NPL and College Recruiting

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Never has there been a poster who so desperately desires attention and approval as Perspective.

As usual, irony and hypocrisy entirely escape you, BTDT.

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Uh #19 ...
The birth dates are posted on the ecnl website. But I think the poster was basically generalizing that most ecnl teams are very subject to the RAE and are biased toward older players. He makes some good observations and predictions.

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You like to conveniently forget that I have just as much in common with the average soccer parent as the next guy except when you want to slam my older daughter's college choices (which for those that don't know was a bottom of the barrel D1 program and then a low level D3 program). It was my experience with her that actually shaped most of my opinions about the recruiting process. I spent tens of thousands travelling to showcases with her and ended just as frustrated as I know many parents end up. Her FDU deal, which by any measure was an outstanding deal, came about by essentially coming in direct contact with one of their coaches at a camp. What that taught me was that if we had done less fishing and more homework that we could have saved ourselves a whole lot of aggravation and not to say money. The younger one just showed me how things work when you have top end talent. In the grand scheme of things she was relatively easy.

As far as the development of players goes, my experience with the younger one has absolutely confirmed my impressions that all of the league hype is nothing but BS. The problem with our current set up is the levelling is completely wrong. As a result the only ones that are benefitting developmentally from being on all these so called "elite" teams are the players on the lower half of the roster because the leveling is based on age and not ability. That creates enormous variations in talent on the rosters. True those end of the roster players get plenty of challenge from being on teams with top level players but those top level players get little to nothing in return. In fact, in many respects, all being on a team like that does for a top level player is create motivational and developmental challenges that actually make it harder to achieve success.

The thing that I find galling about all of what is going on is all the clubs want to use the success of a player like my daughter to sell roster spots when their programs are not even remotely close to being able to give players like her what they actually need. While I am extremely thankful for all that NEFC has done (it has been extensive), I have to tell everyone that if it were not for the personal efforts of CH and a host of other coaches from different clubs (even Stars and Breakers) and different levels, my daughter would not be where she is today. It truly does take a village and I feel that all this talk about leagues and clubs really does is make it appear that the task is much easier than it actually is.

Never has there been a poster who distorts what is written on this board and who makes believes things to argue against. YOU are the one who is doing "all this talking about leagues and clubs." And you act like, when you sign in, you are offering unique, against the grain, controversial insights. They aren't. All very self-evident.

[Unregistered]

You like to conveniently forget that I have just as much in common with the average soccer parent as the next guy except when you want to slam my older daughter's college choices (which for those that don't know was a bottom of the barrel D1 program and then a low level D3 program). It was my experience with her that actually shaped most of my opinions about the recruiting process. I spent tens of thousands travelling to showcases with her and ended just as frustrated as I know many parents end up. Her FDU deal, which by any measure was an outstanding deal, came about by essentially coming in direct contact with one of their coaches at a camp. What that taught me was that if we had done less fishing and more homework that we could have saved ourselves a whole lot of aggravation and not to say money. The younger one just showed me how things work when you have top end talent. In the grand scheme of things she was relatively easy.

As far as the development of players goes, my experience with the younger one has absolutely confirmed my impressions that all of the league hype is nothing but BS. The problem with our current set up is the levelling is completely wrong. As a result the only ones that are benefitting developmentally from being on all these so called "elite" teams are the players on the lower half of the roster because the leveling is based on age and not ability. That creates enormous variations in talent on the rosters. True those end of the roster players get plenty of challenge from being on teams with top level players but those top level players get little to nothing in return. In fact, in many respects, all being on a team like that does for a top level player is create motivational and developmental challenges that actually make it harder to achieve success.

The thing that I find galling about all of what is going on is all the clubs want to use the success of a player like my daughter to sell roster spots when their programs are not even remotely close to being able to give players like her what they actually need. While I am extremely thankful for all that NEFC has done (it has been extensive), I have to tell everyone that if it were not for the personal efforts of CH and a host of other coaches from different clubs (even Stars and Breakers) and different levels, my daughter would not be where she is today. It truly does take a village and I feel that all this talk about leagues and clubs really does is make it appear that the task is much easier than it actually is.

After all these years you still don't realize how you screwed up. You did NOT pick schools of interest and then target, like you have argued for. You went for whoever showed interest and offered a good deal. Completely the wrong way to go about it. If a kid loves a school like Bucknell she shouldn't end up at Sam Houston State.

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The animosity is amusing and really tells the rest of us so much about you. Man, your kids must have really let you down. Either that or you Mom dropped you on your head.

[Unregistered]

Never has there been a poster who so desperately desires attention and approval as Perspective.

Did you disagree with something in the content? Made sense to me. Follow your own advice. No one knows who is posting so trying to guess is a waste of time, no?

[Unregistered]

The animosity is amusing and really tells the rest of us so much about you. Man, your kids must have really let you down. Either that or you Mom dropped you on your head.

Oh, there you are, BTNT. Have a great night. Just a big boob who thinks he knows something special that the rest of us already knew 20 years ago.

[Unregistered]

my older daughter's college choices (which for those that don't know was a bottom of the barrel D1 program and then a low level D3 program).

I'm new here and new to club soccer but really am at a loss at to why you made those choices. Doesn't sound very appealing.

[Unregistered]

As you read these posts by Perspective remember that he claims to be an elite mental health professional.

[beentheredonethat]

After all these years you still don't realize how you screwed up. You did NOT pick schools of interest and then target, like you have argued for. You went for whoever showed interest and offered a good deal. Completely the wrong way to go about it. If a kid loves a school like Bucknell she shouldn't end up at Sam Houston State.

Oh, I know precisely where we screwed up and it was exactly as you say. We went on a fishing expedition with the older one and that is exactly why I now know for certain that the way some of you talk about recruiting is completely wrong. It has the tail wagging the dog. I've written plenty about this and tried to explain the situation but you just seem to hammer that kid's choices like a broken record. You are downright nasty. The truth of the matter is the older one complicated things because she didn't know what she wanted. Some kids are like that and just take more time to figure things out. The place where you have traditionally been wrong and down right mean is with you last statement. If a kid has a Colgate level intellect but doesn't like school and won't take advantage of it, why in the world would you jamb them into such a school? That comes across as your ego at work if you ask me. Like so many things that get discussed here, the kids have to want to go to such a school otherwise you are setting them up for failure and ******* away a whole lot of money in the process.

The college choice is usually difficult decision for kids which soccer often complicates. That is what I experienced with the older one. Like her, a majority of club soccer kids would be better served forgetting about soccer because it really isn't going to lead them anywhere and all it does is distract them from the task at hand -- getting an education. This is another place where the lack of objectivity in club soccer shows it's self. It tends to glamorizes college sports which in many ways is a just a cesspool. Now I completely understand why we all chase it (after all 3 generations of my family have chased it) but that doesn't mean that we should all gloss over the issues and continue to glamorize them. If the sport is going to make a difference then it makes all the sense in the world to pursue, but from where I sit it's the situations where the sport doesn't actually make a difference like when none of the money is tied to soccer or there is no money involved where things get murkier. That is where you as parents should really stop and ask whether the juice is worth the squeeze. Unfortunately in club soccer you don't always see it that way because everyone is so focused on the brass ring. This is where hindsight and other people's experience might help and the spirit in which I offer my experience. In this respect, my message is simple, be careful what you wish for.

[Unregistered]

Oh, there you are, BTNT. Have a great night. Just a big boob who thinks he knows something special that the rest of us already knew 20 years ago.

At least the man is sharing information. All you share is hatred and jealousy. Move on Perspective!

[Unregistered]

At least the man is sharing information. All you share is hatred and jealousy. Move on Perspective!

Wrong on so many levels.

You call regurgitating the same highly idiosyncratic themes based on total distortions of what others actually do for more than 8 years "sharing information"? You call serially lying and making up fictional stories perseveratively to target others and to try to destroy other clubs something positive? There is no jealousy. No one on this board would be stupid enough to want the distorted things he argues for. "Hatred" is a little strong, and whatever you want to call it certainly doesn't happen in a vacuum. If anything, it is a response to his hatred and inability to cease from his repetition compulsion disparagements and attacks.

[Unregistered]

At least the man is sharing information. All you share is hatred and jealousy. Move on Perspective!

"He" could just repost.

It appears the new strategy is to try to start afresh with the same themes and "information" that he's "shared" and "discussed" for years. Soon enough he'll turn directly to the same agendas. But you already know that.

[Unregistered]

Oh, I know precisely where we screwed up and it was exactly as you say. We went on a fishing expedition with the older one and that is exactly why I now know for certain that the way some of you talk about recruiting is completely wrong. It has the tail wagging the dog. I've written plenty about this and tried to explain the situation but you just seem to hammer that kid's choices like a broken record. You are downright nasty. The truth of the matter is the older one complicated things because she didn't know what she wanted. Some kids are like that and just take more time to figure things out. The place where you have traditionally been wrong and down right mean is with you last statement. If a kid has a Colgate level intellect but doesn't like school and won't take advantage of it, why in the world would you jamb them into such a school? That comes across as your ego at work if you ask me. Like so many things that get discussed here, the kids have to want to go to such a school otherwise you are setting them up for failure and ******* away a whole lot of money in the process.

The college choice is usually difficult decision for kids which soccer often complicates. That is what I experienced with the older one. Like her, a majority of club soccer kids would be better served forgetting about soccer because it really isn't going to lead them anywhere and all it does is distract them from the task at hand -- getting an education. This is another place where the lack of objectivity in club soccer shows it's self. It tends to glamorizes college sports which in many ways is a just a cesspool. Now I completely understand why we all chase it (after all 3 generations of my family have chased it) but that doesn't mean that we should all gloss over the issues and continue to glamorize them. If the sport is going to make a difference then it makes all the sense in the world to pursue, but from where I sit it's the situations where the sport doesn't actually make a difference like when none of the money is tied to soccer or there is no money involved where things get murkier. That is where you as parents should really stop and ask whether the juice is worth the squeeze. Unfortunately in club soccer you don't always see it that way because everyone is so focused on the brass ring. This is where hindsight and other people's experience might help and the spirit in which I offer my experience. In this respect, my message is simple, be careful what you wish for.

Good to see you posting at your usual bright and early time. Everything that is wrong with what you sell is contained in your post above. Not enough time at the moment to get far into it.....no one else is focused on a brass ring, or at least their brass ring is nothing like yours....most of us don't believe continuing with soccer is a waste of time even if you don't get "paid" for it....just because Colgate may not be the right choice doesn't mean the school choice doesn't matter at all...your insistence of putting it on our kid as HER choices grossly blurs your impact on that and makes a mockery of the use of the word 'choice.'....your definition of soccer "making a difference" is very far from how most us define "making a difference."

[Unregistered]

It is not BTDT that is the problem with this board. Though I don't always agree with him, he is respectful and helpful at times. Perspective, if he really is some type of mental health professional, is clearly demonstrating some sort of forum addiction- passive aggressive psychopathology about which he should be well versed: Physician heal thyself!