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Is Playing Soccer at the Next Level Really for You?
Playing soccer in college is not a decision that should made lightly.
Collegiate soccer is a much larger commitment than anything you have experienced before. Practices are longer, more intense and rougher. Not only that, more will be expected of you as a student-athlete than ever before. You will be on your own for the first time, in a new environment, with new people. This can be a challenge in itself, but then you will be adding a new course load and daily practices, games or weight room sessions to your routine. All of this activity is possible and thousands of athletes do it, but you have to be disciplined. Before you make the decision to play in college you must think long and hard to determine if this is really something that you wish to pursue.
At some point throughout your high school career, someone is going to ask you if playing soccer at the next level is something you would like to do. Whether it is a coach, parent or teammate who asks you, you are the only person who can make the final decision and put in the hard work to make it happen. The sooner you can decide, the better, because you want to allow yourself as much time to prepare as possible.
The preparation process includes making sure you join a club team, that you are participating in tournaments that will give you the most exposure to college coaches, and that you have a realistic idea of what division you are qualified for. Club soccer can often help you showcase your skills through tournaments and showcases.
There are several reasons why club soccer is so important if you want to play college soccer. First, as a rule, club soccer is more competitive than high school soccer and consequently athletes who play club soccer are generally more committed players than those who do not. Second, college coaches do most of their recruiting from specific tournaments which club soccer teams attend, not high school teams. If you are not competing at those tournaments it is difficult for a coach to see you play and ultimately recruit you. Lastly, the experience that you will gain from playing soccer at a competitive level will help mold you into a more desirable college prospect.
Making the decision to be an active participant in club soccer can be tough because it will often mean that you will have to sacrifice a few things. First, you may need to find a club that suits your family’s economic situation. Clubs can be costly, and keep in mind that you will be traveling to tournaments, which in turn, leads to more of an out-of-pocket expense. Second, it may mean that you will have to give up playing a second high school sport, a decision that is never an easy one to make. Playing an additional sport is incredibly time-consuming and many athletes find it is best to focus on only one sport in high school.
Playing collegiate soccer is not for everyone and that’s okay. If you are sure you want to take your game to the next level you must be prepared to make the commitment. The higher division, the larger the commitment and the more disciplined you will have to be. In whatever you choose to do, make sure that you are maximizing all of your opportunities and getting the most out of every club season. Before you know it, your competitive soccer career will be over and you never want to have any regrets.
About NCSA:
NCSA, the “Official Scouting Organization and Provider of Recruiting Education” for Cal South, is the premier source for matching high school scholar–athletes with colleges and universities across the country. NCSA is the "Eyes & Ears" of more than 35,000 college coaches, who rely on NCSA's experienced scouting team and instant response capabilities to provide them with quality prospective recruits. NCSA prides itself in educating high school student-athletes and their families about the college recruiting process. Please visit www.ncsasports.org for more information about NCSA.
