Club Soccer in College

[aqelroa]

I'm currently a High School Senior (female) with interest in continuing to play soccer, but in college. I don't think intramurals will be enough for me, so I want to try out for the university's club team that I want to go to. I figure I probably would not be able to make it on the "Varsity" team of the University, seeing as though I come from a small school, and I love far away from all the big club programs in the State, so I never got the opportunity to compete with the more notable clubs... This university is a Div 1 school, with apparently an established club team.... any advice? What do the the club teams look for?

[StrikerCW]

Just be damn good. :rolleyes:

I mean the team at my uni (well I didn't try out but the players I know on it) are pretty good and could be playing at D2/D3 NAIA schools. This of course is mens, and it may or may not be the same for women's.

On another note, at least at my school, intermural is crap and a waste of my time. I'm not going to play it next semester because the guys I play with are a bunch of lazy fat bums that sit around and smoke cigs all day. Or something like that. :D

Whether or not you make the club team (good luck), try to find some guys that play pickup around the area. I play twice a week or so with a bunch of guys from out of the country. It is great fun and you meet new people and get to play some decent football (IMO at least, hopefully for you too).

One last thing, not to deterr you, but I hear often times clubs are very political and pick players they know from statewide club teams. Don't know whether this is true or not but it very well could be.

Oh.. ONE MORE THING. At my school we don't have a Men's official team, but have a Woman's team. I think that the Women's club team is much less picky and strict than the men's club team. Therein, its more like a rec-ish team (I think) and I am not sure if they have tryouts or not, but I think not.

[onfirst]

I happened to coach a collegiate womens club soccer team for several years. The level of play varies widely between schools. Some club teams could easily compete in NCAA Division 1 and others couldnt compete with a bad high school team. The National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) is the defacto governing body for collegiate club soccer. Their website has links to a number of webpages for club soccer teams around the country and also has results from the national tournament, so you can get an idea of which schools are the most competitive (Michigan happens to be one of the traditional powerhouses): http://www.nirsa.net/sc/soccer/index.htm.

[aqelroa]

I'm looking at either going to school at Michigan State or Michigan (ironically you mentioned them).. I know Michigan had a great year last year...

[RedDevil08]

Yeah, club play varies. I decided to go to the University of Oklahoma due at academics and unfortunately they didn't and still don't have a D1 team due to title9. However, we had a very competitive club team that traveled to tournaments in the midwest and played some very good club teams as well as D1. Considering we didn't have a D1 team, we had a huge turnout for tryouts with a limited number of spots. We'd have like 60-80 people trying out for 6 spots. Also, we didn't really have a coach, just a very close core group of guys that ran the team.

What's funny is that we even had international players from Spain, Portugal, Turkey, etc. In fact, one of our players, Felix, played for Peru's national team. We'd kick the p*ss out of some Universities who were sponsored, had coaches, trainers, etc. Had a blast. My point is, club competition will vary, just enjoy yourself....by the way, the intramural at OU was p*ss. I'd stay clear from that if you're competitive at all. You get a lot of students just playing for fun who really didn't grow up playing.

[jvillefreelance]

I'm looking at either going to school at Michigan State or Michigan (ironically you mentioned them).. I know Michigan had a great year last year...

I have a buddy who introduced me to the Michigan head coach, he played there a couple years ago...

[sokol]

One of the things that people sometimes forget about club soccer is that graduate students are eligible. So a lot of teams, especially the top ones, are full of guys who played D1 or even pro but are now going to grad school. This raises the level considerably. Good club teams are comparable to the average D2 or NAIA team. There are a few club teams that could hold their own in D1, and of course there are some that are terrible. But it's not unlike college soccer in general, whereas even within the same sort of "classification" you have great teams that would be good at any level, and bad teams that would be bad at any level.

[jvillefreelance]

One of the things that people sometimes forget about club soccer is that graduate students are eligible. So a lot of teams, especially the top ones, are full of guys who played D1 or even pro but are now going to grad school. This raises the level considerably. Good club teams are comparable to the average D2 or NAIA team. There are a few club teams that could hold their own in D1, and of course there are some that are terrible. But it's not unlike college soccer in general, whereas even within the same sort of "classification" you have great teams that would be good at any level, and bad teams that would be bad at any level.

I've heard of many D1 players playing club soccer still, but never any pros. Do you know of any or were you just saying that if the "wanted" they could if they were in grad school?

[sokol]

I know of a few guys who were pros. But not MLS level guys or anything, guys who played D3 (now USL-2) or A-league but never got too far even at that level. They played 1 year or two and that's it, that's why they went back to school. And I've heard that there are a lot of guys who played a little pro in thier native country but are now here trying to go to school. But in theory there are probably lots of guys who have a little pro experience who could play for a club because a lot of young players are given a chance but once they get to be about 22 or 23 they either make it and have a long career in soccer or they don't and have to do something else, like get an education. And since they are ineligible for NCAA they have to choose between club or just regular amatuer league. A lot probably choose to play in the amatuer leagues but some guys who are at a school with a good club choose that.

[onfirst]

Club sports are student run organizations just like the drama club or any other university club. Each one has a president/vice/treasurer ... If you go to the campus recreation website of the university you are intereseted in you should be able to find the contact info for the soccer club. They should be able to answer any specific questions you have.

[nobody]

I hope you don't take offense, but since you are a female player, if you could find a way to play regularly against some male players, it could be enough competition for you. If you're not a good enough female to make a Division 1 team, a decent quality adult mens league will probably be a level higher than you generally play at. If nothing else, playing against bigger, stronger players will always improve your game and perhaps get you ready to make the club next year.

[aqelroa]

I take absolutely no offense to that.. I played on a boys' high school team for three seasons, because my school didn't have a girls' team (I started one).. The first two seasons we did fairly well; hence, I played on a very competitive team, so that helped me out... My seasons is underway now, but when i'm not playing with my team, i'm trying to get pick up games with anyone in the area, including a bunch of older guys that play indoor (fairly skilled).... The only problem is I don't have that recognition yet, because this is my team's second season, and I didn't get the opportunity to play club soccer here, because I live too far away from all the top programs.