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**Unregistered** · 02-10-2016, 10:44 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

I have a kid who plays for a top 10 team in FL. He was seen at a tournament and coaches liked what they saw. They invited him to ID camp and then got an offer, simple as that. A couple of other kids that got offers also came from club teams and not DA. Caveat is you have to play real well when eyes are on you, at tournaments and ID camps, that's it !

So...... to the parents who have kids in good clubs that are not DA do not despair. As long as they're good players and play tournaments where the coaches go they will get noticed. I'm sure many good DA players also get recruited as well, but it's not the only avenue by a long shot.

The more accurate title to your thread should read "The Myth That D1 College Coaches Recruit Only DA Players." While there is no doubt that college coaches do indeed recruit players seen at tournaments and ID camps, there is also no doubt that D1 college coaches continue to recruit the majority of their players from the DA program and foreign countries.

**Unregistered** · 02-10-2016, 10:50 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

I have a kid who plays for a top 10 team in FL. He was seen at a tournament and coaches liked what they saw. They invited him to ID camp and then got an offer, simple as that. A couple of other kids that got offers also came from club teams and not DA. Caveat is you have to play real well when eyes are on you, at tournaments and ID camps, that's it !

In the meantime, a local DA where some friends I know are going have more than 30 players on the team and most players are barely playing or not playing at all. Many of them don't travel on away games and stay home. How productive is that for these players ? Many are disenchanted with the whole process as it turned out which has turned out very different than what was sold to them last summer. In fact a couple of kids already left to other clubs.

So...... to the parents who have kids in good clubs that are not DA do not despair. As long as they're good players and play tournaments where the coaches go they will get noticed. I'm sure many good DA players also get recruited as well, but it's not the only avenue by a long shot.

Just do basic math an it's very clear there are far more college roster spots than there are DA or ECNL players. Now if you have the skills and ambitions to play at the Stanfords of this world (along with the grades) then you do need to be in the best league possible - which is DA or ECNL. But if you're a top player on a 2nd tier team and your goals are different then that then yes, playing on a top team that does showcase events, etc. will still help get you there. You may have to do a little more work but it's very achievable.

Only important additional note is on the men's side international players are a big factor, and there are fewer programs and scholarship $$ than on the women's. So if you're not DA then that "top team" really does have to be that - TOP.

**Unregistered** · 02-10-2016, 10:55 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

The more accurate title to your thread should read "The Myth That D1 College Coaches Recruit Only DA Players." While there is no doubt that college coaches do indeed recruit players seen at tournaments and ID camps, there is also no doubt that D1 college coaches continue to recruit the majority of their players from the DA program and foreign countries.

OP didn't specify D1 - when you add in D2 and D3 there are many opportunities to play in college. Even within D1 there's a very broad spectrum of quality. Plenty of low level D1 programs don't have rosters of only DA and international players. But net/net competition for spots at any level is tougher on the men's side than the women's.

**Unregistered** · 02-10-2016, 10:55 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

The more accurate title to your thread should read "The Myth That D1 College Coaches Recruit Only DA Players." While there is no doubt that college coaches do indeed recruit players seen at tournaments and ID camps, there is also no doubt that D1 college coaches continue to recruit the majority of their players from the DA program and foreign countries.

It just so happens that this school is a D1 school ! So yes, if you're good it doesn't matter whether you play DA or club. As long as the club you play in is playing the best showcases.

**Unregistered** · 02-10-2016, 11:16 AM

There are over 5,000 men playing D1 soccer. So say there's a need for 1800 incoming freshmen (I went higher than an equal four year split because many aren't playing by senior year, so programs need more freshmen). There's 80 DA clubs, 24 per roster, half are graduating any given year = 960 DA players on an average year. The rest have to come from somewhere. Many are coming from overseas.

Now, academically are all those D1 programs great? No. Are they all great soccer programs? No. But if you also add in other divisions there are many places to play for many levels of ability and intellect. It's a process overlaying academic and athletic goals. The student has to determine what emphasis to give academics vs athletics (plus cost) because sometimes compromises will have to be made.

**Unregistered** · 02-10-2016, 11:26 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

It just so happens that this school is a D1 school ! So yes, if you're good it doesn't matter whether you play DA or club. As long as the club you play in is playing the best showcases.

While that is great news for your son and there is no doubt that DI college coaches still recruit players seen at tournaments and ID camps, my claim that D1 college coaches recruit the majority of their players from the DA program and foreign countries is accurate and playing in the DA program will increase the likelihood of any talented player being recruited by a D1 college.

**Unregistered** · 02-10-2016, 11:29 AM

Psst... Coaches invite EVERYONE to ID camps ($$$).

**Unregistered** · 02-10-2016, 11:34 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Psst... Coaches invite EVERYONE to ID camps ($$$).

Yes, and then pull aside the players they really want and players who have expressed interest/seem like a good fit and focus on them. Some have more exclusive events that are for the handful in the running, truly invite only.

**Unregistered** · 02-10-2016, 11:39 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Psst... Coaches invite EVERYONE to ID camps ($$$).

Psst...that is a true statement, but if you were seen by those coaches at a showcase and were invited as opposed to just showing up out of the blue it makes a big difference.

I think that is the key difference and distinction. I know a few friend's kids that just signed up for an ID camp and nothing happened. Then again they're not as strong a player as my kid is and play in different positions.

Also there were many kids from out of state at this camp and they didn't get any offers. So if your kid was seen by a coach at a tournament and then he invites him to the camp your chances increase significantly as long as he plays well that day.

**Unregistered** · 02-10-2016, 12:13 PM

Most important part of your message is " they play well when coaches eyes are on them"

I don't think a kid in DA gets a built in head start with a coach just because he is on DA, but at the end, of the kid can't perform on the field when the eyes are on him, it doesn't matter what team he plays on.

Unfortunately, most of the D1 schools my kid wants to play for have teams loaded with National team players. It appears that unless you spent time with the National team, you won't be playing there. UNC, Virginia, Stanford, Duke, Maryland.

Time to lower expectations.

**Unregistered** · 02-10-2016, 12:48 PM

Updated DA commit list for this year....gives you some perspective

http://www.soccerwire.com/news/clubs...e-commitments/

**Unregistered** · 02-10-2016, 12:53 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Most important part of your message is " they play well when coaches eyes are on them"

I don't think a kid in DA gets a built in head start with a coach just because he is on DA, but at the end, of the kid can't perform on the field when the eyes are on him, it doesn't matter what team he plays on.

Unfortunately, most of the D1 schools my kid wants to play for have teams loaded with National team players. It appears that unless you spent time with the National team, you won't be playing there. UNC, Virginia, Stanford, Duke, Maryland.

Time to lower expectations.

International players as well...many top programs are stacked with European and LA players.

There are many places to play but to be in the top soccer programs you pretty much do need to be in DA.

**Unregistered** · 02-10-2016, 02:55 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Updated DA commit list for this year....gives you some perspective

http://www.soccerwire.com/news/clubs...e-commitments/

WHat do you think your link proves? There are almost 15,000 kids playing NCAA D1 Soccer.
Source: http://www.scholarshipstats.com/soccer.html

Your link shows that 1,200 come from DA / ECNL teams. 1,200 of 15,000 is 12%. That's is NOT an impressive number.

**Unregistered** · 02-10-2016, 03:32 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

WHat do you think your link proves? There are almost 15,000 kids playing NCAA D1 Soccer.
Source: http://www.scholarshipstats.com/soccer.html

Your link shows that 1,200 come from DA / ECNL teams. 1,200 of 15,000 is 12%. That's is NOT an impressive number.

To me the some of the school listed are very unimpressive. Academics aside, it's a lot to give up high school soccer for some of those programs. Have to wonder how many would have ended up at the same places. I agree that top players who have a shot at top programs then DA is very important. But beyond that?