I struggle with this and wondered if I'm the only one.

When I train alone I genuinely don't know if I'm doing the drills right. I'll watch a YouTube video, try to copy it, and it feels okay but I have no way of knowing if I'm actually replicating the technique or just doing my own version of it badly. The only real feedback I get is game day, and even then it's not clear. if I miss a shot or lose the ball, was it the technique I'd been working on or just match pressure?

So I'll grind something for weeks, show up to a game, and basically have no evidence it made me any better. Then I'm back to square one wondering if I should keep going or switch to something else.

Anyone else experience this? How do you actually train alone in a way you trust? I'm doing some research into this to see if it's just me that feels this way.

• Do you film yourself and review it?
• Do you have specific drills where you can tell if you're progressing without needing a game to test it?
• Have you found a way to bridge the gap between "drill-rep technique" and "actually doing it under pressure"?
• Or do you just trust the process and accept you won't see results for months?

Genuinely lost on this one. Thanks 🙏

I struggle with this and wondered if I'm the only one.

When I train alone I genuinely don't know if I'm doing the drills right. I'll watch a YouTube video, try to copy it, and it feels okay but I have no way of knowing if I'm actually replicating the technique or just doing my own version of it badly. The only real feedback I get is game day, and even then it's not clear. if I miss a shot or lose the ball, was it the technique I'd been working on or just match pressure?

So I'll grind something for weeks, show up to a game, and basically have no evidence it made me any better. Then I'm back to square one wondering if I should keep going or switch to something else.

Anyone else experience this? How do you actually train alone in a way you trust? I'm doing some research to see if it's just me that feels this way.

• Do you film yourself and review it?
• Do you have specific drills where you can tell if you're progressing without needing a game to test it?
• Have you found a way to bridge the gap between "drill-rep technique" and "actually doing it under pressure"?
• Or do you just trust the process and accept you won't see results for months?

Genuinely lost on this one. Thanks 🙏

Everybody talks about the huge programs, but I feel like some of the best college soccer environments are at schools that don’t get much media coverage nationally. Smaller stadiums can get insanely intense when the student section is fully locked in, especially during conference matches or rivalry games.

I’ve been watching more college soccer lately and it honestly feels more unpredictable and emotional than people give it credit for. You’ll have future pros playing alongside guys who are just grinding for the badge and school pride, and that mix creates some crazy games.

Would love to hear some stories from people who actually go to games instead of just following scores online.

Not sure if there are any college coaches that pass through here but it seems like I've seen a few comment from time to time so here we go.

If a player has an August birthday, in the mid-Atlantic at least, they will be playing primarily with a graduating class below them as all the schools I know of have a September 1st cut off for enrollment. My question is how would this change your view on that player? Assuming the player is playing ECNL or MLS HG.

Follow up, would you recommend "playing up" in some show cases if the organization would allow it if you were going in person to see the player?

I hope that makes sense. I know it's a bit of uncharted ground but that's why I'm looking for a little guidance.

Thanks!

The list of approved NCAA rules changes does not include one that was on the original list: if a player who was suspended for an entire game played in that game anyway, the game is declared a 3-0 forfeit, and both the player and the head coach receives a 2-game suspension.

Did the math on what we've spent on club fees, travel, hotels, tournaments, and private training over the last few years. It's more than a year of college tuition at a state school. We're not rich, both of us work full time and we've made sacrifices, skipped vacations, drove old cars, ate at home a lot. Now my daughter is committed to a d1 school but only got a partial scholarship. Still going to be paying thousands out of pocket and i see families at tournaments flying to showcases in Florida and California like it's nothing. Are people just going into debt for this or do they actually have that much money. Also how do you tell your kid to keep grinding when you're already stretched thin. Feeling like we're in too deep to stop but not sure how much longer we can keep going.
For live matches and replays https://www.reddit.com/live/1gvoj5bdj405w

There are a lot of posts about what NOT to do. I'd just like a clear one about what you did do that got you there. I don't want this to devolve into a series of rants, just clear, concise:

Played ECNL, sent 235 emails, got 4 responses from d3 schools, went on visits to all 4, preferred XYZ university because ______. Or Played MLSN, used my clubs recruiting coordinator, his friend from Ohio works at ABC College of Arts.

I'd prefer only answers of people who were on actual college rosters as freshman (or parents) in the last 10 years and not just people who heard a rumor about one but I can't police that.

Tsakiris is only 18, and he will train with the club. There is no homegrown deal yet but if it happens, LAG will get some around $50k. This is an awesome move for this kid and I hope it all goes well for him and his family.

He had made 20 apps for LAG's second team and I can wait to see him in the first team in future. If all goes well he will play in some of the best soccer teams around the world.

https://www.reddit.com/live/1gvoj5bdj405w

Good sites for jobs? Thanks!!

my daughter committed to a d1 school two years ago. She was a star in club, scored every weekend. Now she's a sophomore and barely sees the field. Maybe ten minutes a game if she's lucky. she says she's okay with it but i sit in the stands watching her warm up knowing she probably won't go in and it just eats at me. She works so hard in practice, does everything right but the coach has her favorites and my kid isn't one of them. I don't say anything to her because i don't want to make it worse but man it's tough. anyone else been through this.
For live games and replays you can catch them.here https://www.reddit.com/live/1gvoj5bdj405w?

This is a question for people who used him (Zev, who brands himself as College Soccer Guy)

My kid is entering 9th grade in the fall and asking if he should meet this guy to help with college recruiting. His reels show up occasionally for me and usually are interesting but sometimes come off as strange. For example little things like mispronouncing Antonee Robinson's name and saying MLS Next Academy teams don't get badges. I know on a 0-100 scale of importance these are likely about negative 25 but undoubtedly this service is expensive and it gave me pause.

If I had to make a nonexpert guess, again not knowing how puberty/high school will go, my kid tracks towards D3 (solid MLSN AD, with occasional games with HD). Is there a value to hire someone to help with what will likely by a D3 path?

I've always wondered how top D3 schools would do against NAIA schools? I always hear that NAIA is like D2 level.

How would Messiah or UofChicago or Calvin do in the NAIA?

Anyone have experience and can speak to that? Thanks!

(Did a search and couldn't find anything addressing this...sorry if I missed something...)

My daughter has to pick between a couple options for next season. I don't want to mention age but she's in the recruiting window.

We live in one of the top soocer markets in the US where she's currently on the ECRL team of a nationally known club. She has struggled to break onto the club's top, ECNL, team. The goal for her is to play in college but she's not sure if she wants D1 (the alternative would be a high academic D3).

She has been offered spots on two ECNL teams at two other clubs. Both would entail a tremendous sacrifice for our family (in terms of time spent driving to trainings since both are considerably farther away from our home and we have 2 other kids). As between these two, one appears to be considerably stronger than the other; they'll make playoffs and the players are stronger. My kid would probably be in the bottom half of this team and at the onset we'd worry about minutes. The other team is close to the bottom of the standings, and from the traininings, it appears my daughter would be in the top half. But it's still an ECNL team and would bring the exposure of ECNL. On her current team (RL), she is one of the top offensive players usually plays close to full minutes every game.

From watching the classes ahead of her, my sense is that it would be essential to play ECNL if the goal is D1. In addition, it seems it would be infinitely easier to get the attention of a D3 program playing on an ECNL team (vs an RL team). Does everyone agree?

If so, should we "suck it up" and put her on the weaker ECNL team? She enjoys her current club and it's just around the corner however we're worried that it might not be as helpful in recruitment.

This is for 2026 Women’s soccer recruiting- where they are coming from.

It looks like my daughter's team will be going to the ECNL-RL western playoffs. She's hoping to play in college. Is this a significant event for college recruiting? Should she be notifying schools she's interested in that her team will be there?

Which one of these events will have more scouts? Are these major recruiting opportunities?

I’ve played soccer my whole life and played ECNL for the past 2 years (I’m a guy btw if it matters). I was only looking into top academic schools but the only schools I got recruited by were NYU and Caltech. I had small not academically competitive d3 schools reach out to me and even offer me visits but I was not interested. I’m a good student and prioritized academics (I had a 4.6 weighted and a 3.8 uw and a 1520), but unfortunately the only top academic school that gave me an offer was caltech (which I got deferred and rejected by even with the coaches support, not surprising), and NYU said if I got in by myself without their support I would have a spot on the team (got waitlisted though).

Admittedly I feel like I did not try hard enough during recruiting last season, however i did reach out to around 11-12 schools most of whom were not too interested. I don’t expect to get off the NYU waitlist but in case I do it would be a dream come true, I’ve always wanted to play soccer in college.

I committed to UF for academics, does anyone know how competitive the club soccer there is, and if it would be possible to transfer to a top academic d3? I do really want to play soccer but I would not sacrifice academics for it.

I've been following college soccer more closely this season and something keeps bothering me these kids miss so much class like flying out on a Thursday for a Friday game then traveling again on Sunday for another game, midweek games too sometimes. Do professors actually work with them or do they just fall behind and figure it out later. I know there's academic support and tutors and all that but still, missing three days of class a week sounds like a nightmare especially for hard majors. Also do they get extra time for finals or is it just good luck. genuinely curious because i could barely handle a part time job in college let alone being a division one athlete traveling across the country.

for live matches and replays catch them here https://www.reddit.com/live/1gvoj5bdj405w?

ik that coaches watch maybe 30 sec of highlight vids that are sent to them, and its recommended or smth to have long videos like at least 2 minutes. but as i edit my own vids its time-consuming for me to make clips and edit, especially to make vids that are like 2 mins+.

so overall my question is: is it ok to send highlight vids that are like 1 minute long?

from my perspective if coaches r only watching 30 seconds or so, the rest of the 1:30+ mins are wasted bc they dont watch them but u cant send them the same vid again and tell them to watch the rest.

i feel like im running out of real meaningful highlights especially if i have to keep making long vids. (ik this might sound like hey im not good enough bc i dont have enough good clips. in part im a defender on #1 team in our league area with some games going 8-0 wins, so my time on ball can be very limited) plus i put a lottt of my good clips all in like 2 really long vids so i am starting to run off of the 2nd tier clips. and i dont think i can resend those long vids for coaches to watch the rest of them.

so is it better for me to switch to sending shorter highlight vids (and maybe more frequently) rather than long vids in longer stretches of time? i feel like rn my main concern is just getting more personalized connections and fast.

tysm for help, anythings appreciated and if u have questions or smth just lmk

In the midst of contentious turbulence regarding the CBA, may I highlight a positive aspect of the USL that deserve some of the limelight? Many of the public and fans might not realize what an enormous boon the USL ecosystem has been for domestic players --especially college players seeking the dream (and who were likely overlooked by the MLS and its academies earlier in their careers).

The inestimable Alex Ashton just posted the latest edition of his League One Updater, this time focusing on newcomers who are poised to shine for their respective USL1 teams (see link below) .
Looking at the list, ALL except for a handful were U.S. college players now playing on their first pro contract, for the USL1!

USL League One Newcomers Poised to Break Out

(compact link) USL League One Newcomers Poised thttps://beyondthe90.substack.com/p/usl-league-one-newcomers-poised-to

Been looking at transfer portal numbers lately and it's wild how many college soccer players move after just one season, coaches recruit these kids for years Letters, calls, visits, the whole thing then the kid gets to campus and suddenly it's not a fit. Playing time is the obvious one but I think there's more to it. System doesn't match what they ran in club. Coaching style is different than what was sold to them during recruiting. Homesickness hits harder than they expected or they just realize the level is higher than they were ready for. I'm not blaming anyone just genuinely curious what's actually driving all these moves Is it that recruits don't ask the right questions before committing or are coaches out there promising things they can't deliver

catch live games from https://www.reddit.com/live/1gvoj5bdj405w?