Value of club soccer vs multi-season school sports

[cinnamon1212]

Disagree with this. Most club coaches are not helpful beyond assessing the level (D1, 2 or 3) the player should target.

And virtually all the male soccer players/families I know did recruiting on their own, with great success. It’s like college admissions: the key to success is targeting your level appropriately. Also, if a player is talented it will be recognized. Coaches want to win, they won’t overlook a great player.

Kids that have a tough time with recruiting generally are targeting too high.

[NiceUnparticularMan]

Of course I should note there are people who think it is not going nearly far enough, fast enough. But I agree it is a very, very welcome development.

Heck, I think all sports parents have seen a lot of this. The kid who always gives maximum effort no matter the circumstances. The kid who is always first to celebrate the successes of teammates. The older kid who will voluntarily spend time welcoming and mentoring the younger kids. The kid who loses their starting position to a more talented player and handles it gracefully. And so on.

These kids are an inspiration to their teams, and they never needed a formal position to do it. They are just great kids who will be highly valued members of every team they are ever on, in college and in life.

[SeacoastWalker]

Thank you all so much for the advice and varying perspectives. I’m so grateful for the voices of experience sharing here and feel very welcome reaching out later.

The notion of “leadership” is something that I worry about. My son is a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none. He’s also stubborn and doesn’t appreciate anyone telling him he shouldn’t do something that he wants to do. Sometimes he’ll take anyone’s advice but mine.

He’s had a couple of good ID camp experiences. He got incredible positive feedback and encouragement from a coach at a school he’d NEVER attend - primarily because it was my alma mater, but also because it offers limited niche majors, the furthest things from his interest.

[GKUnion]

@NiceUnparticularMan

Just anecdotal, but it feels to me like the common denominator among the successful recruited kids I know about is having at least one parent willing to support them at least at the level of a part-time job, sometimes basically full-time. So much travel and basic administration, and then also educating themselves about the process, helping the kid identify possible college teams that make sense for them, helping the kid initiate and then track coaching relationships, and on and on.

This is essential information that most parents rarely hear in advance. Think carefully before you jump on the recruiting treadmill.

As others have advised, let your son drive which path to choose. In terms of recruiting, though, high level club is the best avenue for a serious soccer player.

Your son should start sending introduction emails as soon as possible. It’s the off season/spring season so coaches have more time to work on recruiting.

[TonyGrace]

@NiceUnparticularMan

Just anecdotal, but it feels to me like the common denominator among the successful recruited kids I know about is having at least one parent willing to support them at least at the level of a part-time job, sometimes basically full-time. So much travel and basic administration, and then also educating themselves about the process, helping the kid identify possible college teams that make sense for them, helping the kid initiate and then track coaching relationships, and on and on.

+1 on this. Very few athletes get recruited by coaches, the vast majority gets themselves recruited. Going through the process requires a huge commitment and outstanding executive functioning skills.

[GKUnion]

Recruiting is hard work for players and parents. Most of the time you’re flying blind, but if it culminates with a commitment from a targeted school it is very satisfying.

[CryptoDad]

You’re not playing for the right clubs apparently. Good luck to your kid.

[GKUnion]

LOL! I don’t think you realize the experience @cinnamon1212 has.

[CryptoDad]

OK. Good luck with that.

[mom2023SF]

@gardenstategal

Also, this concept of leadership is imho overplayed. It’s more important to be fully engaged than leading the charge.

This is incredibly anecdotal (sample size of 2), but my daughter went to admitted student’s days last year at Barnard and USC, and they both called out the admitted students for leadership. I think Barnard said something like 90% of admitted students either created or led a club and USC, it was maybe 75%. Those are very rough numbers, but they were both very high.

[CryptoDad]

Ha! OK. I’m just trying to help others who haven’t been down this road. I have some very unique experience in this arena. But, please follow the other guy. I really don’t care. Good luck to your kid.

[TonyGrace]

Maybe you are privileged enough to work with a coach that has incredible connections or have a kid who is a superstar but for most it does take a lot of work and self promotion.

I know clubs like that in my sport - feeder clubs. There are a handful in the country and they are not in our area. It doesn’t mean that we are in the “wrong kind of club.”

Also, maybe the athlete wants to have a little more autonomy in the school choice. Coaches don’t always understand that someone might prioritize a better school over a better team. It took a lot of educating our coaches on why that was the path we were going for.

[SeacoastWalker]

@mom2023SF

I think Barnard said something like 90% of admitted students either created or led a club and USC, it was maybe 75%.

This worries me, as varsity athletes at my son’s school generally do not hold leadership or e-board positions in clubs, because varsity sports start immediately after school and athletes can’t attend club meetings for full seasons. My son is in many clubs as a member, volunteers at events, etc. But he will never get an officer position.

[CryptoDad]

Yes. Maybe. And maybe I have 2 recruited sons. And maybe many of my friends have had their kids recruited; D1, D2, D3. Maybe I played in Europe before being recruited in the 90s. But, it’s OK. I must be wrong. Or, maybe there are many different ways to get where you want to go.

[mom2023SF]

Luckily the schools that leadership would matter mostly have holistic admissions, so it’s not just one thing. If varsity athletes from your school tend to get into the schools that your son is looking at, then you are on the right track.

[NiceUnparticularMan]

My guess is they would count sports team captains.

[SweetCoffee]

You do not have to answer these, but something to think about.
What level soccer is your son playing?
Is he a full time starter in HS and Club?
What is his academic level in high school? APs, IB, DE, etc?
What kind of school is he shooting for? High academic D3? Any D3 as long as he can play?
Are you ready to give it your all?

I think you are worried about check boxes like President of Every Club in Every HS. If that is the case, how is it any different than Team Captain of the hs varsity soccer team junior/senior year? Lead team to state championship? Voted state MVP? Etc?
Almost all of the young ladies on my DD’s T-5 college team were team captains, all conference, all state, MVPs, etc with near 4.0 GPA, APs, IBs, and ACT 34+. A fearsome group of determined ladies. All recruited. All tips/slots. Sorry, no tips/slots for President of the Club with 3 members or Founder of the non-profit that mommy and daddy paid for.

To be blunt, colleges really do not give a crap about what you think is important. What is important to the college is victory over their rivals via champions and trophies. Banners hanging high in rafters. Understand their levers and you can leverage to your advantage.

I have to go over my notes, but my DD had 8? tip/slot/secret handshake offers and 1 soft tip for support. Why? The coach who wants to keep their job determined that she will help bring victories and trophies to the school(s).

With that said, you as a parent need to be all in to help your son get to the next level. Private training, camps, ID camps, etc. Lots of money, time, effort, and pain.

You really need to talk some of the parents with kids who got recruited. Some will downplay it, some will give you the honest truth. Figure it out and decide.

Good luck.

[GKUnion]

@CryptoDad

Yes. Maybe. And maybe I have 2 recruited sons. And maybe many of my friends have had their kids recruited; D1, D2, D3. Maybe I played in Europe before being recruited in the 90s. But, it’s OK. I must be wrong. Or, maybe there are many different ways to get where you want to go.

Lots of us here have recruited sons and daughters. It’s why we’re here, and why we offer some of our experiences with recruiting.

You’re not “wrong,” but you’re not right either. Hopefully you can add useful insights to these discussions going forward.

[parentologist]

Playing sports is no more valuable than debate, yearbook, newspaper, or anything else even in leadership positions, unless the student becomes a recruited athlete. Highly selective colleges are not specifically seeking students with a history of broad achievement in sports unless they are recruited athletes. So let him do what he wants. If he had been doing it for recruitment, sailing would have been the one, but let him do his intensive EC for the love of it. He will wind up at the right school for him.

[HWilliamson]

Is the first part of this true? For your average participant (ie not someone like a recruited athlete or state robotics team champion) is the robotics club or yearbook staff really viewed the same as a varsity sport? I posted a question like this elsewhere and would be interested in opinions.

When I used to interview undergrads for investment banking positions, I always valued varsity sports above other ECs because I knew that the amount of time commitment, and the inflexibility of that time commitment, was real. I had no idea how involved most other ECs were. People could pretty much tell me anything they wanted and I wouldn’t know.

I assumed college AOs would be the same when looking at high school ECs, but I am not an AO and have no actual insights into their thinking. The time commitment and inflexibility of playing a varsity sport is a known quantity. You can’t fake that. You are coming home after dinner every day, all season. If you have a physics test and a history paper and a math test the same week that you have three games, you have to figure out a way to make it all work.

There is no doubt that some kids in other activities spend equal or more time than kids in varsity sports, but for many (not all) ECs that time commitment is less overall, more flexible in nature, and more “gameable” (as in easier to pretend it is more of a commitment than it really is). I have to think AOs know that, but maybe not?