Recruiting Tips for Parents Just Starting the Process
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rainbow_unicorn
PREMIER
Quality women players for adult co-ed leagues are always a hot commodity
I'd appreciate your thoughts on what I hear about people getting D1 soccer scholarships. What percentage of players in D1 are on full scholarships? Is there a difference between male and female? The families of ulta-premier players I speak always have something like 20 to 30% schollys at most.
What does it take for a male or female soccer star to get a full ride?
What does it take for a male or female soccer star to get a full ride?
This information was correct 10 years ago. I expect it is mostly correct now. I just have not kept up because I'm not invested anymore.
Few players at the top soccer schools are on "full". The rosters have 20+ on them, so the math says the average is not even at 50%. Other schools do not even fully fund the program to what NCAA allows and what they do might be less. If there is no football team, chances are the program may not be fully funded. Sure - Pepperdine is, as are others, but that is a guideline. Title IX takes the money and... nevermind.
The coach might find other money other ways. If your kid happens to be able to get need's aid, the coach is not going to spend scholarship money, even if they would otherwise.
If you (kid) have money, think of soccer as a way to get your kid into places that they could not otherwise go.
Many of the top ranked schools do not give merit money at all. The Ivy's just don't (or didn't) give scholarships. They let you go.
If you are looking at getting financial help, consider a lower demand soccer school. I worked with a guy that was the CalTech QB for football. Ever heard of CalTech football? Me neither till then.
But he got free school. He was also just smart enough to get in. And he got a CalTech degree in Chem if I remember correctly. I went to UC Irvine with smarter kids. They just were not QB material.
I suggest search "Common Data Set" and seeing the SAT (at least the ones that still use SAT) scores that actually get in. If your kid is 25 percental and has soccer, leverage that.
MacDre
PREMIER
I think things are changing as we speak for top players because of NIL collectives. My kid hasn’t received a scholarship offer from any school but we are in talks with a major athletic apparel company. The company hasn’t put any limitations on where my kid can play but it looks like AD’s/compliance officer’s at schools will not let her play if she is a brand ambassador for their brands competitor.
I had never looked at this angle for when my daughter was playing/looking. My son has a "friend" who does very well with athletic apparel and looking good in them. While that can do a lot on the $ part, I don't know how much it helps get them in to a difficult school to get into.
Parents (and kids) need to figure out what their goal is. To suggest a few:
-Help pay for school
-Get into a school that is hard to get into
Get into a school that is good for your major (if you know), shares values etc.
-Have fun with lots of play time
-Be in more winning teams while playing less
etc. Of course, we want it all. But I think it helps to decide priorities in advance.
outside!
DA
If there are any male athletes that are brand ambassadors playing at any NCAA school that would seem like a Title IX problem if they won't let others do it.
dk_b
GOLD
I realized I’ve missed a lot on this thread over the last 6 months or so - discussion about making all sports headcount? Wow! That would be huge (and I agree w/folks who speculate that it would probably mean the end of a lot of sports b/c departments don’t have that type of cheddar to keep it going).
Then I missed @Simisoccerfan calling it a wrap. I know I’d love to have a room w/some of the OGs like @Simisoccerfan and others who have contributed so much during their kids’ (mostly daughters’) journeys. My own child’s journey is featuring twists and turns - some public, some not - that we could not have anticipated.
Here are some general thoughts after 3 seasons of D1 soccer for my kid and my other kids in the process at the HS level: unless the kids talk, and even when they do, you don’t really know who is on full, half, 25%, etc. unless your own kid is on full, half, 25%, etc. You just know they have 14 (or 9) to play with and spread across a roster. If your kid is on full, she’s almost certainly going to contribute from jump. That’s actually a heavier burden for some kids - even heavier than the level of play (which, despite a kid who has played for a top-ranked team in club, even played in the YNT system, and even w/criticisms of college soccer, IS a big jump). But even if she’s not, she can work her ass off and become a contributor. The margin of error may be larger for $ players but the coaches’ jobs depend on winning so a player that makes her time on the pitch indispensable WILL play.
The NIL money is starting to pick up in the sport but it’s nothing like you read about for the big name hoop and football players. That will change and be broadly applicable, even if the levels are not huge, even as today there are probably not much more than 2 hands full of soccer players who are really supplementing w/NIL money (that is speculation based on public reports).
For those whose kids signed NLIs last month - congratulations. I wish that their journey is one of joy and love of the game and stimulating education and that all of the families can celebrate over this holiday season. I once said to my kid when she had a really great weekend in state cup - this is a long time ago - to make sure she took time to enjoy that moment. We had no idea where the game would take her but she was young so we knew there were some experiences ahead of her (even if she finished in HS) and I just never wanted her to ONLY look to the future. I still feel that way. So be willing to step back and say, “what a great moment. Good job, daughter! Good job, son!”
Then I missed @Simisoccerfan calling it a wrap. I know I’d love to have a room w/some of the OGs like @Simisoccerfan and others who have contributed so much during their kids’ (mostly daughters’) journeys. My own child’s journey is featuring twists and turns - some public, some not - that we could not have anticipated.
Here are some general thoughts after 3 seasons of D1 soccer for my kid and my other kids in the process at the HS level: unless the kids talk, and even when they do, you don’t really know who is on full, half, 25%, etc. unless your own kid is on full, half, 25%, etc. You just know they have 14 (or 9) to play with and spread across a roster. If your kid is on full, she’s almost certainly going to contribute from jump. That’s actually a heavier burden for some kids - even heavier than the level of play (which, despite a kid who has played for a top-ranked team in club, even played in the YNT system, and even w/criticisms of college soccer, IS a big jump). But even if she’s not, she can work her ass off and become a contributor. The margin of error may be larger for $ players but the coaches’ jobs depend on winning so a player that makes her time on the pitch indispensable WILL play.
The NIL money is starting to pick up in the sport but it’s nothing like you read about for the big name hoop and football players. That will change and be broadly applicable, even if the levels are not huge, even as today there are probably not much more than 2 hands full of soccer players who are really supplementing w/NIL money (that is speculation based on public reports).
For those whose kids signed NLIs last month - congratulations. I wish that their journey is one of joy and love of the game and stimulating education and that all of the families can celebrate over this holiday season. I once said to my kid when she had a really great weekend in state cup - this is a long time ago - to make sure she took time to enjoy that moment. We had no idea where the game would take her but she was young so we knew there were some experiences ahead of her (even if she finished in HS) and I just never wanted her to ONLY look to the future. I still feel that way. So be willing to step back and say, “what a great moment. Good job, daughter! Good job, son!”
Sage!
Soccer scholarships are like fight club, parents and kids shouldn't talk about it. Mine starts college in 2023. Catch me in 2027 and I'll share.
ALso don't tell grandparents, they can't keep their mouth shut. Don't discount the advantages athletes get, from moving in early, tutors, help getting classes, and getting into schools that maybe they wouldn't have for any number of reasons.The comments about the number of scholarships for non football schools is correct. Many don't have 14 scholarships. Each school is also different in the way they make offers as well. One State school in Utah, with 14 scholarships, gives tuition to every player (which is about 1/3 of the total cost at the school), then extra each year to out of state players as well as their top players on the team. Some P5 schools try to get depth and players by just giving book money but acceptance into the school. The extra year from the pandemic made recruiting harder. Lastly the more money you can get from other places will help the school and your kid as well, so fill out that FAFSA.
FYI when we got our daughters NLI electronically, it spells out all the terms. I had no idea.
LOL, So true bro. I had a pal who told me his dd got in and no more details. Another one got books and admin to big time P5 and no play time. She/he was about school first.Soccer scholarships are like fight club, parents and kids shouldn't talk about it. Mine starts college in 2023. Catch me in 2027 and I'll share.
The comments about the number of scholarships for non football schools is correct. Many don't have 14 scholarships. Each school is also different in the way they make offers as well. One State school in Utah, with 14 scholarships, gives tuition to every player (which is about 1/3 of the total cost at the school), then extra each year to out of state players as well as their top players on the team. Some P5 schools try to get depth and players by just giving book money but acceptance into the school. The extra year from the pandemic made recruiting harder. Lastly the more money you can get from other places will help the school and your kid as well, so fill out that FAFSA.
FYI when we got our daughters NLI electronically, it spells out all the terms. I had no idea.
Mystery Train
GOLD
My advice is don't even think about full rides for soccer. So rare it might as well be a myth. And if your kid is someone who could pull a magic full-ride rabbit out of the hat, chances are everyone already knows it because he/she is starting YNT regularly and dominating at that level. I personally don't know anyone whose kid got a full ride. Even the most successful college players whose parents frequented this board in the past 5 years didn't get full rides (as far as I was told). For non-revenue generating sports, maybe it's different if the sport is an individual one like tennis/golf/diving, where one really dominant player can put a program on the map. I wouldn't know. But in soccer, as a team sport with 20-30 players on a roster, even programs like UCLA can't dole out multiple full rides without it costing them big time in terms of getting other top players to commit.
dk_b
GOLD
Rare, as you say, but I do know that it happens. But I would not want to do the math at the elite programs, especially those with big rosters and multiple YNT players.
Big clubs that "market" thousands of soccer scholarships for their players over the years should say, "1000s of partial soccer athletic scholarships" awarded?
I agree with your advice, but we have to also toss in the school to that.
Naming names would invariably insult someone, so just say that ...
There are schools that have a D1 men's FB team and are therefore, by Title IX needing to balance that spend.
They might be a lower ranking academic school, lower ranking soccer school and carry rosters of 15 rather than 25.
A team like that might have the money for a full ride.
Then there are the military academies. "Free" and "full ride" take on different meaning, but for my other kid he got paid $10K/year to go to school - and has a job now. The athletes tend not to be near the top NCAA while the student body is about as fit as the varsity players.
It is different, but certainly worth looking into.
Between various Financial aids and scholarships our sons national ranked NCAA postseason college team has almost the entire starting 11 with tuition paid as scholarships. Few freshman get fulls but does happen if you're a starter or projected to be one.
Some of the other expenses like housing and meals have various other ways to be covered but that can be less full depending on potential or economic family standings.
The roster players # 16-28 yeah they don't get much if any and each year/season there is a reevaluate.
One thing not most people talk about with college soccer is "development". Winning is nice but you have to get better each season and that's the hardest part.
To get players awards like all conference, all region, all American you pretty much need to be on winning teams that make the postseason or play in certain conferences/areas.
Selecting a a college that competes regularly or has a good chance at qualifying for the postseason really is a thing you should discuss with your player. The motivation for competition is very strong and your player will get a extra 30-45 days of potential training and playing depending on the post season run. Without this the full season is short and it's not nearly as motivating for the players.
Good luck and choose wisely.
This post might get me banned, but just reporting facts - see pic.
If you can leverage race or other, that will likely trump sports. Sports should be leveraged for those without some minority card.
At the time my daughter was looking for a school for architecture (she is a licensed architect now doing very well) one pretty good school was providing free school for that 5 year program based on skin color. She grew up knowing I was African American (white), so she thought maybe that would work. I had to explain how it works to her.
We paid - a lot. She makes - a lot. The place matters, the connections matter.
Actually, we paid for two kids tuition because she couldn't play that minority card. But soccer got her in.
Fact: $250K + for being African American.
If you can leverage race or other, that will likely trump sports. Sports should be leveraged for those without some minority card.
At the time my daughter was looking for a school for architecture (she is a licensed architect now doing very well) one pretty good school was providing free school for that 5 year program based on skin color. She grew up knowing I was African American (white), so she thought maybe that would work. I had to explain how it works to her.
We paid - a lot. She makes - a lot. The place matters, the connections matter.
Actually, we paid for two kids tuition because she couldn't play that minority card. But soccer got her in.
Fact: $250K + for being African American.