Recruiting Tips for Parents Just Starting the Process

I wouldnt know for sure, but some are just hoping their program is alive after all this is over. I was trying to get my player in the top 150 before all this went down. I know your cool with no actual soccer games and just develop this season, what about next year? No games for 12 more months or longer? Is there even going to be a girls soccer program at some of these schools?
@Ellejustus- I see your point why you want games for your dd. Personally you can send over clips of your daughter training rather than game footage. After 4 months of no training, not sure any player will show well in in a game. Sending training clips is the way to go and just think, for 5 months your dd has been injury free. Chalk that up as a win. Good luck.
 
I heard top drawer is not reliable because its ran by 3 dudes in Socal and the rankings are useless because anyone can email them barking that there dd is worthy of being top 150 and then 2 weeks later there dd is ranked. Any truth to that? 2 college scouts said they don't pay attention to top drawer. I see how it can help get your player some recognition though.
I have no idea of who is what at TDS. I like their site. I was hoping someone from TDS would have saw something in my player to just add her name to it but never happen. Just like no college coach is blowing up my phone. This is all about 100% going after it and doing your home work and letting coaches and schools you have interest. Go to ID camps and all that stuff. It's just so hard to predict the future. All I know from my sources is my dd wont be playing this year or next year most likely. She will stop playing and never go back because she will age out. It sucks for me as a paying customer but I will save thousands and thousands of dollar and I get all my time to do as I please. I was hoping for HS but that is not going to happen at this time unless something super radical happens.
 
As far as I know, my daughter is not on Topdrawer list so not sure how that works other than either coach recommendations or parental lobbying..

every single coach that has communicated with her has asked her to complete the school’s Athletic Questionnaire so I guess it stands to reason that completing the Questionnaire proactively would be a good idea..
 
I heard top drawer is not reliable because its ran by 3 dudes in Socal and the rankings are useless because anyone can email them barking that there dd is worthy of being top 150 and then 2 weeks later there dd is ranked. Any truth to that? 2 college scouts said they don't pay attention to top drawer. I see how it can help get your player some recognition though.
I think there’s definitely some truth to all of that. But, colleges also quote it to promote their own players and school. So, it means something to some people.
 
The building blocks of the lists are those invited to USYNT training centers or other official camps or teams.
I hear you get bonus points for making a camp. Get called up to a game and even more bonus points. Plus, The List is emailed to all the D1 coaches. I get all this now and the actual soccer games being played to be in pole position. So interesting to pause and then reflect on the past. It's all adding up in my little clueless brain of mine with no memory of the past.
 
Pay attention to the NCAA Board of Governors this week. The D1 counsel has made recommendations that could effect your kids. "Members also recommended the board give all fall sport student-athletes both an additional year of eligibility and an additional year in which to complete it, a recommendation that is even more flexible than what it endorsed last week. " This would mean no matter if a someone plays or doesn't play soccer this Fall or this Spring, they would get an additional year. That is every single senior, junior, sophomore and freshmen.

In addition they recommend "The financial aid of fall sport senior student-athletes who take advantage of the additional year of eligibility and extended clock should not count against team limits in 2021-22." This is actually good news for 2021 HS grads since the scholarship limits will be relaxed. But it is bad news for 2022-2024 HS grads since they did not recommend the same thing for the next three years of college students. So if colleges take advantage of the additional year granted for those players they will have less scholarships to offer those three year of HS students.
 
Pay attention to the NCAA Board of Governors this week. The D1 counsel has made recommendations that could effect your kids. "Members also recommended the board give all fall sport student-athletes both an additional year of eligibility and an additional year in which to complete it, a recommendation that is even more flexible than what it endorsed last week. " This would mean no matter if a someone plays or doesn't play soccer this Fall or this Spring, they would get an additional year. That is every single senior, junior, sophomore and freshmen.

In addition they recommend "The financial aid of fall sport senior student-athletes who take advantage of the additional year of eligibility and extended clock should not count against team limits in 2021-22." This is actually good news for 2021 HS grads since the scholarship limits will be relaxed. But it is bad news for 2022-2024 HS grads since they did not recommend the same thing for the next three years of college students. So if colleges take advantage of the additional year granted for those players they will have less scholarships to offer those three year of HS students.
That is good news for my DD. However, it still doesn't address the log jam effect. What if all the seniors do come back... Do rosters balloon to 40+?
 
Rosters will be bigger next year and teams can go above the 14 scholarships to bring back seniors. But not the next three years so if those kids are staying and getting money it will need to come from somewhere.
 
Pay attention to the NCAA Board of Governors this week. The D1 counsel has made recommendations that could effect your kids. "Members also recommended the board give all fall sport student-athletes both an additional year of eligibility and an additional year in which to complete it, a recommendation that is even more flexible than what it endorsed last week. " This would mean no matter if a someone plays or doesn't play soccer this Fall or this Spring, they would get an additional year. That is every single senior, junior, sophomore and freshmen.

In addition they recommend "The financial aid of fall sport senior student-athletes who take advantage of the additional year of eligibility and extended clock should not count against team limits in 2021-22." This is actually good news for 2021 HS grads since the scholarship limits will be relaxed. But it is bad news for 2022-2024 HS grads since they did not recommend the same thing for the next three years of college students. So if colleges take advantage of the additional year granted for those players they will have less scholarships to offer those three year of HS students.
It just get's worse for the 2022s. My gosh, can I get a refund on my $50,000 I spent going around through country looking for a coach to like my dd? This is insane. I guess the old Doc was right, "get your deal now before all the money dries up." That was three years ago too. Dam, I blew it for telling my baby girl who was 13 and 14 note to email. Oh well, sh*t out of luck for the 2022s and olders.
 
Rosters will be bigger next year and teams can go above the 14 scholarships to bring back seniors. But not the next three years so if those kids are staying and getting money it will need to come from somewhere.
Sounds like a log jam to me the next few years. 45 girls on a roster and only 11 play. Again, everyone has a different reason why they play soccer.

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Rosters will be bigger next year and teams can go above the 14 scholarships to bring back seniors. But not the next three years so if those kids are staying and getting money it will need to come from somewhere.

Will be interesting to see, w/cash-strapped athletic departments, how many WILL go beyond the 14 scholarships and how many WON'T - not because they want to but b/c the funds are just not there. Doesn't UCSB only fund 12 scholarships? How many schools are like that? How many of those just can't go beyond, whether it is 14 or 18 or 20?
 
Pay attention to the NCAA Board of Governors this week. The D1 counsel has made recommendations that could effect your kids. "Members also recommended the board give all fall sport student-athletes both an additional year of eligibility and an additional year in which to complete it, a recommendation that is even more flexible than what it endorsed last week. " This would mean no matter if a someone plays or doesn't play soccer this Fall or this Spring, they would get an additional year. That is every single senior, junior, sophomore and freshmen.

In addition they recommend "The financial aid of fall sport senior student-athletes who take advantage of the additional year of eligibility and extended clock should not count against team limits in 2021-22." This is actually good news for 2021 HS grads since the scholarship limits will be relaxed. But it is bad news for 2022-2024 HS grads since they did not recommend the same thing for the next three years of college students. So if colleges take advantage of the additional year granted for those players they will have less scholarships to offer those three year of HS students.
College is expensive, and 90% of soccer scholarships are around 50%. How many kids are actually going to stay for a 5th year to play if they are graduating in 4 years? Getting the degree is king for 95% of these kids. Very few are going to play soccer after college. I want my kid in and out of school in 4 years. So it makes me wonder how many will stay an extra year just to play soccer? I know this will be a boon to those that were taking 5 years to graduate or planning on doing grad school immediately. What about D2, D3 and NAIA, same rules?
 
College is expensive, and 90% of soccer scholarships are around 50%. How many kids are actually going to stay for a 5th year to play if they are graduating in 4 years? Getting the degree is king for 95% of these kids. Very few are going to play soccer after college. I want my kid in and out of school in 4 years. So it makes me wonder how many will stay an extra year just to play soccer? I know this will be a boon to those that were taking 5 years to graduate or planning on doing grad school immediately. What about D2, D3 and NAIA, same rules?

These are the same questions I have. Most kids graduate (or should) after 4 years. Why would they stay for that 5th year of soccer and not go to school. Unless they did a graduate program, but most kids move onto another school for that. I for one would not be paying room and board, etc for my kid to play that 5th year. As you said its expensive enough as it is...
 
Will be interesting to see, w/cash-strapped athletic departments, how many WILL go beyond the 14 scholarships and how many WON'T - not because they want to but b/c the funds are just not there. Doesn't UCSB only fund 12 scholarships? How many schools are like that? How many of those just can't go beyond, whether it is 14 or 18 or 20?
I feel like many seniors will just move on, but I have no real basis for saying that... just gut feeling. I may be completely off.
 
THIS.

Most are not going to hang around another year of college when they have graduated is my guess.

Who might want to? Those on a team that has a good chance of winning a natty.

if my kid were a senior and could have a year or even a semester of grad school paid and play another year of the game she loves (assuming she loves it b/c if she doesn't, ouch), I'd encourage it. The only downside that I see is that, after 4 years of being on the squad, the incoming freshman probably look like (and, more importantly, act like) babies to the much more mature college graduate.

I had a conversation with a Yale grad (she graduated a couple of years ago) - she had a nice Ivy career and had a chance to play pro for a couple of years. She was all-in b/c if it worked out for a few years or if it did not work out at all, she was still exceptionally young and could start her career or grad school then. How many of us are doing the thing they started after graduating college? How many of us think that putting off jobs for a year at age 22 would have been really detrimental to where you are today?
 
College is expensive, and 90% of soccer scholarships are around 50%. How many kids are actually going to stay for a 5th year to play if they are graduating in 4 years? Getting the degree is king for 95% of these kids. Very few are going to play soccer after college. I want my kid in and out of school in 4 years. So it makes me wonder how many will stay an extra year just to play soccer? I know this will be a boon to those that were taking 5 years to graduate or planning on doing grad school immediately. What about D2, D3 and NAIA, same rules?

They really only need to stay for the fall semester. Say they were getting 50% (though if they are an impact senior they likely were getting more). School costs say $40k. That would be paying $10k for your kid to have a final season. If the coach really wants them they could increase this to say 75%. That lowers the cost to $5k. If my kid was a starter and their team was competing to win league and play in the NCAA I would pay that.
 
@Ellejustus- I see your point why you want games for your dd. Personally you can send over clips of your daughter training rather than game footage. After 4 months of no training, not sure any player will show well in in a game. Sending training clips is the way to go and just think, for 5 months your dd has been injury free. Chalk that up as a win. Good luck.
Something like this but for soccer players? What kind of drills can she do to show top D1 school. BTW, when I say top D1, do you know what I mean? I'm old school. i was planning on being a HS School Hoops coach or big time D1 coach. I would 100% have to see my top recruits play in tough games before I court them. I need to see something something and you can only see that in the heat of battle. You only get so many picks, you cant mess it up. DD is putting together a highlight video from all her great plays over the years and will email at least 200 of the top D1, D2 and D3 schools when the time is right. I'm hoping one of them will show some interest in her abilities.

 
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