@nycnycnycnyc hit it on the head. It’s highly variable, just like club skiing or cycling.
I’d first look at schools with Econ programs your students likes, then reach out to the club to ask questions. A lot will depend on how good he is and how much risk he’s willing to take in not getting a slot.
My son was an engineering major. He didn’t feel he even had time for club. He played IM and pickup intermittently. He was also a competitive skier, but gave up all competition in the name of academics.
Most schools have information about club teams on their recreation center or athletic websites. We pay $100/year in dues that covers referee and transportation costs.The team plays a regional schedule of weekend games so there are no conflicts with classes. Playing club was a step down for my competitive kid (the team prioritizes fun over winning) but she’s at her academic fit school and still gets to play her sport and even travel a bit. It was a great way to meet new people too.
Interestingly, her team has a lot of players who used the athletic tip for admission then dropped down to club after one year of varsity play because they found it too demanding.
I agree there is a wide range (and skill level) of club teams, regardless what NCAA division the school is in. Some of the club teams travel frequently, including regular plane flights, so obviously those could cost a big chunk of change.
You should be able to see past years’ schedules on the website, if not reach out to the contact person and ask…how competitive are tryouts, the average hours/week commitment, typical season cost, etc.
FWIW a couple of years ago our Penn tour guide said he started playing club basketball his first year, that it was fairly high level, but he quit midway through the season because of the high level of time commitment.
In addition to the above suggestions, I’d offer:
RIT (Liberty) - 27-30-10 last 4 years
Skidmore (Liberty) - 29-22-17
Union (Liberty) - 36-28-3
Babson (NEWMAC) - 46-23-10
Emerson (NEWMAC) - 16-45-5
Swarthmore (Centennial) - 31-31-10
Don’t go down that road blindly. That would be like going to BYU and not knowing it was a LDS school. Liberty has a heavy evangelical religious mission built into their ethos.
Let me give you a few suggestions. 1) Don’t give up on the NESCAC schools where you are the number 3, 4, or 5 recruit. As noted by others, there is a fair bit of movement on recruits, up to D1 and down to D3. However, it is imperative that your kid makes it known to the NESCAC coaches that he REALLY wants play for the school. At this point, it wouldn’t be too frequent to email or text once a week or bi-weekly. 2) Have your kid ask the colleges of interest if they submitted his transcript for a pre-read. I suspect that coaches may have submitted for a preread if your kid is the number 4 recruit. You really should know whether and where this has happened, and also what admissions thought of your kid. Don’t let your kid be shy about asking. You will learn a lot about what the coaches are thinking by being assertive. 3) Consider schools with a “B” soccer team. They practice with the “A” team, but have a few scrimmages that are down a level. My recollection is that Williams and Wesleyan have B teams, but you should double check.
Just remember, no coach will turn your kid away because he is really interested in his program. However, coaches may move on when they don’t hear from a recruit.
We are in exactly the same position. This entire experience has been brutal and expensive… There just aren’t enough spots this year at the top academic schools
I have an S22 and we are about to give up on the whole process. If he wants to play, I guess he will walk on. He is one of the top keepers in our state, but he doesn’t play club. Guessing that is the issue.
@murray93 It’s WAY too early to give up. A Class of 2021 keeper from Texas just committed to D1 Tulsa.
To put things in perspective, TopDrawerSoccer only lists 11 GK commitments in the U.S. from the Class of 2022(obviously underreported). I’m personally aware of 6 GKs in New England that are committed. I’d guess there are less than 30 committed 2022 keepers in the country right now.
Hmmm interesting. S just seems to be losing steam on the whole thing and I don’t really blame him. (On the other hand, he’s ramping up on his studies AT LAST, so I’m not too too disappointed! )
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