Hi some of you may/ not remember me. I posted some stuff about what I should do recruiting wise. To give everyone an update...I played for a pretty strong u-18 club in the fall and participated in a pretty good tourney. I then practiced and was offered a position on a premier club but my other club would not release me. anyhow: I have a big question: Here as it stands, only 2 schools are actively recruiting me and they are NAIA schools--I will not mention them. While I have gotten offers to participate in tryouts for other schools, I could not make them. What should I do?? I am a goalkeeper by the way. Should I just give up or are schools still recruiting?? I am really not even looking for a scholarship-the money issue is not a problem-I guess someone may call it a walk-on invitation or something. I am not necessarily only looking at D-1...I love soccer and where ever I go I want to be playing for sure--for that college and not some intramural type stuff. Please someone/ anyone help, advise me on my options, what I can do as of right now, and any other advice would be kindly accepted.
It sounds like at least four are/were interested in you. It also sounds like you're basically blowing off the two NAIA schools. It also sounds like you blew off other opportunities (sorry, but "I could not make it" = "I didn't care" in the minds of the coaches recruiting you). I don't get the sense from your post that you have looked at the NAIA schools very hard. Apart from soccer, do they have much/anything to offer? What are you interested in studying? Or does college, outside of soccer, interest you at all? Unless you're going to make soccer a profession, best to look at what else is going on at these schools, assuming they're still interested in you. Beyond those two, you may have to make some phone calls/emails to coaches at schools you're interested in to see when you can visit and/or tryout. How far are they from your home? Can you make school visits to them? Since scholarship money is not of primary concern to you, I take it you have parent(s) who will support your scholastic pursuits. Maybe they can help you look over the other schools. Ask questions -- lotsa questions. Ask their coaches questions. Ask current players questions. Ask alumni questions. And take notes, because you'll get confused later if you don't. Frankly, it reads as though you didn't start this process very well, because you either didn't gather data, or didn't process the data you gathered very well. Get organized and try to end it better.
This may not be the reply you are looking for, but "don't pick the school based on soccer, pick your school based on education". It's great that you have a passion for soccer and want to keep playing in college, but don't pick your school based on that. There are too many x-factors. What happens if you get hurt? What happens if you don't make the team for some reason? What if you don't get the playing time you want? What are you planning to do after 4 years of playing? Go pro? Hopefully, but no guarantees. After pro, then what? You need something to fall back on besides soccer. It's a lot to grasp, but you have to evaluate the educational and sport qualities of each school. I could have played at a better school, but went to a school that had the education qualities I wanted and also had a decent soccer team. It's some of the best memories of my life playing there and I still go back for alumni games 19 years later. If money isn't an issue and you aren't glued to be local, try looking farther away and expand your horizons. Experience a different area of the US.
Untroubled: As for the (2) NAIA schools-I am not blowing them off, as those are my only options today. Unfortunately, the tryouts that I was invited to were simply too far. One tryout invite was from a school on the East Coast-I live on the West Coast. Another was a school 5 hours from where I live. I just couldn't make them--there were a number of reasons, time, lodging, my high school season is still going because we made playoffs and it is illegal for me to do both--a college tryout and my high school team. I guess my main question is: Should I still email coaches, fill out the questionaires, send my resume + video...that kinda stuff?? CTSoccer: No I hear that all the time...the stuff about making soccer my second option and education first. I hope that I can find a good middle ground. Update: I have a lot of academic offers from schools and if i dont find a decent soccer option then I will have to fall back on that.
Yeah, that's right. Stay in touch with those guys, and let them know if you're interested. One thing that might distinguish you from other candidates coaches are looking at is your enthusiasm. If you really like their school, please say so! "Coach, I really want to come to your school because" ...I like your program, your alumni all speak highly of you/your school, I think the underwater basketweaving department is supercool... whatever the reason. Also, along those lines, find out as much as you can about the non-soccer side of the schools as you can so you can make the best [most informed] decision possible. Good luck!
Update: Hey guys I got some really bad news. I didn't tell you that this season I have dislocated my shoulder 3 times. Im having surgery this Friday. What should I do now?? I can come back and play in 6 months but I have already gotten 4 responses with schools that want me to come visit and train with the team in 2 months. What should I tell them?? and do you think they would still want me to play?? BTW: thanx for all your advice, over this weekend, the replies have been rolling in.
I'm sorry about your bad news, but I hope your surgery goes well. Work hard on you rehab, but do not rush. Tell the schools you are interested in the truth. Give them a realistic timeline for your surgery, and what you expect your recovery to be. Again, consider that you're in this for the long haul, and hopefully they are, too. Good luck!