Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I think the link posted above (https://scholarshipstats.com/soccer ) is really helpful and interesting. I’ve followed the updates for years. The first time I came across it, I was puzzled by the numbers because I knew, or knew of, scores of kids from here playing in college. In later updates, the author added this caveat: “The odds vary significantly depending on where you compete in High School. The odds of playing D1 are notably higher for players from the Mid-Atlantic states, but much lower for players in many other areas. The odds are especially low for states without NCAA I schools that sponsor men’s and/or women’s soccer.”
It’s really not nearly so hard to get recruited and play in college for boys or girls from our area as people on DCUM make it out to be. Another factor that’s helpful on the boys’ side is the recent increase in professional opportunities for men’s soccer. Compared to few years ago, a very significant number of players have opted to skip college and instead try their luck in Germany (or elsewhere), MLS teams are signing more homegrown teenagers, and other kids choose USL. This obviously opens up more spots at all the colleges that would have loved to recruit such talented players.
My advice to anyone who thinks their kid may want and be able to play in college? See if you can talk to the parents of kids in your club or community whose kids ended up at the level you are looking at. I get the sense that there are only a few of us on DCUM who have been through the process for boys, and there are some weird takes on these threads.
I think you need to open the links from college commits of local/top clubs (with the exception of Bethesda that actually has a fairly good track record for their boys) and you will see the low caliber of schools and the scarcity as well.
RantingSoccerDad wrote:Anonymous wrote:Isn't it just a "small percentage" of boys playing soccer who receive scholarships because way more boys than girls play soccer?
I mean, let's be real -- aside from a few niche areas, nobody and I mean nobody cares about girls sports at any level ... so it's just some boyish activity that girls get into because of federal laws mandating "equal" sports in college that drives the girls soccer craze. Otherwise, nobody cares.
Not that big of a difference:
https://www.aspenprojectplay.org/state-of-play-2020/ages-13-17
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
For boys that are not students, it may be the way to get into one of the those low tier academic schools and a good thing to get them to actually get a degree.
For the stellar students, I would never sacrifice or take a hit in academic trajectory/potential for soccer.
True Story:
Colleague #1 played for Radford University and obtained degree
Colleague #2 could have played at RU, but decided to pursue academics at UVA. Graduated.
10 years later;
Both work at the same job, same pay grade, same professional path. Is not always about the best school is what I learned from this situation.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Isn't it just a "small percentage" of boys playing soccer who receive scholarships because way more boys than girls play soccer?
I mean, let's be real -- aside from a few niche areas, nobody and I mean nobody cares about girls sports at any level ... so it's just some boyish activity that girls get into because of federal laws mandating "equal" sports in college that drives the girls soccer craze. Otherwise, nobody cares.
NO. Not at all. There are more scholarships/$ available for girls. Football and basketball are the big college $ makers. They fill the stadiums, arenas, sell the gear, recruit the regular students, bring focus to the school.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
For boys that are not students, it may be the way to get into one of the those low tier academic schools and a good thing to get them to actually get a degree.
For the stellar students, I would never sacrifice or take a hit in academic trajectory/potential for soccer.
True Story:
Colleague #1 played for Radford University and obtained degree
Colleague #2 could have played at RU, but decided to pursue academics at UVA. Graduated.
10 years later;
Both work at the same job, same pay grade, same professional path. Is not always about the best school is what I learned from this situation.
. I am a GS-15 Fed in STEM and we have no Radford degrees at my agency, but plenty of Ivies and Tech, UVA grads.Anonymous wrote:I think the link posted above (https://scholarshipstats.com/soccer ) is really helpful and interesting. I’ve followed the updates for years. The first time I came across it, I was puzzled by the numbers because I knew, or knew of, scores of kids from here playing in college. In later updates, the author added this caveat: “The odds vary significantly depending on where you compete in High School. The odds of playing D1 are notably higher for players from the Mid-Atlantic states, but much lower for players in many other areas. The odds are especially low for states without NCAA I schools that sponsor men’s and/or women’s soccer.”
It’s really not nearly so hard to get recruited and play in college for boys or girls from our area as people on DCUM make it out to be. Another factor that’s helpful on the boys’ side is the recent increase in professional opportunities for men’s soccer. Compared to few years ago, a very significant number of players have opted to skip college and instead try their luck in Germany (or elsewhere), MLS teams are signing more homegrown teenagers, and other kids choose USL. This obviously opens up more spots at all the colleges that would have loved to recruit such talented players.
My advice to anyone who thinks their kid may want and be able to play in college? See if you can talk to the parents of kids in your club or community whose kids ended up at the level you are looking at. I get the sense that there are only a few of us on DCUM who have been through the process for boys, and there are some weird takes on these threads.
Anonymous wrote:Isn't it just a "small percentage" of boys playing soccer who receive scholarships because way more boys than girls play soccer?
I mean, let's be real -- aside from a few niche areas, nobody and I mean nobody cares about girls sports at any level ... so it's just some boyish activity that girls get into because of federal laws mandating "equal" sports in college that drives the girls soccer craze. Otherwise, nobody cares.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Bethesda has had a lot of good boys’ commitments for the last few years. They have boys on almost all the Ivy teams now, so no athletic scholarships, but still impressive to me and I think most parents. Others are starters on soccer powerhouse teams including Georgetown, Maryland, Stanford, and Wake Forest.
https://www.bethesdasoccer.org/commitments/
Some solid Boys commitments. Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Princeton and Rider on their Blue team.
Bethesda is the only Club I've seen with that many solid commits. Some of the other Clubs are really, really bad.
You want kids to come to your Club. How about you lead with the college commits each year?
The Club my kid just left was laughable with their male college commits for all of the arrogance that is had by the TD/coaching staff. I won't even go to their USMNT or pro alumni...NOT![]()
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Bethesda has had a lot of good boys’ commitments for the last few years. They have boys on almost all the Ivy teams now, so no athletic scholarships, but still impressive to me and I think most parents. Others are starters on soccer powerhouse teams including Georgetown, Maryland, Stanford, and Wake Forest.
Ok. The Ivies have to do with who your parents are. I always giggle when I hear legacies talk this way at our private HS. Most of these kids would have gone there without soccer.
Clubs like Bethesda, McLean and Arlington have an incredibly affluent and educated parent base. These kids were going to good schools without soccer.
Which makes the college commits for boys at McLean and Arlington even more underwhelming because it isn't anywhere close to Bethesda, not be a long shot.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:https://www.loudounsoccer.com/Default.aspx?tabid=2666305
http://www.arlingtonsoccer.com/programs/travel/college-placement/college-commitments/
https://alexandria-soccer.org/programs/academy/college-placement/
https://www.soccerwire.com/club/virginia-development-academy/?filter=eyJzb3J0X2J5IjoibWV0YS5pc19mZWF0dXJlZC5yYXciLCJzb3J0X2RpcmVjdGlvbiI6ImRlc2MiLCJxdWVyeSI6IiIsInNlbGVjdGVkRmlsdGVycyI6eyJtZXRhLmdlbmRlci5yYXciOiJtYWxlIn0sInNlbGVjdGVkUmFuZ2VGaWx0ZXJzIjp7fSwiY3VycmVudFBhZ2UiOjF9
https://www.soccerwire.com/recruiting/boys-2021-college-commitments/?filter=eyJzb3J0X2J5IjoibWV0YS5pc19mZWF0dXJlZC5yYXciLCJzb3J0X2RpcmVjdGlvbiI6ImRlc2MiLCJxdWVyeSI6IiIsInNlbGVjdGVkRmlsdGVycyI6eyJtZXRhLmdlbmRlci5yYXciOiJtYWxlIiwibWV0YS5pc19jb21taXR0ZWQucmF3IjoiMSIsIm1ldGEuZ3JhZHVhdGlvbl95ZWFyLnJhdyI6IjIwMjEiLCJtZXRhLnN0YXRlX3Byb3ZpbmNlLnJhdyI6IlZBIn0sInNlbGVjdGVkUmFuZ2VGaWx0ZXJzIjp7fSwiY3VycmVudFBhZ2UiOjF9
OOF....given the sheer number of boys playing soccer in the DMV those lists are incredibly underwhelming.
I meet so many delusional parents. I keep my mouth shut, but the false belief some of them have and have been sold. When my neighbor's son made a DA team in middle school (with a very large roster) he told us this meant he would get a USMNT spot. Others talk about positioning themselves for college scholarships thinking they will be getting one from Duke or UCLA, etc.
At some point around the Fall of Senior year they wake up. If they are lucky, they will see it around Freshmen year and the kid will branch out and be able to take up some other activities at school while pulling back on the soccer travel ,etc.