When did you know your DC was college or pro material?

[Anonymous]

This forum loves to tell parents that their kid is probably not going to play in college or go pro.

But for those whose kid did play in college or got some pro action, when did you think they had a chance? And what did they do or were doing when you made this realization?

[Anonymous]

Was the best player on the team and against competitor teams.

[Anonymous]

Not my kid, but there was a kid that I knew from u8 would play something in college. She just moved differently from the other kids. She was the tallest and the fastest and the quickest which I've still never seen in the same kid. She transitioned from soccer to Lax in 7th grade and within a year was making top travel teams. She plays D1 now.

[Anonymous]

When academy teams came knocking.

[Anonymous]

you can know all you want but if your kid isn't committed to it, it doesn't matter.

[Anonymous]

I knew when my child told me he was going to play in college. DC was 9 or 10 at the time, on a fourth-tier team, routinely overlooked by coaches, and candidly looked like a baby deer on ice on the field. The reason I knew is that I saw what the coaches did not: that DC was and is one of the hardest-working kids I’ve ever known, and is profoundly goal-oriented. I knew by age 9 that DC would accomplish what he wanted.

And he did. DC did drills on his own every day. He spent hours in the backyard. He asked for extra training outside of the club (we learned early on never to trust the clubs) and focused hard in those sessions. He never asked to skip practice once. He lifted weights even though he hated doing it. He ignored taunts from teammates, coaches that targeted him because he was a weaker player, and many, many games where he was suited up but played maybe ten minutes max, or not at all. He switched teams multiple times as a kid, at his own volition, just slowly moving up and up the system. He ended up at MLSNext/ECNL level but even there didn’t trust the coaches (wise decision) and put in many hours of his own time contacting colleges. Those college coaches evaluated him on his own merits (they don’t trust the clubs either, as it turns out), and he had several good college offers. Now he’s a starter.

DCUM is convinced that if your kid isn’t a superstar by 9 you might as well give up. It’s ridiculous. My kid had more and better offers than the first team players we knew at U10. But focus, hard work, grit and tenacity are absolutely required.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you can know all you want but if your kid isn't committed to it, it doesn't matter.

OP here, true, that’s why my post referenced what DC did to make you think a certain way. My question assumes the kid is the one who wants it for themselves and don’t have overbearing or overzealous parents pushing them.

[Anonymous]

the ones I know have parents (one of them) that were pros. but I have a very small sample of kids I know that went pro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I knew when my child told me he was going to play in college. DC was 9 or 10 at the time, on a fourth-tier team, routinely overlooked by coaches, and candidly looked like a baby deer on ice on the field. The reason I knew is that I saw what the coaches did not: that DC was and is one of the hardest-working kids I’ve ever known, and is profoundly goal-oriented. I knew by age 9 that DC would accomplish what he wanted.

And he did. DC did drills on his own every day. He spent hours in the backyard. He asked for extra training outside of the club (we learned early on never to trust the clubs) and focused hard in those sessions. He never asked to skip practice once. He lifted weights even though he hated doing it. He ignored taunts from teammates, coaches that targeted him because he was a weaker player, and many, many games where he was suited up but played maybe ten minutes max, or not at all. He switched teams multiple times as a kid, at his own volition, just slowly moving up and up the system. He ended up at MLSNext/ECNL level but even there didn’t trust the coaches (wise decision) and put in many hours of his own time contacting colleges. Those college coaches evaluated him on his own merits (they don’t trust the clubs either, as it turns out), and he had several good college offers. Now he’s a starter.

DCUM is convinced that if your kid isn’t a superstar by 9 you might as well give up. It’s ridiculous. My kid had more and better offers than the first team players we knew at U10. But focus, hard work, grit and tenacity are absolutely required.

Sounds very much like my son. It seems continually getting screwed over does something for kids that want it. I couldn't believe my kid still wanted to play after some of the truly awful things that were done to him by Clubs and coaches over the years. And younger son easily got every spot he ever tried out for, always played, always selected, etc. and he the other one was by far more committed and a better player. Younger son never really experienced adversity in the sport and even when I'd tell him he wasn't working hard enough or didn't look like he was trying in practice of tryouts--he always would get picked. He never turned into the player he could have been...and the firstborn was the opposite and it was hard to watch younger brother just get it so easily. Younger one had no desire to play in college even though he could of. Older one also had tons of growth-related injuries over the years, was out his entire Junior year--but kept pushing and landed a D1 school Fall of Senior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I knew when my child told me he was going to play in college. DC was 9 or 10 at the time, on a fourth-tier team, routinely overlooked by coaches, and candidly looked like a baby deer on ice on the field. The reason I knew is that I saw what the coaches did not: that DC was and is one of the hardest-working kids I’ve ever known, and is profoundly goal-oriented. I knew by age 9 that DC would accomplish what he wanted.

And he did. DC did drills on his own every day. He spent hours in the backyard. He asked for extra training outside of the club (we learned early on never to trust the clubs) and focused hard in those sessions. He never asked to skip practice once. He lifted weights even though he hated doing it. He ignored taunts from teammates, coaches that targeted him because he was a weaker player, and many, many games where he was suited up but played maybe ten minutes max, or not at all. He switched teams multiple times as a kid, at his own volition, just slowly moving up and up the system. He ended up at MLSNext/ECNL level but even there didn’t trust the coaches (wise decision) and put in many hours of his own time contacting colleges. Those college coaches evaluated him on his own merits (they don’t trust the clubs either, as it turns out), and he had several good college offers. Now he’s a starter.

DCUM is convinced that if your kid isn’t a superstar by 9 you might as well give up. It’s ridiculous. My kid had more and better offers than the first team players we knew at U10. But focus, hard work, grit and tenacity are absolutely required.

Sounds very much like my son. It seems continually getting screwed over does something for kids that want it. I couldn't believe my kid still wanted to play after some of the truly awful things that were done to him by Clubs and coaches over the years. And younger son easily got every spot he ever tried out for, always played, always selected, etc. and he the other one was by far more committed and a better player. Younger son never really experienced adversity in the sport and even when I'd tell him he wasn't working hard enough or didn't look like he was trying in practice of tryouts--he always would get picked. He never turned into the player he could have been...and the firstborn was the opposite and it was hard to watch younger brother just get it so easily. Younger one had no desire to play in college even though he could of. Older one also had tons of growth-related injuries over the years, was out his entire Junior year--but kept pushing and landed a D1 school Fall of Senior year.

It happened to my kid once years ago and probably deservedly, but my daughter still looks up their top team's schedule to see when they play her club and then makes sure she can guest down for the game. I think getting cut was better motivation than success

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I knew when my child told me he was going to play in college. DC was 9 or 10 at the time, on a fourth-tier team, routinely overlooked by coaches, and candidly looked like a baby deer on ice on the field. The reason I knew is that I saw what the coaches did not: that DC was and is one of the hardest-working kids I’ve ever known, and is profoundly goal-oriented. I knew by age 9 that DC would accomplish what he wanted.

And he did. DC did drills on his own every day. He spent hours in the backyard. He asked for extra training outside of the club (we learned early on never to trust the clubs) and focused hard in those sessions. He never asked to skip practice once. He lifted weights even though he hated doing it. He ignored taunts from teammates, coaches that targeted him because he was a weaker player, and many, many games where he was suited up but played maybe ten minutes max, or not at all. He switched teams multiple times as a kid, at his own volition, just slowly moving up and up the system. He ended up at MLSNext/ECNL level but even there didn’t trust the coaches (wise decision) and put in many hours of his own time contacting colleges. Those college coaches evaluated him on his own merits (they don’t trust the clubs either, as it turns out), and he had several good college offers. Now he’s a starter.

DCUM is convinced that if your kid isn’t a superstar by 9 you might as well give up. It’s ridiculous. My kid had more and better offers than the first team players we knew at U10. But focus, hard work, grit and tenacity are absolutely required.

WOW that is amazing. It really is about hard work and commitment. I've always said never underestimate the power of desire. It is exceptional that someone so young however is so clear on what they want to do. I'm glad it worked out for your kid in that he got what he wanted having worked so hard. More should be so lucky as there are no guarantees but sheer will can move mountains. DD has a LOT of talent. She has all the hallmarks and talent for potentially playing at a high level. The problem is everything comes too easily for her. It's a harder track when things are too easy, much harder than not being as talented but having singular clarity and focus of desire. I'd trade the latter for the former.

[Anonymous]

^ worse are the kids that do have that talent and show it but for whatever reason—politics, a-hole coach, coach quitting mid season, etc they continually get the shaft.

My kid got hosed so much and whenever the planets aligned (great coach, great teammates) something would inevitably happen- the club folds, the coach disagrees with top mgmt and leaves, etc. that it made me absolutely despise the sport and we are a house with a former parent pro player.

I kept my hatred of the people in the sport to myself and my kid never wanted to stop playing because he truly lived the game, but psychologically the shenanigans and adults behaving badly takes a bit of a toll on a young kid.

It worked out for him in that college coaches were waaaaaayyyyy more kind and constructive and praiseful during recruiting than we ever saw with about 90% of club coaches and don’t get me started on the HS coach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I knew when my child told me he was going to play in college. DC was 9 or 10 at the time, on a fourth-tier team, routinely overlooked by coaches, and candidly looked like a baby deer on ice on the field. The reason I knew is that I saw what the coaches did not: that DC was and is one of the hardest-working kids I’ve ever known, and is profoundly goal-oriented. I knew by age 9 that DC would accomplish what he wanted.

And he did. DC did drills on his own every day. He spent hours in the backyard. He asked for extra training outside of the club (we learned early on never to trust the clubs) and focused hard in those sessions. He never asked to skip practice once. He lifted weights even though he hated doing it. He ignored taunts from teammates, coaches that targeted him because he was a weaker player, and many, many games where he was suited up but played maybe ten minutes max, or not at all. He switched teams multiple times as a kid, at his own volition, just slowly moving up and up the system. He ended up at MLSNext/ECNL level but even there didn’t trust the coaches (wise decision) and put in many hours of his own time contacting colleges. Those college coaches evaluated him on his own merits (they don’t trust the clubs either, as it turns out), and he had several good college offers. Now he’s a starter.

DCUM is convinced that if your kid isn’t a superstar by 9 you might as well give up. It’s ridiculous. My kid had more and better offers than the first team players we knew at U10. But focus, hard work, grit and tenacity are absolutely required.

Sounds very much like my son. It seems continually getting screwed over does something for kids that want it. I couldn't believe my kid still wanted to play after some of the truly awful things that were done to him by Clubs and coaches over the years. And younger son easily got every spot he ever tried out for, always played, always selected, etc. and he the other one was by far more committed and a better player. Younger son never really experienced adversity in the sport and even when I'd tell him he wasn't working hard enough or didn't look like he was trying in practice of tryouts--he always would get picked. He never turned into the player he could have been...and the firstborn was the opposite and it was hard to watch younger brother just get it so easily. Younger one had no desire to play in college even though he could of. Older one also had tons of growth-related injuries over the years, was out his entire Junior year--but kept pushing and landed a D1 school Fall of Senior year.

My kid now playing college knows multiple kids in college whose history is exactly this: the kids mistreated by coaches and clubs, not favored, who pushed themselves through the process. The shade some of these kids throw can be both funny and intense. There is no love lost for their former clubs.

He also has teammates who were the ones favored by the club system. Their club experiences are so different. These kids loved their coaches and clubs, still wear the club sweatshirts, etc.

Really different experiences.

[Anonymous]

All these stories about overcoming issues and a kid ends up playing college.

Are there any similar stories for those who become pro players? Or are those who go pro pretty much the kids who were recognized as talented from the beginning?

[Anonymous]

Not me, but a friend growing up was Clarence Goodson who played on the US national team. He wasn’t even the best player on our high school team if memory serves me. Like he played varsity soccer and was on a very competitive club team, but he wasn’t the best player on either. So, who knows, basically.

The player who was the star fizzled out after college I think.