<p>EMM1, and… it is a personal decision that should be made with careful consideration.</p>
<p>For those of you who haven’t read the whole thread…the answer basically is “it depends.” There is no for sure answer. Life is full of decisions like that. </p>
<p>@abasket. Here’s the deal. There are two levels for D1. The NCAA divides D1 into the football bowl subdivision (FBS) and the football championship subdivision (FCS). The FBS is so named because the bowls decide the national champion. The FCS determines a champion byway of a postseason playoff like most sports do. </p>
<p>I am 95% sure my son could fit in just fine at FCS schools like Lehigh (the first school we looked at even though we are in Orlando, FL) and Davidson and Furman and so on. </p>
<p>I am 95% sure he is no where near the FBS level athletically even at “smaller” FBS schools like Miami of Ohio or FAU in Boca Raton or UCF here in Orlando. No way. Those are the big boys. Big lifters, and fast. </p>
<p>Below all that you have D2 and D3 and NAIA. You probably knew all this. Sorry for the lecture. I am 95% sure my son could play D2 or D3 if he chooses too. </p>
<p>I looked at the small schools in the NE league, as one reply suggested. Williams, Weslyan, etc. Interesting schools. D3 athletics. I had previously looked at Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, etc. he could play at those places. I can tell by the athletes ht/wts and by looking at pictures of them. They are “normal” people who are good or great athletes but not 2 standard deviations from the mean like D1 athletes are size and speed wise.</p>
<p>He just got his soph year report card and his unweighted GPA was 3.25 this year. One of his A’s was weightlifting (an elective). After reading the “chance me” threads here I realize how lame he is compared to the people who get into elite schools so I have to adjust my goals and cross off Davidson and Princeton and Stanford and Duke and places like that. His EC’s aren’t great after seeing what kids who post on this site do. </p>
<p>So, after lots of thought, more than likely after high school he will quit sports and focus on school and young ladies. If that doesn’t keep him busy I don’t know what will. </p>
<p>All of this might change suddenly because I am going to take him to 1-2 summer football camps for recruits next year. Not sure yet which ones. And I am pretty sure he will get told things that we want to hear because the 1, 2 or 3 day camps give the coaches a chance to see the goods in the flesh so to speak. That will put thoughts in our heads again but hopefully we will make a clean break after high school. </p>
<p>It’s tempting but at the end of the day academics has to come first and I still, in my heart, don’t think he can do both and do them well. He works out a lot. When you add you all the running, film sessions, lifting, practicing, traveling, hitting, etc. it just isn’t worth it. </p>
<p>One last thought. I stumbled on a private school called Centre in Kentucky. This is after I swear to God I have left no stone unturned. Wow. What an amazing college. But so tiny. Just not worth it. Got to let it go. But if he did play football it would be a place like that or Davidson. He would be a perfect fit, athletically, for Davidson or Lehigh.</p>
<p>But Centre did just get back from playing football in England. If you like Centre, look at the entire SCAC conference.</p>
<p>AC:</p>
<p>Its a little early to make judgments about where your son is likely to be recruited. But if you do not yet have information from some independent, reliable source about where your son is likely to be recruitable, I would get that first. </p>
<p>Second, if his test scores turn out to be decent, you might be surprised about how attractive he is to very selective schools if he is a recruitable football player.</p>
<p>Re “Voluntary” or “OYO” (on your own)</p>
<p>ah ha
so thats how they get around it–doing double practices</p>
<p>several schools our student is talking with stressed 6 days a week practices with team/coaches and it is expected that you WILL do voluntary/OYO practices–running, weights, strength training/cardio etc etc…</p>
<p>I wouldn’t give up on Davidson. If your son has some talent, he is not out of their range.</p>
<p>Tutoring for athletes… Many schools kid glove the academic programs for their athletes which are big revenue generators for the school. Big East Basketball players-- they’re getting tutoring, Division I Hockey players-- tutors; etc…</p>
<p>I say give it a shot if they love playing… they can always drop it later.</p>
<p>Story from the Patriot League (D1, but competes with Ivies): A professor had scheduled a field trip for his Policy Studies class, they were going to DC for 2 days to sit in on some Congressional hearings. There were 2 football players in the class who would miss two days of practice before the biggest game of the year. The coach appealed to the professor to let them miss the trip - no dice. Then the coach went to the Dean, who said, “These students are absolutely going on the field trip.” Got this story from the parents of one of the players. So there are schools, even D1, where academics still come first.</p>
<p>Also, I have 2 neighbors with kids who will be playing D3 next year. One told me his son’s school only travels far for games on the weekends, any weeknight games are close to home. He was promised his kid would only miss at most 2 - 3 classes all season. He’ll be at a very “academic” college. Both of these kids could have played at a higher level (one was being recruited by an Ivy) but both felt that D3 offered them a chance to continue playing while still being a student, and both realize that being a student is the primary point in going to college.</p>
<p>My DD was a three sport HS athlete. In her favourite sport she played on the jr national team, it was a club not varsity sport at university, but it was on the list for varsity evaluation. Most of the teams in the country were club, but it was pretty serious club. They had practices multiple times a week, conditioning, fall & spring. They traveled for regional and national champs. DD garnered All American status.</p>
<p>At the same time she was at a top 25 school and top ranked public, with science major, so huge curved courses. DD will begin med school soon, so she made it happen.</p>
<p>The team ambiance and style was not a great fit for her, when she studied abroad she played on that school’s varsity team and was much happier. Her senior year she chose not to play her sport so she could prepare properly for her med school apps. She was looking to finish her senior year with all upper div science & straight As. She definitely picked up a few B+/A- grades when playing.</p>
<p>All in all, though, I think she is glad she played as she is an athlete and is happiest with a physical outlet. As her mother, I would guess that if she had loved the team at her school as much as the one abroad she might have tried to play senior year.</p>
<p>It really depends on the kid and how much they want the varsty team experience. My son was high school All State, All Conference, all area in several newspapers in soccer, strong player for elite club team in Winter and Spring. Recruited by half a dozen DIII schools, several DII schools. DIII programs in general were six day a week commitment in the Fall–practice every afternoon, games on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Away games as much as 6 or 7 hours away by bus. Several away games on Sats are bus leaving campus Friday afternoon, getting back Sat night. Five week, three day a week Spring practice, expectation of participation in off-season strength and conditioning program. He had no doubt he could do it and do well academically, but decided it would limit his time to do other things, he just did not want to be locked in to the schedule. Soccer was a major part of his life growing up, he loves to play, but just too many other things he wants to have the time to do. Loves ultimate frisbee and will be doing that, expects to play club or intrmural soccer.</p>