By Pat Grecco
Let’s compare playing soccer in college to gaining admission to a college/university based on academics and SAT/ACT scores. Not everyone will be accepted to an Ivy, yet there is a college program waiting for you. If you play within the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), you definitely will have a place to play at the collegiate level, whether it be intercollegiate, club soccer or intramurals. I always tell the student-athletes I work with, “Pick the college that has the best academics for your particular major.”
Let’s look at the different levels of soccer:
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). You might say these programs are the most competitive. Some of the challenges with these programs include international students and student-athletes transferring in from the transfer portal. Yes, even Division 3 programs in the NCAA are looking for highly-skilled players, especially in colleges that are academically very competitive, for example, Tufts University, Emory University and the University of Chicago. D1 and D2 offer athletic scholarships, D3 does not offer athletic scholarships but a strong student-athlete can be treated to a generous academic grant/scholarship.
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Of note within the NAIA, there are also different levels, some offer scholarships and some do not. NAIA programs are also seeking competitive players for their programs. Upon researching rosters at the NAIA colleges, I see an abundance of international players at many schools.
National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA): A smaller group which consists mostly of Christian learning-based college programs, less competitive perhaps than the above NCAA and NAIA programs but also with different levels. Yes, the NCCAA allows its Division 1 teams to offer athletic scholarships, though its Division 2 programs do not.
United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA): This group is made up of small colleges across the USA that offer a competitive athletic environment in a more intimate academic setting. Limited number of scholarships are offered by each college respectively. Of note, recently the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) and North American Conference for Intercollegiate Athletics (NACIA) announced the formation of the first formal USCAA Division 1 conference in the history of the association. Keep your eye on this conference, it’s growing stronger each season.
National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA): A good place to begin a college soccer career, but if you have aspirations of playing at the higher level, seek a two-year school that gets to post season often and has a solid soccer reputation. After two years of playing at a very competitive NJCAA program, you can enter the transfer portal and perhaps be recruited for NCAA or NAIA programs.
The teams at the bottom of NCAA Division 2, some Division 3 teams as well as some squads outside the NCAA, including junior colleges, struggle to attract enough players to their teams, especially on the women’s side. All premier or travel team players in Eastern New York should be able to see significant playing time with these programs.
I understand you love the game but perhaps you are not quite at the level for the more competitive college programs, but this particular college or university has what you want, so next step, consider playing club or intramural soccer at this institution. Club soccer plays against club teams from other colleges and most teams have tryouts.
Keep in mind that playing club soccer in college is most likely not a bridge to getting onto the Varsity the following year. There is usually a faculty member who is in charge of club and intramural sports at a college, but please understand that most of the club and intramural sport activity is student-run.
Some college club teams might be highly competitive, feeling almost like a varsity team, while others might be more relaxed. Club soccer is similar in level of play to Division 3 intercollegiate soccer but there is not much coaching involved so play is free and can resemble pick-up soccer. Intramurals are a level below club soccer. You’ll want to check in with the team culture and commitment level at your school and ensure it fits with your expectations and course schedule. Club and intramurals are less demanding of your time but a great way to make friendships and feel a part of the campus community.
Playing in Eastern New York has prepared you to play at the collegiate level and discuss where with your club or varsity coach. If interested in intercollegiate play, check the rosters, see where the coach is recruiting from, how many international student-athletes are on the roster, how many come into the program from transfer portal. Compare your soccer development with those on the roster, do you match up? Many programs are searching for players. Be diligent with your research but always keep in mind, academics come first! Yes, there is a place for everyone in Eastern New York to play college soccer.
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Pat Grecco is an Eastern New York and Long Island Junior Soccer League Hall of Famer who is CEO of the College-Bound Athlete Scholarship Service. For more info and a free 30-minute consultation, log on to www.collegeboundathlete.com or contact Pat directly at 631-988-7746 or soccervol@aol.com
With over 100,000 youth soccer players––both boys and girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border, east of Route 81. ENYYSA encourages the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Children With Special Needs. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of US Soccer and US Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/