College Placement Presentation October 25, 2017 Dave Bucciero Director of College Placement
Introduction Dave Bucciero Director of College Placement, Loudoun Soccer Director of Goalkeeping, Loudoun Soccer Head Coach of the Loudoun 05 and 03 Red Girls teams Former Head Women s Coach at American University (2007-2012) Former Women s Assistant Coach at Boston University, and Texas Tech University Former Men s Assistant Coach at Washington College Region 1 Girls ODP Staff 2
Meeting Agenda Selecting a College Scholarships Timeline By Academic Year NCAA Rules and Regulations Correspondence with College Coaches: Emails/Phone Contact Team Brochure and Player Profiles Club Coaches, Parents and Players What Are Your Roles? Todd Bramble-George Mason University Head Women s Coach Trevor Singer- Mount St. Mary s Men s Assistant Coach Q & A 3
So You Want to Play College Soccer Every player can play college soccer there is a place for everyone. However, you may have to sacrifice certain schools as options in order to play college soccer. Explore and research what schools within Division I, II, and III might be a good fit for you. Your club coach and myself can assist with this process. 4
When Should You Start Thinking About Playing College Soccer? Each and every player is different. Some players dream of certain schools and opportunities at an early age. Others decide later during their high school years. A general guideline is for players to discuss with coaches and parents the possibility of pursuing college soccer in their high school freshman or sophomore year. 5
Selecting a College: Academics Come First When you consider playing soccer for a certain college or University, you need to first consider: The better the student you are, the more options you will have to play college soccer Investigate if your grades and test scores will get you admitted to the colleges you are interested in ask the college coach directly, your guidance counselor, or review average admissions standards on internet sites 6
Other Factors Additional points to consider in determining your college search: Location (urban or rural area) Size of school Cost Academic strength/major Team/coaching staff Opportunity to earn playing time 7
Scholarships-Division I, II, and III Colleges and universities that compete at the Division I level have athletic scholarships. The maximum number for men is 9.9 and for women is 14. Division II- 9 for men, 9.9 for women Colleges and universities that compete at the Division III level do not have athletic scholarships. However, some of these schools do offer very good financial aid and/or academic aid packages. 8
Player Timeline: Breakdown by Academic Year Freshman Year: Focus on improving as a player, doing well in school, and thinking about potentially playing college soccer or not. Sophomore Year: Start to put together a realistic pool of colleges (20-25) that you may be interested in. Reach out to those college coaches by email and let them know your tournament schedule for the year. Begin visiting your top choices that interest you by the end of sophomore year. 9
Player Timeline: Breakdown by Academic Year Start of Junior Year: Continue to visit colleges and try to get a sense of what programs are interested in you and are realistic options for playing soccer. Speak with your club coach, but more importantly, ask the college coaches directly. Continue to email colleges of interest tournament schedules and your player profile. 10
Player Timeline: Breakdown by Academic Year Spring of Junior Year: Narrow your list of schools down to 4-8 realistic options. Try to set up a second visit to these schools and communicate this with the college coach. Spring of Junior Year/Senior Year: Look to commit to a college when you are ready after a college coach asks for a verbal commitment. Remember the importance of keeping your grades up even after you commit so you are admissible to that college. Every Division I and II player must register through the NCAA Clearinghouse(www.eligibilitycenter.org) showing they meet the academic standards necessary to play. Prepare for your first college season by improving as a player on the field and coming into preseason fit. 11
NCAA Division I Rules and Regulations Basic Rules for Contact Between Coaches and Players: Coaches cannot text or email players until September 1 of their Junior Year. Players can begin emailing coaches anytime, however a college coach can only acknowledge their email and provide them with a player questionnaire and camp information (until September 1 of Junior Year). Starting September 1 of your junior year, the coach can make phone calls or text players. Before this date, players can speak with college coaches by phone, but only if the player initiates the phone call. 12
NCAA Rules and Regulations Basic Rules for Contact Between Coaches and Players: During tournaments, college coaches cannot speak directly with a parent or player. However, during a player s senior year, college coaches can speak with them when the tournament ends, at the conclusion of the last game. Unofficial visits are visits to colleges during which most of the expenses (travel, meals, etc.) are paid for by you and your parents. Unofficial visits can take place at any time, Freshmen-Senior year. Official visits are visits to colleges during which most of the expenses (meals, lodging, travel) are paid for by the College/University. Official Visits can only occur starting September of your Senior year. 13
Communication Before and After Tournaments Four Weeks Out: Email updated resume and tournament information (players should do this, not parents) Two Weeks Out: Email game schedule with your jersey number, game times, etc. (Check all of this carefully as you want to make sure what you are sending out is correct!) Post Showcase: Email coaches to thank them for watching you play (if you know they were watching) and reiterate interest in those schools. 14
Sample Email to College Coach Coach X, I currently play for Loudoun Soccer 00 Red and am a junior at Stone Bridge High School, graduating in 2018. I am interested in University because of your strong soccer program and the Physical Therapy program, as I am interested in this major. I currently have a 3.6 GPA and will be taking the SAT this spring. Enclosed is my player profile for your review. As you can see, I earned All-State Honors my sophomore year and am currently a member of the Virginia ODP State Team. I will be attending the following tournaments with my Loudoun 00 Red Team: CASL Raleigh Showcase (November 21-23, Raleigh, NC) Disney Soccer Showcase (December 30-January 3, Orlando, FL) Jefferson Cup (March 12-14, Richmond, VA) *My jersey number is 15 If you will be attending any of these tournaments, I would love for you to evaluate me for your program. As I mentioned above, I am very interested in and would love to play for your program! I hope to hear from you soon. Sincerely, Player X Cell Phone # 15
Sample Player Profile Suzie Q 2018 Graduate Loudoun Soccer 00 Red #14 Defender/Outside Midfielder 2017 State Cup Runner-Up Upcoming Tournaments: WAGS, CASL Raleigh Showcase, Disney Showcase, Jefferson Cup Academics GPA: 3.6 SAT: 1210 Contact Information Email: suzieq@sample.com Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX Stone Bridge High School 2016: 1 st Team All-District 2014-2016: 1 st Team All-County Olympic Development Program 2016: Region 1 ODP Pool 2014-2016: Virginia State ODP Team 16
Recruiting services Highlight videos can help in the recruiting process. However, consider developing a basic You-Tube video or using a cost-effective video service It is not necessary to pay for a recruiting service (Captain U, Be Recruited, etc). If you are good enough, organized and pro-active in the process, college coaches will recruit you. 17
Review and General Rules to Live by - Players 1. Be true to yourself. While you should listen carefully to the advice of others, avoid being overly swayed by peer pressure. Figure out where you would be most happy and consider all factors, not just soccer. 2. Begin the college search/process early, (Sophomore year) to allow plenty of time to gather information, and to start communicating with college coaches/letting them know what tournaments you will be playing in. 3. Visit the schools that you are interested in. There is no substitute for seeing the college and getting the feel for the match with your personality and your aspirations. 4. Reach out to a variety of colleges at the Division I, II, and III levels. 18
General Rules to Live by - Players 5. Know that college coaches are evaluating and communicating with hundreds of players during the recruiting process. Don t assume that you will be offered a spot on the team just because a college coach is communicating with you. Keep your options open until you know the school you want to attend/commit to, and you have been offered a spot or scholarship from that school. 6. Use ID Camps/College camps as part of the recruiting process. Camps are another way to be evaluated by college coaches and sometimes in a smaller environment. Camps can also help players get a feel for what the coaches/players are like and will be another opportunity to see the campus. 7. Make sure you have thought about and prepared questions for the College Head Coach when you visit and meet with him/her. How many players are your looking for in your recruiting class? Where do you see me playing? Is there an opportunity for athletic aid, academic aid, or financial aid? Is there academic support? Do you feel the team gets along? Do you want to stay here as the Head Coach? 19
General Rules to Live by - Parents 1. Let your child know early in the process if there will be financial restraints on some of the colleges they are considering. 2. Try to be realistic regarding your child s abilities and talents. Remember that college coaches are recruiting hundreds of players and there are many good players out there. 3. If your son or daughter verbally commits to a school, congratulate and celebrate with them, but also remind them of the importance of keeping their grades up and continuing to improve as a player. 20
General Rules to Live by - Coaches 1. Take the time to meet with the players and know who is interested in playing college soccer and at what level. Encourage players to be pro-active in the process with tournament schedules, etc. 2. Be honest with the players and families as to the level you feel the player can successfully compete collegiately. 3. If contacted by a college coach, return emails, texts, or phone calls as soon as possible and provide honest answers to any questions. 21
Actions can affect recruiting One bad tweet or facebook post can be costly Poor Body language and communication on and off the field with teammates, coaches, and parents Poor Body language and communication with college coaches Emails sent to wrong coaches 22
College Coaches Todd Bramble: Head Women s Soccer Coach, George Mason University Trevor Singer: Assistant Men s Soccer Coach, Mount St. Mary s University 23
Questions