One other thing. Camps are a good way to be seen and to express interest to a coach. But I don't think most coaches are very interested in pre-high school age players, at camp or otherwise. Nothing wrong with going to a camp before high school, but in most cases there won't be much in the way of dividends, IMHO.
But if you can go to your dream school's soccer camp 3, 4 yrs in a row, then that is telling the coach your way interested. But I would agree with most of what you said Smash. We visited 2 schools March of her Soph year. I can tell you, it was WAY to early in the process. All the schools she visited in Summer prior and fall of her JR year completely meant more to her than the 2 schools she visited March Soph year. NO Rush.
One other thought on the matter. I said earlier that coaches like to talk directly with the kids. No doubt about that. However, your typical high school soccer player is not going to be able to ask the kind of questions that need to be asked in order to get all of the info needed to make a decision. The parent has to be fearless in this regard, and satisfy every concern to make sure that this school/soccer team is the right place for the player. This includes who else is being recruited for the player's grad year, the year or two before the player's grad year, and even after the player's grad year. Everybody is going to have to compete for a spot, obviously, but if the player is being recruited at the beginning of junior year, and is being told a same-position player is graduating so there will be playing time available, you need to find out how many others are being told the same story. The coach should be very forthcoming with this information, if not consider if this is really a place you want to play.
If you want a chance to see some great players... check out the game on April 14th.... the Homewood Flossmoor girls VS the Marian Catholic Girls, they are playing at the Fire Stadium (Toyota Park)!!! (First HS girls ever!) I've got free tickets to that game and to the 4/20 vs Kansas City Game... All you gotta do is check out the Ho CHunk Sports and Expo Center in Lynwood on April 11th at 5pm... be one of the first ones in the door and get two free tickets to either game! We are also offering a free appetizer buffet, reduced drinks and a live rock and roll band! www.sportsandexpo.com 708-418-1400 Thanks!@ Jill
Nice job Bobby. Just a wee jealous? That would account for the unnecessary nasty tone. That being noted, I would say that Bird heard it wrong, but not so wrong that it makes a difference. I was at the first game and there weren't 40 coaches. It was off Disney, but surprisingly there were several coaches (as in maybe 3 - 5) including at least one from a top ACC school (Wake Forest), but nowhere near 40. Bird may have been misinformed or misunderstood. The second or third game was in the Disney stadium and there were lots of coaches there - could have been 40. Personally I would put it closer to 30 and note that Stars was playing a FL team and there may have been lots of coaches from smaller FL schools in addition to other well known top programs like UCLA, FSU, UVA, BC (your local favorite). There were coaches at all the other games - but not so many as at the one game in the stadium. The Florida team Stars was playing (Ponte Vedre Storm) is very well regarded. Not sure about PV, but Stars has three sophomores and they may well have written to schools to ask them to come watch. It is the beginning for the recruiting cycle for them. So coaches were at that particular game either because of the reputation of the two teams playing, the reputation of some of their players or in response to invitations. And that is what this thread is about - the movement forward of the recruiting cycle for some younger players, especially on the girls side. It is happening and will continue until the NCAA puts a lid on it.
Absolutely not. My little one (Non-Stars) is doing very well, entertaining numerous discussions with various educational establishments, thank you. Besides, you validated my comment. Oh, I reread my post, no tone there, sorry to disappoint. Was just a factual statement. Have a nice day.
So you felt the discussion of early recruiting was furthered by your comment? I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then.
Thanks. In hindsight, it was a bit immature and I can further say that you can remove "stars" from my post and still be on target. Not just "Stars" parents who embelish.
Wow - we agree again - that all parents tend to embellish a bit. Maybe we'll be dodging rain drops on the sidelines near each other at the BC games on Sunday in Lancaster. I'll be sure to wear all my Stars gear.
Not aware of any college coaches bothering to drop by and watch our Dallas Cup U15 boys. The national scouts were there, though, and put two of our guys on their short list. At U13s, nobody cared about those players, they were off the map. In two more years, they might be physically bypassed by others. Which is why the colleges don't bother. Your ladies sure do grow up fast, it's a whole different world out there when you are taking HS freshmen seriously.
It's a girls thing for sure. Not sure if freshmen generally are being recruited or only watched for future reference. However, for many programs it is open season on sophomores (including young ones playing on U15 teams) and they are being taken seriously.
I know this is kinda of East Coast thing right now, but I can tell you when mine was U15, we had alot of D1's watching us play on the circuit. But it was more about watching us then contacting us. Soph year, sure you will start to get some mailings and maybe request for calls thru your club coach. Jr year, that is when it gets serious. just look on the Womens College Soccer thread, there is a very nice 09 Recruit spreadsheet, and look how many Jr's have verbal committed already. There is even some 10's which I think is a bit early, but each there own I guess.
Unreal isnt it?? Even thou my daughter stressed about it, she was glad she visited the campus's that she did, She wanted to visit even more. It came down to East Coast v West Coast.