Dream to play football/soccer?

I'm moving to the USA from Europe in a couple months and I'll be attending a university in Florida.

One of my dreams is to play football/soccer in college, but I've never actually played it before except for fun in elementary school with friends. I did play hockey in elementary school and I used to do crew in high school so I wasn't completely sport-less.

What can I do to make this dream happen besides losing weight and getting into shape? I should have at the very least a full year before I'll actually be attending university too so what would I have to do and how can I learn to be an advanced footballer?

Oh, and how can I keep the heat from getting from me since I'm coming from a cold place?

You can't.  It is too late.  Your competition has been training and playing club soccer year round against top level players since they were 10.  Soccer is not something you simply pick up and master in a short period of time.

Then again, all sports are.  Could you take up basketball, baseball, tennis, golf, etc. ...  having never played them before  ...  and make a college team with one year's training?  Not likely.

As to heat, you just have to train in it and over time you will become acclimated. 

Your best bet is to find an intramural or other local team. Even if you hire the best coach in the business and devote the next year to nothing but training, you're still going up against people who have genetics and skills like you can't imagine. Should you still do it? Well, I'm a big believer in the power of dreams, which is why I'm an ironman today. But I also believe that those dreams need to be tempered with reality, which is why I'm not holding out any hope of ever being a competitive age grouper.

So yeah, go for it, just be aware of what you're up against.

But the thing is I am really naturally talented. I remember playing football in high school for gym and my gym teacher wanting me to join the team, she thought I was so awesome but I didn't because I didn't have the money back then. I was the only person in my gym class who could keep up and play against the people who were on the football team. I feel like I can do this and even if I can't play at the top level, how can I play? What teams can I join? I just want to play.

I also want to add that I am very well aware of what I'm up against. If anything I am a realist and I'm not kidding when I say I could do it. I've always been really athletic even though I've been overweight and as I've lost weight it has only improved. When I finish getting rid of the rest of this weight I know I can be pretty formidable myself. The only thing I'm trying to figure out how to do in a relatively fast manner is learning the detail skills.

If your going to a Division 1 school, you can play club or intramural soccer.

If your going to a Division 3 or NAIA school you might be able to get onto the team, but will likely sit on the bench for 4 years.

Original Post by bleuatre:

But the thing is I am really naturally talented.

I've always been really athletic even though I've been overweight and as I've lost weight it has only improved. When I finish getting rid of the rest of this weight I know I can be pretty formidable myself.

The only thing I'm trying to figure out how to do in a relatively fast manner is learning the detail skills.

Every player on a college soccer team is "talented" and "athletic".  Otherwise they would have been pushed aside years ago.  They have also spent close to a decade honing their skills with the ball on their feet.

Most of the girls you would compete against have trained 2 or 3 times a week and played competitive games year round  ...  starting at age 10.  By 12 they are traveling the country playing national tournaments.  They are fast, skilled with the ball on their feet, and have composure under pressure.  Good luck with acquiring those "detailed skills" in a "relatively fast manner".

 

 

People say this site is great for support but that's BS. Oh well, it's my dream and I'm going for it. The only thing I have to prove is to prove the people who think it's impossible wrong because I know who I am and what I'm capable of. And even if I do fail like most of you suggest, I can't see how me working my ass off will be bad for me so thanks for nothing. Discussion over.

I have no problem with support.  But I'm not going to blow smoke up your butt either.  Just not my style.  It is better to say what you did than what you are going to do. 

Try.  Train.  What is the downside?  Even if you don't make a team you will be in better physical condition.

So either you will or you won't  ...  and that is on you.

What resources are available to you in your current location? Local intramural teams, football clinics, coaches? Is there a football specialty store? Maybe a football coach moonlighting at the local YMCA (or equivalent)? Can you go to your high school and join in their practices? Can you assist a local youth league coach to get an idea of what the kids are doing? Have you visited any of these forums? Have you googled "soccer training [your area]"? Looking ahead, what resources are available to you in your future location?

I don't know you and your capabilities, nor anything about your competitors. I do know that I was great on the field until I turned 12, at which point I moved up to the next level, and holy crap did I get my ass handed to me that year. And the thing is, I probably could have been a decent player had I been willing to put in the time, learn to run, and kept at it.

So yeah, go nuts. But do something other than complain that you're not getting the answers you want.

I'm not complaining thank you very much. I was asking for any of the information you listed. OF COURSE I have researched on my own, but like any intelligent person would know, sometimes it's better to ask anyway to see if anyone can offer information you haven't found or thought of. I swear to GOD everyone on this site is a complete pessimist pretending to be realistic.

I can tell you I played soccer in the US from the time I was 5 until I graduated high school (13 years). I find it really disrespectful that you seem to think you are better than people who have been playing for years and will be choosen over them to be on a college sports team when you have never played competitively. That being said I think everyone should try soccer. Instead of getting you feelings hurt when people are being realist, let's face it a large % of people will never play college sports it has nothing to do with you it is just stats, go join a team. This is what I would do if I were you. Join a team, today! There are adult leagues forming all the time, if you can't find an outdoor team find an indoor team. Be honest with your teammates (and yourself) about you skill and knowledge level. PLAY SOCCER, if you think you can be at the college level that requires practice, everyday and probably twice a day at most schools. When I played in high school, which is much easier, our practices were usually 1-2 hours long and we had weight training after 5 days a week and played on rec teams that had practice on top of that with games on weekends. If you have a year until try-outs I would say you have 365 day of practice and every hour you are here is an hour you are getting further behind your competition. Not all colleges have an official soccer team, especially women's. Most schools will have an intramural team that can still be pretty competitive. GO PLAY SOCCER, but remember the girls you are competing against have been playing for more than 10 year, and soccer is a huge part of their life. Do you even know what position you think you can play?

Sorry if that doesn't flow very well.

I stopped reading after the first sentence. I never ONCE said I was better. I simply said that I am athletic and believe that I would be able to reach a competitive level with these people. I think you're the one who got a little unnecessarily offended.

Original Post by bleuatre:

I simply said that I am athletic and believe that I would be able to reach a competitive level with these people.

Everyone of them is athletic, which you seem to ignore or discount.  Usually they are the best athletes in their school, have competed against the best athletes in soccer for years and play many other sports too.

Most colleges recruit players when they are sophomores and juniors in HS.  As of July 1 before their senior year, they can commit to colleges.  By the fall of their senior year, most are committed and most scholarships extended.  So basically, you don't even have a year as the needs have been filled.  At best, you would have to walk on.  Still not easy.

Further, most colleges do not recruit soccer players at HS games.  They recruit them at club tournaments.  So to be seen, you are going to have to play club soccer.  Soccer clubs are very competitive and use tryouts to select the players.  Since you haven't played before, making a club team, especially one a college coach would travel to watch will be unlikely.

That's not pessimism.  It is just the reality of soccer in the U.S.  That is your competition for a slot on a college team.

Bottom line.  You say you "need to lose weight", "get in shape" AND "learn to be an advanced footballer" in 1 year.  I'm telling you that your competition is already in shape and has a 10 year head start on you and has already been recruited by the colleges.  You are late to acquiring the skills and you are late to being recruited if you had them.  So good luck with all that.

Original Post by enhayworth:

I find it really disrespectful that you seem to think you are better than people who have been playing for years and will be choosen over them to be on a college sports team when you have never played competitively.

Lots of colleges have roster spots go unfilled on women's athletic teams.  She isn't neccessarily going to have to be chosen over anyone.

The OP hasn't said what division the school she plans to play for plays in.  She isn't going to be up against any scholarship athletes who've been recruited since they were sophomores if she's at a DIII school.

Original Post by floggingsully:

She isn't going to be up against any scholarship athletes who've been recruited since they were sophomores if she's at a DIII school.

That article you linked spoke of fencing, cross country, etc.  It did not mention soccer  ...  nor basketball.

You are partially correct.  Div 3 doesn't give athletic scholarships.  They circumvent that by giving "academic" scholarships.  Wink, wink, nod, nod.

Div 3 schools do recruit athletes and many of them are being recruited by Div 1 and Div 2 schools at the same time.

My comments are based on personal experience as a parent of a daughter who went through this.

Even Div I schools have open try-outs for varsity sports.  If you are good enough you can get a spot on the team as a "walk-on".  If you play well enough in practice you can earn playing time.  Play well enough in the games and you can become a scholarship player the next year.

Not all colleges are going to have Varsity teams.  Some will have a Club team that plays against other clubs from other schools.  These Clubs will have try-outs.

Bigger schools will also have Intramural teams.  You can join a team and play against other teams from your school.

 

Original Post by cpa_pfs:

That article you linked spoke of fencing, cross country, etc.  It did not mention soccer  ...  nor basketball.

The article was to show that even schools with big time athletics aren't able to fill their rosters, it stands to reason that smaller schools (which the OP might be planning to attend) might not have all their teams filled to the brim.

I just took a look at some of the soccer rosters from teams in my alma mata's conference I see women's teams with 16, 26, 33 and 40 players.  What are the chances that the schools with 16 or 26 girls on their teams would provide an opportunity to compete to someone who hasn't been playing since she was 5 and didn't get offered a *wink*wink* academic scholarship?

Original Post by cpa_pfs:

You are partially correct.  Div 3 doesn't give athletic scholarships.  They circumvent that by giving "academic" scholarships.  Wink, wink, nod, nod.

Some do, some give more consideration to athletes when awarding merit based aid, it depends on the school and the priorities of the administration.  But there is not enough money in DIII athletics to be handing out academic rides the way DI schools go athletic rides.

I was on a DIII team ranked in the top 15 in the country, most of the guys on the team weren't getting any academic money.

Original Post by cpa_pfs:

Div 3 schools do recruit athletes and many of them are being recruited by Div 1 and Div 2 schools at the same time.

Your right, DIII schools do recruit, but in DIII recruiting is a completely different animal than DI.  Lots of the kids playing in DIII never hear from a coach until after they apply to the school and express interest in the team.

 

It is a shame you refused to read the rest of my post. After stating my opinion I feel I gave you great advice on how to get started so you can be best prepared to try for this goal. Good luck, I hope you are able to archive this and all your goals.

I walked on to my college track team. I was div3 and only lasted a year, but it's possible.

Original Post by smashley23:

I walked on to my college track team. I was div3 and only lasted a year, but it's possible.

Did you run in high school?

Running skills are not the same as playing a sport that requires ball skills.  Could you have walked on with only 1 year of training to the basketball team or golf team or baseball team or soccer team if you had never played the sport except when you were with friends in elementary school?

 

Original Post by cpa_pfs:

Running skills are not the same as playing a sport that requires ball skills.  Could you have walked on with only 1 year of training to the basketball team or golf team or baseball team or soccer team if you had never played the sport except when you were with friends in elementary school?

I wrestled for a fairly highly ranked DIII team.  Most of the guys started wrestling when they were in elementary school.  We had a 30 year old, unathletic, exchange student walk on to the team.  He was terrible, he got pinned in every match, I don't think he scored an offensive point ever.  He's still in all the team pictures from those years.

Whether or not somone who has no experience in a high skill sport can walk on to a varsity team depends greatly on the school and the coach.