Just starting the college search/recruiting process. Is it possible to start an informative thread regarding the "flavor" of different Girls D1 soccer schools?

Program, Coaches, Facilities, Players, Team Dynamics, etc, etc, etc.

Any and all info is greatly appreciated.

Just starting the college search/recruiting process. Is it possible to start an informative thread regarding the "flavor" of different Girls D1 soccer schools?

Program, Coaches, Facilities, Players, Team Dynamics, etc, etc, etc.

Any and all info is greatly appreciated.

Does it have to be D1? Why not just about college in general? Are you looking more for the playing time or educational program?

Just starting the college search/recruiting process. Is it possible to start an informative thread regarding the "flavor" of different Girls D1 soccer schools?

Program, Coaches, Facilities, Players, Team Dynamics, etc, etc, etc.

Any and all info is greatly appreciated.

Your request is way to broad ...

start looking at rankings, and RPI and who gets into the tournament
http://www.ncaa.com/sports/w-soccer/ncaa-w-soccer-body.html
or
http://soccerratings.com/index.php?title=Women%27s_NCAA_Division_I_Soccer_R atings

look at conferences and who plays whom and how strong conferences are

http://scoreboard.nscaa.com/conf/divw81.shtml
or
http://soccerratings.com/index.php?title=NCAA_D1_Women%27s_Conference_Ratin gs

look at the women's college forums at bigsoccer where they have discussions about each program
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/index.php
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=66

then when you have an idea of which program(s) you'd like to discuss, then we can talk
;-)

First and foremost, figure out with your kid what their interests are and get them the best educational experience that matches their wants. Most colleges give athletes preferred placement in classes and study help as standard practice. It does not matter if a school is Div 1 or not a great education is available. If your kid is one of the very few who has aspirations above college than worrying about what tournaments they play in or what conference they play in matters. But for most get a good education and experience.

My DD was offered opportunities att 3 D1 schools but her friends in other D1 programs told her it is just like a job and not enough about the college experience.

She committed to a top NAIA soccer school with great academics.

First and foremost, figure out with your kid what their interests are and get them the best educational experience that matches their wants. Most colleges give athletes preferred placement in classes and study help as standard practice. It does not matter if a school is Div 1 or not a great education is available. If your kid is one of the very few who has aspirations above college than worrying about what tournaments they play in or what conference.

My DD was offered opportunities att 3 D1 schools but her friends in other D1 programs told her it is just like a job and not enough about the college experience.

She committed to a top NAIA soccer school with great academics.

This is where the emphasize, my opinion only, should be. Playing soccer at college should be secondary. Getting your education is PRIMARY.

Just as an example, the OU womens basketball player. OU lost, and she says she is keeping her promise of paying back the scholarship money. To me, priorities are backwards.

Does it have to be D1? Why not just about college in general? Are you looking more for the playing time or educational program?

how about some college athlete parents or atheletes who graduated after playing in college and what their experiences were what they would have done differently, with this 20/20 vision would you share please for us greenhorns with kids who have such aspirations?

Check out the thread in this same forum under "Stanford Moves On!" - it turned into a very informative recruiting do's and don'ts thread.

My husband is still bent at his parents for making him go to the 1st school that offered him a full ride. His dream school came in late, but it came in. He loved where he went & was ok with it, but still is mad at mom & dad. I walked on at a D1 school - had no clue about college sports. Parents didn't either. I played a year on the practice squad and thought it was a hassle. Now, I just laugh at myself. I had no clue. I do think that it was much nicer though to just play in high school and in club... back in 'the day"

Check out the thread in this same forum under "Stanford Moves On!" - it turned into a very informative recruiting do's and don'ts thread.
CM makes a good point....check out "Stanford moves on" thread....great advice about college selection....some good folks commenting there.

I feel are the prior posts offer interesting perspectives with regard to priorities and finding a balance which always seems to be the issue.

Personally, my oldest dd received letters and brochures from just about every college I had ever heard of and a bunch I hadn't!!! It was a great geography lesson for her younger brother and sister finding each school on the map of the US.

While it was an extremely difficult decision, she finally opted for the priorities of top ranked education first and soccer second. She is now attending a top university that she would have never considered had it not been for soccer, and even with a 4.0 GPA wouldn't have had a chance to attend without soccer "opening the door."

Needless to say ... we are all very proud!

I feel are the prior posts offer interesting perspectives with regard to priorities and finding a balance which always seems to be the issue.

Personally, my oldest dd received letters and brochures from just about every college I had ever heard of and a bunch I hadn't!!! It was a great geography lesson for her younger brother and sister finding each school on the map of the US.

While it was an extremely difficult decision, she finally opted for the priorities of top ranked education first and soccer second. She is now attending a top university that she would have never considered had it not been for soccer, and even with a 4.0 GPA wouldn't have had a chance to attend without soccer "opening the door."

Needless to say ... we are all very proud!

Your daughter did it the correct way, IMO, congrats.

how about some college athlete parents or atheletes who graduated after playing in college and what their experiences were what they would have done differently, with this 20/20 vision would you share please for us greenhorns with kids who have such aspirations?


Both my daughter and son went through the So Cal club soccer system and never regretted one minute of it. Both continue to be involved in the sport in varying capacities.

Daughter played for a top ranked club and team, opted out for one season due to medical reasons, recovered and was offered a generous scholarship to a D2 powerhouse. She has since graduated, after playing all 4 years as a starter and captained her team to a conference championship her senior year. She received her degree with Honors, got several great job internship offers, but couldn't quite yet get soccer out of her system. She will be playing in a women's pro team in Europe this upcoming season (with substantial pay!). She happily proclaims to anyone who asks her why...she responds, "I am living my dream". Can't argue with that!

Son is still playing D1, getting a quality education from a highly academic school. Soccer has been great to him providing him with a generous scholarship, although his academics got him admitted. Experiential education and Study Abroad opportunities will be part of his after season activities, all funded by the school. He has kept his GPA up in a very rigorous major, all the while starting in a competitive league. Being a student athlete is a very tough balancing act. He is fortunate to be among those who committed to their priorities (education) from day one. He's a happy lad.

Best of luck to you parents who are still navigating the process. Trust that you have done all you can to instill in your children the ability to make positive choices for themselves. You'll be very pleasantly surprised at how adept they are at doing so.

Soccermoms02,
Thank you for sharing your story. For those of us that are embarking on the college road right now, we sure can use the positive reinforcements. Your story is very inspiring. I hope to be able to write one just like it in five years! Congrats to both of your kids, and especially to you because you obviously did a great job for them to get to this point in their lives.

My dd is playing at a D1 school. Not a Top 10, in the Top 100.

Graduated HS end of May. Reported to school beginnng of July. Introduced to college training which consisted of practices, running, strength training. She said "I'm not in Kansas anymore". No coddling, no parents interfering. She heard it from other kids so she prepared herself by working on free weights and speed and endurance before getting there. A lot of girls are unprepared for free weights (not machines). One thing that gave her a leg up.

Fall consisted of classes, study hall, games, practice. Spring the same except a few spring games. Practice early in the morning followed by strength training then classes then studying.

Her biggest struggle first semester was wanting to do everything other freshman do - football games, social - while being a student athlete. Study hall was great for her because it was a fixed time and place and it made studying easier. She talked to her professors early on, gave them her travel schedule, and worked ahead if possible. Helps too that her school has a strong AD that works with student athletes and wants them to do well academically and athletically.

College athletes make personal sacrifices. My dd says she misses out on some things but overall she loves playing for her school and loves soccer. The sacrifices are worth it for her.

It is not for everyone. My suggestion for any prospective college athlete, talk to one who is already playing college soccer at the different levels. Ask them what it's really like, good and bad.

My dd is playing at a D1 school. Not a Top 10, in the Top 100.

Graduated HS end of May. Reported to school beginnng of July. Introduced to college training which consisted of practices, running, strength training. She said "I'm not in Kansas anymore". No coddling, no parents interfering. She heard it from other kids so she prepared herself by working on free weights and speed and endurance before getting there. A lot of girls are unprepared for free weights (not machines). One thing that gave her a leg up.

Fall consisted of classes, study hall, games, practice. Spring the same except a few spring games. Practice early in the morning followed by strength training then classes then studying.

Her biggest struggle first semester was wanting to do everything other freshman do - football games, social - while being a student athlete. Study hall was great for her because it was a fixed time and place and it made studying easier. She talked to her professors early on, gave them her travel schedule, and worked ahead if possible. Helps too that her school has a strong AD that works with student athletes and wants them to do well academically and athletically.

College athletes make personal sacrifices. My dd says she misses out on some things but overall she loves playing for her school and loves soccer. The sacrifices are worth it for her.

It is not for everyone. My suggestion for any prospective college athlete, talk to one who is already playing college soccer at the different levels. Ask them what it's really like, good and bad.My dd will be living this life at a west coast D1 school starting early August when she reports. She has also been made well aware of "boot camp" and will be training all summer for that. Thanks for your post, it's great for those who are about to dive into this to get another's valuable insight!

Time Management, Time Management, Time Management!

If there is one skill that I recommend all college bound players should master well in advance of graduating high school, it is TIME Management.

This is particularly critical when your player is accepted into a highly academic program and chooses a rigorous major. Once in school, encourage your student to take full advantage of tutors provided by the school. Not all instructors are sympathetic to the tough travel schedule of an athlete and will sometimes discourage athletes from taking the class. Required courses are often delayed due to scheduling conflicts and can lead to a 5th year or extra semester to your child's matriculation plans.

Fitness is also very important for your athletes. 2 to 3-a-day and intense camping trips (for bonding) are just a few eye-openers for most newbies (boys and girls). Pre-season testing during fall and spring is mandatory and will determine playing time, in most cases. Your athlete cannot take this casually. There is really no convenient time for your athlete to slack off in this area.

I think by the time most players get into college, they are already aware of the sacrifices involved...as evidenced by the lack of social life most of the elite players have previously experienced. So, this should come as no surprise to most. And if your student is receiving aid/scholarships, playing their sport is basically their job. If having a complete college experience is what your athlete is leaning towards, a D1 program may not be the best fit. NCAA has strictly different schedules for D1, D2, etc.

In any event, believe that your students will SURVIVE! They will ADJUST! And most will SUCCEED! Even without parents' (our) hovering. And they will be a better, happier person for it.

I looked at my dd's recruiting files and came across this printout. I don't remember what website I found it from so I can't give them credit. A lot of these questions can be researched through the internet. It's good to have the questions and answers so when your dd/son talks to the coach they've done research. Remember this is a two-way recruiting process at times. The coach is expressing interest in your kid/express interest in the school/coach. Do your homework.

Questions about the school (research or ask the coach):

1. How big is the school? How many undergraduates?
2. What is the campus like?
3. Is the school public or private?
4. How diverse is the school?
5. Do students live on or off campus? What do most of the soccer players do?
6. What are the residence halls like?
7. Are the teachers accessible to students?
8. What is the most popular major? For soccer players?
9. Are there tutors available?
10. Is summer school available?
11. What is the student-athlete graduation rate?
12. What are the food services like on campus?
13. What is the average class size?

Do you want a small school where you will recognize people?
Do you want a big campus where over half the campus will be filled with strangers?
Does the fact that the school is public or private play a role in the amount of funding that the school or the athletic program has available to them?
Graduation rate is important because what happens if you're injured and longer able to play or decide you don't want to.

Questions about the soccer program (research or ask the coach):

1. What division is the school?
2. What conference do you compete in?
3. Are there any games near me this coming fall that I would be able to come see?
4. How many starters are returning?
5. How many scholarships do you offer?
6. What is your style of play/what system do you use?
7. What is the season schedule like? Off season?
8. How is missing classes handled?
9. Is there an academic support system provided by the college?
10. How long is the season?
11. What was your record last season? Last 5 seasons?
12. What is the travel schedule like?
13. Does everyone travel?
14. Are the teachers supportive of the athletic program?
15. How long have you been a coach here?
16. Who are the assistant coaches and how long have they been here?
17. What is the pre-season schedule like?
18. Are you recruiting other players for the same position?
19. If so, how many? Have any committed?
20. What facilities are available for our use?