A coach tells a prospective college soccer player there's no guarantee of playing time, but explains what actually works: stay open to different school levels, don't sacrifice academics, and pick a place you'd want to be even if soccer doesn't work out.
Hey coach, how can I ensure that I play college soccer like no matter what? I don't want there to be any concern. Like, I'm gonna play college soccer. I cannot live without soccer. I must have soccer in college. Like, how can I make sure that happens?
Well, of course you can never make sure 100% that happens. You could get injured, the coach could get fired, the coach could recruit you and then change their mind. But there are some steps you can take, and here they are.
Okay, I'm listening. Like, you talk so slowly.
If you want to play college soccer, the biggest thing you need to do is be open-minded. If you're open-minded to many schools, remember, soccer is subjective, so there's going to be a D1 coach that thinks you're the best, and there's going to be a D3 coach that thinks you suck. So if you're open-minded, you'll have much more likely a chance of playing college soccer. Now, I don't want you to sacrifice your education, but if you say to yourself, look, I'm going to be going to grad school anyways, like let's say you're going to do pre-med, you know, not that your undergrad doesn't matter, it does, but you're going to grad school anyways if you're going to be going to physical therapy, if you're going to go into psychology. So your undergrad should be fun. It should be something you enjoy where you get to play soccer because you're going to grad school no matter But, so in saying that, if you're open-minded, you have a much likelier chance of playing college soccer.
Yeah, but like, I don't wanna be so open-minded I end up in the middle of nowhere like Iowa or something ridiculous.
Okay, first of all, I like Iowa, and second of all, I went to school at Valparaiso University, which is the middle of nowhere, Indiana, one of the coldest places in the country when I was staying there. It's right by Lake Michigan, and I loved it. But I do understand what you're saying. You don't wanna end up at a place that's unheard of with you, you can't get a job afterwards, and it's like a small school that you don't like. I agree with you. So that brings us to the second most important aspect. You gotta start early, 'cause you're gonna be open-minded. I want you to have a relatively big list. I want you to talk to college coaches on the phone, and you have to learn through the process what schools you may like and not like, and it takes time. For more help, comment, call, and we can schedule a call with you and your parents.
