2022 D3 Men's Soccer National Perspective

[Saint of Old]

More power to him man. Seems like a true baller. Many players would have stayed and pushed themselves and team to even higher levels, maybe a championship, but he  chose to challenge himself on an individual level to show he can do it in the Champions league.

I tell people that elite D3 soccer players are at PSG normally among other amazing players on the team. The level is not that much different at all. Not like you will see for the very top D3 hockey/football/basketball programs compared to their D1 comrades.

Acclimation is key, but people should use this example to appreciate some of the special players we have in this league.

[PaulNewman]

More power to him man. Seems like a true baller. Many players would have stayed and pushed themselves and team to even higher levels, maybe a championship, but he  chose to challenge himself on an individual level to show he can do it in the Champions league.

I tell people that elite D3 soccer players are at PSG normally among other amazing players on the team. The level is not that much different at all. Not like you will see for the very top D3 hockey/football/basketball programs compared to their D1 comrades.

Acclimation is key, but people should use this example to appreciate some of the special players we have in this league.

Hard to know.  I'm not sure OWU has any graduate programs or if whatever limited graduate studies there would have made any sense for him.  It's clear, though, that he didn't time his graduation in lockstep with his eligibility.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity (TX) finally posted their roster.  They return nine seniors exercising their COVID year.  Their top 12 scorers return, led by AA Michael Meese (16 GS, 4A in 15 GP).  Starting keeper Juan Carlos Vidales is one of the fifth-year returnees.  AA Jacob Galan's defensive presence (graduation) will be sorely missed. 

A total of 36 players return; among the 22 added to this year's roster are Louie Instrall, a transfer from Marshall who saw no playing time last season and Dylan McGinlay from San Antonio Alamo Heights HS.  If the name seems a little familiar - yes, that is Coach McGinlay's son. 

[Another Mom]

Seriously, a 58 man roster??!

[Saint of Old]

I have yet to hear a good reason to have more that 28 men on a football team.
Even with injuries/form/rotations there is no need to have those big numbers.

But hey, those trinity boys are always very good and won a National Championship so they might know what they are doing.

[VASoccer11]

I have yet to hear a good reason to have more that 28 men on a football team.
Even with injuries/form/rotations there is no need to have those big numbers.

But hey, those trinity boys are always very good and won a National Championship so they might know what they are doing.

Many division III schools are enrollment driven and its a good way to pump enrollment at those schools to keep the lights on by requiring sports to carry a specific number of athletes. Not saying this is the case at trinity but seems like if you want to keep your job that would be a pretty good reason to carry a large roster

[Kuiper]

I have yet to hear a good reason to have more that 28 men on a football team.
Even with injuries/form/rotations there is no need to have those big numbers.

But hey, those trinity boys are always very good and won a National Championship so they might know what they are doing.

Many division III schools are enrollment driven and its a good way to pump enrollment at those schools to keep the lights on by requiring sports to carry a specific number of athletes. Not saying this is the case at trinity but seems like if you want to keep your job that would be a pretty good reason to carry a large roster

If you listen to Simple Coach's quick shot of his interview with the Marietta coach, which he posted yesterday, the Marietta coach is very open and honest about his fairly formal and official relationship with the Admissions department and about how his university and others are investing in athletics to help drive enrollment.  I think 58 players usually means the team is scheduling some reserve team games (local community colleges, NAIA, even semi-pro teams), which probably has some developmental and morale advantages over being one of the last few players in a 28 player roster that never play a single minute in a season, but regardless it's clear that this is about enrollment/admissions.  Based on what the coach said, it's not just that larger rosters helps keep his job, but it also helps get him facility improvements, even if they do include a fairly ugly blue field.

[SimpleCoach]

... fairly ugly blue field.

Sacre bleu!

SC.

[camosfan]

Many division III schools are enrollment driven and its a good way to pump enrollment at those schools to keep the lights on by requiring sports to carry a specific number of athletes


but does this not fester discontent and ultimately larger player movement?

[VASoccer11]

Many division III schools are enrollment driven and its a good way to pump enrollment at those schools to keep the lights on by requiring sports to carry a specific number of athletes


but does this not fester discontent and ultimately larger player movement?

I would think it would. But, if your 1-22 are playing, you'd assume they are happy. As long as the school brings in X dollars, Im fairly certain they won't be bothered but if its a 4 year bench player or a new recruit each season. As long as the bottom line is met, I bet they are okay with turnover.

[Kuiper]

... fairly ugly blue field.

Sacre bleu!

SC.

I see what you did there 

[Gregory Sager]

Many division III schools are enrollment driven and its a good way to pump enrollment at those schools to keep the lights on by requiring sports to carry a specific number of athletes


but does this not fester discontent and ultimately larger player movement?

I would think it would. But, if your 1-22 are playing, you'd assume they are happy. As long as the school brings in X dollars, Im fairly certain they won't be bothered but if its a 4 year bench player or a new recruit each season. As long as the bottom line is met, I bet they are okay with turnover.

Speaking as an alumnus of a school whose team has had a roster well north of 50 players for the past few seasons, I can tell you that this is exactly the case. "Fester" and "discontent" might be stronger words than I would use, because no soccer newbie arrives on campus for the first time with any illusions about the size of the roster; after all, it's right there online for all to see. If you're unhappy with where you are in that very large pecking order, you don't see it as an institutional problem; you see it as a series of personal obstacles to overcome in terms of the depth chart. And, as VAsoccer11 alluded, most of the players who don't progress up the depth chart and/or who get limited playing time in reserve games, simply either get fed up or see the writing on the wall, leaving the team in preseason or not coming back for the next season. At North Park, the dropoff usually takes place among the walk-ons or the players who had minimal contact with the coaching staff prior to enrolling.

[Hopkins92]

My handle shows how old I am (roughly) and I spent about a dozen years coaching elite youth (girls). My issue, or really more of a question, is how in the heck do you run effective practices with that many kids? Do they just divide up the top 1-25 (or whatever) and 26-xx and let the latter group just go off on your own?

The only time I've run training sessions with that amount of kids is when my club would have the teams from a given age group do combined training. It can be done with stations and then rotating scrimmages (4 squads, each playing each other, then moving around). But that was, IMO, not all that effective and made it REALLY difficult to focus on individuals AND group tactics and dynamics.

I'm sure much smarter and better trained coaches have figured it out, but, man... seems like a real hassle.

[Gregory Sager]

My handle shows how old I am (roughly) and I spent about a dozen years coaching elite youth (girls). My issue, or really more of a question, is how in the heck do you run effective practices with that many kids? Do they just divide up the top 1-25 (or whatever) and 26-xx and let the latter group just go off on your own?

I don't know how other programs do it, but at NPU the varsity and the reserves practice separately once the season starts.

[Kuiper]

My handle shows how old I am (roughly) and I spent about a dozen years coaching elite youth (girls). My issue, or really more of a question, is how in the heck do you run effective practices with that many kids? Do they just divide up the top 1-25 (or whatever) and 26-xx and let the latter group just go off on your own?

I don't know how other programs do it, but at NPU the varsity and the reserves practice separately once the season starts.

That's the odd thing about Trinity.  North Park lists a HC, two ACs, and a volunteer asst.  That's enough to handle what is effectively two teams.  Trinity only lists one HC and one AC. Maybe they have more who aren't listed, but bringing in more players without springing for more coaches just degrades the experience for everyone.