Correct, Dad does not owe me or anyone an explanation, but still posted it here. Dad, trust me, there is/was absolutely no obligation to respond to the barrage of emails that you received. It is a part of the recruiting process. Best wishes to you both along your journey.
His sarcasm and the entire tone of his response is telling.This is a pretty sophisticated and sane forum so he's probably not going to do much damage here. We, I believe, all wish the best for the child, but clearly he is enjoying the spotlight that he keeps directing on the kid.
much respect to anyone who posts here as themselves. Don't take it all personally there are both general things in women's soccer in the US/college recruiting that are being launched at you that you have no part in. (most people find it absurd that kids are committing to college in 9th grade, and you did not create that system. As I asked generally, but was not answered, NCAA boys lacrosse within the last 2 years has banned ALL communication between coaches and players until Sept. of Junior year; Why doesn't women's soccer follow the boys NCAA lacrosse rules? (boys lacrosse got rid of the loophole used in early soccer recruiting). Also, in this specific case, coaches and trainers could simply be told ignore any college contacts since they are not allowed to actually contact parents or kids early. The FBI has a new found interest in NCAA athletics apparently (see basketball Adidas scandal) so I'm guessing no D1 women's soccer programs would illegally contact kids directly before junior year.
I could be wrong, but I think that there is a gap in the NCAA recruiting rules in that they apply to a high school student. So prior to the student entering high school, there are no restrictions on colleges overtly recruiting, and they are allowed to talk to the player and parents with no restrictions. Sounds ridiculous, but I think that is accurate. So while it would still be possible to put out an informal "we don't want to be contacted by any schools" message via the club and directly to the schools, in theory a middle schooler (and her family) could be "harassed" by incoming pressure, whereas once the player reaches freshman year of high school, in theory all contact (outside the campus of that college) has to come through someone like the club coach or a non-college-affiliated and non-family intermediary.
Big congrats to Buckingham, Boyles and Ellinsky for being picked in NWSL Draft yesterday. A great accomplishment by these ladies. Overall a good representation by the ACC with 13 picks.
UNC fans, please a little insight for us Chicago Red Stars fans of what we can expect of Megan Buckingham? Thanks.
If I'm not mistaken she played club soccer with the Michigan Hawks. Came to UNC as a highly-ranked scoring forward. She bounced around between forward and midfielder her first two years. Was named ACC freshman of the year her first year with a solid season. Her junior year she was moved to outside back out of necessity where she stayed and quietly blossomed into a solid defender. She's a very fast, very athletic lefty with a solid shot from distance. Shes also comfortable getting forward into the attack. A nice under the radar pick-up for Chicago.
I agree with Chrasts quick profile above on Megan Buckingham and will add that injury played a role too. She was getting a lot of looks on the U20 team but in one of their camps went down in a hard tackle and ended up with a broken collar bone. This put her out of the U20 cycle and took a psychological toll which I think she convincingly bounced back from this last year. She definitely has the tools (technical ability, vision, and speed) to be a regular in the NWSL, but, as in most cases, it will depend how she is coached and brought along in the system. By this I mean to make the fundamental distinction between taking prospects and trying to make them play in a needed role as apposed to a longer term view of taking the prospect and working with her strengths (and develping new ones) so as to put the player in a position of success rather than a tryout in an unfamiliar environment and actively trading to find a better player. Pro teams go different ways. I think that Chicago has a coaching staff that tends toward player development. If so, Megan should do well.
http://www.frontrowsoccer.com/2018/01/22/come-sky-blue-fc-host-4-preseason-matches-sportika-sports/ TINTON FALLS, N.J. – Sky Blue FC of announced Monday that it will play four preseason matches at Sportika Sports in Manalapan, N.J. The National Women’s Soccer League club will open its preseason slate with a Feb. 24 fixture against Penn State, with games against North Carolina, West Virginia and St. John’s the following three weekends.
Pinto not playing much for the 20s. Was very uninspired against Jamaica. Still predict Dorwart will be the freshmen with the biggest impact this fall. Pinto and maybe to a lesser extent Jones may struggle with size and athleticism.
I've noticed Pinto PT as well. Klimkova's subsitution pattern is opaque to me at this point so I'll wait until the last two games are over to make a judgment. She sat out Smith, Pinto, and Girma for the first game. For the second game sat out Coffey, K. Rodriguez, and Pickett, I was not sure how she was treating the Mexico game since the US was already in the semifinals regardless. Rest key players? So she clearly rests Tierna Davidson who had arrived the day before, and sits (or rests?) Pinto, and subs out Smith in the middle of the second half, so am not sure of the intent. We'll see....
Now looking at who will contribute to what I hope will be a great 2018 season.... In goal either (obviously) Leshnak or Dickey. The field players who have a history as starters will likely start coming back will be: Jesse Scarpa, Julia Ashley, Dorian Bailey, Bridgette Andrezjewski, Zoe Redei, Emily Fox, Taylor Otto, Alessia Russo, Lotte Wubben-Moy. These are the starters from last season and account for 9 of the 10 field positions. (This assumes that Fox will be healed and ready and that everyone will be back. But if that is so, then Maggie Bill may also be back (if she decides to postpone her graduation and play)...that would be 11 starters returning! In such a scenario, no frosh would start, but this incoming class is very talented so one or two might be expected start. If so it will be from the trio of Briana Pinto, Rachel Jones, or Rachel Dowart. We'll have to wait and see. It's just that I can't see the upper class list above as not starting. What a nice problem to have! But.... There are always surprises. On the roster are many players who have the potential to rise up an nail down starting roles. I'll bet that there will be a couple surprises who will have worked their butts off over the summer and will come back ready to rock in the fall. Then what? (Think Annie Kingman, Alex Kimball, Morgan Goff, or Kasey Parker.... or any of a list of about ten!) Will Madison and Ru continue to be the super subs who are SO effective of the bench or will they play from the opening whistle? As can be seen, I am excited about next season. There obviously is much potential!
Don't disagree with any of your analyses. Also agree with the 20s sub patterns. However I thought that barring a couple of decent moments Pinto was overall poor against Jamaica. If I remember correctly she was subbed out for Howell and then Howell proceeded to net the game winner. So if I am correct she has played less than one game in three. They have 5 go to midfielders. Demelo seems to have locked the 10. Howell, villacourta, Coffey and Pinto I think will be the 8 and 6 selections possibly in that order.
Life would be a lot simpler if we human beings , myself included, didn’t spend so much time criticizing the choices of people we don’t know. Best wishes to this child, her father, and her family.
I thought MB was going to be an all american eventually after her freshmen year. Very high quality player. Quite a few flashes of brilliance at various times. I think she will be a solid NWSL player and has a chance to be a great one.
So to follow up my puzzlement about Klimkova's playing of Pinto.... It appears that Pinto grades out pretty well in the U20 coaches analysis in that she subbed in at 52 minutes of the semifinal against Haiti, and in the championship match started and played all 120 minutes and was the first up for the shoot out. But I'm still not sure what all of that means.
UNC Spring Exhibition Schedule is out. Three consecutive weeks of NWSL teams, a two week break, and then finishing up with Virginia and then the usual college combine (or whatever it's called) south of Winston-Salem this year against Georgia and Elon.
yeah I got nothing... Will say that although I have some major issues with the coaching, I love that all the kids on the roster were afforded a chance to play.
So, it would appear that the five known UNC recruits for 2018 are all signed and ready to go. This may be a small class, but it certainly is potentially one of the best if the top recruits live up to their potential. But then in recent years, the final class is not announced until May or even June and by that time there may be a few additions. If so they would most probably be walk-ons and UNC has had some spectacular successes with completely below-the-radar walk-ons in the recent past who became regular starters. I assume that any additions would be walk-ons because all of the firepower coming back as upperclassmen plus three of the 2018 class surely occupy the available scholarship money. (But I really have no idea of how that all may be allocated.) Has anyone heard anything about whether Emily Fox and/or Maggie Bill will all healed and fit and ready for action this fall? (...or even if Maggie Bill wants to delay graduation and stick around...?)
I like the NWSL Scrimmages. Great experience for the girls. USC PEPPERDINE and ucla all played the full Chinese national team in the past week
I banned myself from this forum after the loss to Princeton. I think I've let enough time pass by. First game of the spring schedule tomorrow. I'm familiarizing myself with the NC Courage roster & thought I would review the Heels roster as well. I welcome any insight if some of these players that I've listed are not available for one reason or the next, like Pinto or Bill. GK's Samantha Leshnak Claudia Dickey (rookie) Defenders Brooke Bingham Maggie Bill (with LAX or injured?) Lotte Wubben-Moy (intl duty?) Julia Ashley 6's, 8's, & 10's Annie Kingman (injured?) Dorian Bailey Morgan Goff 7's, 9's, & 11's Alex Kimball (injured?) Kasey Parker (injured?) Miah Araba Alessia Russo (intl duty?) Zoe Redei (injured?) Bridgette Andrzejewski Ru Mucherera (injured?) Sydney Spruill Madison Schultz Kate Morris Abby Staker Nicole Crutchfield Laura Sparling Rookies Brianna Pinto (rookie, intl duty?) Rachael Dorwart (rookie) Mary Elliot McCabe (rookie) Rachel Jones (rookie)
As far as I can tell, the only rookie present will be Rachel Dowart. (I am very interested in seeing her play!) GK Dickey is still in high school and may have already left for pre- La Manga camp with the U18s. THe other three all have not graduated from HS, I believe. I agree with all of your notes on injuries with the possible exceptions of Annie Kingman (who should be healed), and Alex Kimball and Jesse Scarpe depending on how the surgery and other medical treatment went. With the ACL injuries last fall to Bill, Mucherera, Fox, and Parker, my understanding is that while it used to be a full year of rehab, it now can be done in about 9 months. This would make these spring games too soon for the above 4 players. (and am I now recollecting that Scarpa ended up with a tear too... or was that a hip problem.) I would expect that the two Brits may be on international duty, but am not sure. So this should leave the following to play tomorrow Keeper: Lesnak Defense: Otto, Ashley, Bingham, and maybe Scarpa Midfield: Bailey, Goff, Morris, and maybe Kingman and Kimball. Forwards: Andrezjewski, Redei, Shultz, Spruill Subs: Sparling, Araba, Staker, Cruthfield That's 15 total players who should be good to go 5 other possibilies of Kingman, Kimball, and Scarpa (and hopefully Wubben-Moy and Russo if they are in town) for a best-case total of 20 players. It certainly is not as bad as 7 years ago when keeper Anna Sieloff was pressed into midfield duty as there were only 11 players.
Interesting game today. A 2-0 win for the professionals, but from a Tarheel fan's point of view, not as one sided as I was thinking it might be driving over to Cary being aware of how many of our starters were missing. First, less UNC players were present than I was hoping. No sign of Jesse Scarpa, Annie Kingman, Alessia Russo, or Lotte Wubben-Moy. I kind of expected as much with the exception of Annie which I was hoping to see. (She injured her achilles tendon before the season started last year and so should have had a full six months for healing.) I'm wondering if she has decided to skip her remaining eligibility and graduate and get on with her life? Does anyone know? So, the starting line up was Leshnak in goal, Otto, Bingham, and Ashley in the back, Shultz, Bailey, Dowart, and Goff in the middle, and Redei, Spruill, and Andrejewski up front. (...But I must admit that they ran out and the game started before I could really fathom what the formation was... It may have started as a 3-4-3, 3-3-2-2 or a 3-3-3-1 but was so fluid (or a little disorganized) after that I never got a grip on what the plan was.) In the first half, we were truly out classed by the pros. As one might expect from last year's top NWSL regular season team, the Courage dominated the possession with a great game of precision one touch passing, aggressive tackling, masterful first touch control, and generally being noticeably faster afoot than the Heels. The pros had many chances at goal, but our defense coalesced defending the red zone and Sam played a great game in front of the goal. The lone goal of the half was a rocket from about ten yards out on the right side which Sam almost saved, but it deflected into the left side. Besides Sam's great work at home in front of the goal, Tayor seemed to be the most effective handling the pressure, followed by Julia and Brooke. For the first 20 minutes, our offense who generally worked hard and smart, just didn't have the pace to to free themselves from being closed down by the speedy pros or were knocked off the ball by hard play or slide tackles. Fouls called were about 2 to 1 against the pros... but no cards...they just took us out of our game with authority. (We surely could have used Ru today!) In the second half, the Courage coaching staff started off with their bench, and until the starters came back in after 15 minutes, the Heels had the run of play and had two good scoring chances. Dorian, who was getting better and better during the first half at holding mid, was excellent and both Bridgette and Zoe had some great looks at goal due to their hard work although the Courage did score another goal with some nice passing on a counter attack.) When the first team returned, it seemed as though the Heels had a bit more confidence and the game was not as lopsided as the first half. In fact, I rather thought that we held our own for the last 30 minutes. Substitutes all got enough time for the staff to see how they were dealing with such tough competition. Alex Kimball was first in followed by, Abby Staker, Laura Sparling, Miah Araba, Nicole Crutchfield, and Kate Morris (at least I think it was Kate as I thought I saw an 80 on the jersey, but concluded that it must have be 20.) I really wanted to see the new frosh, Rachel Dowart, and she started and played the whole game except for a 10 minute breather in the second half. She seemed to be in an center mid role in the fist half and then was more up front for the second half. Given that she played almost the entire game, it is clear that the staff thinks highly of her potential. However, this was a very tough game for her to play her first time as a Tarheel. I think that she was totally psychologically wiped out by the speed of play and the aggressive pressure from the pros the likes of which she had never experienced or perhaps never truly imagined being in the middle of. Talk about baptism by fire! I saw jitters and insecurity, but she relaxed some by the end of the game and looked less shell shocked. So I did not see what I was wishing to see, but truly hope that she will put this inaugural college/pro experience into perspective and not let it undermine her confidence and that we will better see her potential as the season goes on and into next fall. Overall, I am quite positive about next season. Once we get the injured players back and the rest of the 2018 class in town, we will be a very strong team going forward.