Taking Control

Where do I go and how do I go about going where?  PASS4SOCCER has the current knowledge and the contacts through years of investment and experience to know at what level a prospective student athlete should enter Higher Education, what positions (in soccer) a coach is looking for, which is why you decided to engage The PASS4 Network Program.

YOU will know instinctively how good you are and if you are coached as all talented sports students should be YOUR COACH will verify both to you and to prospective university coaches precisely the same assessment.

Unlike swimming or golf where performance levels are recorded and measurable, soccer ability is not so straight forward. If you have played school team football only and want higher education you can apply to join a programme. If you meet the academic standards of the university/college interested in your approach and can afford to a proportion of fees you should be able to find a  soccer programme at NCAA III or NAIA institutions. If you have played area or county level team football or higher and desire higher education you will have a good chance of finding a programme to fit your level of achievement in all NCAA or NAIA institutions and secure a substantially subsidised scholarship.  

The USA is a huge country so make sure to brush up your geography. Remember it is approximately 3,000 miles between London and New York and 3,000 miles between New York and Los Angeles. It is further from Vancouver to San Diego than it is from London to Malaga. The USA provides the opportunity to fit your sport to its natural climate and your other interests perhaps. You should make it your business to know  where the top universities are located. The really big state and private universities are all in NCAA DI and have 8 sports per gender and can have as many as 35 sports, say 16 for men and 19 for women. NCAA DII universities have 6 sports per gender as a minimum and NCAA DIII 4 sports per gender as a minimum. The NAIA institutions have no minimums but like the other other institutions are subjected to Federal legislation with the bias toward additional educational and sports opportunities for women. If you are an outstanding sports person but have poor grades at age 16 you might consider Junior colleges in the NJCAA.

Always beware however of overstating your own opinion of your talent in your achievements statement either separate from or part of your CV. PASS4 recommends you limit your opinions of your achievements to 50 words. By all means sell your talent and desire by using power words.  Remember because PASS4 is networking your details this does not prevent you from making your own approaches and if you wish refer to PASS4 as we are widely recognised by US soccer coaches. 

If you have a specific education requirement or wish to “Major” in a specialist area then you should visit the individual university web site to review that particular prospectus and add or delete from your target list accordingly. If you do not wish to “Major” you should  signify on your CV. Where you elect not to “Major” you will wait until your “Junior” year (year 3) to specify a specialist subject. Most coaches who recognise a worthy CV will recommend an alternative university if theirs cannot meet your “ Major” requirements.

On the subject of scholarship costs, if you are only prepared to accept a 100% fully funded scholarship you will be disappointed unless you are an exceptional athlete. The realistic approach is to have an open mind and a set budget of not less that £3000 or $6000 approx per year - the current exchange rate is about $2 to the £1. If you are an outstanding athlete with decent academic grades you may find a top university prepared to invest heavily in you. If you are a talented athletic and have no inclination to “major” from year 1 you may find a small university who will also invest heavily in you provided that talent has been professionally and independently assessed.

There is nothing to stop you compiling a target list of institutions and sending an individual e-mail to each with your C.V. attached. If you do not want to go through all this yourself that is OK as PASS4 have agreed to promote and network for you.

Whenever you are contacted by or asked by PASS4 to contact a Coach always follow up immediately and do not lie about other institutions being "after you" or try to double deal. To impress coaches ALWAYS respond immediately and personally. If your parents are constantly on the phone on your behalf this may be an indication that you lack the confidence or the ability to look after yourself and your own interests. University coaches will need to speak with your parents at some point but they are interested in YOU. It is worth thinking about. If you are used to your parents doing things for you and making all the important arrangements in your life it is time you took stock and realised that when you are away from home they cannot do this for you. Think about it. If you and your parents as they should do things together great but you should take the lead once a plan of action or response is agreed. 

If you are invited to apply for a sports scholarship coaches may ask you to do so on line. If you change your mind before applying let them know immediately preferably by phone or email. Never make a verbal commitment to join a university and then renege by going to another university. If a university issue an NLI you cannot go elsewhere. If you change your mind about going at all then that is understandable, but let the coach know immediately.