Is there a path to college play for DD?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for your thoughts so far...it's been an education.

Not necessarily looking for scholarships (though wouldn't it be nice!), and definitely not willing to sacrifice quality of the school for a chance to play soccer. (Of course, we'll see what DD thinks/wants when she's a little older.) Again, just want to put her in the best shape possible in case she does want to play. Right now she thinks she does, but she doesn't really know what goes into getting there.

So what about good D3 schools like Amherst, Bryn Mawr, Dickinson, Johns Hopkins, MIT, NYU, Rutgers, Smith, etc.? Is it any easier to get a spot playing there?

Rutgers is D1. D3 NESCACs like Amherst and Smith are very competitive. MIT less so, but soccer won’t help her get into the school.

Smith is not a NESCAC, and is (along with most women's colleges) a good place to look at for a player who is not on a top team. Almost all the NESCAC teams are extremely strong and are not realistic for a non-star player. Dickinson is the sort of place that's definitely worth looking at, along with other non-NESCAC liberal arts colleges. Spend some time googling the women's soccer rosters at some of the colleges your DD might be interested in, and see what you can find out from reading the player bios. Most, but not all schools, will have info re where girls played prior to college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hopkins soccer is competitive:
Their freshman class of 6 kids (I'm bored at work).
-Peruvian national team player
-DA player who was defender of the year for her club
-Arlington soccer CCL1 player, VA state cup winner
-first team all state, NPC league national finalist
-ECNL, high school all region, NC state cup champion
-ENCL, Colorado state cup champion

So these kids are the top of their very competitive teams.

With the exception of the "club defender of the year", all of the accolades you mention are team achievements. How did you make the leap to "these kids are the top of their very competitive teams"?

[Anonymous]

If she just wants to play the game, then just focus on getting into the school that meets her academic needs first. At any school, there will be a way to play soccer, either because it is a small school and everyone is a walk on, or it is a big enough school to also have JV or club teams.

I was a walk on for a college team (different sport) that also had some part scholarship players. The kids who had to play for tuition were the least happy. Those who were there because they enjoyed the athletics, but could walk away if they wanted to had uniformly wonderful experiences with college athletics.

[Anonymous]

If you daughter has the potential of making an Ivy League school, why would you push her to play at a small D1 or D2 schol unless the academics are amazing? She’ll satidfy playing soccer and be left with a lesser education.

For all those that are talking about college commitments from only top clubs. There are plenty of opportunities for kids with very good soccer skills and great academics to get into good programs. It’s not all about skill. Coaches want some developmental kids in the program that can boost GPA and require no athletic aid. Often the coach can help with admissions and some academic aid.

[Anonymous]

Congrats on having a kid who does well academically! It sounds like she has her priorities in order. There is a pathway to play in college although, to be honest, it sounds like a D3 situation, and there is NOTHING wrong with that. Kids who have the ability to play D1 are few and far between, and even then it is more of a time commitment that many care for. Your child doesn't seem like she is an elite level prospect or a sleeper on a great team, which is what D1s look for. I have one just like her. If she really really wants to play, steer her towards an accessible D3 program if the academics are right. Don't force what isnt there