GUEST STUDENT OF THE WEEK: ski_racer, a high-achiever in high school, was rejected by some of the elite schools she applied to. This rejection was the best thing that happened to her as she got to choose her own path. Learn how she fell in love with her safety school, ASK HER ANYTHING!
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Replies to: Full Send or No Send Soccer?
From your posts, it sounds like you are interested in soccer for the doors it might open in terms of college admissions, not because you literally cannot imagine a day when you are not playing. As a parent, the advice I would generally give to a high school student is, your ECs should be activities which bring you pleasure, not ones you are doing for the sake of college admissions.
College soccer recruiting at top 20 D1 universities and top 20 D3 LACs (plus Chicago, Brandeis, NYU, Emory which are D3) is tough. Most recruits have been playing Academy throughout high school, playing national recruiting tournaments etc. While there will be those hidden gems who didn't get on coaches radar through those means, that is probably more of the exception. Once in school, the D1 soccer players we know describe soccer as close to a 40 hour a week commitment in season, then about 20-25 hours out of season, between lifting, film, etc. My D3 kid's experience is about 25-30 hours a week in season and about 10-15 hours out of season. Those hours only make sense if someone loves what they are doing whereas, in your posts, you sound more excited about your academic interests -- which is great, but signals to me that trying to redouble your efforts at soccer in order to improve college outcomes is not the best direction.
If you are truly recruitable, you get some slack cut on your academics. Not a lot, but a legit D1 starter with a few B's gets the Ivy coach's slot over the 1600 SAT, 4.0 student who is a solid off the bench player. I don't know exactly where the line is, and soccer is a sport with lots of smart kids. But I know my kid was recruited hard in a different non-helmet sport by several Ivies with a sub 30 ACT and a few B's. Without coach help it would have been a waste of money to apply, he isn't even a 1% chance, he is an automatic deny. All of the coaches basically said that the better you are, the less academics matter, within reason. All also had some absolute floors they couldn't go below, no matter how athletically talented you are. My point here is if your academics suffer but just a very little bit, you are probably ok.
A smart Asian kid interested in CS is a brutal demographic to apply with if you don't have a hook. The reality is that every Ivy could fill up a class with that demographic and still turn talented kids away. I'm not saying that you couldn't get into a top school, many do. But you are competing for a limited number of slots with a large group of very talented and accomplished peers.
If you don't love it though, it probably isn't worth it. Your sport will consume your life to an extent, both is HS and college. My S couldn't conceive of a different way to do it. But 99% of people (including me) couldn't handle that lifestyle. There are MANY sacrifices that will be made.
My understanding of CS is that it is a very "results" oriented field. If you are from podunk Community College but you can code, you can get a job over a Harvard grad.
Good luck.
My son is the same age as you and on a similar academic track, but most likely won’t crack the top 5% in his class. Here’s what a typical week for him looks like (he wakes up at 5:50 a.m. for school & arrives home at 2:45):
Monday: School > home > 30 minutes down time > homework until I pick him up on the way home from work > 1 hour ride to practice > team practice 6:30 - 8:30 > 45 minute ride home > shower then homework until 1 a.m.
Tuesday: School > home > 30 minutes down time > homework until I pick him up on the way home from work > 1 hour ride to practice > goalkeeper practice 6:30 - 8:00 > 45 minute ride home > shower then homework until midnight.
Wednesday: School > home > 30 minutes down time > homework until I pick him up on the way home from work > 1 hour ride to practice > team practice 6:30 - 8:30 > 45 minute ride home > shower then homework until 1 a.m.
Thursday: School > home > 30 minutes down time > homework until I pick him up on the way home from work > 1 hour ride to practice > goalkeeper practice 6:30 - 8:00 then team practice from 8:10 until the field lights go off at 10:00 > 45 minute ride home > shower then homework until 1 a.m. or later.
Friday: School > home > day off but he jogs to the gym for 60 minutes of fitness training > time with friends.
Saturday: Game anywhere from 45 minutes to 5 hours away > distant games require team bus travel so he’s gone all day because multiple teams travel together so there are multiple games > closer games = a little more down time with friends.
Sunday: Up early to volunteer > downtime around lunch but usually meets high school friends to kick a soccer ball around > homework from 6:00 - 10:00 if necessary > hopefully asleep at a decent hour.
That basically repeats itself over and over again for 10 months a year. He loves it. I hate it. Keep in mind that it wouldn’t only disrupt your life...someone needs to drive you to all of this madness until you get your license. This would have to be a family decision.
My recommendation would be to concentrate on your studies, enjoy soccer in high school and find a less time consuming EC that relates to your intended major.
Good luck.
Because what if, in the Fall/Spring of your Senior year in HS, you haven't been recruited to the schools you have been targeting? Or at all? What if doing that sport hasn't made a difference in your college admission results? Will you have considered all the time and money spent on it over the past few years a waste? I would hate to think that.
As others have chimed in above...you have to do it because you love it.
I have seen parents and kids put too much into specialization and club teams that they gave up and lost out on other benefits and memories from HS. They may end up playing in college and feel good announcing the commitment but the school is often a school they could have got into even without the sports and sometimes could even have walked onto the team.
Your college opportunities including for playing a sport are exponentially increased if you have good grades.
Very good advice at the end from @GKUnion too.
Side note, not sure how to put that genie back in the bottle but what @GKUnion describes I feel this is of one of the problems with youth sports and confirms my feeling that soccer is one the worst culprits My experience is that soccer coaches and the soccer community often promote and encourage soccer players to specialize in just soccer. I even question how much measurable impact playing soccer 10 months a yr. makes vs.playing in-season and mixing in some lighter off season league or training.
I may be old school and I understand each sport is different but I feel a lot of coaches notice the naturally gifted athletes (some even like multi-sport athletes) and they can coach up the skills but can't coach athleticism.
You don't need to keep up ECs (except volunteering if possible) if you do academy soccer. You will need 6-8 APs (total) including a high level in math for both C's and economics.
If it were my choice he’d play high school soccer + a winter sport + either a spring sport OR club soccer. I’ve suggested it several times. He’s not buying what I’m selling. He’s just wired differently than most people. The one thing I definitely don’t worry about is him developing some degree of regret.
What this all boils down to for teenagers is “You do you.” Do not do something because others want you to. Do not pursue activities/sports for the sole purpose of potential admissions benefit. Do what makes you happy, or at least makes sense, rather than stretch yourself to the breaking point.
Whether sport, ballet, music -- some kids are wired so that they thrive on the practice, find it exhilarating, or at least deeply satisfying, to put in hours a day, because it is so much a part of who they are.
Effort plays a big part in whether you get to see the field or spend most of the time on the bench.
This is 9th grader. A lot can change in the next 2-3 years.
But, however, I can't agree that D3 programs are even close to a college club or high school club program. I took a look at a large successful state U club baseball team that had 21 games spread over the spring and fall. That is half of the 40 game NCAA limit for D3. Practices are three to four days a week. In season, D3 teams are going to be six to seven days a week.
Consider just travel time. In the NESCAC for example, if Hamilton plays Bates, that is going to entail a hefty bus ride (well over five hours one way).
I think my most important point is that D3 athletics is not a continuation of high school and club athletics, and anyone considering it should look into the nature of the commitment at the school in question.