Comments on: US College Soccer At The Crossroads http://soccerlens.com/us-college-soccer-at-the-crossroads/18632/ Soccerlens - Football News You Can Trust Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:26:47 -0800 http://soccerlens.com/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: L.E. Eisenmenger http://soccerlens.com/us-college-soccer-at-the-crossroads/18632/comment-page-1/#comment-116691 L.E. Eisenmenger Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:35:27 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/?p=18632#comment-116691 R. Quaresma, Thank you for sharing all this. R. Quaresma,

Thank you for sharing all this.

]]> By: R. Quaresma http://soccerlens.com/us-college-soccer-at-the-crossroads/18632/comment-page-1/#comment-116312 R. Quaresma Thu, 04 Jun 2009 07:57:38 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/?p=18632#comment-116312 There are some basic fundamental problems with US born college soccer players versus international college soccer players. 1. As a ex US born college soccer player, growing up I never played pick up games just for fun versus my old teammates that grow up in Trindad and Tobago. Most international college soccer players will tell you that everyday after school they played soccer on some of patch of dirt that they called a field and they played club ball. We Americans learn to play soccer only through club ball interaction. So by the time we Americans get to the age of high school and are looking to play at the college level, we are at a disadvantage, technically when we are compared to our international counterparts. That is why we see more and more of our college coaches recruiting international players. We American also lose the creative part of soccer growing up unlike our international counterparts due to the lack of pick up games when we are small. American college players dont realize the value of pick up games until they are in college and are competing for a starting 11 position or just for some basic playing time. By that time it is almost to late to be seriously considered to go pro unless you are able to get on the All American list atleast twice or be a first team conference player at least 3 times before you get noticed by the UPL or MLS. 2. The second problems is that we in the US do not have the facilites to spur pick up games at the youth level. And soccer is mostly not even offered at middle schools across the nation as a sport like basketball or football. This is part of the reason soccer doesnot get some of our best athletes because we lose them at a early age to basketball and football and even baseball. This goes for all Americans not just blacks or whites. Now, I am in my 30's and I have noticed that our latino population's childern are becoming more Americanized and you see more of them playing American football and basketball especially in the west coast. Whereas if they were in the old country you would not see them play anything for the most part but soccer. 3. In regards to the 9.9 schlorship rule. It sucks. In order for a soccer player to get anything close to a full scholarship is that they would have to have some type of national exposure meaning that he or she would have been at some part of their highschool career part of the US youth National Team or pool member. Even when I was in high school in the mid 90s, just being able to say hey, I was a all state select team for 4 years and made my highschool conference team all 4 years and played club soccer including being in the north/south game my senior year did not warrant a full schlorship to big time schools like UVA, N.Carolina, S. Carolina and even some lesser known Divison 1 schools simply because of the scholarship rule. Thus forcing the coaches to make a dollar out of $.15 when trying to recruit and keep 22-26 players on his roster. So to all inspiring soccer players unless you can put that your are a National youth team player or pool player on your soccer resume dont expect a full ride. If you attended IMG soccer academy in Florida, that might be a substitue for not being a national youth team player for some Divison I coaches. I know for a fact that full rides for IMG Academy players have been offered but I could not tell you the percent. But I can tell you that if you meet the academic requirement to the college or university that you would like to attend by all means go to that schools soccer camp as much as you can. You will have a better chance of getting on the soccer roster because you will be a familiar face to the coaches and will be easier for you to tell them that you want to be apart of the soccer program. However, this is a kind of put all of your eggs in one basket philosphy because you have to be 100% sure that you want to go to that school and that you meet the shool academic entry requirments, from there the coach will make sure you get the school's acceptance letter. But if you are a B and C student and you want to play soccer at Duke, don't even waste your time going to their soccer camp unless you just want to go for the heck of it. P.S. not disrepect to Duke University or its soccer program. It is a very prestigous school to attend and has one of the best college soccer programs in the nation. 4. Most international college soccer players dont go home for the summer because of the cost to fly, etc so they stay on campus and play pickup games and go to summer school. So you do as they do if your money and parents allow. This will make you more competitive for the fall season when you are completing for playing time against your old and NEW teammates. Plus going to summer school makes your last semsester as a senior that much easier. For example, my last semsester in college as a senior, I had two classes. How sweet is that? ;) 5. Finally, to all soccer players aspiring to go pro. Unlike basketball, football and even baseball. Soccer is not that well televised unless you watch fox south or something equal to that. As a result a lot of players get drafted to the MLS or USL because their name is in the record books as a multi year All American or for the USL a multi year all conference player or a standout US National youth player. I have seen first hand the best around player not get drafted and the player with all the stats get drafted or selected to a all conference team or all american team. Europe and latin america do not rely so heavy on stats as America does. They rely on the eye test, how well you play from game to game and how much your team rely on you as a player. So preferably you will need to make the All American team your sophmore and junior year so that you will have a higher chance of being asked to come to the MLS combine where USL coahces will also be the sping semester of your senior year. Your sophmore and junior year are the two most important years to make a name for yourself locally and nationally. So typically, I would redshirt my freshman year and just practice with the team and get use to the college style of soccer through practice. Work on building my leg muscles and abs by going to the school gym 5 times a week. Make sure that I watch and analyze in the stands all the home games. By your sophmore year, you should be a force to reckon with and at least should make the all conference team. There are some basic fundamental problems with US born college soccer players versus international college soccer players.
1. As a ex US born college soccer player, growing up I never played pick up games just for fun versus my old teammates that grow up in Trindad and Tobago. Most international college soccer players will tell you that everyday after school they played soccer on some of patch of dirt that they called a field and they played club ball. We Americans learn to play soccer only through club ball interaction. So by the time we Americans get to the age of high school and are looking to play at the college level, we are at a disadvantage, technically when we are compared to our international counterparts. That is why we see more and more of our college coaches recruiting international players. We American also lose the creative part of soccer growing up unlike our international counterparts due to the lack of pick up games when we are small. American college players dont realize the value of pick up games until they are in college and are competing for a starting 11 position or just for some basic playing time. By that time it is almost to late to be seriously considered to go pro unless you are able to get on the All American list atleast twice or be a first team conference player at least 3 times before you get noticed by the UPL or MLS.
2. The second problems is that we in the US do not have the facilites to spur pick up games at the youth level. And soccer is mostly not even offered at middle schools across the nation as a sport like basketball or football. This is part of the reason soccer doesnot get some of our best athletes because we lose them at a early age to basketball and football and even baseball. This goes for all Americans not just blacks or whites. Now, I am in my 30’s and I have noticed that our latino population’s childern are becoming more Americanized and you see more of them playing American football and basketball especially in the west coast. Whereas if they were in the old country you would not see them play anything for the most part but soccer.
3. In regards to the 9.9 schlorship rule. It sucks. In order for a soccer player to get anything close to a full scholarship is that they would have to have some type of national exposure meaning that he or she would have been at some part of their highschool career part of the US youth National Team or pool member. Even when I was in high school in the mid 90s, just being able to say hey, I was a all state select team for 4 years and made my highschool conference team all 4 years and played club soccer including being in the north/south game my senior year did not warrant a full schlorship to big time schools like UVA, N.Carolina, S. Carolina and even some lesser known Divison 1 schools simply because of the scholarship rule. Thus forcing the coaches to make a dollar out of $.15 when trying to recruit and keep 22-26 players on his roster.
So to all inspiring soccer players unless you can put that your are a National youth team player or pool player on your soccer resume dont expect a full ride. If you attended IMG soccer academy in Florida, that might be a substitue for not being a national youth team player for some Divison I coaches. I know for a fact that full rides for IMG Academy players have been offered but I could not tell you the percent. But I can tell you that if you meet the academic requirement to the college or university that you would like to attend by all means go to that schools soccer camp as much as you can. You will have a better chance of getting on the soccer roster because you will be a familiar face to the coaches and will be easier for you to tell them that you want to be apart of the soccer program. However, this is a kind of put all of your eggs in one basket philosphy because you have to be 100% sure that you want to go to that school and that you meet the shool academic entry requirments, from there the coach will make sure you get the school’s acceptance letter. But if you are a B and C student and you want to play soccer at Duke, don’t even waste your time going to their soccer camp unless you just want to go for the heck of it. P.S. not disrepect to Duke University or its soccer program. It is a very prestigous school to attend and has one of the best college soccer programs in the nation.
4. Most international college soccer players dont go home for the summer because of the cost to fly, etc so they stay on campus and play pickup games and go to summer school. So you do as they do if your money and parents allow. This will make you more competitive for the fall season when you are completing for playing time against your old and NEW teammates. Plus going to summer school makes your last semsester as a senior that much easier. For example, my last semsester in college as a senior, I had two classes. How sweet is that? ;)
5. Finally, to all soccer players aspiring to go pro. Unlike basketball, football and even baseball. Soccer is not that well televised unless you watch fox south or something equal to that. As a result a lot of players get drafted to the MLS or USL because their name is in the record books as a multi year All American or for the USL a multi year all conference player or a standout US National youth player. I have seen first hand the best around player not get drafted and the player with all the stats get drafted or selected to a all conference team or all american team. Europe and latin america do not rely so heavy on stats as America does. They rely on the eye test, how well you play from game to game and how much your team rely on you as a player. So preferably you will need to make the All American team your sophmore and junior year so that you will have a higher chance of being asked to come to the MLS combine where USL coahces will also be the sping semester of your senior year. Your sophmore and junior year are the two most important years to make a name for yourself locally and nationally. So typically, I would redshirt my freshman year and just practice with the team and get use to the college style of soccer through practice. Work on building my leg muscles and abs by going to the school gym 5 times a week. Make sure that I watch and analyze in the stands all the home games. By your sophmore year, you should be a force to reckon with and at least should make the all conference team.

]]> By: L.E. Eisenmenger http://soccerlens.com/us-college-soccer-at-the-crossroads/18632/comment-page-1/#comment-114460 L.E. Eisenmenger Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:09:43 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/?p=18632#comment-114460 TH and Alex, Stay focused when you're here in college, perhaps your biggest challenge :) Good luck to both of you. D1, 2, and 3 coaches always looking for the special player with the best attitude. Bring what you have and make it better. TH and Alex,

Stay focused when you’re here in college, perhaps your biggest challenge :) Good luck to both of you. D1, 2, and 3 coaches always looking for the special player with the best attitude. Bring what you have and make it better.

]]> By: Alex http://soccerlens.com/us-college-soccer-at-the-crossroads/18632/comment-page-1/#comment-114200 Alex Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:51:08 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/?p=18632#comment-114200 I totally agree with Nathan from Birmingham. I am 17 and I am also going to the states this august to play soccer, im from wales and the standard here is not as good as in other parts of the uk. I have been with 1 or 2 semi-pro sides over here and truely believe that with 4 years of solid training, playing more 'continental' football, and playing with better players, i can reach my potential and succeed. I honestly think that 'soccer' in the USA is 'under-rated' and that there is a fine line between players that play in the so-called best leagues i.e La liga and the under-rated leagues e.g. MLS. Cannot wait to get out there and get started! I totally agree with Nathan from Birmingham. I am 17 and I am also going to the states this august to play soccer, im from wales and the standard here is not as good as in other parts of the uk. I have been with 1 or 2 semi-pro sides over here and truely believe that with 4 years of solid training, playing more ‘continental’ football, and playing with better players, i can reach my potential and succeed. I honestly think that ’soccer’ in the USA is ‘under-rated’ and that there is a fine line between players that play in the so-called best leagues i.e La liga and the under-rated leagues e.g. MLS. Cannot wait to get out there and get started!

]]> By: TH http://soccerlens.com/us-college-soccer-at-the-crossroads/18632/comment-page-1/#comment-113189 TH Sun, 22 Mar 2009 21:09:00 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/?p=18632#comment-113189 I am a student from the UK and have played for the first team of my University. I was expecting more competitiveness and spirit having grown up in North America (Canada). I am now looking to transfer my credits to the US to finish my degree and hopefully play soccer. I am not looking for a scholarship. Would appreciate recommendations and advice. Regarding the topic, around the world professionals come through youth ranks of professional teams (Europe, South America..) and why should the US try a different approach? I am a student from the UK and have played for the first team of my University. I was expecting more competitiveness and spirit having grown up in North America (Canada). I am now looking to transfer my credits to the US to finish my degree and hopefully play soccer. I am not looking for a scholarship. Would appreciate recommendations and advice.

Regarding the topic, around the world professionals come through youth ranks of professional teams (Europe, South America..) and why should the US try a different approach?

]]> By: L.E. Eisenmenger http://soccerlens.com/us-college-soccer-at-the-crossroads/18632/comment-page-1/#comment-112652 L.E. Eisenmenger Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:42:43 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/?p=18632#comment-112652 Nathan, Good luck to you! Contact me at eisenmenger@soccerlens.com and let me know how it goes. It would be interesting to follow up on your experience. Nathan,

Good luck to you! Contact me at eisenmenger@soccerlens.com and let me know how it goes. It would be interesting to follow up on your experience.

]]> By: Nathan http://soccerlens.com/us-college-soccer-at-the-crossroads/18632/comment-page-1/#comment-112579 Nathan Fri, 13 Mar 2009 22:25:18 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/?p=18632#comment-112579 I am from birmingham, England, and am going to the states to play college soccer this august. I can't wait for the opportunity and I believe the standard is better than some think. I have been at pro clubs here and also at semi pro clubs in their first teams. I know of a lot of players as well that get released from professsional clubs here in the UK and head to the states for soccer scolarships... why .....because you train everyday , and one you have been training everyday for a number of years it gves you the best chance to develop and then come back here and sign pro for a club or sign pro in the usa. I can't wait to get started and I truely beleive that once I have done my 4 years in college I can make it pro. I am from birmingham, England, and am going to the states to play college soccer this august. I can’t wait for the opportunity and I believe the standard is better than some think. I have been at pro clubs here and also at semi pro clubs in their first teams. I know of a lot of players as well that get released from professsional clubs here in the UK and head to the states for soccer scolarships… why …..because you train everyday , and one you have been training everyday for a number of years it gves you the best chance to develop and then come back here and sign pro for a club or sign pro in the usa. I can’t wait to get started and I truely beleive that once I have done my 4 years in college I can make it pro.

]]> By: david http://soccerlens.com/us-college-soccer-at-the-crossroads/18632/comment-page-1/#comment-111721 david Tue, 24 Feb 2009 03:02:19 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/?p=18632#comment-111721 i play soccer in college and i completely agree with the article....the ncaa doesnt seem 2 care much about college soccer...and i believe if we dont change the the college soccer system then the US wont catch up with the rest of the world with the quality of soccer.. i play soccer in college and i completely agree with the article….the ncaa doesnt seem 2 care much about college soccer…and i believe if we dont change the the college soccer system then the US wont catch up with the rest of the world with the quality of soccer..

]]> By: Mespo http://soccerlens.com/us-college-soccer-at-the-crossroads/18632/comment-page-1/#comment-108866 Mespo Wed, 24 Dec 2008 18:24:35 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/?p=18632#comment-108866 Big V & Full back are both missing my point. I support the NCAA and its purpose of guiding student-athletes to a 4 yr degree. However, you must admit that there is not enough ball time for most players to develop into top level pros after college. Some of them will make the Semi Pro teams of the MLS and may still find a way to the foreign leagues but the true ballers must gamble on skipping college to make it big. I'm not hating on American soccer but you both know that most Americans are not ready for this game. Becks is not even worthy of playing in MLS. He sucks!!!!! Big V & Full back are both missing my point. I support the NCAA and its purpose of guiding student-athletes to a 4 yr degree. However, you must admit that there is not enough ball time for most players to develop into top level pros after college. Some of them will make the Semi Pro teams of the MLS and may still find a way to the foreign leagues but the true ballers must gamble on skipping college to make it big. I’m not hating on American soccer but you both know that most Americans are not ready for this game. Becks is not even worthy of playing in MLS. He sucks!!!!!

]]> By: Big V http://soccerlens.com/us-college-soccer-at-the-crossroads/18632/comment-page-1/#comment-108859 Big V Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:58:36 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/?p=18632#comment-108859 Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to everyone across the pond! We still love you! Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to everyone across the pond! We still love you!

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