College soccer quality and alternative pathways?

Discussion in 'College & Amateur Soccer' started by smontrose, Oct 15, 2019.

  1. smontrose

    smontrose Member

    Real Madrid
    Italy
    Aug 30, 2017
    Illinois, NW Suburb
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I've been watching a number of ranked mens teams over the last few weeks, mostly Big10 and ACC. I have to say I'm not impressed with the quality of soccer. Too much direct play versus build out, missed touches, bad passes, bad corners/crosses, just kicking ball away, I could go on.
    I'm guessing this is a result of watered down talent based on number of scholarships per school. You get a hand full of the top kids with full rides, after that you've got some mix of partial scholarships with kids who want to play and are also attracted to a particular university.
    So I have a few issues here. First, this does not seem like the most productive path to getting better post high school or club. If it is American soccer is doomed!
    Secondly, if a kid is getting only a partial scholarship plus the "privilege" of going into massive debt, this is nothing more than paying to play post club redux!
    I don't understand this at any cost quest for parents to get their kids into college soccer! And I love how they brag and how impressed other parents are.. Really?!?
    My kid wants to play soccer. He also wants to go to college. He just thinks it's ridiculous to do both at the same time.
    Also, we are very middle class. Why would I not take advantage of first few years at community college?

    I'd love to hear some feedback from others. Would also like to hear if there are other pathways beyond U18/19 besides college. My kid has potential but the odds are against him(most kids!). He's in second year of German and I'm hoping Germany and Bundesliga make it easier for Americans to get passports and visa equivalent, to play at any level in their country. But, even just the experience of traveling abroad, playing , learning other cultures, etc seems like more of a better spend.


    Thoughts?

    Thx
     
    TimB4Last repped this.
  2. BigRedFootie

    BigRedFootie Member+

    Jan 31, 2003
    B-town
    What are you comparing this to?
     
    Wazzaville repped this.
  3. smontrose

    smontrose Member

    Real Madrid
    Italy
    Aug 30, 2017
    Illinois, NW Suburb
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I guess I'd be comparing to our clubs DA pools U16 and up. I'm not saying in any way our U16 pool can play with these guys right now but they show better technical skill and game knowledge to where I would project them being better at 18 or 19.
    I think any group of our U18/19's would compete with the teams I've seen play.
    I have considered that maybe seeing it on T.V. makes it look not as good but again, I'm seeing too much direct play, not too much effort or ability to build out and just a lot of mis hits when not even under pressure.
    Getting back to the whole college thing, just seems weird that parents think their kid has "made it" getting the opportunity to use financial aid/debt to pay for college soccer.
    I appreciate your feedback
     
  4. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Do some research and do some math.

    D-1 men's NCAA teams are allowed a max of 9.9 scholarships. Many schools don't offer that many scholarships.

    Then there's the schedule, that sees 18 or so games crammed into 10 weeks from late August to early November.

    With that many games, teams need to rotate players. But many of the players getting rotated aren't that good because schools don't have enough scholarship money left to offer the reserves a ride so players who would be better off the bench take scholarship money at another school.

    Thus you end up with a system where the top teams have 3-4 very good players (and occasionally a 1-2 really elite ones) and 5-6 good players and then are filling in with whatever they can get to play for them for next to nothing.

    It's not a system that lends itself to creating attractive soccer and it's not a system that lends itself to ideal player development.

    So you end up with an emphasis on athleticism and stamina and a drop off when you go to your bench.

    Until the schedule changes and until the number of scholarships being offered changes, the level of play isn't gonna change much.
     
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  5. Vilhelm

    Vilhelm Member

    Sep 9, 2005
    Can’t wait for the OP’s kids to get a sympathy card instead of a housewarming gift after they buy their first house.
     
  6. Terrier1966

    Terrier1966 Member

    Nov 19, 2016
    Club:
    Aston Villa FC
    A college education is a worthwhile investment. Most of these players will never see a pro field and another few years of better training wouldn’t get them there either.

    So, if they go to college and get a degree, possibly partly defrayed with a scholarship, or if they get into a better school than they would have otherwise it is a wise choice. They likely would have gone to college anyway.

    If they go to a lesser college just to play or if they don’t graduate then the question would be if they would have done “better” had they not played soccer.

    In general, the game is too physical and coaches are trying to get as many wins as possible in the short window described. The beautiful game gets thrown out the window and play can devolve into a 0-0 double OT game with multiple yellows.

    With mixed success, sports leagues have made changes in officiating to alter the game. NCAA soccer could emphasize certain rules in order to clean up the game but it would be a large undertaking with unlikely outcomes.
     
    TimB4Last repped this.
  7. ThePonchat

    ThePonchat Member+

    #ProRelForUSA
    United States
    Jan 10, 2013
    I've Been Everywhere Man
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It isn't the most productive path in getting better, but it's all we have. There are VERY limited opportunities for a HS graduate to develop more outside of college soccer.

    The kids will go into debt regardless, right? But, at least they get some sort of debt reduction by a college scholarship. Sure, there are many better ways to do it, like not paying $1500-3000 a year in club soccer...but, how many parents and kids want to take development into their own hands? They'd rather pay someone else to do it for them.

    Sure, community college is a good route and there are many players who've gone that route. Also know that it's very saturated with international players too.

    From personal experience, I hated my community college setting. It was a drain on me mentally. No ambition. No desire. Just getting by. The statistics aren't good either -- something like 15% of community college attendees get a 4-year degree within six years!

    It's not necessarily Germany or the Bundesliga making it easier, it's those players, agents, parents, etc. getting those opportunities. I mean, Pulisic had a Croatian passport. With a European passport, it's easier to go from country-to-country in contracts.

    I encourage my players to go abroad as soon as possible. It's not easy, but it's possible. Many European countries offer free university. So, take advantage of that. Go study. Then, try to jump on a local team while studying. It's possible. Again, it's not easy and it's not for everyone...but, it's an opportunity.
     
  8. smontrose

    smontrose Member

    Real Madrid
    Italy
    Aug 30, 2017
    Illinois, NW Suburb
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ponchat, thx for the input. Checked out a few of your blog articles, good stuff. I take it your a college coach?
    If so, is it possible for a kid to go abroad after high school for a few years and then come back and still be on the recruitment radar?
     
  9. ThePonchat

    ThePonchat Member+

    #ProRelForUSA
    United States
    Jan 10, 2013
    I've Been Everywhere Man
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Thanks @smontrose.

    I was a college coach, 8 years.

    Someone can go abroad, but after one year they are likely to start losing college eligibility in NCAA. Everyone is afforded a "gap year" that does not affect eligibility.
     
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  10. espola

    espola Member+

    Feb 12, 2006
    As for debt -- from a California perspective, it's not necessary to go to Stanford to get a degree. UC and Cal State costs are higher than they used to be, but a good student-athlete can find ways to pay for school if the parents can't swing it on their own.

    As for DA vs college -- there are hundreds of college programs (including D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and CC) and there is no way that the current DA structure can fill the need to stock new players into those every year. Besides that, DA's announced intention is not to provide college players, but instead world-class players (and the demonstrated failure to do that is outside the scope of this discussion). Do DA teams all follow a unified national style of play that allows players to be plugged into similar field positions on National teams? From what I have observed of DA play that is not clear. If so, a college might do well to imitate that style and have at least a minimal chance of obtaining players schooled to play it.

    I doubt that there is a single college men's soccer program that pays its own way with ticket sales, broadcast rights and other sponsorships even without bringing in the "cost" of scholarships. The program must be funded by other means -- student activity fees, alumni support, or from the general college budget.
     
    JoeSoccerFan and fknbuflobo repped this.

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