Can I play in NCAA? Opinions wanted!

[JohnW]

Agreed on the experienced players still holding their own.

[FutbolNewbie]

Thanks for all the ....advice?...LOL, I know it all sounds really crazy. I know a lot of you think it is near impossible for me - I agree with you. It is just that it is either now or never for me. It would be great to be the oldest player to play in NCAA soccer, especially at 40 yrs old. Realistically, I would approach a coach, as someone mentioned above, more as a promotional stunt. I would most likely look at a smaller Division 4 team as I doubt Division 1 or 2 would be attainable!
I know nothing about Division 4 possibilties, but there must be a small college/university that would take me on! What is the relative skill difference between players in Division 4 and say, Division 2? How much "gap-in-skill" is there?
The practices do worry me, but not as much as recovery time! That is why I am giving myself 4 years to get in shape, and get some technique. I played with a guy in a rec game 2 years ago that had played in a lower-level NCAA
team. He stated that I had some good basic skills and could probably, with some practice, make 2nd string for an offensiveid-field, but would need to focus on improving speed and a lot more endurance. I was able to outplay him quite a few times, so I know I have a chance!
I only have 2 goals: 1) to play in one game, and 2) if possible score a goal!
1) is more realistic.
Lately I have played some basic pick-up (I die after 10 min of playing!) with some 17-23 year olds, most of them are African (damn they have some good skills!) and international students. I am using that as a gauge as to whether I have any chance!
As far as dealing with all the nastiness in soccer, I am a big guy, and will deal out what is given. Most people didn't play dirty with me, because ref or no ref, I would hurth them bad (I have a confrontational attitude, and won't hesistate to get phyiscal - hey maybe I can be the frist red-carded old player too!! :) I like playing and having fun. The only things that really concern me are kneee and ankle injuries. But I figure if I play only one season I might get lucky.
I have looked into the other league but it just doesn't seem as cool as saying that I played in the NCAA!
The way I look at it is that if even if none of this works out, I still will have developed good individual ball skills, got in shape, and had a fun time doing it!

To the person who is a college coach, that posted above, what Division do you coach in, and will you be looking for any 40-yr. olds? :)

thanks everyone! Please feel free to post your responses be they flames or support, suggestions, etc!

[Casper]

Just played in a high school alumni game with a team full of 30+ guys..... we smoked the varsity 6-2. They never stood a chance on a big field with lots of space as they were not smart enough to beat us even when we started to fatigue as a team.

My wife, afterwards asked me if I thought I could be as good in high school ball now as I was back then....basically if the level of play now was better or worse. I thought about it and had to admit that there are a whole lot more "Athletes" playing the game, you know, the really big, fast, strong ones that are quitting the football team in middle school to play soccer instead........ the sad thing is that I know I was smarter as a player then than any three of these kids now combined, even though they have better facilities, training, coaching, ect.

Wonder why that's so? Can't be the same for everyone, but I have heard some of the old timers at our local Sport Club (old immigrant's club), talk about how "dumb" some of these kids are as players. There was one of the varsity kids, I swear to you he was on the all-conference team last year, that we caught offsides at least 15 times. Hell, even an ape would have figured it out by half-time!

Ohhhhhhhhhh, to be 16 again eh fellas?

It's called experience. It's a huge differentiator, even at the professional level. Some players learn faster than others, but if you've been paying attention to the sport for 25 years, and fifteen of those as an adult, you're going to have a huge edge on someone who's only been paying much attention for four or five, with half of that time listening to clueless youth league coaches.

I'm 31, and have been able to school the best players from my high school ever since graduation, with strength (though I'm hardly strong for a 31 year-old, I'm strong for a high school kid) and experience the biggest advantages. Players from my D1 college are a different matter, because my experience advantage is smaller and their athletic advantage is greater.