she was never interested in those schools (except UCLA when pressed to give up her list of 5 in 7th grade and she muttered, UCLA because of me). Academic excellence is key here. My kid is improving a lot but is not at that level and probably never will be. Tuition is easy part. Living on campus and all that costs some bucks. SDSU is $18,000 to live on campus. I'm glad you could help others out btw. I see that as one of the only reasons someone should not pay unless the DA is fully funded

 

[MakeAPlay]

@Ellejustus - @MAP did answer your question:



To my knowledge scholarship details are not publicly shared. Its not girls soccer that is corrupt is youth soccer in general. Too many guys with English accents selling a dream.

Correct. I know how much I pay and a few others. My player did not get a full ride. However, I don't pay very much. I haven't even spent a half a year's tuition at Cathedral Catholic, Santa Margarita, Junipero Serra, Mater Dei, etc. in her entire 3 years so far. Anyway you slice it I am happy with my kid's deal as is she.

As you know already it's not what you spend it's what you get. I'm sure if @Ellejustus was offered the Mona Lisa for a million bucks he would find a way to come up with that million bucks.

Good luck to you he and both of your players.

 

[MakeAPlay]

It's rich person's sport my friend and the reward is a great education for your dd. For others with a lot of money, they can own a big time club. It's a business that is tied to higher education and its corrupt to the core. My dd has no interest in the Unicron schools and 100% agree she lost her chance because she was never interested in those schools (except UCLA when pressed to give up her list of 5 in 7th grade and she muttered, UCLA because of me). Academic excellence is key here. My kid is improving a lot but is not at that level and probably never will be. Tuition is easy part. Living on campus and all that costs some bucks. SDSU is $18,000 to live on campus. I'm glad you could help others out btw. I see that as one of the only reasons someone should not pay unless the DA is fully funded

I have two brothers that are SDSU alums. One on a football scholarship and one through my dad's GI bill. It's like $26k a year out the door and is well worth it. That isn't much more than tuition to Junipero Serra and about half the cost of St. Margaret, Bishops or La Jolla Country Day and includes room and board!

Personally academic excellence was the best thing that I spent energy and time on regarding my kid. It was more important than private skills training or anything else. Without the grades none of what she has accomplished would have been possible.

Good luck to you and your player.

 

[Ellejustus]

As a NCAA Division I school - Women's Soccer has 14 scholarships to give out and average roster of 28 players. When you ask about how many get a "full ride" or 100% free everything, the soccer program can give 14 a full ride, or 28 a half-ride or some a full-ride, other's a half-ride and other's 1/3 ride. Many D1 programs have athletes receiving no scholarship money because the parents/athlete is very wealthy. Some programs also have dual sport scholarship athletes, receiving a 1/2 ride from soccer and a 1/2 ride from another sport. Then you look at the academic scholarships and grants, which are merit based and can supplement.

On the boys side the numbers are worse (but this is about girls).

As you move down the line, DII (9.9), DIII (no athletic scholarships) and NAIA (12) the availability of non-athletic scholarships skews the numbers.

I personally don't know how many at UCLA get a full ride, but its less than half.

I know now what I didn't know 2 years ago. That makes me smarter, right? Anyone who has read my posts or knows me personally know that I honesty did not know how much this is ALL about college. Coaches should sell "Scholarship" if your still playing as a soph, have the grades and the desire for higher education. It should not pushed down the throat of 7th and 8th graders. I think it's embarrassing that the head COACH at UCLA came to our Surf practice to "pop" in. She actually said to my dd group, "The 06's did that drill better than you." No joke!!! I thought "scholarship" means FREE RIDE. I don't think I'm the only one. Once you start asking questions you soon realize it's "scholarship money toward the bill." UCLA has 37 on the roster according to MAP. Before the rule change, my dd would tell me every week that so and so just committed to UCLA, CAL, Duke, U of A, ASU, WSU and so on from Instagram. The PERCEPTION is that she got a free ride playing soccer. Look, I have friends & family expecting to get that same instgram notification from my kid in a year or so. I'm starting to feel the pressure.....yikes. It was free when she was 12 and 13 but now it looks like I have to pay for her to go to school if she still wants to play soccer past HS? MAP did think she might be suited better for the PROS. Let me see, no YNT call up, no money to be made in DA Pros, ya I'm not seeing that either for her. Just quit honey because we have nothing really for you unless you want to go to college and play far far away from SoCal so its almost free and you can try and beat the Unicrons. Sounds like a challenge. If she doesn't go to college than what the hell have we been doing all these years driving around SoCal looking to play soccer games?

 

[MakeAPlay]

. If she doesn't go to college than what the hell have we been doing all these years driving around SoCal looking to play soccer games?

Building good character? Spending time with her dad? If my kid never got a penny for soccer that would have made the $30k worth it. Let me ask you this. Is it you asking what they hell have you been doing or is it your daughter? If it is you, then you have to just chill and let the process work itself out. If it is your daughter you have to just have her put her head down and grind, whether that is on the pitch or in study hall.

There are many roads to Rome but NONE OF THEM ARE EASY.

Continued good luck to you and your player.

 

[soccer661]

Very similar situation to MAP...we paid ALOT for club soccer... (sometimes I call it "paying for the scholarship early") but wouldn't change it for anything...a crazy club soccer journey filled with amazing memories-- lots of ups and downs, life lessons -- & the "downs" just made my DD stronger--a better teammate and person, also focused very hard on academics- most important focus for having the education/career after the soccer is over.
And now my DD is extremely happy at her University, getting an amazing education while still playing the sport she loves with teammates she'd run thru a brickwall for...and getting scholarship $$ now towards tutition...so for us the cost of club (mostly ECNL & then DA the last year) completely paid off. Relax a bit and try to ENJOY THE JOURNEY!! Yes, it can be stressful but it's over before you know it...Good luck to your DD's!!

 

[MakeAPlay]

Very similar situation to MAP...we paid ALOT for club soccer... (sometimes I call it "paying for the scholarship early") but wouldn't change it for anything...a crazy club soccer journey filled with amazing memories-- lots of ups and downs, life lessons -- & the "downs" just made my DD stronger--a better teammate and person, also focused very hard on academics- most important focus for having the education/career after the soccer is over.
And now my DD is extremely happy at her University, getting an amazing education while still playing the sport she loves with teammates she'd run thru a brickwall for...and getting scholarship $$ now towards tutition...so for us the cost of club (mostly ECNL & then DA the last year) completely paid off. Relax a bit and try to ENJOY THE JOURNEY!! Yes, it can be stressful but it's over before you know it...Good luck to your DD's!!

And your kid has my vote for president in 16 1/2 years! She better drain that swamp!

 

[Ellejustus]

Building good character? Spending time with her dad? If my kid never got a penny for soccer that would have made the $30k worth it. Let me ask you this. Is it you asking what they hell have you been doing or is it your daughter? If it is you, then you have to just chill and let the process work itself out. If it is your daughter you have to just have her put her head down and grind, whether that is on the pitch or in study hall.

There are many roads to Rome but NONE OF THEM ARE EASY.

Continued good luck to you and your player.

It's both of us asking MAP. She's my little unicorn bro. My little me. One of my best, best friends. We drove around SoCal looking to play competitive soccer. I already gave advice before if you have a 10 year that is fast, stay home and play local. Were both competitive and she never complained until now, because, because ,because.

 

[Ellejustus]

Very similar situation to MAP...we paid ALOT for club soccer... (sometimes I call it "paying for the scholarship early") but wouldn't change it for anything...a crazy club soccer journey filled with amazing memories-- lots of ups and downs, life lessons -- & the "downs" just made my DD stronger--a better teammate and person, also focused very hard on academics- most important focus for having the education/career after the soccer is over.
And now my DD is extremely happy at her University, getting an amazing education while still playing the sport she loves with teammates she'd run thru a brickwall for...and getting scholarship $$ now towards tutition...so for us the cost of club (mostly ECNL & then DA the last year) completely paid off. Relax a bit and try to ENJOY THE JOURNEY!! Yes, it can be stressful but it's over before you know it...Good luck to your DD's!!

Did your college recruiting process start in 7th grade?

 

[beachbum]

I agree with most of the rule changes with one exception that i think is

Ya, I can see coach Cal and coach K "popping" in on the newest 8th graders.
AAU coach: Listen Jonny, Coach K is coming to watch you at practice tomorrow. He wants to see what you and your teammates are all about. I know your only 5'5 and still in 8th grade and all the other recruits are 6'4. Were going be doing a rebounding and blocking drill.....
Jonny: Oh!
Jonny: But can't we play a real game. I like to pass the rock and create things.
AAU Coach: Sorry, its about development now. Plus Coach K is strapped and has only so much cash to go around and has to pick fast because freaking Miller just signed Frances Odom, the the phenom 6th grader. FO just posted "I will be the greatest in the world" prediction on youtube. Time is running out Jonny. Plus the NBA is going after 4th graders.........
Jonny at home night before: Dad, who is coach K again?
Dad: I told you to watch more college basketball and lift weights so you can stick you ass on those big boys and learn how to box out. How many hours of basketball have you been watching son?
Jonny: I don't like watching. I want to play the game dad.
Dad: No son, practice practice practice.
Next Day
AAU Coach: Coach K saw some potential in you Jonny but like I said before, go to North Dakota State for DA FREE RIDE!!!!!!

They were watching 8th graders and made verbal offers last year to 8th graders. Do you think AC or any other coach will need to "pop" in now to see the new incoming 8th graders practice or does a sneak attack during warm ups before the big DA Game is more suited to see the true Sally? Maybe the coach will be hiding among the parents to see how hard little elite, elite Sally is holding up in the big DA game that's already 6-1 at the half? Sally has 6 goals already. Coach wants to see what Sally will do in the second half? Is she going for the third hat trick? Final: Sally's Team 9, far away DA team 1. Sally scored 9 goals for a triple hat trick. College coach is impressed but can't talk to the 14 year old anymore.....yikes!!!


Wow i don't know why you seem so angry, people on here just trying to help and give advice on what their experiences were.
That being said, if you don't think Coach K and his staff, in fact all top college staffs don't pop in unexpectedly to AAU games and practice or high school games and practice you have no clue, because they do. The bigger name coaches can't do it incognito but many of their staff, can and do.
From my personal experience in girls club soccer, coaches including power 5 schools both local and out of state have shown up to practice and games unannounced looking at 8th and 9th graders. This will not change with the new rules as the college coaches can still communicate to club coaches to express any interest and talk about players.
IMO the new rules are no good. The rule where the kids can call the coaches and coaches can't call back should be fine from 9th grade and up, not before. Unofficial visits should be allowed during that same time frame. This gives players a chance to visit colleges on their own nickel , communicate with the coaches (to see if its a good fit for both parties) without trying to cram everything into a very shortened time frame during their junior year. What should have been changed is no verbal offers and verbal acceptance of those offers should not be allowed until their junior year.

Their work around for visits and communication will be to get kids into their camps through the club coaches, instead of unofficial visits

As far as Coach K having cash available, Head count sports are very different than equivalency sports. Soccer is a Equivalency Sport, 14 scholarships for 22 -35 players

• Head count sports are always full rides. But they only include revenue sports: for men, that’s DI basketball and DI-A football; for women, it’s DI basketball, tennis, volleyball and gymnastics.
• Equivalency sports usually hand out partial scholarships

 

[Dubs]

That's the point of a coach popping in, to see how players handle the daily routine. If they aren't working hard at club practice what are they going to do in college. That's also the reason the come to various games unannounced to see how kids are responding to different situations. How do they act when they are up 3 goals, down 3 goals etc.. Our kids were always told play your hardest all the time (including warm ups), you never know who is watching

My DD has experienced all the above... The club/coach sets the tone and it is consistency that college coaches are looking for both in practice and in games. There are coaches that routinely show up at DDs practices.. Sometimes the coach will alert the girls and others not. Our coach has done a really good job in helping to create the mindset through the training environement. If you're in a situation like this, where coaches are always showing up to practice and games, chances are you have made the right choice for your DD in terms of coach/team.

 

[soccer661]

Did your college recruiting process start in 7th grade?

No no no-- not 7th grade...a bit towards end of 8th grade, but not serious...9th grade got more serious...especially that spring/summer and then she committed in fall of 10th grade...which still was earlier than most of her teammates, but it was one of her dream schools...so made decision early.

 

[MWN]

I know now what I didn't know 2 years ago. That makes me smarter, right? Anyone who has read my posts or knows me personally know that I honesty did not know how much this is ALL about college. Coaches should sell "Scholarship" if your still playing as a soph, ...

Since you don't know what you don't know and know you don't know, let me further shed some light:

Once upon a time ...
College coaches could extend verbal scholarship offers to athletes of any age, but ... verbal scholarship offers from a coach to any athlete are all non-binding, meaning the Coach can rescind the offer and the player is not bound to sign down the road. The athlete can accept a verbal offer and continue to be recruited and visit schools. All offers to 11 and 12 year olds are verbal offers, intended to motivate the athlete to continue down the path. Most college coaches have every intention of making verbal offers official, but must wait for the National Letter of Intent period.

Today ...
the NCAA has closed many of the loopholes that existed and for soccer (money sports (football, M/W basketball and baseball) are excluded) the current rule is college coaches are not allowed to extend a verbal scholarship offer to student-athletes before June 15 after their sophomore year or September 1 of their Junior year.

What this means for you, is you are getting worked up about a problem that has been fixed by the NCAA (assuming D1 and D2)

But ... verbal is non-binding and only until the athlete has signed a Letter of Intent is there a binding scholarship offer made and accepted.

 

[Kicker4Life]

Did your college recruiting process start in 7th grade?

I know you’re not asking me, but I’m going to interject as we are playing in the same sandbox. We had schools reaching out in 7th grade. Not making offers, but contacting our coach and emailing us with what they can “legally” say due to NCAA regulations. We were also asked by our Coach to list your Top 5 schools and encouraged to email those schools.

Like yours, my DD wasn’t interested because, “ Dad, I’m only in 7th grade”. “True, so let’s use this as the dry run/practice and just reach out to a few we know as well as the ones on your list. Cause as a 7th grader, it won’t really matter. But is a great exercise for you.”

Sometimes we have to step back and remove the perceived pressure from the situation and see it for what it is.

Your DD is going to do just fine as long as she does what she does and has fun doing it!

 

[beachbum]

Did your college recruiting process start in 7th grade?

Started beginning of 8th grade year, very heavy towards the end of her 8th grade year, first unofficial and offer in Sept of freshmen year, verbally committed April of her freshman year. About 12-15 visits during freshman year - all but 2 offered at the time, 2 that didn't offer said when your ready let us know, which she did and one of those two is the one she picked. BTW they all know what the other has offered somehow.

 

[beachbum]

I know now what I didn't know 2 years ago. That makes me smarter, right? Anyone who has read my posts or knows me personally know that I honesty did not know how much this is ALL about college. Coaches should sell "Scholarship" if your still playing as a soph, have the grades and the desire for higher education. It should not pushed down the throat of 7th and 8th graders. I think it's embarrassing that the head COACH at UCLA came to our Surf practice to "pop" in. She actually said to my dd group, "The 06's did that drill better than you." No joke!!! I thought "scholarship" means FREE RIDE. I don't think I'm the only one. Once you start asking questions you soon realize it's "scholarship money toward the bill." UCLA has 37 on the roster according to MAP. Before the rule change, my dd would tell me every week that so and so just committed to UCLA, CAL, Duke, U of A, ASU, WSU and so on from Instagram. The PERCEPTION is that she got a free ride playing soccer. Look, I have friends & family expecting to get that same instgram notification from my kid in a year or so. I'm starting to feel the pressure.....yikes. It was free when she was 12 and 13 but now it looks like I have to pay for her to go to school if she still wants to play soccer past HS? MAP did think she might be suited better for the PROS. Let me see, no YNT call up, no money to be made in DA Pros, ya I'm not seeing that either for her. Just quit honey because we have nothing really for you unless you want to go to college and play far far away from SoCal so its almost free and you can try and beat the Unicrons. Sounds like a challenge. If she doesn't go to college than what the hell have we been doing all these years driving around SoCal looking to play soccer games?

Last thing I'll say on this. If your dd loves soccer and wants to continue that into college, let her. I may have missed this but i don't know what year/age your daughter is. She may be interested now but that could all change in high school as I have seen with so many kids.

DA and ECNL are not the only paths to college just the easier paths.

As far as the money goes, don't count on the athletic part, count on the academic part whether or not she continues soccer in college (she should pick the college that suits her best not the scholarship that gets her the most). As i think MAP said most college scholarships except for power 5, are year by year anyway.

Every college coach that we talked to always asked what kind of student our player was. This is in their best interest, if they can get academic money to help cover tuition it allows their athletic money to go further.

Good luck to you and your daughter, try to enjoy the ride

 

[Ellejustus]

I know you’re not asking me, but I’m going to interject as we are playing in the same sandbox. We had schools reaching out in 7th grade. Not making offers, but contacting our coach and emailing us with what they can “legally” say due to NCAA regulations. We were also asked by our Coach to list your Top 5 schools and encouraged to email those schools.

Like yours, my DD wasn’t interested because, “ Dad, I’m only in 7th grade”. “True, so let’s use this as the dry run/practice and just reach out to a few we know as well as the ones on your list. Cause as a 7th grader, it won’t really matter. But is a great exercise for you.”

Sometimes we have to step back and remove the perceived pressure from the situation and see it for what it is.

Your DD is going to do just fine as long as she does what she does and has fun doing it!

It goes like this Kicker: Soccer Coach to 8th grader: Rules are changing, money is leaving soon......pick NOW!!!!!! Kid: But, but
I understand its all over but now all the $$$$$$$ are gone at the Unicorn schools......hahahahahahahahahahaaha