For what its worth, I just want to say good luck too! From an experience, lesson learned perspective after its over and she found a good home - it might be worth coming back and giving an update to share your advice and recommendations for the next generation. While I have some questions about a coaches decision on my child's team - inconsistent messaging here/there and she finding her way when to ask questions and when not too. I am extremely grateful that the entire coaching staff has been amazing - giving her confidence, feedback, opportunities and most importantly setting an amazing team orientated culture. There are good ones out there!
excellent post and 100% accurate. I would encourage your player to let the coach know she is requesting to go into the transfer portal before contacting the compliance office. It is the better way to approach it but then the compliance office is the one that actually does the process. What Eddie K said above is 100% accurate. If you want to keep scholarship money for the spring then you should wait to go into the transfer portal until the semester has started and some time has passed otherwise your player will be kicked to the curb and all scholarship funds removed before the dust settles. For some players that I know that went through the transfer process, they were immediately excluded from any team activities and even locked out of all training room facilities. It is a gamble in the transfer portal but some players have no choice but to jump in to try and find a better and often healthier fit. The grass is not always greener at the next pitch and sometimes there can be other issues that come up at the new school. If you track the hot seat thread you see how many coaches come and go from different schools so even if you vet the new school/coach as best you can they can be gone by the time you get there. It isn't all bad but I think as a parent you need to be prepared for the realities and the challenges and have realistic expectations. Although it would be ideal to transfer for the Spring and get settled in with the new team before the conference season starts in the fall, there is such a short amount of time to make that transfer over the holidays. Finalizing a transfer in the middle or end of spring gives you more time to make that transition. I think it is more helpful to have the realities and be prepared than painting a rosy picture of how fabulous it might be (most likely, won't be unless you are super lucky and hit the jackpot). . But if it is a really bad current situation then jumping into that transfer pool is worth the risk.
Good post and info. With regards to the last part, the back door channels of kids finding out interest and lay of the land before going on the portal happens all the time, usually through past club coaches. I’m torn on this one. On one hand if a kid is having a bad experience even if it is simply because they aren’t playing, I don’t begrudge them the chance to find a better home. But if the kid takes the risk, they could end up with nothing. More often, depending on the family financial situation, I see kids stay because they don’t want to risk it. Wouldn’t it be better for all involved to let the kid search out a home? They’d be happier. The coach would get their money back. No one wants schools poaching players. But if the kid makes the initial contact, they’re clearly not happy. You’re better off without them.
About 200 new D1 names in the portal that are NOT 5th years on the first day. I think there will be alot more today and this week since some schools where closed or had modified schedules for election day. Of course teams are still playing as well so some players will wait. November is even crazier now for college soccer with Transfer Portal and Signing Day the same week as the start of the tournament. Someone needs to look at the calendar...
Crazy is a good way to put it. Since the NCAA decided on this new "Transfer Window," there has been at least 3 clarifications/minor alterations. It is the definition of a knee jerk reaction that wasn't well fleshed out. I would guess not one person in the room even brought up that they were placing the start of this window in the same week as signing day and what implications that might have.
My daughter's school only has a couple commits for 2023 (unless there are more that haven't shown up on social media), and when this came up the other day when we were chatting, I told her to not be surprised if the coach works the transfer portal hard this Spring. I brought up MSU's success as an example. Hostler has 10 transfers if I am counting correctly, several of whom have Michigan ties and were probably recruited by him at GVSU. Seems like a quick way to plug holes where a team needs to improve to me.
That’s basically one transfer for every 3 programs — if my math is accurate. I’d say that’s not too bad overall. In 6 years, 37.2% of college students will transfer (yes, that number is potentially halved if only considering four-year institutions). This transfer number is roughly 2% of all DI womens college rosters (333 programs, 30-player roster average my number). Sure, it’ll rise. But, nothing alarming or even remotely notable. If anything, maybe coaches should be praised for such a high retention rate.
Good insights. I agree with #232 above. It can be a way for a new coach to 'shotgun' start their tenure with lots of new players. That has lots of risks too that do need to be considered. I'd say there are a couple general trends - less freshmen commits and later freshmen commits. Some coaches might fill a hole in their team with a transfer rather than try to find a new younger uncommitted player. AND if it's getting close to portal day in Nov, why commit a Jr, current 2024, until you see what's out there? "Did that good player we liked and knew was going to a bad situation go into the portal?" Also, lots of coaches are all over the place and don't really know enough about or really like the portal. It still varies greatly. Transfers are usually leaving something they didn't like and may have made a bad judgement. They often have some "baggage" or for better or worse, that is a common perception.
Interesting new rule in regards to transfers goes in effect for the fall,. Coaches will have to honor a transfer"s scholarship for the duration of their eligibility even if they quit the team.
Certainly makes scholarship offers a lot trickier to anyone who have more than one year remaining regarding eligibility.
The portal consultant is still at it! At least one. This email below came out over the weekend. I count 517 D1 Women's Soccer players in the portal. 213 are 5th years so that's 304 underclass players looking to transfer. That's not maybe the super high number some expected but it's been one week so far with the new rules. Some teams are just having their meetings this week I guess and 32 teams are still playing. Always interesting to look at your favorite schools to see how many. Some are expected with new coaches clearly turning over rosters but others not so much... Transfer season is here. Over 398 players hit this week.... Divisions: D1=84%, D2=58%, D3=1% Position: 36% Midfielders, 26% Defenders, 26% Forwards, 12% Goalkeepers Grad Students: 23% International: 14% Teams are using our software to find transfers faster...and in way less time. We have every player...updated in minutes. If we can help check out a preview of our transfer portal. Schedule a demo/sales call us. -- Andrew Gruesser Head of Sports Expansion Verifiedathletics.com/transfer-portal
Not really following you. A player could have eligibility remaining but once they graduate, the school is under no obligation to give them money beyond that. Are you saying transfers will be treated differently?
An update: a panicked coach claiming a crisis is at it again. As of late last weekend, he claim just over 700 on portal as being a scary thing and other coaches chiming in to say “could be 5000 by spring if this trend continues.” Nearly 50% seem to be grad transfers. That means there’s an average of 1 player for each program (excluding grad transfers). So, a 1/30 (my roster number) transfer isn’t terrifying. That’s putting it at a 97% retention rate. Seems pretty good. Additionally, I know players who are in or potentially will be in because their 1st year coach at the program told the released players he was, “taking out the trash.” Great usage of words to 18-19 year old females. These players are now lumped in there for all these others to claim there’s red flags in recruiting portal kids. Truly sad from adults.
The numbers in my post are straight from the portal. 304 D1 underclass players as of 11/14 mid-day. A big IF but if half the annual number get in the portal in Dec (so half in May), it should be about 500 in each window. Last year there were 1,461 total (436 5th years) so 1025 underclass D1 transfers. I think smart coaches will do their "due diligence" and find out what the situation is before they commit to a player - first year or transfer. Personally, I always thought transferring was a positive - they are a bit older, have shown some courage, and have had a college experience they prob didn't like so have a better focus on what will really make them happy. Classic example is that they overshoot (over estimate their ability/fit in D1), so don't play much, maybe too far from home, don't like the coach or roommates, etc, and want a 2nd chance. The "D1 or Bust" mentality or "ACC or bust" is pushed onto these kids and causes lots of anxiety and unhappiness for some. And they are shocked to learn that their college coach is not nearly as nice as when they were recruited?? or maybe not as smart as their club coach. Shocking I know. Money and labels do not make everyone happy but some learn it in real time.
The amount of coaches (“adults”) who crap on transfers is ridiculous. These clowns expect a 16-18 year old to know everything and be perfect. They cannot have any changes or earn within first 1-2+ years in college. Players are weak if they transfer. They don’t hold to their commitments. Any excuse they’ll throw at these kids. It’s absurd and needs to stop. Might I add, one coach making public statements is also one who took one job in March 2022 then turned around to take another in April 2022. But…”kids transferring…”
I will make it simple Sally is a freshman and she transfers to her new school. She quits the team two games into the season of her sophomore year and decides to stay at the same school Her school will be required to pay for her scholarship during her sophomore, junior and senior year and it counts against their scholarship equivalency
I find that extremely difficult to believe. Why would a transfer be treated any differently than a first year? If you quit the team, the school is under no obligation to honor the scholarship.
I guess you won't find it that hard to believe now. https://www.ncaa.org/news/2022/8/31...i-board-adopts-changes-to-transfer-rules.aspx
This is what I read at the above link: NCAA rules now will require any school that considers athletics when awarding scholarships to transfer student-athletes to provide that scholarship for the rest of a student's five-year eligibility or until they complete the requirements for their bachelor's degree, unless the student transfers again or engages in professional athletics opportunities. It was not mentioned that if the student quits that the school is still required to award the scholarship. Likewise, nowhere in that link is it mentioned that “Sally’s” scholarship counts against their scholarship equivalency even though she quit the team.