WRONG THREAD!!!!
Recruiting Tips for Parents Just Starting the Process
- Thread starter MakeAPlay
- Start date
Mystery Train
GOLD
Let’s keep this thread clear for parents dealing with recruitment questions. It’s almost literally the only valuable thread on the forum anymore.
I agree. Good luck you guys with college soccer. I will not post anymore tips on the life and times of girls soccer after high school. I wish you all the best.
Goalkeeper so it is a bit different, but daughter has received 8-10 email responses based just off her video and is in conversation with those colleges. I will say ECNL does make it easier and that is under consideration for next year.
Regarding emails and video, she has had responses as quickly as 1-2 days, as well as not seeing anything until 8 weeks later or after emailing for the 3rd time. Until a coach says I don't have a place for you, have your kid keep emailing.
It could be a practice team. An old team mate went to Penn St. and played on their B team . Long live Les Ferdinand.
How important is it for your invited visit to a school to be "official" as opposed to "unofficial". I guess I'm asking if unofficial is a waste of time and money even if the school invited you after seeing you play and has been contacting you and you have had zoom meetings with coaching staff including head coach and recruiting coordinator.
Official visits can only happen during the senior year (EDITED: I stand corrected, now you can go as a junior as well. Jeez, would have loved that back in the day!), I believe, and all expenses including travel for Official visits are paid by the school
An invited unofficial is not a waste of and is often used when it's too early for the official visit to negotiate a commitment, but usually not paid for because of NCAA rules.
I'm not familiar with the timing of this stuff anymore as far as the NCAA rules go but this was the case a few years ago.
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An official visit can now happen junior year, as well (anytime after August 1st before junior year). Agree that an unofficial visit isn't a waste of time if it's a school you have a serious interest in. It's a signal to the coaches that you are serious and that you're likely to accept an offer should they make one. It can still be a big time and financial investment on your part, and there's (obviously) no guarantee that it moves the needle, but the school is telling you, "We're interested, you're on our radar, but you're not in our top 6-10 right now" so anything that might move you up a few spots can help.
Another issue limiting official vs unofficial visits may be budget or regulatory limits imposed by the school on the coach and his program.
Back in my son's being-recruited days, we arranged an unofficial visit to a distant school because they had expressed interest and we were attending a tournament within easy driving distance and the game schedule allowed a free afternoon. We got the whole campus tour by the head coach -- I can't imagine that a formal visit could have been more thorough. In the long run, that school didn't work out, but it gave us some visibility into what a big-budget athletic program could provide.
A note about the transitory nature of athletic scholarships --
vicksburgnews.com
Grambling State volleyball coach cuts her entire team
Grambling State Head Volleyball Coach Chelsey Lucas has cut her entire team from the roster according to multiple reports. All 19 players were notified on Monday and those who were on scholarship will not have those renewed. “It’s her decision to make, and she’s got some quality players coming...
vicksburgnews.com
Daughter has done two unofficial visits. One was close, organized, and made sense to go unofficial. One could have been official, our choice, the school mentioned they like to bring in all verbal commits in September of their senior year for an official visit that they use for team bonding. If she chooses that school she will go back again on their dime, without a parent. You can also walk the campus of schools on your own to see if you like them.
We did a similar thing with my DD’s top 2 schools.
Only took the official with her 1st choice.
Congratulations to your family and your DD!
A note about the transitory nature of athletic scholarships --
Grambling State volleyball coach cuts her entire team
Grambling State Head Volleyball Coach Chelsey Lucas has cut her entire team from the roster according to multiple reports. All 19 players were notified on Monday and those who were on scholarship will not have those renewed. “It’s her decision to make, and she’s got some quality players coming...
Between stories like this and the multiple family friends kids who ended up at schools they don't like we are really pushing the kiddo to chase the school first, the soccer second. Our hopes is that somewhere in the top 5 schools the soccer will come. At the end of the day you have to be happy on campus and in class.
That's the most important thing: where is the best possible soccer experience for you... but if there's no soccer, for whatever reason, will you still want to be at the school?
youthsportsuggghhhhgghh
BRONZE
I know at lest four players that had full ride ((soccer + grades)) offers this year because of soccer and they turn them down for the school of their dream or a school that is a better fit for their lifetime goals.