<p>I wanted to post a thread to thank the members of this forum. I have read many of your posts and they have been very helpful as I navigated the recruiting process.</p>
<p>My son will graduate in 2014 and just made his verbal committment to a DI program this past weekend after 5 unofficial visits.</p>
<p>I also wanted to make some brief observations about the process, confirming much of what I learned here. These are my subjective observations based on my limited experience.</p>
<p>Recruiting Service: I used one, but having this forum as a resource, really didn't need one.</p>
<p>Timeline: For boys soccer, the vast majority of DI schools will have completed the majority of their recruiting by the end of players' junior years.</p>
<p>Camps: We went to many. I would say that if you haven't communicated with a coach and you aren't sure they will look at your player during the camp, don't go. There were just too many players for the coaches to really look at everyone.</p>
<p>Academy vs. Club: At least in California, Academy seemed to mean a lot. If your grades were solid, you seemed to have DI options. My kid played club, but also made the ODP Regional Team. ODP players seemed to get looked at by a lot of coaches. Players on top Premiere club teams seemed to get less exposure, but did seem to have opportunities to have coaches watch them. Less successful club teams at the Premiere level got very little attention, even if they had an amazing player on their roster. I think if coaches showed up at high school games at all, it was to look at one of their recruits from club soccer in a different environment.</p>
<p>Communication with coaches: WAS CONFUSING. Some virtually ignored my kid and then turned around and recruited hard. Others were all about recruiting, but ultimately were reluctant to make an offer. I think our strategy of assuming every one wanted him regardless of their level of communication saved us from cutting off options that seemed unlikely at one point became strong offers at a later point.</p>
<p>Height: My kid is kind of short (5'4") and got multiple DI offers. So for those without 6'3" progeny, don't give up hope!!</p>
<p>Hi thirdelement- Your experience is very much like ours. Academy does seem to mean a lot, but since in California, kids cannot play high school and academy, it can be a tough choice! My son plays on a Premier team- when he was a junior, his team had just moved up to Premier, and he did not get a lot of coaches looking at him. He is one of the few seniors on the team. Once the team did well in Premier and moved on to top tournaments, coaches came out to watch in flocks. Definitely he got the most exposure at tournaments- Dallas, Surf Cup, National Cup. As far as I know, no coaches came to high school games- this is one sport that just doesn’t get recruited out of high school. Your other points are spot on also- we saw the exact same thing. VERY confusing as far as communication! You just never know what those coaches are thinking! So glad it is all over and settled. </p>
<p>One more thing as far as grades- one of our son’s friends who is a junior and played ODP has pretty low grades. He is getting a lot of interest from coaches UNTIL they see his grades and test scores. Just another reason for potential recruits to pay a lot of attention to grades!</p>
<p>like many other high school sports the National Circuit for Tennis, Fencing, Golf, Archery etc. is where talent at the collegiate level is going to come from anything tied to school is just usually fun. The kids that “really” compete in those sports at that level are already better than most regular high school letter winners and have way higher aspirations, drive and desires than the regular kids.</p>
<p>Thanks for the soccer insight. I have a high school freshman who may be looking at D3 as he moves through the process, so I check in here for insight. </p>
<p>As a parent of 5’5" soccer player (not my high school student, that one is in college already and just plays rec soccer now), I applaud the accomplishments of players who are not 6ft and 180 lbs – love a sport which rewards quick, smaller guy. Congrats to your player, and best wishes for his senior year!</p>
<p>I just finished junior year and I’ve been a top player on my club and ODP teams, although didn’t make regional team. Looking to play either D3 at small liberal arts colleges or possibly D1 at ivies if I’m good enough. Is it better for senior year to be one of the top players on a fairly high ranked club team or to be an average player on the average academy team in my city?</p>
<p>Notwithstanding Everton’s post (Hey, Everton! I think I tried to ask some questions on your other thread) I have some stuff to share today from notes I have been taking.</p>
<p>DS has been heavily talking with fellow camp mates. He’s good at that. We’re in the hotel with another camp tomorrow and he told me about someone whose 2012 teammate this past year was “s**** out of Ivy” because his SAT and GPA were too high. The Ivy coaches told him he’d be sure to get in on his own with support, however in the end he was not admitted Ivy. On the other hand, another teammate with lower SATs and a lower GPA (but better size if not ability) went (admittedly to a different) Ivy because they had a “spot” guaranteed.</p>
<p>Just sharing. Also had a personal email from a coach that although July 1 was approaching that the coach was taking a few weeks off but expected to be back in touch later in July and pick up then, in the meantime to feel free to email or text. So much for July 1 from that school? Not sure.</p>
<p>Maybe. I definitely did not get the whole story but I did get that the high score kid resented he did not in the end go Ivy at all while another kid did. But the two kids were obviously not looking at the same schools.</p>
<p>The good news is that kid who was upset is going to a great top ten or fifteen school anyway. It just did not work out like he thought it would.</p>
<p>Our son’s college counselor told us about the “you will get in on your own” thing too, but as something to be sure a college did not attempt with our kid. Not sure why anyone would believe that any kid was a sure bet for an Ivy these days.</p>
<p>The problem is, by the time you are up to speed on how it works, it’s all over! Half the time it does not even make sense to even try to figure things so far in advance because you have so much ahead of you that has not happened yet. Without test scores, junior year film and transcripts I would not have even known which division we’d be looking at. However, now that we are in the middle of it, what an incredible resource it is to have parents who have been through it stay here long past the times when their own kids went through recruiting to share their knowledge.</p>
<p>By the way, not to bury the lead, but I also wanted to share that we had an early morning July 1 phone call and guess what - we have a first early NESCAC slot offer at a school son has visited and loves. No matter what happens now, it looks like we have a good chance at a soft landing this fall. Best to everyone. Signed proud ChicagoMama!</p>
<p>often kids are told to apply on their own/try walk on when the coach has better athletic prospects they definitely want to support…and if the lesser prospect gets in on their own and walks on–the coach gains.<br>
There is no truth to scores/gpa too high for the recruiting process at HYP etc. </p>
<p>I think that that type of comment/let down from coach’s is a way for the coach to let the kid off “gently”.</p>
<p>K2 just got an email from a coach saying he couldn’t support K2 without a certain athletic stat improvement…and if k2 gets in on own–then K2 could try-out for a walk on slot. Clearly K2 is not an athletic match for that team. </p>
<p>This is the second time around for us as K1 was a recruit in the chosen sport. </p>
<p>My advice is cast a wide net. Keep communicating even if you aren’t hearing back. Coaches are busy and you won’t know where you are on their list for a while. Also it is a game of musical chairs and you have competing athletes and competing coaches all trying to sift out the process.</p>
<p>Agree with that. One Ivy coach was quoted as saying something like, ‘I don’t care if she’s a 240 index, double-legacy - if she’s an athlete I want I’ll support her. I’m not rolling the dice with admissions.’</p>
<p>Congratulations chicagomama! That must feel great! I can see a few people here are also at Elite. Just reminding myself to bring the big spray for when the sun goes down! Hope to be in your position soon.</p>