Three mistakes MLS NEXT players make during college recruitment: fixating on Division I when Division II and III have gotten stronger, skipping ID camps instead of attending them, and chasing athletic scholarships when academic merit scholarships are the real path to funding.
3 mistakes I see seniors make if they're in MLS NEXT. Number 1, you haven't really gotten any phone calls and so you're still focusing on only Division 1 schools. Because of the roster cuts and internationals and transfers, especially the new transfer rule regarding losing any eligibility, you must consider D2s and D3s. Now because of the roster cuts, Division 2s and Division 3s are now going to become a lot better than they were in the past because while there would have been players sitting on the bench, there no longer can be. So there will be lots of better level players in those divisions. Number 2, You think you don't need to go to ID camps. If you are going into your senior year in MLS Next and you think, I'll just go to a showcase and I'll get picked, you are crazy. You must also go to their camps. The whole point of camps is so hopefully they come to your MLS Next Fest or FLEX or Generation Adidas, but you must go to them first and be seen in person up close. If you are MLS Next, there's a very good chance you're a good player, so they need to see you up close in person. Number 3, you think you're going to still get scholarship money. At this point, you need to put scholarship outside of your head if you're referring to athletic scholarship. That boat has passed. Now what you need to be going is how good are your grades and can they help you get into the school, which would then allow you to get a very good merit scholarship because of soccer. Maybe it's not called an athletic scholarship, but the college coach helps you get into the school and then you're given an academic scholarship. What's the difference? Who cares? Money is money. If you want help playing college soccer, comment the word "call" and we can schedule a call with you and your parents.
