2021 college commitments - boys
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Anonymous
| I am curious to see what others are seeing / hearing about college soccer commitments made in their clubs. Generally, D1? D3? Mix? Lower or higher numbers than expected? |
Anonymous
| I'm a parent on the u19 Bethesda MLSNext team...I think 10 or 11 boys are committed to Univ of MD, Georgetown, Harvard, Yale, American U, Mary Washington and maybe 1 other school... |
Anonymous
Bethesda does seem to always have the highest college placement of any of the local clubs. |
Anonymous
I wish we stop making a big deal of soccer commitments. Let acknowledge the kids who were so good they were offered a full athletic scholarship. I know thats very rare but thats a true accomplishment. You dont see AAU BASKETBALL teams announce PLAYER X will be a walk on at UMD or Duke. Plenty walk on and get money outside of athletic scholarships but we dont make a huge deal out of it. The truth is most soccer kids from big clubs would be attending the college on their parents dime with or without soccer. I know its a different landscape but it magnifies how soccer is mostly for the rich white kid in our country. Its like a mode up recognition or participation trophy. |
Anonymous
It's because there is no money in soccer, ESPECIALLY for boys. If they had to announce full rides from this area....well, let's say there would be crickets.... |
Anonymous
there are perks that come along with playing soccer in college other than scholarship money. Being able to play in college is certainly a true accomplishment, granted not as big as getting a full ride of course, but a true accomplishment. I understand what you are saying though. |
Anonymous
| Harvard soccer team? Admission is reward enough. |
Anonymous
A college commitment is a participation trophy? You’re a clown. |
Anonymous
That is a rather narrow view, IMO. |
Anonymous
Yeah, no doubt! |
Anonymous
I am also a Bethesda parent. My $0.02 is that Bethesda has its challenges / drawbacks like any other club. But, from having had a kid play in the DA at Bethesda (i.e., when it existed), the success the club has had on the placement front likely had more to do with the DA platform, more broadly. For example, the bi-annual showcase that the DA had was pretty unbelievable in terms of the # of college coaches that would attend and the knock-on exposure kids would get through it, whether from Bethesda, VDA, etc. Am not saying that put down other leagues, but more just to acknowledge of one of the benefits that was the DA before it was deep-six'd. |
Anonymous
| I understand what the PP is saying. Its more of announcement rather than achievement. |
Anonymous
How is it not both? |
Anonymous
I mean an achievement is being recruited and offered a scholarship. Some of the European kids are recruited over here and actually get the fully athletic scholarship. That is a big deal because of the fact soccer doesn't make any money for the school. So it can be done. Im sure if Christian Pulisic would have been awarded a fully athletic scholarship had he chose that route. I mean soccer players announcing where they will be paying tuition to play college soccer is a far less achievement than an AAU basketball player being awarded a fully athletic scholarship. I love soccer but I dont love how the game is structured in the US. |
Anonymous
I disagree. I think to play any college sport - with or without the scholarship $ award - is a huge achievement. To make a roster, even if through walk-in, is a big deal given just how few people get to an opportunity to play. Getting a commitment, even without $, is also an enabler to schools that kids otherwise not get (Exhibit A is the Ivy League, which does not offer athletic scholarships, only financial support if needed). |