Transfer portal

[Carlsbad7]

There's no blame but you do reap what you sow. If a coach picks up players just to weaken another team, then they deserve to lose players to the transfer portal.

They're not looking for players to win, they're looking for players to sit on their bench to sabotage other schools.

Some of the prominent programs do not help develop players to the pro level and top players will want to leave for NWSL. As more players do this, college programs that want to retain these good players to win will improve their development program too.

How is a team suppose to develop together when 2/3 of the team doesn't play at all? It's not happening at a lot of college programs right now, that's why so many complain about college being a bad place to develop and the jump to NWSL is better.

Less players will be in the transfer portal if player expectations are met.

100% agree.

However it's even worse than what you've described. Many top college coaches don't even try to develop players. They pull the best they can find from youth clubs, foreign acadamies, and the transfer portal. If you're hurt or not working out for whatever reason coaches will try to get you to quit or leave because they can use your scholarship on someone else.

A couple of months ago I watched a couple of southeast D1 women's college teams play on ESPN. It was some kind of finals but the soccer being played was TERRIBLE. There was no team chemistry on either team, complete bootball, and they subbed multiple players every 2 minutes.

 

[crush]

From my understanding of people who have dealt with Anson he offers no promises to any recruits ( I find this a little unlikely as I’m sure he deals with the TRUE GOATS a little differently)

I always wondered why his bench is full of players that could start or get significant playing time for just about any other program in the country just riding the pine

Some of it or most of it is probably the thinking of “ I’m a star , I’ve been a star on every team I’ve been on , this will be no different “.

100% agree.

However it's even worse than what you've described. Many top college coaches don't even try to develop players. They pull the best they can find from youth clubs, foreign acadamies, and the transfer portal. If you're hurt or not working out for whatever reason coaches will try to get you to quit or leave because they can use your scholarship on someone else.

A couple of months ago I watched a couple of southeast D1 women's college teams play on ESPN. It was some kind of finals but the soccer being played was TERRIBLE. There was no team chemistry on either team, complete bootball, and they subbed multiple players every 2 minutes.

It's so bad Carlsbad. It's a meat grinder at many programs. Survival of the physical and mental fitness. You better not get hurt and you better be mentally prepared and have no problems. My dd was recruited hard in 8th grade with open arms and kisses. I can read a wolf from far away. Sweet whispers in my ear, "email this coach and she gets a full ride. All you have to do is allow your dd to email dumb dad." I laughed at these clowns. I told them all she's not so sure about college and would rather play pro. They laughed at me and even went low blow saying I'm hurting my dd chances of a degree that can change her life. God Father told me to my face that a little girls dream to play for the WNT and Pro is a pipe dream and the best for most girls is getting a college scholarship. The next season, dude had marketing all over the fields saying, "follow your dreams." A few coaches even came to watch her and run a few practices. One of them was indicted for taking bribes from that Rick fella and the other one abused and manipulated her players and can't coach right now. Lastly, we left Blues because of how freaking physical the practices were. Tad was getting the girls ready for college ball, and you know what, he was 100% right and trained the girls to be ready for reality. I still remember watching my first college game in person and it was a slug fest. One girl tore her ACL, and multiple girls were injured and taken off the field crying in major pain. She was recruited by SEC school in 10th grade. We watched one of the games and it was not soccer, it was rugby.

 

[Slobodan]

There's no blame but you do reap what you sow. If a coach picks up players just to weaken another team, then they deserve to lose players to the transfer portal.

They're not looking for players to win, they're looking for players to sit on their bench to sabotage other schools.

Some of the prominent programs do not help develop players to the pro level and top players will want to leave for NWSL. As more players do this, college programs that want to retain these good players to win will improve their development program too.

How is a team suppose to develop together when 2/3 of the team doesn't play at all? It's not happening at a lot of college programs right now, that's why so many complain about college being a bad place to develop and the jump to NWSL is better.

Less players will be in the transfer portal if player expectations are met.

I'd be shocked if a college coach told me one of his/her responsibilities was to develop players for the pro level. And I don't believe they're maliciously trying to take players, to keep them from competing programs, but assume they are taking the very best players they possibly can. Isn't that what any of us would do? Don't you assume players know, if you're coming to Stanford or North Carolina, there's only 11 spots on the field and 25 more on the bench? If you don't, shame on you. And if you're a defender, it's worse because coaches tend to pick a top 4 and not tinker with it much. But those are decisions a 17-year old has to make, right?

I think these coaches are paid to win and graduate players. Now that women can almost earn a living professionally, that may change, but I don't think college coaches see themselves as doing the job an academy would. I don't know if you've seen the same but it appears to me they're pulling more and more Euros all the time. Look at Arizona State's roster. Developing? I think not.

 

[sockma]

I'd be shocked if a college coach told me one of his/her responsibilities was to develop players for the pro level. And I don't believe they're maliciously trying to take players, to keep them from competing programs, but assume they are taking the very best players they possibly can. Isn't that what any of us would do? Don't you assume players know, if you're coming to Stanford or North Carolina, there's only 11 spots on the field and 25 more on the bench? If you don't, shame on you. And if you're a defender, it's worse because coaches tend to pick a top 4 and not tinker with it much. But those are decisions a 17-year old has to make, right?

I think these coaches are paid to win and graduate players. Now that women can almost earn a living professionally, that may change, but I don't think college coaches see themselves as doing the job an academy would. I don't know if you've seen the same but it appears to me they're pulling more and more Euros all the time. Look at Arizona State's roster. Developing? I think not.

If a Coach wants to win the NCAA title, then a coach better be developing players. These players are there for four years and they spend a lot of time training and practicing with the team in college. With all those years and massive time spent in college trainings, if your players are not developing, then there's a problem with your coaching ability.

Not all of us would grab a bunch of players and put them on the bench, knowing their expectations is to play. Stanford can tell players they will be part of the practice squad with a great education and players might still come and be content but most of these other schools can't offer Stanford degrees. These great players can go to other educationally equivalent colleges and play soccer too.

I would not grab a bunch of players that I don't need. That's not a winning recipe for college soccer. Why do you think UNC grabs all the great talents and still can't win year after year? The team is not cohesive and does not play for each other. 15 unhappy women on a team is a very negative environment to be in and it can destroy anything.

Look at FSU and you'll see why they are so successful. They don't want to pick up as many players as they can. FSU picks up the best players that can help their team win.

 

[Slobodan]

If a Coach wants to win the NCAA title, then a coach better be developing players. These players are there for four years and they spend a lot of time training and practicing with the team in college. With all those years and massive time spent in college trainings, if your players are not developing, then there's a problem with your coaching ability.

Not all of us would grab a bunch of players and put them on the bench, knowing their expectations is to play. Stanford can tell players they will be part of the practice squad with a great education and players might still come and be content but most of these other schools can't offer Stanford degrees. These great players can go to other educationally equivalent colleges and play soccer too.

I would not grab a bunch of players that I don't need. That's not a winning recipe for college soccer. Why do you think UNC grabs all the great talents and still can't win year after year? The team is not cohesive and does not play for each other. 15 unhappy women on a team is a very negative environment to be in and it can destroy anything.

Look at FSU and you'll see why they are so successful. They don't want to pick up as many players as they can. FSU picks up the best players that can help their team win.

I agree with you that players will and must develop in college, but I still think coaches are grabbing the best 8 players they can every recruiting class and typically based on position. Yes, there's always one kid that played for a high visibility club, has a 4.6 GPA and/or is a legacy or celebrity's kid, but if you bring in a bunch of players that you don't think will play much, that means you're creating a gap in practice because you want harmony. I don't see that. NC doesn't get all the best players because A. Dorrance is a bit of a douche and B. Other programs are just as good. I DO think NC, in general, does a respectable job of taking girls from the state. I don't know enough to say that's the case every year but it seems more often than not. I know it's cyclical, but in looking at FSU's roster the last 5 years, they average 4-5 players from Florida. NC has twice that many in state players. I'd say Dorrance runs his program more like you would.

 

[sockma]

I agree with you that players will and must develop in college, but I still think coaches are grabbing the best 8 players they can every recruiting class and typically based on position. Yes, there's always one kid that played for a high visibility club, has a 4.6 GPA and/or is a legacy or celebrity's kid, but if you bring in a bunch of players that you don't think will play much, that means you're creating a gap in practice because you want harmony. I don't see that. NC doesn't get all the best players because A. Dorrance is a bit of a douche and B. Other programs are just as good. I DO think NC, in general, does a respectable job of taking girls from the state. I don't know enough to say that's the case every year but it seems more often than not. I know it's cyclical, but in looking at FSU's roster the last 5 years, they average 4-5 players from Florida. NC has twice that many in state players. I'd say Dorrance runs his program more like you would.

It's not about bringing in local players because this is the college experience and not high school/Club experience. If you look at FSU, they play most of their players and they do not have a large roster. They have a sufficient amount to practice and to back up players if injuries occur.

 

[SurfSupDude]

It's not about bringing in local players because this is the college experience and not high school/Club experience. If you look at FSU, they play most of their players and they do not have a large roster. They have a sufficient amount to practice and to back up players if injuries occur.

I think you might be extrapolating a bit too much about UNC. There were LOTS of factors that led to the roster turnover. COVID 5th years, first year with no OT, significant change to rotation patterns that had been a staple for decades (likely based on OT rule change), 9+ players going pro: including the top 2 picks and 6 total picks in the NWSL draft, 2 signing pro contracts in Italy, and 1 signing a pro contact in Australia, etc.

Very few of the factors were “bad”. In fact, I can only think of two. One player finished dead last in nearly every metric that was tracked and the other should have played based on talent level and metrics, but there was at least one extenuating situation that I can only presume impacted playing time and a decision to leave.

In the end, there is only one player who transferred that was surprising to me.

If last year happens again then you might be right.

 

[sockma]

I think you might be extrapolating a bit too much about UNC. There were LOTS of factors that led to the roster turnover. COVID 5th years, first year with no OT, significant change to rotation patterns that had been a staple for decades (likely based on OT rule change), 9+ players going pro: including the top 2 picks and 6 total picks in the NWSL draft, 2 signing pro contracts in Italy, and 1 signing a pro contact in Australia, etc.

Very few of the factors were “bad”. In fact, I can only think of two. One player finished dead last in nearly every metric that was tracked and the other should have played based on talent level and metrics, but there was at least one extenuating situation that I can only presume impacted playing time and a decision to leave.

In the end, there is only one player who transferred that was surprising to me.

If last year happens again then you might be right.

They currently have 12 on their roster, including their goalie. It started with 33. There were team issues this year and there will continue to be problems for years to come if things stay the same.

UNC will probably not play a spring season.

 

[SurfSupDude]

They currently have 12 on their roster, including their goalie. It started with 33. There were team issues this year and there will continue to be problems for years to come if things stay the same.

UNC will probably not play a spring season.

They already have another keeper on the roster. And they will play spring season.

 

[socalkdg]

They already have another keeper on the roster. And they will play spring season.

Who did they add at keeper? The Freshman stayed, correct?