I am curious about this too. Sometimes it takes persistent reaching out (with the right kid of information!) before a coach engages.
Also, can OP clarify some examples of schools that they view as academic targets? I imagine for a limited position, such as goalie, you have to cast an specially wide net. Also, was homework done in terms of whom may be looking for a goalie (ie a team with two underclassmen goalies may not be looking to add one to the roster this year).
OP you seem to value your coachâs feedback. Do they have relationships and are advocating for your athlete? Do they understand recruiting? I was wondering if they have offered anything beyond âshe is really great.â
I believe that sheâs more than capable of playing at Womenâs NCAA D3 level, even D1. Sheâs played against top U19AAA North American competition (SSM, LC, Mission, Boston Jr. Eagles, Calgary Fire, Saskatoon Blades, Stanstead College, CSSHL teams) and held her own as a 16 year old.
She goes to a top 15 US public school and has a UW GPA of 3.95, 7 APâs and 1520 SAT score.
Sheâs had coaches that reached out to our head coach and then ghost us. Also, sheâs been in contact with NESCAC schools whose interests have been waning. Compared to her teammate, whoâs a skater and scores goals, has had NESCAC coaches clamor over her, which is the nature of the sport.
Anyway, Menâs ACHA D2 is probably where sheâll end up because thatâs the only option in our area.
One anecdote, she went to a well known prestigious schoolâs hockey camp. I told her to ask for feedback from the assistant coach on her play. She asks the coach, the coach just ignores her.
This same coach saw my daughterâs teammate play at Beantown, congratulated her and said sheâs an awesome prospect.
I understand goalie is a buyerâs market where sometimes you just need someone to take up space in the net and not give up bad goals, but if a player has talent then there should be a market for them.
soccer GK mom here, so a bit different but some similarities. One, how many GKs do college teams carry? for soccer it is either one per year or two every two yearsâŠso 3-4 is typical with only 2 getting any playing time over the four years. What do the rosters look like at the schools she is targeting? did they already lock into GKs for next year with the kids on their current roster? if they have freshman/sophomore/junior GKs getting solid minutes then a GK is likely not a priority. so you need to focus on those that only play a senior or grad student goalie and see if they have already committed an incoming goalie for the class of 2025, if not target those schools.
Second, size. in soccer it is a huge factor at most schools, does it matter in hockey? if so where does she fall. My kid was short at 5â5/5â6 and it made recruiting increasingly difficult.
Finally, maybe she needs to apply to the schools with teams she thinks she could make, and once she has applied lead with that in the email and ask the coach if there are tryout opportunities or if they will accept a walk on if she is accepted or a PG year could be helpful but be sure to be with a program that has a connection with placing goalies.
I donât think so, but who knows. Anyway, this thread has been cathartic. Iâm over it now and decided that you take your shot and if it doesnât work out you move one with the rest of your life.
I know that hockey often a slightly different track than some other NCAA sports.
Iâm wondering if timing might have been an issue. When did your daughter start reaching out to coaches with film and emails? D1 coaches are allowed to make contact after mid June of sophomore year.
With a specialist position like a goalie, once a team verbally commits a player then they move on. One and done. And quite often, skip a year if theyâre comfortable with the collection of current goalies on the roster and committed players.
My kid has 2025 women NC and D3 players committed from school (including one goalie). They have been verbally committed for a while.
Taking a PG year wouldnât solve the timing issue. Going to a great hockey school would get some great ice time and going to a top prep boarding school might strengthen academic credentials, but it doesnât sound like she needs those. If schools are recruiting juniors (or at the end of junior year for NESCAC) then being a PG doesnât help with that.
But then that is a reclass, not a PG. The title
of the post is 2025 hockey goalie. So sheâs already in her senior year. She has an option to do a PG year and essentially redo senior year next year.
If she reclasses immediately, and drops down to a 2026 NOW then thatâs slightly different, but also a bit late. At my kids school, you couldnât shift years this far into the academic calendar. No idea about other schools.
From a coaches perspective its exactly the same. She could opt for a straight gap year if you donât have academic needs, but a PG year is often more socially and intellectually rewarding. I think my athlete would have been pretty unhappy just slugging through the motions of going to practice and getting a part time job somewhere when all his friends were off in college.
I have an 08 hockey player and have been in the hockey world a long time. Frankly, I think you have done all you can do. Sometimes, for a variety of reasons it doesnt work out like you hope. There is no shame in that. The talent in hockey is exceptional now and coaches recruit from all over the world. Even ACHA club hockey has kids who have played at a very, very high level including New England Prep, Academies, and Juniors. Enjoy where your player is at and the ride you have had to get to this point. College hockey, particularly for the girls game is a means to an end, but a great college education and experience is still there for the taking. Dont let the hockey chase cloud your judgement. Good luck.
I missed this thread the first time around and hope sheâs found somewhere to play.
If not, and sheâs still looking for a school, you might consider club hockey. My daughter played for 7 years (4 undergrad, 3 grad school) and loved it. Sheâs awful, really awful, and so was her team but they had a lot of fun. The first years it was more of a bar league and they played some other colleges but mostly just womenâs teams in Wyoming (her school) and Colorado. Then the team switched to D1 womenâs club and they started playing in Montana, Utah, the Colorado D1 schools (CU, DU, CSU, Air Force). She went to a tournament in Seattle.
It was much different than the experience your daughter was thinking of but it was fun. The school subsidized them (a lot) so she could afford it. She even invited her coach (just a guy who loved hockey from the community) to her wedding.
The menâs team was very competitive and had try outs for the spots on the team, but in club everyone needs goalies (menâs teams too).
My daughter now plays co-ed bar league hockey. Sheâs still awful but she really loves it.