What schools will be most effected by U20 players being unavailable for NCAA play this fall? For the freshmen class do they defer, red shirt or just miss 6-8 weeks of classes but play when they can?
Great question! We don't know yet whether players will be completely unavailable or whether they just will be unavailable during the NCAA Tournament -- possibly for the entire Tournament or possibly after the first two games. And, we don't yet know who will be on the U-20 roster. But, before the current camp, which Portland players did not attend possibly because they were desperately needed for the Pilots' Spring games, Portland had striker Michelle Enyeart, holding mid Keelin Winters, and defender/attacking mid Elli Reed playing on the team, with Enyeart playing a lot and Winters and Reed playing every minute of the recent tournament in Chile. And, add to that Sophie Schmidt's being the captain of the Canadian U-20s, although one wonders what her status will be with the Canadian U-20s since she also will be at the Olympics with the CWNT. It's hard to imagine any team could be facing the potential of losing more than that.
It should be interesting to see what happens in the fall. I've heard rumors that the u20's will be having a camp of their own during college season before the wc. so if that's the case, i don't think they would have a lot of time for their college team or classes.. Depends on who makes the wc squad but for the players that are pretty much locked... In my opinion, the teams that would be most effected are Stanford (Kelley O'Hara & T Noyola '08) - even though they have a fast and dangerous front line, O'Hara leads it and does the most damage, Portland (Enyeart, Reed, Winters, Schmidt-CAN) , UCLA (Barnes, Wright, Wilmoth, Leroux '08) - will probably have to sort out a new back line and a holding mid but always has a deep bench to do so and still be successful, Florida State (DaCosta, Edwards, Stephan, McNulty -CAN), and UNC (Nogueira, Washington, Klingenberg) very key players even though they have top talents like Averbuch & Heath. Assuming that Tobin Heath makes the Olympic Squad, could/would she play for the U20's in Nov as well?
I don't think the UCLA squad is going. I believe they would be included on the squad, especially regulars, Barnes and Wright, but I think UCLA and based on what i heard, UNC have opted out. This is due to the fact that the players need to red shirt. None of them would lose an entire year of eligibility just to get in a few games before they'd need to travel. Plus I am certain they will be at the Home Depot for camps, so it is a complete necessity to red-shirt. Stanford won't miss Noyola since they don't have her yet, and although O'Hara is pretty incredible, they have Cristen Press up front. I think Portland will suffer the most because I do think Reed, Enyeart and Winters will be selected and Schmidt for Canada. Losing those 4 will be tough even if the Rapinoe's are back. I am not certain any of the FSU players except DaCosta will make the cut.
Based on PT at most recent U20 action, Becky Edwards got way more time than DaCosta. Don't think the freshman, Stephan makes it. I don't know, but suspect McNulty will play for Canada in goal.
Schools holding players out from the U-20s -- with the "consent" of the players, apparently -- raises some interesting questions. Portland fans who have attended all the Pilots' Spring games will tell you: Enyeart, Winters, and Reed have benefited tremendously from their U-20s experience, in terms of their current play. So, if players are declining the U-20s in order to play for their college teams, they well may be reducing their opportunities to become better players. Pilots fans are dreading the possibility of these players not being available this year (along with Schmidt for the Canadian U-20s), but generally want what is best for the players. It's an interesting situation.
It will definitely be a crazy fall season. Olympics are over just as the season is beginning so the senior national teams should not cause any issues with players away. On the other hand the U20 world cup prep. will cause a great deal of confusion. With likely a camp or two or even a mini residency program coupled with the WC in Chile beginning the same week as the first round of the 64 Championship games its clear any US or International player electing to play U20 WC is gone for the season and that adds up to over 50 top NCAA players I am sure when you look at US, Canada, Mexico, etc. The only school I have heard that might not release their players for national duty is UNC otherwise I agree that the experience of world cup and representing your county should not be denied to a young player. Having said this, two additional things come to mind-what if a player really prefers the college journey to a world cup experience and passes on the U20 team; what if any are the consequences and secondly some college programs from a player/ technical development point of view may offer more than a national camp or game.
Its not always a matter of whether the school will release them. The student athlete can decide for herself that she doesn't want to redshirt. It may not be an institutional decision, but a personal one. Many of these players have been playing on the national circuit for years and have felt the benefit of international competition and know they have improved from it. But...it may not be what they want, during their college season (like you said, they may prefer the "college journey"). It is a legitimate decision to decide to play for your college team and not the U.S. I don't think anyone takes these decisions lightly. I just hope these young players don't get pressure from their college coach to say "no" to US soccer. IF they want to play, they should.
that is assuming they develop more as players with the youth national team than they do with their college teams, which i wouldn't necessarily say is the case with every school.
A great point!! Only in the US do we think that significant player development happens at the ODP and National team level. Development SHOULD happen at the club/University level. In many instances we have it backward in this country.
Well, almost nowhere in the world does development happen at the University level. It's usually at clubs associated with professional teams, Not the "youth academies" as in the US. Classic examples are Club Atletico River Plate and Club Atletico Boca Juniors in Argentina, Ajax in the Netherlands, and any of the Premier clubs in England. the full list is endless, really. In those programs, promising youths are given a free ride and education while they develop, their parents don't have to bankroll the kids youth careers. In the US, there is a budding replication of that system on the Men's side, but not with the women.
Development does occur on national teams when significant time is invested. Spend one week in a camp and the development is not so much. Spend months then development does occur. One other thing to remember is that missing 6 - 8 weeks of school is not always possible, if one wants to stay enrolled, that is.
I know it hard to believe that you can miss several weeks of school and still keep good grades.Most school have some type of system already setup to help the athlete.They can apply for online classes with approval of the athletic dept, and still be considered a full time student. These players are still students with their scholarships intact.Tobin,Amy and Lauren with the full team are still full time student and on campus maybe only 3 to 4 week this semester. So missing 6 to 8 weeks can be done with some planning ahead.You have to rememember these ladies are very intelligent.
Well, she's gotten about what she can out of the youth program. She's well established on the full team. She's already taken her allowed redshirt year for international/olympic team play. She doesn't get back any more eligibility that she gives up for National team play from here on out. And, I think Sophie wants to be a college student and full time member of her college team and contribute to a championship run. She may actually develop better playing an offensive role for the Pilots than in a defensive role for the YNT. In her two college years, she's played about 8-10 games for the Pilots. The Canadians didn't even ask that of Christine Sinclair. Time for the youth slot to go to another promising Canadian player. There are several of those waiting in the wings. ( Soccer Buzz international list)
I appreciate all that but I was wondering whether IceDog had inside information. I think Sophie will likely play in qualifying but she might do a Thorlakson and not go to the WC. No one seems to have asked her directly. Currently Sophie is not exactly with the Olympic team, she's in Colorado with her U-20 teammates (in the guise of the Vancouver Whitecaps) playing against W-League teams. See this line-up: http://www.uslsoccer.com/stats/2008/651164.html
It's pretty established scuttlebutt/rumor around the UP environs that she won't go to the u20WC but will be available for the College tourney, assuming , of course, UP Qualifies. That's about as definite as things get.
I am wondering as well... It should be sometime soon because the qualifiers begin towards the end of June. Any information anyone??
Ten working days before it starts , apparently, although there is a notice referencing further notice in "the relevant circular" You can read more at FIFA organizing regulations
Sound like good news, it will be very interesting to see whose names are posted and which top school will suffer most. Be sure to post the final roster... GO USA!