| D3, Not elite soccer player and kind of late to be recruited
I have been on this thread for a year now. I have learn a lot from the posting and advises. After a year it is time for me to repay my debt and have contribution back to this community who will come later on.
Let me state that I am not an expert but a parent who wants to help his kid with no knowledge about recruiting.
Recruiting is time consuming and frustrated some time but the end, you and kid bind more, and time well spent I believe.
Little background, as title suggested, we stared college search kind of late. I never thought about sending my son going out of state school due to finical reason. So a flagship state U is the one we are looking for. In our state his admission slot is guaranteed due to his academic ranking but there is no soccer program in this school. There is only one D1 private school has which forces me looking other avenues. In our state, soccer is very popular and having a lot very talent players due to close Mexico but not many D1 man soccer program. So DS went to two D1 summer camps last year for recruiting or testing water which was a disaster for him and destroy his confident about playing soccer in college. During two camps he wasn't selected as all star player and was out of college coaches radar. He got one D3 coach offering and recommendation form marked as a model player for D3 and a developing player for D2. He took it as very personal because he was appraised a lot other areas, however he did enjoy the excitement of playing college soccer and working for very hard during the camp.
Last year about this time during my college research I discovered that there are a lot of match private D3 schools having man soccer program but out of state match U were D1 which I don't believe he has much chance to get recruited. So the D3 man soccer school was our focus and these facts I discovered and like to share to anyone who has similar case.
The purpose this thread I feel that the most of parents here posting are for D1, Ivy, NESCAC or elite/star player but for D3, average player, walk on, RD, late recruiting and looking balance between school and sport is not much help. There are no OV, OS, pre_read, emails and phones, ED, tips, signing up, and LOI. If you feel your students lacking these things I mentioned above then you will find some facts I am giving to you.
1. Start early - at senior time it is late but there is hope and we did it. DS has lot contacts and offers but very stressful.
2. You are here then you are on the right track - This place taught me a lot. I learned all the term I used.
3. Go to the camp suited your student
4. Recruited web sit - I use it and it helps and free. Majority of responds are from it. Post your clip there and profile.
5. Having two video - One for highlight and one for no cut game play. It will takes a very long time to do since your player isn't elite type and hard to catch a good act and watch it at the same time. Good luck doing this one.
6. Showcase tournaments - Be a guest player for high profile showcase. Go to many as you can. People at North East having some advantages since most match schools DS chosen are closer to and easier for college coaches access.
7. BE GOOD STUDENT - This helps the most for my DS. Lot of coaches are helping school to recruit good students at the mean time getting decent balancing players.
Result: DS doesn't try out this season but plays club team, as referee youth game and assistant coach for U8-10. He got recruited many schools but decided to go to a private school didn't recruited him and fail to wake on. This is the risk you are taking RD due to financial reason.
Again, this advise is not for high profile school recruiting, just a decent D3 player.
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