What is it like playing college soccer?
October 30th, 2008 - byAcademically: I can sum this up in a couple of words: very demanding. Trying to balance practice everyday, playing games on the weekend, traveling to away games, going to class, doing homework, meeting with professors, and attending study hours can be very hard on a player. The biggest word of advice I can give is: manage your time and be organized. If a player isn’t organized and manage their time well, they will have a tough time. Here are some tips on making your transition easier:
- 1) Buy a planner. After you get your homework assignments and test dates write them in your planner.
- 2) Every Sunday look at what needs to be done that week. Sunday is the best day to get caught up and/or get ahead on homework.
- 3) Find extra time to get ahead of the game. Do work on the bus ride to and from away games. On away games do homework in your hotel room (some coaches have a mandatory study session).
- 4) On the first day of class introduce yourself to the professor. Tell them that you play soccer and that you may miss some class time and/or need to make up some tests. Ask the professor what you need to do in order to stay on track. If you are struggling, take advantage of the professor’s office hours. You can also ask your teammates if they have ever taken that class and get some pointers.
- 5) Use the athletic academic services. A program that provides tutoring, computer labs, composition specialists, study tables, and life skills to athletes. The mission of this athletic academic service program is to assist student-athletes in reaching their full potential by providing them with the necessary tools and skills to achieve academic success.
Athletically: The biggest difference between playing high school and college soccer is the speed of play. I would compare the difference as if I was a 7th grader playing in a varsity game. You could be the best player on your high school and/or club team, but when you go to college every player is good. If you cannot play the ball quickly with one or two touches you are going to struggle with the pace of the game. I call it the make or break point. How committed are you and how mentally strong are you? This will be one challenge in your life that will test your character and make you a stronger person. Here are some tips to get through your challenges:
- 1) Embrace the challenge, if you let it affect you mentally, it will affect your play.
- 2) If you get frustrated ask an upper classman for some tips and/or pointers.
- 3) Get feedback from your coach on what you need to work on. See what areas of your game need the most improvement.
- 4) Make sure your effort level is at 100% for every training session no matter how bad you’re playing. Your teammates respect that!
- 5) Never complain! No matter how much pain you’re in or how bad you’re playing, never criticize and/or whine to others.
Socially: Going to college can be a frightening step in your life. The change is easy for some and harder for others. The biggest benefit a player has coming in as a freshman is that they already have 25-30 new friends. What do I mean? You live, train, sweat, eat, and bleed with your teammates everyday. After time they become your good friends. Compare that to the average student who might have 4-5 friends attending that school, it’s an easy transition.
