OT: DIII sports experience

[upstater]

That’s a crazy story. I will say that parents have an expectation that college coaches are attending these tournaments and they get upset when numbers are low. I’m a bit surprised that a quality ECNL player had no college interest. I’d question the club coach as well as they should be advocating, assuming it’s a goal of the player.

Her club coach was a former HC for an NWSL team. He has a million connections. (His name actually appeared as one of the doofuses who was abusive in the whole women's soccer scandal). Obviously she's far and away the best player on the team and in the state. Players from this club have gotten top D1 offers. Last year same club had Ohio State and ACC schools.

Also, I didn't say no college interest. The whole region up here knows about her. It's that she had no high D1 interest.

I've known the family for a long time. They are professional people who were not heavily in tune with the ins and outs of recruiting (did not prepare videos, did not make contacts on the apps, did not travel to summer camps or meetings with coaches). This is why I think recruiting in the non-rev sports is more about the parents than it is the clubs.

It took an oddball decision by the best coach in college soccer to make it happen. He was already full with recruits, went to a game he had earlier decided to bag in favor of going to a bar (according to one of her coaches who heard it from him), and then offered her immediately after the game. (I watched it on ESPN, she was the most skilled, most athletic and most selfish player on the pitch, repeatedly storming down the flanks with absolutely no willingness to pass).

 

[Greedo]

I read most of the first page, but skipped a lot of the thread. Apologies if my reply is dated.

I was in a similar boat when I was in high school. I had the opportunity to play soccer at several D3 schools, and for some time was sure that was the route I was going to go. But the summer before my senior year I realized I really didn’t want to be at a small school and would only be going to play soccer. So I went to UConn instead and was very happy with my decision. I occasionally look back and say what if, but I don’t lose sleep over it.

D3 works well for kids that are happy with going to that type of school whether playing a sport or not. I would not have been happy there without the sport. I thought what if I get injured and can’t play anymore. Then I’m just stuck here or have to transfer. I had several friends that did play D1 or D3 soccer and many quit and transferred, or got hurt and couldn’t play anymore.

UConn has club sports which are fun and a good level of competition, and even the highest level of intramurals are mostly kids that could have played in college.