The truth about D1 College Soccer

Collegiate soccer is huge in the USA but it gets virtually 0 media coverage- meaning it's hard to actually know what goes on behind the scenes. Today I speak in depth with a friend of mine who has been through the system, and ask all the questions you guys wanted to know.

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IG: @lukegerr

[timguerra]

Soccer is a rich kid’s sport in the US while it’s a poor kid’s sport everywhere else in the world

[XxGEniSiS]

Way too much politics in US Soccer. Rich daddy’s son playing on teams they don’t deserve, as well as daddy being friends with coaches etc.

[kelvin]

Some mls players are good

Puts zlatan as a clip

[AT-dbgu]

Soccer in the US is a rich kid sport. You gotta spend spend spend to have a chance to be seen. In places like South America, soccer is way out of poverty. That's why so many of the greatest players come from nothing.

Now the reason for this could be because soccer isn't as popular in the US in comparison to basketball (in which many poor kids make it to the NBA) but regardless, there are so many talented players that get overlooked because they didn't have the $ to go to top academies and shit

[KyleBeats_]

They make super teams in D2 with the 28 year old foreign players... I played D2 and D1 soccer at Umass Lowell and the best 3 teams I played were D2 teams

[timothysichone]

Honestly I think that if you want to do pro soccer, just leave the United States. Cause some players turn pro even while in high school. Like Mason Greenwood

[dmarceline]

The main problem with the US recruitment process is the amount of money you have to spend to get seen by coaches. Being on an academy or NPL team costs thousands a year and a lot talented players wont ever be seen by a coach due to the fact they cant afford to play on these teams. D2 teams are generally better than D1 teams because these players can afford these schools while most D1 school are expensive and/or hard to get in without being on a highly regarded team.

[connorsanchez]

The pay to play concept : The reason why the US won’t ever be good at football (on the men’s side at least)

[jaredrobbins]

High school players won’t get a look from college scouts unless:

1.) You’re All-conference or state every year
2.) You’re from a Division-A school or from an urban area. (more selective with their squads, and professional coaching)
3.) You’re willing to shell out $$$ for yearly camps and training.

Even if you’re talented, rural soccer athletes don’t get much of a chance, and that upsets me.

[alex-wncb]

Id love to see a UK football college vs a D1 US college, would be interesting

[Deadpool]

I remember when I would receive "invitations" in the mail for college soccer coaches to see me and players in my area play. It was usually a 3 to 6 hour drive and around $250 for 2 training sessions in which recruits/coaches saw you. One of the many things wrong with US soccer.

[andrewlopez]

This is why US Soccer hasn’t progressed though out the years because all the universities and academy’s are full of rich prep kids and kids from big AA schools with no passion. I know many kids who are better than D1 players who never got the chance to play in college simply because they couldn’t afford to be seen by a coach or just happened to come from a small blue collar school. This is the reason why we have no good youth players that came directly from the US development process. It’s all about money and how many connections you have.

[unknownalien]

If you really want to make it as a professional. Football has to be your main priority. Eat, drink, and sleep football, and move to a country where football is well supported and known.

[spookje]

Soccer in Europe is so much different. Funny to hear the difference. Especially the scouting part

[seanmorin]

I played 4 years at a D1 one school and I can tell you that there is a lot of truth to what he's saying. I agree that a lot of players do "fall through the cracks" because they don't have the grades or money. I've played with and against a lot of players who were definitely good enough to play, that never ended up playing in college. Also, the exposure is a big part of getting recruited. Playing high level club soccer and ODP requires money, which a lot of players don't have. A lot of players do fall down to D2 and junior colleges because of that reason. I would say that most of the players that play D1 deserve to be there, like 80/20. D1 overall is still the top compared to the other divisions. Yes, I have seen politics in soccer from time to time, but not nearly as much as some of the comments would have you believe. There is a politics at every level, in every sport, in every country. Sometimes it's politics, other times it's used as an excuse by the player.

[iwantwinnersproduxtions]

To be fair the kid who was answering the questions actually did really well. I was ready to rip everything he said lol

[ButterSlug]

Alexi lalas was asked a couple of years ago: "with the amount of people in the USA, why haven't we been able to produce a Ronaldo or Messi"?

Lalas: "I believe we've had way too many kids with their capabilities fall through the cracks because we don't know how to develop them".

I hope something changes to that effect, great Q&A video btw! Loved it guys!

[-cn]

If you really want to go pro, just go oversees and do trials. You’ll spend around the same money.

[odugs]

It’s been years since I played US college soccer. I came from overseas and joined my college team. I had skills/talent but I learnt a new way of seeing the field and possibilities from my American coaches. Granted, some of their tactics were quite linear and will not always translate in a world game (due to different rules in college soccer). But I learnt some great lessons. This fellow is bang on about what college soccer is like (funny that it’s still the same after 18 years). What he didn’t mention is that subs are infinite after the first half. That’s why the high press is used so much. But against a disciplined team, you could be 4-0 down before the first half is over while doing that. Body language, dribbling too much, diving, not passing wisely, non-informational verbalisation (you don’t just say “pass” or “Man on” you indicate where you want the pass or blindside of incoming tackle), these got you in trouble with the coaching crew. It’s a pity that the USA does not use all of its resources for soccer at the world stage. Plus the MLS is still in poor format.

[TheRDGuarantee]

I am a HC at a D2 school and these are very good accurate answers. Cool channel!