How, when, where are college coaches going to watch next year's DA players?

MakeAPlay said:
The most that I spent was $4500 for U16 and U17 about $3700 for U15, U14 was about $3600 including ECNL nationals in Chicago and the Nike Manchester Invitational in Portland (do they still do that?). U10-U13 was $1900. I think that I saw somebody post that if they saved all of that money that it would pay for 3 years at UCLA. That is pretty false. I spent $24k in club fees and travel for my player. UC schools with tuition, fees, books, room and meal plan are about $27-$30k a year. Let's assume that I got 100% return on that money over the 10 years (don't forget that the stock market crashed in 2008 and just got back above those levels in the last year) that is $48k or about a year and a half of tuition. That doesn't even cover a year at Stanford or any out of state public or private school. I can tell you that the money invested in club soccer in my player's case was a fraction of what her scholarship is and I am spending less for her to go to a top university than I spent per year while she was in ECNL. FYI most of my cost for ECNL was travel. Team fees were about $2k. From what it seems with DA, travel will still be a cost that families will still incur although it seems that they will only be traveling once a year unless they make the playoffs.

We will see.
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We all manage & account for finances differently but what I said was you could make your own scholarship fund and if you invested that money wisely over a 10 year period you can have a nice amount. In my case I'm referring to tuition fees 13k x 3 years (40k) plus books which is another 6k for those 3 years. 46k total is what I budgeted for those 3 years. I have the other expenses covered through other means
https://www.admission.ucla.edu/prospect/budget.htm

You can pick and choose what you budget, spent, account for or not, if you account for everything including those 3-4x weekly transportation costs for x years plus, the opportunity time you spent driving, waiting, the hotels, equipment, medical treatments, meals, etc the true costs are much higher than what people throw out. I'm not that detailed but I have accountant friends that are and they typically tell me for ECNL 6-8K per year is what they really spend when you include everything not just the club fees or travel to the games. I spent 6k in gas just in one year between my kids for example just driving them to soccer activities to give you a example. This is one things I keep track of and I couldnt do that unless I was a entrepreneur.

You where lucky and the sports scholarship gamble paid off, but for thousands of others they might not be as fortunate and only get a fraction or nothing at all. Taking a sports scholarship is whole another commitment and a personal choice for those students. I didn't want my kids thinking about that sports scholarships rather I wanted them to demonstrate a high level of academic and personal achievement so they can apply for those kids of scholarships if they choose.
 
younothat said:
We all manage & account for finances differently but what I said was you could make your own scholarship fund and if you invested that money wisely over a 10 year period you can have a nice amount. In my case I'm referring to tuition fees 13k x 3 years (40k) plus books which is another 6k for those 3 years. 46k total is what I budgeted for those 3 years. I have the other expenses covered through other means
https://www.admission.ucla.edu/prospect/budget.htm

You can pick and choose what you budget, spent, account for or not, if you account for everything including those 3-4x weekly transportation costs for x years plus, the opportunity time you spent driving, waiting, the hotels, equipment, medical treatments, meals, etc the true costs are much higher than what people throw out. I'm not that detailed but I have accountant friends that are and they typically tell me for ECNL 6-8K per year is what they really spend when you include everything not just the club fees or travel to the games. I spent 6k in gas just in one year between my kids for example just driving them to soccer activities to give you a example. This is one things I keep track of and I couldnt do that unless I was a entrepreneur.

You where lucky and the sports scholarship gamble paid off, but for thousands of others they might not be as fortunate and only get a fraction or nothing at all. Taking a sports scholarship is whole another commitment and a personal choice for those students. I didn't want my kids thinking about that sports scholarships rather I wanted them to demonstrate a high level of academic and personal achievement so they can apply for those kids of scholarships if they choose.
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Books and materials at UCLA for a full load are going to be more than $6k for 3 years. If you are counting gas to take your kid to and from activities I have to ask you would you count it if you were just taking them to their friends house too? It's all personal preference. I am not self employed (although my spouse is) but I do keep pretty detailed records of what I spent over my daughter's 9 years of soccer and it was what I posted give or take a couple of bucks.

Regarding a scholarship being a gamble. Maybe that's how you feel but I was 100% certain that my player was a college athlete if she wanted to be one. Most of my family went to college on athletic scholarships for various sports so we felt pretty certain that at least genetically she capable of it and she always just assumed that she would play sports in college. She had opportunities to play more than one sport actually but soccer is her passion (along with science).

Finally regarding academics and the college experience. I have found that as a peer group there isn't one better at least in terms of academics than high level soccer girls. My players club teams cumulative GPA was over a 3.6 and her college team is pretty close to that. I haven't noticed that soccer is interfering with her college academics as she got over a 3.75 in her first semester. A girl can have it all if they really want it and are willing to work for it.

Good luck to you and yours.
 
younothat said:
We all manage & account for finances differently but what I said was you could make your own scholarship fund and if you invested that money wisely over a 10 year period you can have a nice amount. In my case I'm referring to tuition fees 13k x 3 years (40k) plus books which is another 6k for those 3 years. 46k total is what I budgeted for those 3 years. I have the other expenses covered through other means
https://www.admission.ucla.edu/prospect/budget.htm

You can pick and choose what you budget, spent, account for or not, if you account for everything including those 3-4x weekly transportation costs for x years plus, the opportunity time you spent driving, waiting, the hotels, equipment, medical treatments, meals, etc the true costs are much higher than what people throw out. I'm not that detailed but I have accountant friends that are and they typically tell me for ECNL 6-8K per year is what they really spend when you include everything not just the club fees or travel to the games. I spent 6k in gas just in one year between my kids for example just driving them to soccer activities to give you a example. This is one things I keep track of and I couldnt do that unless I was a entrepreneur.

You where lucky and the sports scholarship gamble paid off, but for thousands of others they might not be as fortunate and only get a fraction or nothing at all. Taking a sports scholarship is whole another commitment and a personal choice for those students. I didn't want my kids thinking about that sports scholarships rather I wanted them to demonstrate a high level of academic and personal achievement so they can apply for those kids of scholarships if they choose.
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I never looked at it as an investment - it was a choice on how to spend our entertainment budget. The return in scholarship money just enabled more entertainment.
 
MakeAPlay said:
Books and materials at UCLA for a full load are going to be more than $6k for 3 years. If you are counting gas to take your kid to and from activities I have to ask you would you count it if you were just taking them to their friends house too? It's all personal preference. I am not self employed (although my spouse is) but I do keep pretty detailed records of what I spent over my daughter's 9 years of soccer and it was what I posted give or take a couple of bucks.

Regarding a scholarship being a gamble. Maybe that's how you feel but I was 100% certain that my player was a college athlete if she wanted to be one. Most of my family went to college on athletic scholarships for various sports so we felt pretty certain that at least genetically she capable of it and she always just assumed that she would play sports in college. She had opportunities to play more than one sport actually but soccer is her passion (along with science).

Finally regarding academics and the college experience. I have found that as a peer group there isn't one better at least in terms of academics than high level soccer girls. My players club teams cumulative GPA was over a 3.6 and her college team is pretty close to that. I haven't noticed that soccer is interfering with her college academics as she got over a 3.75 in her first semester. A girl can have it all if they really want it and are willing to work for it.

Good luck to you and yours.
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I think it was either MAP or NG who told me years ago- focus academics. If you keep that perspective then the rest falls into place. Never sacrifice one for the other.
I know plenty of gals locally who played at "low level" teams in SD and got a full ride to Cal State schools and are very happy but they were honor students with other activities who had great scores
 
Striker17 said:
I think it was either MAP or NG who told me years ago- focus academics. If you keep that perspective then the rest falls into place. Never sacrifice one for the other.
I know plenty of gals locally who played at "low level" teams in SD and got a full ride to Cal State schools and are very happy but they were honor students with other activities who had great scores
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Winner winner winner!!
 
Striker17 said:
I think it was either MAP or NG who told me years ago- focus academics. If you keep that perspective then the rest falls into place. Never sacrifice one for the other.
I know plenty of gals locally who played at "low level" teams in SD and got a full ride to Cal State schools and are very happy but they were honor students with other activities who had great scores
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Academics is important! College coaches get a nice little bonus, if their teams overall GPA hits a certain benchmark. In some contracts almost as much as getting into the NCAA tournament.
 
NoGoal said:
Academics is important! College coaches get a nice little bonus, if their teams overall GPA hits a certain benchmark. In some contracts almost as much as getting into the NCAA tournament.
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And schools that don't meet NCAA graduation objectives risk losing scholarships and post-season eligibility, as well as bad publicity.
 
socalkdg said:
What percentage of scholarships are full ride, and what percentage are just 50%?
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Depends. The average college roster is 28. A fully funded program has 14 full scholarships to break up however they see fit. I know that only one player on my players team has a full ride and everyone else has from zero to 80% deals. I also want to add that most schools have additional money that can supplement athletic money.
 
MakeAPlay said:
Depends. The average college roster is 28. A fully funded program has 14 full scholarships to break up however they see fit. I know that only one player on my players team has a full ride and everyone else has from zero to 80% deals. I also want to add that most schools have additional money that can supplement athletic money.
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Any school may supplement athletic money, but they have to do it through programs that are open to all students, and they have to declare all of that money that is provided to student-athletes. They sometimes skirt the issue with part-time jobs that are offered preferentially to student athletes, and do not declare any value to the extra tutoring that is offered to student-athletes so they can stay academically eligible.
 
espola said:
Any school may supplement athletic money, but they have to do it through programs that are open to all students, and they have to declare all of that money that is provided to student-athletes. They sometimes skirt the issue with part-time jobs that are offered preferentially to student athletes, and do not declare any value to the extra tutoring that is offered to student-athletes so they can stay academically eligible.
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All I know is that there is additional money over and above athletic money. With out players package we pay less for a top academic university than we paid for ECNL at U16/17. Tutoring is open to all athletes and required for all freshman regardless of whether they are a scholarship player or a recruited walk on.
 
espola said:
I never looked at it as an investment - it was a choice on how to spend our entertainment budget. The return in scholarship money just enabled more entertainment.
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Yeah I don't either, I just lump it it too disposal income and I agree the scholarship and sponsorship $ is a nice bonus but I don't count on that or discuss with my kids.

Both my kids play or have played for fully or partially sponsored sports teams but we try not to accept financial help. When there is not a choice we make sure to work to contribute somethings positive to the org, give back, or help out others not as fortunate.
 
younothat said:
Yeah I don't either, I just lump it it too disposal income and I agree the scholarship and sponsorship $ is a nice bonus but I don't count on that or discuss with my kids.

Both my kids play or have played for fully or partially sponsored sports teams but we try not to accept financial help. When there is not a choice we make sure to work to contribute somethings positive to the org, give back, or help out others not as fortunate.
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I just told my son that his skill would get him into a better school than his academics would. Of course, once schools showed some interest, we leveraged the hell out of it.
 
Here's a question. Let's say you have a kid at 15 or 16 that has worked her way on to a couple lists at great schools and soccer programs. Now this DA thing comes along. I'm curious what the colleges might prefer. Should she go DA, as it is the perceived "top competition"? Or, in order to maintain HS participation, go ECNL or DAII? Curious.
 
Kicknit22 said:
Here's a question. Let's say you have a kid at 15 or 16 that has worked her way on to a couple lists at great schools and soccer programs. Now this DA thing comes along. I'm curious what the colleges might prefer. Should she go DA, as it is the perceived "top competition"? Or, in order to maintain HS participation, go ECNL or DAII? Curious.
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Have her talk to those college coaches....then she can weigh her options. If anything don't do DAII over ECNL.
 
Kicknit22 said:
Here's a question. Let's say you have a kid at 15 or 16 that has worked her way on to a couple lists at great schools and soccer programs. Now this DA thing comes along. I'm curious what the colleges might prefer. Should she go DA, as it is the perceived "top competition"? Or, in order to maintain HS participation, go ECNL or DAII? Curious.
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If she's playing 80-100% in ECNL; my advice would be stay put for now. It's just such an unknown and this is a key time for recruiting. Getting lost in the gap at 16 would blow.
 
It won't matter later said:
If she's playing 80-100% in ECNL; my advice would be stay put for now. It's just such an unknown and this is a key time for recruiting. Getting lost in the gap at 16 would blow.
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I think you are absolutely right. If your DD is u16+ AND not committed, ECNL is the most organized and time-tested way to get in front of college coaches! The national events are very organized and the sidelines are filled with coaches from all levels of the college game. NAIA thru D1. US Soccer DA will "steal" what they can from the ECNL process and attempt to make it an even greater experience but for the foreseeable future, ECNL is a college coach recruitment destination.

I say if your DD (and I'm focusing on u16+ here) is committed, has the chops to make an "elite" (by elite I mean a championship contender like Michigan Hawks, Slammers, Tophat, Blues, Surf, etc) DA and actually contribute to an "elite" then I think the DA experience will provide a fresh experience.

To the specific topic "How, when, where are college coaches going to watch next year's DA players?" I would take the above approach if my DD were not committed. 2 cents worth?
 
GoWest said:
I think you are absolutely right. If your DD is u16+ AND not committed, ECNL is the most organized and time-tested way to get in front of college coaches! The national events are very organized and the sidelines are filled with coaches from all levels of the college game. NAIA thru D1. US Soccer DA will "steal" what they can from the ECNL process and attempt to make it an even greater experience but for the foreseeable future, ECNL is a college coach recruitment destination.

I say if your DD (and I'm focusing on u16+ here) is committed, has the chops to make an "elite" (by elite I mean a championship contender like Michigan Hawks, Slammers, Tophat, Blues, Surf, etc) DA and actually contribute to an "elite" then I think the DA experience will provide a fresh experience.

To the specific topic "How, when, where are college coaches going to watch next year's DA players?" I would take the above approach if my DD were not committed. 2 cents worth?
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As far as DA showcases, anyone have any insight to that specifically? It is my understanding that US Soccer scouts will be present at many of the DA practices, on occasion. I would assume that also college scouts might swing by for a look see as well?
 
GoWest said:
As far as DA showcases, anyone have any insight to that specifically? It is my understanding that US Soccer scouts will be present at many of the DA practices, on occasion. I would assume that also college scouts might swing by for a look see as well?
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Many US Soccer scouts *are* college coaches
 
GoWest said:
As far as DA showcases, anyone have any insight to that specifically? It is my understanding that US Soccer scouts will be present at many of the DA practices, on occasion. I would assume that also college scouts might swing by for a look see as well?
Click to expand...

I have never seen any scouts at training. At games and showcases, yes.
College coaches mostly at Showcases only.
 
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