Do we know if she pulled out of the ECU commit the minute after she received the UNC acceptance letter? That is low, if that is the case...nailing ECU down as a fail safe while planning a personal end run onto the UNC roster. I don't have much sympathy for coaches as the verbal thing is so weighted in their favor but she may have locked out some kid who would have chosen ECU (and committed elsewhere). Dominoes. Again, if this is the timing for how it went down.
I have no clue as to how this all came about. I only know what I read. My impression is that she was overjoyed that she as admitted to UNC. It appears to me that she did not think that she would be admitted to UNC and that she would probably not make the team even if she was admitted. Kids de-commit from verbals all the time -usually its about another soccer opportunity. In this case, she may or may not try out for the UNC team, as the focus of her twitter message was the thrill of of being accepted as a student.
Just noticed the crazy spring schedule for the Heels. Starts off OK with three games on consecutive weeks with NWSL teams, but then segues to the traditional scrimmage fest west of Winston-Salem the day after playing the Carolina Courage (formerly the Western New York Flash). If there was ever a question about what the spring season is all about, then this crazy schedule makes the point in spades. Clearly it is not about winning, but looking at different players in new positions, etc. And even a meaningful look at new combos is questionable when one plays a professional team on Saturday night then gets up early the next morning at about 6:00 AM to head out for a two hour drive to warm up and play a scrimmage 9:30 game against U of Georgia and then another scrimmage at 2:30 in the afternoon against Virginia Tech. Recovery time, say what? By Sunday afternoon, the only Heels on the field are sure not likely to be the starters!
Low? In what sense? She has to look after herself, nobody else will do it. Lot of player de-commit all the time. Previously after a high profile last minut de-commit there were lot of dominoes falling down. This time I do not thing.
I do see your point. The "commit" thing originated from coaches so no sympathies there. Obviously they jump for the next better job with zero notice. On the other hand, I also see why they do it. As you allude to, verbals are now a complete mess and meaningless in revs and will be in non-revs. I always thought moving direct contact date up before junior year and allowing LOI signings any time after that might resolve it. I see the flip side (maturity) but I still think it's better than this. I feel the only solution, currently, is kids (really, parents) not "committing" early. In the end, it only matters if you got the game. "Committing" doesn't give you game. That's where I am somewhat critical of the player here. I'm sure the kid, parents, counselor(s) knew she would be admitted to UNC, early on, based on GPA, PSAT, extracurriculars, etc. I, honestly, wouldn't have had my kid commit to ECU. My feeling is, and I am clueless, is that her intent all along was to academic in-state (no scholly) walk on like Caitlin Ball...because she has been downplaying the soccer so much on social. Distancing herself from the "commit", then make it look like a spontaneous decision to walk-on. So I still don't see why she "committed".
the irony is UNC has a 50% in state acceptance rate. (It's the out of state super elite residents that bring up the stats and lower overall acceptance).. I guess the chance of making poverty wages in NWSL isn't as smart a long term decision as going to a better academic school. (In states with great public universities most soccer kids (not all, but most) looking at D1 either have to choose inferior academic school for soccer or better one without).
I'm guessing that a school like UNC will shift (if they haven't already) to a few super star full scholarships and mostly in state recruited no scholarship or other walk ons. Wondering if there's any numbers on how many kids offered as freshman or sophomores end up as subs later, and how many no scholarship players end up as starters. For UNC and University of California system in state, works out "fairly" for both sides as long as the kids realize they may not play that much if they don't develop.
That would be my model and I think it definitely works for California schools. However, I think now, eastern schools recruit more internationally (obviously 3k miles closer to Europe). Not to mention that most of the industry manufactured talent, in my opinion, is out of the mid-atlantic/northeast. Simply a combination of population density (more teams), wealth distribution and lifestyle (more daily, uptight competitive stress). All positive factors in favor of the for-profit soccer industry. Therefore, I think it will ultimately be self-defeating for publix like North Carolina to rely on in-state tuition payers for depth while flat tuition privates (Notre Dame, Duke, etc.) mine the northeast unabated and other publix go international (FSU, WVU and a growing number). North Carolina produces good talent but it's not in the numbers needed, in my opinion. Otherwise, NC State (recruiting heavily in Germany now), and even ECU and UNCC would be consistently competitive, or at least spoken about, nationally. Just a humble opinion.
ECU and UNCC are quite aways down from UNC or from specific majors at NC State (eg. engineering) academically. (the girl leaving ECU presumably is more likely reflecting academics not soccer.) My point is UNC could give 3 or 4 full scholarships to national team players each year and than take in 4 or 5 in state players who would be happy to pay in state tuition. UNC has like 5 players in state from the same graduating year and same club (and another in state player) and I don't think any of them are getting real scholarship money. NC state should be doing better than they are in terms of getting decent in state walk ons, since out of state players that don't get a big scholarship have even less incentive to go there than UNC academically.
That's what I kinda don't get about those two. To me, I see the Forbes "rankings" and what not, but the broader and more STEM stuff at NC State, to me, make it more academically appealing than UNC. But UNC is ranked so high. I know the campus "experience" is not that great at State...the spread out nature of campus...the basketball team is a tenant in a pro arena, etc. While it is highly regarded on the hill, but still... Regarding UNCC, I've noticed them making a concerted effort in state the past couple of years. I saw some vid where the guy (some Englshman, I forget his name, Duren?)..oh, Cullen, said they're starting to make inroads into RTP. I think they're trying what you suggest, fill out depth in-state, offering earlier, on a shoestring.
A UNC assistant coach is a CASL coach (and his brother) so I think there are close ties there and that's the club that has 5 girls same year committed. But I do think NC State could do a lot better at getting in state preferred walk ons or fractional scholarship if they tried. I don't get the sense they try that hard for in state girls.
yeah, what do they have, like five Germans, something like that? Sometimes though, local or in-state recruits have too much knowledge about something, like campus "experience" (or lack of). Maybe State has come to the conclusion that they have to recruit the less knowing. Germans won't question it. Pitt and Maryland are examples of this in their respective conferences, in my opinion. Pitt has good academics, like Maryland, but given a choice, locals are gone. Especially in rev sports.
Yeah, that's the Southern Soccer Showcase at the TCYSA Facility in Winston. The Heels and a few other ACC schools play there most years. The 'games' are just 45 minutes long usually, and as you suggested, a lot of reserves get playing time.
Piggybacking on this thread, we just posted our interview with UNC (and USWNT) alum Lorrie Fair: https://soundcloud.com/diplosport/diplosport-podcast-128-lorrie-fair-allen She's got a great story about how playing soccer at the highest levels set her up for an equally impressive year off the pitch, working alongside Charlize Theron in carrying out philanthropic efforts in Africa, and serving the State Department as a Sports Envoy.
WOW! Just listened to this podcast... Lorrie Fair is one IMPRESSIVE human being!! Especially the last half of the interview she is amazingly articulate and able to clearly define what diplomacy is from the human level. (Although the front half is great if you are a Tarheel.)
Thank you so much; we appreciate the kind words! Pressing our luck, here's our interview with Lorrie's wingman, fellow Tar Heel/USWNT legent Tiff Roberts Sahaydak, now the head coach at UCF. Tiff's also awesome, and not just because she's a Carolina alum: https://soundcloud.com/diplosport/diplosport-podcast-104-tiffany-roberts-sahaydak
Anson Dorrance was in London today watching a youth cup semi-final between Arsenal and Sunderland. He is trying to recruit an Arsenal defender.
just that for the specific young lady mentioned above who dropped playing soccer at ECU to go to UNC for academics, that since she is in state, just spending one half season worth of club dues would cover a SAT/ACT test prep course that would have made it a lock for her to get into UNC. Given an instate acceptance rate of ~50% to UNC, most ladies spending years of $$ on club soccer fees and travel would be better off focusing on studies rather than playing soccer at not so great academic schools. Especially on the women's side were being top 10 in the world means you might make 120K (during the years on WNT) unless you have great endorsement potential. I'd bet most players on the WNT never crack 200K in net income in their best year. (excluding Alex Morgan types with endorsement potential most don't have)
Any UNC WOSO fan going up to northern Virginia on Saturday night to see the first take on the 2017 Heels as they take on the Washington Spirit? Would love to get a first hand report!
Which arsenal girl?! Im a huge fan! Lotte Wubben-Moy. very good and solid player. i think she just committed yesterday or today. great job by Anson plucking her late in the game and a huge pick up for UNC. she was captain for the England U-17 in Jordan and has appeared with the full WNT. she's a Katie Bowen type player but stronger i'd say.
Well, I found a write up of the game last night. The first outing for the Heels this spring apparently did not go well. Or should I say that that last year's championship game participant NWSL team, the Washington Spirit, had too much talent and already had a game under their belt and looked progressively better as the game went on taking advantage of Tarheel miscues. First goal was a flubbed clearance kick straight to a Spirit forward for an easy empty-goal shot. In the second half the second Spirit goal was a bobbled corner kick catch by the Heels keeper under pressure and it went straight in to the goal. A UNC turnover on the right side led to a swift counter attack by speedy Cheyna Williams who scored. A UNC foul just outside the box led to WNT player Cristy Mewis converting on a screamer over the wall. And finally, less than a minute before the end of the game, a great through ball by the Spirit drew out the UNC keeper in a race for the ball, but the Spirit forward won the race and faced only an empty net for the score. Yes, it was a bad UNC result, but the point of spring games is not winning, but to get a good look at the new players and to try new things out. From the description of the game, that was what was happening. Jitters and first game of the spring against a seasoned professional team that only lost the NWSL championship in a shoot-out should naturally lead to a loss...and it did. But I suspect that the UNC coaching staff learned a whole lot which will pay off down the line. Not to worry.
You're absolutely right, these losses in the pre-season mean nothing for the college teams. Gives coaches a chance to give new players and schemes the "test of fire." The pro teams should be winning. Having said that, I feel a little better hearing that other good college team(s) lost to the Spirit recently in pre-season. Penn State lost 0-3.