Where do I stand?

I have no recollection of your other post. Bu it's unlikely to matter.

I get the impression that you anticipated playing for your club in a few tournaments and then sitting back and waiting for the offers to flood in.

And except for a dozen or so kids every year, that ain't how it works.

But the biggest question is this: what do you want to do with your life? What college or university appeals to you? What kind of degree do you want? What are you looking for out of the college education which you seem willing and able to invest upwards of $100,000 in?

(If the answer to that last question is: "Prolong my soccer playing life" then it's the worst use of $100,000 I can think of. Buy T Bills instead.)

The real issue, indeed the ONLY issue, is: where do you want to go to school?

Figure this out, then get ahold of the coach and have a chat. They're remarkably freindly guys, particularly with kids who are interested in their program.

Yes, virtually every program in the land is still open to some more freshmen players. The ship has not sailed. In fact, in most places it's barely cleared the dock.

But YOU have to decide what YOU want. Nobody is going to come drag you off your couch.

 

This kids situation is no different than 99% of other 17-19 years. They DO NOT KNOW WHAT they WANT. With the exception of about a dozen kids most of them will attend a school that shows them interest in their sport.

 

Some of the guys in our area are doing the following that are young seniors (not 18 yet). They have decided to go to community college and take the minimum classes to still make them eligible to be re-recruited per NCAA rules for the following season and continue to play club at a U19 one more season. This way they can get re-recruited all over again, and would more than likely stand-out on their club teams. Nothing wrong with taking one or two core courses at a community college, play club, maybe work a part-time job, and then see what offers you get. Also contact, write, email, call, call, call the schools you are really interested in. If you're good, the schools will take notice and see you are really serious about going to their school. And keep your grades up!

 

I hope by now you have your applied to different universites, since many application deadlines have passed. I would call as many coaches you can at the schools you would love to attend with or without soccer and ask if there is a roster spot for you as a preferred walk on.or a tryout opportunity once you get there You have to market yourself it is competitve out there and as a goalie you have to be realistically be willing to sit for a year or two.
It is so important to go to aschool that you would attend regardless of soccer. DIII schools are not yet done recruiting.

 

this is the #1 important question to ask yourself. If you break your leg and can not play soccer anymore, do you still want to go to school there?

It sounds like you visited the NAIA schools, but don't like them, if you haven't then you are waisting your time by waiting.

Being a fellow GK I can advise you now that I'm old and wise. The odds of a first year keeper coming in and starting a very slim. You have to sit and wait your turn usually and train your butt off and prove yourself. You'll be competing, but hopefully learning too.

I did not have that situation in college and it sucked as we were both freshman (the senior didn't come back that year) and we were both like oh no, it was great to get in, but being 18 and starting is very difficult at the college level, especially when you were used to playing at the club level where you only play your own age (luckily I had played in some men's leagues since I was 16, but still it's a lot faster then the pub league).

You have to start deciding soon, it's already mid-feb. Where are you anyway? I know a couple schools that do need Gk's.

 

What Bill said in his entire post. As to the portion above, I walked on at a college where I was clearly not going to be able to make a real contribution (except by getting better so I was a stronger player in scrimmages and thus gave the good players a better workout). The coach took me on a tour of the facilities, introduced me to a few players we bumped into on campus, and gave me the team's proscribed summer workouts that we were to do in addition to playing for our club teams. I mostly sat on the bench for two seasons until the program moved from D-II to D-I, at which time I took up rugby.

When I went to a match 12 years after I graduated, 14 years after I'd last played, the coach recognized me and chatted for a few minutes during warm-up and after the match.

Most college coaches are like that. And if you come across one who isn't, that just makes your decision that much easier.

 

You are best to call coaches or go and visit the school. Coaches get 100's of emails a day. Good luck!! Pick a school you love with or without soccer!

 

If I were you, I would stop wasting time on this website.

CALL COACHES.

Do you know how many emails coaches receive? Probably 500 a week.

Do you know how many phone calls coaches receive each week? Probably 50.

Call a coach from a school you got into, ask them if they are still recruiting. Ask them if they are still looking for a goalkeeper. If they are, ask them what is the best way to get a tryout and do what they say.

If they say they are done recruiting, then ask their advice on your situation. College coaches have a much better idea of the recruiting landscape than anyone else. If they know of any local schools that you would fit into, they will point you in the right direction.

Emails are impersonal and so frequent, that a lot of coaches scan them for 5 seconds and delete them, or if your lucky pass them onto an assistant coach to look at.

CALL COACHES. And when you call coaches, take a look at the team's website. If they 3 returning keepers and already signed a freshman, you probably shouldnt bother.

 

To be honest, the odds of getting a scholarship in mid-to late february is close to nil. Especially for a freshman goalkeeper. No offense, but like I had mentioned before, I had gone through the same thing. Your best bet is to find somewhere you can get financial awards to and hope that you can convince the coach to give you money after a year of being in the program.

Most GK's that have received scholarship monies probably have received that in November/December. It's really late in the game to be choosy on schools based on scholarships.

 

You can always ask the coach. Do I have a spot ? What is the potential for athletic scholarship either this year or in my career ?

 

That's a great bit of advice. I think, though, that people are hesitant about calling a coach because they fear that the coach is a very busy person and may be irritated with phone calls. Is it too early to call if you are a sophomore? For those of you who have called coaches, what do you start the conversation with?

 

When you say call coaches, do the kids have to call, or can parents call on their behalf? Kids are so busy these days and with school, club teams/tournaments, I don't know when they'd have time to make phone callls.

 

Coaches DO NOT want to talk to parents, they are not recruiting the parent! The only time a parent needs to get invovled in when you are discussing finances! Kids need to make the phone call, if they want it bad enough they find the time! Kids can rehearse with the parent what they are going to say prior to call. I know if is difficult for for some, but they really need to be the one making the calls

 

Interpertation "I am a helicopter parent and I want to be the one who makes the calls".

Let your son make the calls. As mentioned, having him rehearse his calls with the parents is a great idea.

 

Point taken. When's the best time for players to reach a coach? I would guess sophomores have to be pretty strategic since coaches can't call them back. Is summer the best time for them to make these calls?

 

The coach can't return calls to anyone but seniors or rising seniors once July
1st happens. Call anytime, use email and set up a brief meeting.

 

Thanks. That's really helpful information. I know my son gets psyched out by the idea of making calls to people he really looks up to. I suppose it gets easier the more you do it. Knowing how other people handle it gives him more confidence.