You should create a thread on how to stand out at a camp.  Every camp I've seen, there is a clear top 5% in talent, a clear bottom 10% in talent, and then 85% who are interchangeable.  Some might be great wingers but struggle to defend, some might be strong defenders but have a poor first touch, some might be good at everything but not great at anything, some might be super fast but can't shoot, etc, etc.  If you're in that 85%, what can you do to separate yourself from the group?

New Jersey City University, with declining enrollment, to merge with Kean University

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/education/2025/03/06/new-jersey-city-university-merge-kean-university/81806915007/

Quote from: Kuiper on February 25, 2025, 11:02:28 AMAnother piece about this issue, making the broader point that non-revenue sports might be better off being governed by their national sports federations rather than the NCAA if the latter is focused almost exclusively on football and basketball

https://www.extrapointsmb.com/p/here-s-what-i-ve-learned-about-us-soccer-s-proposals-for-college-soccer

Here's what I've learned about US Soccer's proposals for college soccer

Is it a takeover? A hybrid? A pathway forward or another empty PDF? I asked around to find out.

Author
Matt Brown
February 25, 2025

Good morning, and thanks for your continued support of Extra Points.

In the eyes of many coaches, D-I college soccer has one major problem. The schedule.

The men's season begins in late August and builds into November, with teams regularly playing multiple matches a week. The championship is awarded in mid-December. No other major professional or high-end developmental league plays such a compressed schedule. To provide better athlete health outcomes and to ideally create a better championship, many college coaches have advocated for a split-season model, one where teams would play in the Fall and Spring.

This idea has many supporters, but it isn't so simple to pull off. Most college soccer programs don't have their own dedicated facilities, and moving to a year-round schedule could put them in conflict with lacrosse teams or other sports. Even beyond facilities, the staffers that support soccer programs, from sports information directors to trainers to operation managers, are often supporting other programs in the Spring.

So moving to a year-round play, to say nothing of the potential broadcast window complications or academic calendar fit, can be very expensive. While a vote to move towards what was then called the "21st Century Model" was close to happening before COVID-19, the global pandemic and various changes to college sports financial model have slowed momentum.

But what if there was another way to pay for those new expenses? Perhaps a completely different way to run a soccer championship, to build a league schedule that was completely centered on the needs of soccer, and to monetize the entire operation?

US Soccer is pitching exactly that. Originally reported by Sportico, Extra Points has obtained decks from various presentations the US Soccer Federation has made to college coaches and other stakeholders to reform how college soccer operates...or at least, for some schools.

After reviewing these proposals and talking to various coaches, sport administrators, athletic directors and industry experts over the last few weeks, here's what I've learned:

On December 17th, representatives from US Soccer gave the following presentation to coaches at the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Chicago. The deck centered on how US Soccer could help support college soccer in moving to a split-season format, while also providing financial and structural resources to grow revenues and make the sport more sustainable.

While the proposal pointed out multiple times that U.S. Soccer would eventually want to support "all of college soccer across the men's and women's game", the organization proposed a "pilot program" centered around schools from the largest conferences.

Quote from: jknezek on January 23, 2025, 10:40:55 AM

Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on January 23, 2025, 09:34:38 AM

Quote from: Kuiper on January 18, 2025, 04:12:56 PM

QuoteFour years ago, Patrick Agyemang was playing D3 college ball.

Now he's the big winner from #USMNT January camp.

https://www.soccerjournal.com/patrick-agyemang-transfers-to-uri-from-eastern-connecticut-state/

Not quite try 5 or 6 years ago. It appears that he played two years with ECU which ended in 2019. Yes, he scored 21 goals in 2019, but most of those were against not great D3 teams. COVID happened and he transferred to d1 Univ. of RI to finish his college. https://qcnerve.com/patrick-agyemang-charlotte-fc/  He did pretty well with URI where he played 2.5 season for good to mediocre D1 team. I bet he still owes some college loans.

Also it appears that he was around 5'8" as a junior in HS and finished growing to 6'4" in college. He also came from East Hartford which is a really tough part of of CT. Besides being smaller early, the other reason IMO it appears to be he was from a poor family. No big mystery, no big star in the rough. He's 24 now and has a few more years.

I know we all want some great player to emerge from D3 purgatory/obscurity, but that does not appear to be here. He plays MLS and scored a goal against Venezuela. He had a decent season last year with splitting between starting and coming off the bench (19 starts 12 sub with 10 goals). I do hope it gets even better in the future, but don't think he'll end up in the EPL. 

I have to admit, I think he is a great player. World Class? No. But anyone who pulls on the shirt for the U.S. at this stage is a great player. Even if it's only the January camp. You just don't get that invite if you aren't playing great at the moment.

I'm not going to hold it to great = world class. There are only a scant few Americans who have ever been even close to World Class, and usually just for a season or two. Dempsey and Howard for some seasons, Pulisic is consistently there when given a chance. Otherwise? Donovan, Friedel, Keller, Claudio Reyna? Harkes? Bahr? World class? No. 

Come on, that's not the bar for a great player. There are 2.5 million youth soccer players in the U.S. In any given year, about 50 players, counting the January camp, get a cap for the Men's U.S. National Team. You have to be pretty great to beat those odds.

Give the man his due. He may never play in a competitive National Team match. But he pulled on the Senior National Team shirt and that's a pretty great outcome for a kid who came out of an under privileged area, played D3 soccer, jumped to D1, pushed on to MLS and was called up to the National Team.

99.99999% and probably a bunch more 9s fail at one of those stops, he didn't. We see every year where outstanding D3 players transfer to D1 and struggle to make an impact. He found a way. And then found a way at the next step, and the next. That's great.

I don't care if he was a D1 caliber player who was under-recruited. He played D3 and he kept on going. It's a great story.

I'm not going to lie. I didn't know his story until reading this thread, but when I saw him in the USMNT game, I said aloud "not impressed, not sure I'd call him back".

Still a cool story and I wish him continued success. 

Good hire for Union.

Quote from: SKUD on December 09, 2024, 09:15:13 PMForgot one
3. without their sport. Would they be happy on that campus?

This needs to be #1 and #1A.

I've seen plenty of kids who don't have the experience they hoped for and immediately look to transfer. Some for "soccer reasons", others for "school reasons". And while there's nothing wrong with transferring, I think kids need to be a lot more introspective and realistic during the recruiting process. I know that's tough to ask of an 18 year old, so that's when the parent should help the student through the thought processes.

My son attended a school where he wasn't recruited because it was one of the few that offered his desired major. He had offers from better soccer programs but ultimately soccer was not his priority. And while he wished the soccer piece played out differently than it did (injured 2 years, minimal time the other two), he doesn't regret his decision. I have a ton of respect for that and was impressed with his maturation.

Quote from: Kuiper on December 09, 2024, 03:40:27 PM

Quote from: SKUD on December 09, 2024, 02:06:32 PMHe was super in the shootouts!

I think he might be the 2nd or 3rd best keeper in New England.

There is a goalie in New England who in the same categories is #1, #1 & #7.

Walker White from Babson, who was 1st team All Region II three years in a row

https://babsonathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/walker-white/8392

He was the best GK I saw play this season.

Quote from: SKUD on December 08, 2024, 03:23:13 PMMost will never agree on stats  You value offense and I value defense. Many on this forum has the misconception that stats (almost all offensive) tell the story line of a game and that is a false narrative

Recognize that "offensive" stats are in fact defensive stats.  You can "win" the stat matchup by only having 1 shot on goal if you concede 0 shots.   

I've heard a few ideas that would make for intriguing ways to break a tie. I haven't given much thought to either, but they sure sound interesting.

1. Start removing players (similar to hockey). OT1 is 10v10, OT2 is 9v9...
2. Conduct PKs before the game. The PK loser knows they have to win in OT so they'll be more inclined to attack.
3. Use statistics... Winner is team with fewer fouls and cards; team with more shots; team with most corner kicks, etc.

Quote from: CarefreeTX on December 07, 2024, 05:21:27 PMThese cannot be the best 2 teams in the country. I guess it gets result but some of the worst style of play stuff I've seen just lumping it long to nobody. Very limited technical ability on display outside of Amherst's striker and right winger.

Precisely why I don't watch NESCAC games, especially Amherst. Such a shame too, because those teams are absolutely loaded with talented kids who can play.

Nonetheless, congrats to Amherst and especially the entire EnmoreFeline family!

http://gspawn.com/

Ask for Rick.

Apologies if I started a sh!t storm. And I want to be clear, I didn't say he did something egregious or that his reputation or ethics should be in question. As far as I know, this was a temporary removal and he's still their coach.  Again, time will tell if the details ever come out. It could turn out to be much ado about nothing and just a temporary blip in what could be a fine career at Goucher.

BTW, I would love him for the Navy job if that ever opened. 

Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on December 04, 2024, 02:17:55 AM

Quote from: Ejay on December 03, 2024, 05:54:33 PMThere's more to the Goucher results than meets the eye.  Singleton didn't coach the entire season. I'm sure the whole story will come out eventually.

Strange.  He seems to still listed as Goucher's coach and his LinkedIn acct still shows him at the coach.

I didn't say he left the program. I said he didn't coach the entire season. He was (is?) technically still on staff despite not participating in practices or games. And plot twist.... I heard it wasn't his decision.

There's more to the Goucher results than meets the eye.  Singleton didn't coach the entire season. I'm sure the whole story will come out eventually.

I'm hearing whispers that the SimpleCoach Media Empire is using its enormous wealth and influence to negotiate the development of a soccer-only tournament venue right outside of Raleigh-Durham. Sure it'll require flights, but the facility will include hotels, restaurants, and 8 grass fields using a cross of Bluegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Featherbed Bent, and Northern California Sinsemilla. The amazing thing about this stuff is that you can play 4 back-to-back games on it in the afternoon, take it home and just get stoned to the bejeezus-belt that night on this stuff.