Since '09 is wrapping up fast now, it's time to look ahead to 2010. Since I am from Texas and have seen most of the top players already, here is my early Top 10 recruits in Texas for '10: 1. *Kristin Cummins, M, Dallas Texans Red '91 2. *Nicole Duarte, M, TSC Challenge '91 3. *Addie Eggleston, M, TSC Challenge '91 4. *Rachel Lenz, D, Lonestars Red '91 (Committed to Texas A&M) 5. *Alexis Harris, F, Dallas Texans Red '92 6. *Natasha Anasi, D, Dallas Texans Red '92 7. *Vittoria Arnold, GK, Dallas Texans Red '92 8. *Rebecca Twining, D, TSC Challenge '92 9. *Madison Whitehead, M, Dallas Texans Red '92 10. Jodi Calloway, M, Dallas Sting Royal *have seen play in person Feel free to post your state's top players as well.
The link under the 2009 recruiting has a spreadsheet that shows both the 2009 and 2010's. It also shows the early 2010 commits.
And while you are at it lets start a list of the 2011 and 2012. I mean we all know who the best players are at the age of 14 and how well they are going to do in college 3 and 4 years later. How crazy is this!!!!
"And while you are at it lets start a list of the 2011 and 2012. I mean we all know who the best players are at the age of 14 and how well they are going to do in college 3 and 4 years later. How crazy is this!!!!" And someone over on the real recruiting board said he didn't believe there was a problem with high school freshmen and sophomores being recruited. This is possibly the most ridiculous thread ever. I don't know what is worse, that recruiting of 14 year old kids is going on or that some of you are hyperventilating about it. JEEEEEEZZZZ
The fact of the matter is that 2009 recruiting is basically done at this point, and most coaches are actively recruiting 2010 kids right now. That's what all the camps (Adidas, ODP championships, etc.) are for now. Identifying talent for the '10 class is reasonable; it's no different than college basketball recruiting, which also recruits sophomores in high school. These girls are 16 years old, not 14. I'm not saying that it's good or right, but that's where collegiate athletics is at right now.
"The fact of the matter is that 2009 recruiting is basically done at this point, and most coaches are actively recruiting 2010 kids right now. That's what all the camps (Adidas, ODP championships, etc.) are for now. Identifying talent for the '10 class is reasonable; it's no different than college basketball recruiting, which also recruits sophomores in high school. These girls are 16 years old, not 14. I'm not saying that it's good or right, but that's where collegiate athletics is at right now." Ahhh......the old I know it's crazy but everyone is doing it so therefore its not crazy argument. Everyone grouses about the inappropriateness of freshman/sophomore recruiting and then just does it. Women's soccer is not NCAA football or basketball nor do the thoughtful fans want it to become so.
"Amazing...I've got a '10 daughter and it's overwhelming already." Mia and Nomar have twin infant daughters. Anyone know if Dorrance has the inside track or are USC and UCLA in the mix? Can coaches text in utero or is it limited to email.
QUOTE: "Mia and Nomar have twin infant daughters. Anyone know if Dorrance has the inside track or are USC and UCLA in the mix? Can coaches text in utero or is it limited to email." I heard that there was a "soft verbal" made to UNC, as a package deal. My sources are very reliable.
I agree with what everyone is saying about it being too early, but the fact remains that since most '09 recruits have already committed somewhere, the only uncommitted recruits to talk about at this point are the '10s. The recruiting calendar for '10s got underway a few weeks ago at the adidas ESP camp, where coaches from all over the country were there evaluating prospects. It's just the way it is now in collegiate soccer.
We've just started down this road with our 2010 and it is scary to say the least. First of all she is a young sophomore - both chronologically and maturity wise - and had given little thought to what she wants to do and where she'd like to be for college. And secondly, we as parents were completely unprepared - thinking this process was at least a year off. This move to early verbals seems to have started in Texas and FL - mostly with in-state players and on the girls' side only. That is what I've been able to glean from soccer forums like this one and lists with sophomore commitments and from conversations with coaches. A few other schools (like UCLA eg.) let recruits know that you'd better be on their radar by sophomore year as well. One East Coast coach told us that he recruits at Texas Cup and sees many players that have already verbally committed by the end of their sophomore year. Now the top programs in other parts of the country are feeling the pressure to let the players they want know early for fear of losing them to another program. And the next tier of programs follow suit in hope to get one or two stars. Really a domino effect. The other part of this is parents. Some of them start calling coaches during their player's freshman year. I've gotten the impression that some of them may actually be pests. They've driven the whole system earlier hoping to beat others to the punch. Now I would totally get this if - let's say - an Aggie alum has a daughter who has spent her whole life attending college reunions and sporting events with her parents and she wants to commit to her parents' alma mater. But some of these parents are contacting MANY schools chasing top programs and scholarship money. So now the rest of us newbies feel like if we don't trot our player to several schools by the end of sophomore year she may lose an opportunity to attend a school she may really like and be part of a program where she would be happy. And other newbies who are not being contacted through their coaches are doing the contacting - again driving the system earlier and earlier. I wish this could go back to the way it was before. It just seems like this will be destined for bad decisions - bad choices made by early committing players resulting in transfers, messy situations when kids change their minds, coaches change, etc. Does anyone really think this is better for the vast majority of the players?
Almost everyone agrees that evaluating talent of high school freshmen and sophomores is a major liability. They have not developed fully in any facet that college coaches are looking for. It can be easier for those elite teams, because they are looking at the elite players and certainly there is a larger window. But if you are an up and coming program, a mid-major or a lower tier team, how can you truly "guess" at the development of the talent? I feel that many mid-major level teams are recruiting players that will ultimately develop in their programs. Which means if you are making a decision on a sophomore in high school, they may not be an "impact" player for a college coach until at the earliest their sophomore year in college (and maybe later). The elite teams are picking from National pools & Regional pools. There have certainly been some busts with those players. But not as many as lower levels. And the elite teams are recruiting players that can and very often step right in and start. My other thought on this is from the players (and parents) point of view. I fully support these early commitments if it is truly the best fit. Most 16 year old girls I know cannot decide what they want to do on a Friday night, much less what is the best social & academic fit for them in college. So they are basing their decisions exclusively on the soccer and the thrill of an offer. For fear of offending anyone out there associated with a specific program or school. I can see where young girls grow up their entire lives with the hope of playing for school X. National prominence. Location. Parents as alums. etc... That school is X is usually a school like, UNC, UCLA, Florida, etc... It is usually not, the small state school around the corner. So when we hear of sophomores committing, I fully support that as long as the research has been done, and they are truly comparing and contrasting multiple schools.
Agreed that for some kids it can be the right decision - no doubt (that's why my Aggie example since it was described as a school with huge spectator crowds and an active alumni). I'm not sure the early push is the best for the Elite players as the push to commit may be keeping these players from looking at all the schools they should. This is true even if they end up starting and playing a lot at their Elite program. I wonder too if the early push and family finances may end up keeping players closer to home for college. One weekend foray requiring airfare can be anywhere between $500 and $1500 and usually involves missing school if the player wants to attend a class or two. Personally I would like to keep my player closer to home, but only if that's where she wants to be.
These are all great points. I wonder if the NCAA would step in eventually and ban all contact with prospects until the summer after their sophomore year, meaning most girls would be 16 and about to be juniors in high school. That might help a bit anyway.
You seem like someone who has his daughter's best interest at heart. Two comments about the panic that someone else may steal your daughter's position at a university if you don't throw her forward as a freshman or sophomore. Number one, you are the parent, you should be the voice of reason not the driving force in this idiocy. As sophomores and freshman, kids are not equipped to navigate this landscape on their own. So therefore the parents are a large part of the problem. Number 2, if a college coach contacts you or your child through the club coach and does the "take it or leave it routine" (which frankly I don't think many do) would you want your daughter playing for that person? Making decisions about colleges involves so much more than the emotional, ie "I've always wanted to be a Tarheel" or "I've always wanted to be an Aggie". As parents we have to be the force that encourages a careful, reasoned consideration of college choices. If your daughter's only exposure to a university is it's soccer team then she simply does not have enough information to make a decision. Tell your daughter the old saw. "If you walk on the practice field on the first day of your freshman year and are injured to the point of not being able to play soccer, can you be happy here as a student and not as a student/athlete?"
Yes absolutely we are controlling it - TSU. And you are correct - no coaches are out there saying take it or leave it; and if they did we would leave it. It's really implicit in the process that if someone else comes along and verbally commits first they will take your kid's "position" and perhaps scholarship money as well. It seems to me that the whole process is rife with difficulties for most players involved and probably the coaches as well. As an aside - since she was in fifth grade and went to a tournament in NC - all my kid has wanted was to be a Tarheel. Suddenly last year she changed her mind. Still not sure why - maybe she ODed on all the Columbia blue, but her change of heart illustrates these kids shouldn't necessarily be following their own dreams by committing early even if their first choice school comes offering a spot.
First, the only way to know a school and soccer program is to visit the school and watch a practice and game and to look at thei academiv programs. My daughter had the same reactionas others in that she had always wanted to go to a particular school but after visiting the school and watching a practice and game she did a 180 because she did not think she would enjoy playing for the coach. Some coaches do put pressure on the player and parents by using statements like, “we only have X amount of scholarships left for 2009 or even 2010”, or “that an injury and redshirt may change the availability of the scholarship if you wait.” We actually slowed the process down and after a very good Disney and several other national events the interest from other major programs increased dramatically. By waiting the potential opportunities tripled. Don't do anything until everyone feels comfortable with a decision.
cbg, any chance of getting a sticky on this thread like the 2009 recruiting thread. I know you list the 2010 on the 2009 thread but you are starting to see more and more commitments from the top 2010's. It would be great if you could put the same link on this thread which shows the players and schools.
I have to laugh when I read the posts that say 2009 recruiting is done and everyone has committed. Sure it's done for the DI Top 40 and the very top prospects but for the majority of schools at all levels it's still very much ongoing and their are still a lot of girls out there. Personally I don't even make offers until the girl makes an official visit because I want here to see what things are really like and I want to know what my players think of her. If the NCAA was smart that would forbid all contact (except camps) and all offers until the summer after a kids junior year. It's a joke that kids commit before they can even have an official visit.
That's all hot air from coaches who are too lazy to keep looking for kids. Portland just signed a 2008 recruit less than a month ago and got a 2009 verbal not long after. Not only that, but kids can change their minds, as we found out.
I did not see where anyone said 2009 was done, only that 2010 was starting. I hear all the lip service from coaches saying recruiting juniors and sophmores is too early but the same coaches I see complaining are some of the same ones committing players. A 91 age group team that I am familiar with has 14 girls on the team already committed and all the 2009's have committed amd most for 6 months or more and the one 2010 playing up has already committed. It's not just the top 40 D 1 schools. Some of the division 3 schools understand their advantage with contact and start even earlier.
I think the majority of coaches wish the NCAA would step in and limit contact until later, but they still need to win now, and that means getting the best kids they can...and if that happens to be early, then so be it. If my job was on the line I would go get the players when they need to be gotten. But the system is messed up and hopefully will be fixed. So yeah, what happened with Lisonbee? I think coaches are done when their money is gone. If they have cash and a need, they will keep doing the work.