My daughter has a dream of playing with the women's us world team. how can i help her achieve this goal.?

Question:

My daughter is 13 and plays for a select travel team, she really loves this sport and gives 110% at every practice and game. Money wise it is a challenge to keep her in select and the traveling, etc. I need to know how to plan for the next 4 years (high school) so she can possibly get scholarships to good colleges with good soccer teams, etc. I really want to help her achieve her dream, or at least play for a 4A soccer team in college

Answer:
I have coached a lot of players this age as a professional trainer. The three main ingredients for success are probably talent, drive and luck and if your daughter has all three she has a good shot. Supportive (but not overly aggressive!) parents certainly helps.

Suggestions:

Make sure she plays on a 'high profile' club or select team that enters tournaments where college coaches are likely to attend. Visibility is the key, particularly in those last two HS years.

If she hasn't already she needs to develop personal training habits so that fitness levels and (equally important) skill and first touch levels are constantly maintained and improved.

Make sure your daughter knows her strengths and as much as possible ensure the coach plays her in positions that emphasis her strengths.

College based soccer camps are good shop windows

Encourage your daughter by all means but she needs to be self motivated or this will not happen. If she loves the game and is fortunate enough to have knowledgable, caring coaches she has every chance.

Final thought - allow her some time to be a youngster and to enjoy life. All work and no play - well you know...

Good luck!

Sent her to Europe.

High School is not the way!

I am a former D1 soccer player and coach (turned journalist). The only way to college soccer is through CLUB TEAMS. While high school is good, club soccer shows a real intrest and drive to play.

Find out about it, and get her involved.

Some coaches do not even go to HS games anymore, sad but true.

have her tryout for ODP(Olympic Development Program) this is a very high placement of soccer. So many important people notice ODP players and get her a better chance of making a good college team. Start her early. It is hard to make ODP..but if she does she will get VERY good training and this will help her in her later years. Also, have her play on a good travel/select soccer team that goes to tournament where college coaches will attend. THis will also help her greatly.

My daughter has a dream of playing with the women's us world team. how can i help her achieve this goal.?

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