Anyone had experience with recruiting? (1 Viewer)

[Glass Joe]

Semi look at me, semi curious...

My daughter is in eighth grade. She plays on the top club soccer team in northern Ohio. We've started attending college showcase tournaments and as a result has already had contact with two division one schools (Wisconsin-green bay, Cincinnati). We have a conference call with a coach Monday.

So - does anyone have experience in the recruiting process, even more specifically with girls soccer? If so, what did you as a parent look for in a coach? I know I want to be sure that they'll actually care for my kid, and protect her. I'd be curious of their style of play. What else?

Feel free to brag.

 

[ffjunk]

I'd be proud too but 8th grade is a little young. She is going to change her mind countless times throughout the next few years and IMHO I wouldn't be swaying her one way or the other. Her academics will dictate a lot where she wants to go and what she wants to major in. There are too many variables that could change her course that you will have no control over.  Start looking more seriously at the end of her freshman year, start of sophomore year.
When you start getting offers, remember it is sometimes like buying a car. The first offer isn't always their best. Just be honest with them. If she really likes a school and it's her top choice, let the school/coach know that. If she has multiple official visits and offers, let them know that the offers are coming in. She should visit the schools and meet the teams and coaches. She will let you know which one she likes best. When my daughter visited the schools she liked, her top choice changed based on the campus and her teammates and coaches. Enjoy the ride and good luck.

 

[Prince Myshkin]

Coached a couple of basketball players that were recruited at the low D1 level and several at the D2/NAIA level.  One thing that I noticed from their processes is that it is often easy to get too focused on the coach/team/program and forget about the actual school.  Players that made their decision based mainly off the sport almost always quit/transferred within a year.  Odds are very slim that your daughter is going to make a living playing soccer, so she needs to use that talent to get her to a place where she feels comfortable (big school vs. small, close to home vs. far away, etc.) and can be successful academically and socially. 

 

[ArbyMelt]

My niece is on a full ride for women's soccer at an SEC school. She committed very early. Most commit by Soph year. The money goes quick and most only get partial scholarships. I assume your daughter plays in the ECNL league? The college coaches are at all those tournaments/nationals.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

https://youtu.be/fy878f83Xa4

 

[Glass Joe]

I'd be proud too but 8th grade is a little young. She is going to change her mind countless times throughout the next few years and IMHO I wouldn't be swaying her one way or the other. Her academics will dictate a lot where she wants to go and what she wants to major in. There are too many variables that could change her course that you will have no control over.  Start looking more seriously at the end of her freshman year, start of sophomore year.
When you start getting offers, remember it is sometimes like buying a car. The first offer isn't always their best. Just be honest with them. If she really likes a school and it's her top choice, let the school/coach know that. If she has multiple official visits and offers, let them know that the offers are coming in. She should visit the schools and meet the teams and coaches. She will let you know which one she likes best. When my daughter visited the schools she liked, her top choice changed based on the campus and her teammates and coaches. Enjoy the ride and good luck.

Good thoughts, I took your advice to heart as I spoke with my wife - and we discussed how many schools will come along. With that said, my daughter is a great student, interested in math, and UC is an engineering school. So we will look for a really good match, not just in sports (duh) but in academics and livability. 

 

[Glass Joe]

My niece is on a full ride for women's soccer at an SEC school. She committed very early. Most commit by Soph year. The money goes quick and most only get partial scholarships. I assume your daughter plays in the ECNL league? The college coaches are at all those tournaments/nationals.

We actually don't play ECNL - but we regularly beat ecnl teams, including the Ohio ones. 

 

[Galileo]

I have not gone through this myself, but my good friend has a daughter in the midst of this process here in Ohio.  It is amazing/ridiculous how early the recruiting process starts in soccer.  My buddy's daughter travels the country quite a bit playing in tournaments.  She will graduate in 2018, and she has not yet committed anywhere, so you certainly do not need to jump on something too early.   Let the info roll in and the process unfold.  She will discover where she feels most comfortable and then you can weigh the options to decide what is best for her and your family situation.

 

[James Daulton]

I didn't think full rides were common in women's sports, but what do I know.

 

[Standing Hampton]

Yes.  Coach high school baseball and in 2014 had the good fortune to not only win State, but national championship so we got a lot of interest.  I have no experience with soccer but I do with baseball and there may be symmetry.  

When we do have college recruiters on campus the first thing they ask is "how are their grades"?  Start with that.  Don't forget there should be reciprocity in recruiting.  Your family, most importantly your daughter, should feel comfortable with the school and coach.  I don't know if your daughter wants to play professionally or on the Olympic team but start with what she wants to get out of college soccer.  Does she want to win, play with her friends, stay close to home so you can see her play.  What majors is she interested in.  Most importantly, how much will it cost, if that is an issue.  If not, see all of the reasons above.

 

[Glass Joe]

I have not gone through this myself, but my good friend has a daughter in the midst of this process here in Ohio.  It is amazing/ridiculous how early the recruiting process starts in soccer.  My buddy's daughter travels the country quite a bit playing in tournaments.  She will graduate in 2018, and she has not yet committed anywhere, so you certainly do not need to jump on something too early.   Let the info roll in and the process unfold.  She will discover where she feels most comfortable and then you can weigh the options to decide what is best for her and your family situation.

The upcoming schedule:

- manhattan cup

- Jefferson cup (Raleigh)

- blue chip (Cincinnati)

- crossroads (Indy)

- state cup and likely regionals in Sioux Falls, SD

- surf cup (San Diego)

in between all that, games in southern Ohio, Indianapolis, Michigan, and locally.

I never expected to travel so much.

 

[Galileo]

I didn't think full rides were common in women's sports, but what do I know.

Title IX... Since football typically dominates men's scholarship numbers, women actually tend to get more scholarships in other sports than men do

 

[Glass Joe]

Yes.  Coach high school baseball and in 2014 had the good fortune to not only win State, but national championship so we got a lot of interest.  I have no experience with soccer but I do with baseball and there may be symmetry.  

When we do have college recruiters on campus the first thing they ask is "how are their grades"?  Start with that.  Don't forget there should be reciprocity in recruiting.  Your family, most importantly your daughter, should feel comfortable with the school and coach.  I don't know if your daughter wants to play professionally or on the Olympic team but start with what she wants to get out of college soccer.  Does she want to win, play with her friends, stay close to home so you can see her play.  What majors is she interested in.  Most importantly, how much will it cost, if that is an issue.  If not, see all of the reasons above.

Yep, our coach stresses education all the time when we meet as a team. We hear college coaches prefer a good student every time as they can turn athletic scholarships into academic- of which there is more money available. Luckily my daughter is pretty focused on school. 

 

[Glass Joe]

Title IX... Since football typically dominates men's scholarship numbers, women actually tend to get more scholarships in other sports than men do

But what happens in soccer is a larger roster is carried - so scholarships are supposedly mostly partial.

 

[Galileo]

The upcoming schedule:

- manhattan cup

- Jefferson cup (Raleigh)

- blue chip (Cincinnati)

- crossroads (Indy)

- state cup and likely regionals in Sioux Falls, SD

- surf cup (San Diego)

in between all that, games in southern Ohio, Indianapolis, Michigan, and locally.

I never expected to travel so much.

I think my buddy's daughter actually stopped playing for her high school team since her travel schedule was so demanding.

 

[Judge Smails]

But what happens in soccer is a larger roster is carried - so scholarships are supposedly mostly partial.

Not uncommon. I think baseball carries 11.7 scholarships for up to 33 on the roster.  Unless you are a Friday or Saturday starting pitcher you're likely getting 25-50%.

 

[Glass Joe]

Makes sense. Gotta get the grades and make the offer become a combination of athletic and academic.

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

Provide your bank account number for the coach so he can pass along to the boosters

 

[PIK95]

 

[AAABatteries]

I'm sorry to have to tell you this but Coach Homer isn't really a coach.  At least not a soccer coach.