I'm put off a bit by good players like Jacobs who leave their teams and teammates high and dry by transferring, especially midway through their four-year career. It is one thing for a player to transfer after her freshman year after being told by the coach that her playing time is going to be limited, and another for a team's best player to "up and leave," as they say. Talk about a morale killer. Georgia's best player did the same thing a couple of years ago--decided the program wasn't good enough, apparently, and transferred to Florida. I mean, the kids have the freedom to transfer and can do what they want--everybody wants to be "happy," but it does seem like bad form when a good player ditches her team--and it is bad PR for the program that's been left.
I very much doubt that any top player at a good program is "miserable"--silly comment. No situation is perfect; nobody is perfectly happy all the time. Anyone can find a reason for being unhappy if they are so inclined. You're the best player, or one of the best, at a very good school and soccer program, why would you be miserable? It's being individualist and perhaps selfish as you are hurting the team by leaving. It's the difference between those who stick things out and those who quit. We'll have to disagree.
What if you don’t believe in what the team is doing? What if you decided that what you prefer to study is not offered at your current school? What if you have aspirations of playing professional soccer or international soccer and the current make up and direction of the team will lead away from those goals?
I agree with the above. Especially with this crazy early recruiting some late bloomer kids may come into their own and generate interest as freshmen after a lack luster youth career. Should they feel badly for seeking to play at a level commensurate with their abilities and maybe improving their chances at playing professionally or challenging for a national championship? Most kids and programs are not really making informed decisions when committing 12,13,14 year olds. Not surprising many end up with an ill fit.
Not really a transfer, but I know of at least 1 Stanford 2018 recruit getting told during the January early admissions process that she was not going to make it. Now she's going to ND.
Ah yes, the reductive, black and white view of the world. Sometimes the person who "sticks things out" is making a massive mistake.
Much respect for Stanford's accomplishments on the pitch but in terms of recruiting I know of multiple examples of them overrecruiting at a position (always National Team players) then claiming the Admissions card to back away from some. Amazingly, the hottest top players get admitted even when their grades are not as good as some of the players who Admissions couldn't find it in their hearts to admit. In my opinion it's unethical, Cue Stanford fans defensive over reactions (they would NEVER do what you're suggesting, you lying Heathen!!!) in 3, 2, 1...
There is nothing wrong with not liking Stanford, but I don’t think it’s true that the “hottest top players” get admitted with poor grades. Do you know the test scores and grades of all the players that were committed to Stanford over the years? I do know they were very unhappy when Abby Dahlkemper, Kodi Lavrusky, and Emily Bruder were denied when my kid was around and was going though the process.
Never said kids with poor grades get admitted. I'm saying that kids with not as strong excellent/grades are being admitted that I perceive as the hotter player, and players with BETTER grades are being denied admittance that may have peaked at 16 or play at a stacked position. I believe they over-recruit and then sort out the players they want using the "Admissions process." If you're one of the ones they honor their commitment to, great-- its an amazing, amazing school and a tremendous soccer program.
From what I've heard, at the better soccer schools, lining up more players than you ultimately will take is not unusual. On the other side, players who are in demand play the same kind of game. DI soccer is a hard world.
Hi, cpthomas, I hope you ( or anyone else who can answer) don't mind a quick question from someone who finds the recruitment process quite confusing but.... what did you mean when you said, "On the other side, players who are in demand play the same kind of game." Apologies, everyone, for getting off track since I know this is a thread about transfers.
Yes there is a site that has all the kids thinking about leaving their program but just haven't told their coach yet.
TopDrawerSoccer.com maintains a list of transfers. They don't always have it on their home page, I don't think, so you may have to check it a few times--but they have a list.
There was a site that listed those who had committed and those that were transferring, but no longer is it am active site.
This is what CP Thomas wrote: What I believe he meant was that players that are in demand do the same as coaches do. Coaches line up more players than they can take and players that are in demand line up more schools than they can commit to.
Correct. The other thing going on with very top players is that they now are looking at schools as compared to going pro. Horan was going to North Carolina, occupying scholarship $$, and elected to go pro; Pugh actually spent a semester at UCLA, occupying scholarship $$, and elected to go pro; Castellanos spent a year at Florida State, occupying scholarship doll, and now is considering going pro. I'm not critical in the slightest of the players, merely pointing out that it's a hard business both ways.
Deyna is heading into her junior year, she has been at FSU for two, she started college a year early, doesnt turn 19 till April.