NCAA Should Consider Switch in the Soccer Schedule

Throughout out America a big step in any young athletes career is the switch for High School to College athletics. However in the world of soccer, playing in college is becoming less and less part of these players careers. The trend now for the top American prospects is to avoid college, and sign immediately to a professional club. MLS is even encouraging teams to sign the young stars by offering them money for college if there pro-careers do not turn out well. There is also a trend that European clubs are signing young Americans, and putting them in their youth academies. With these factors college soccer really struggles to make the national radar. The reason why these circumstances are happening is that NCAA Soccer is not where it needs to be in order to develop the talents that college teams have to offer. With that the NCAA does not exactly help the top prospects advance their game, or give them 'pro-like' experience. For the pros it makes sense for them to skip college soccer-because, college soccer is inefficient in America.

The first correction college soccer needs to fix is the structure of the matches. OK, lets forget about the clock that counts DOWN, playing stoppage-time is a crucial part of the game, where players will and merit are put into question. However instead once the clock his 0:00, (or the 45, 90th minute) the play stops. This really is a disadvantage when I watched a match between my Aquinas Saints, the Siena Heights Saints (did not expect a Saint Cup reference did you?) When Aquinas had a corner-kick with the time running out, a Siena player purposely stepped in front of the ball to kill of the clock, this did not give Aquinas enough time to finish the play. If there was stoppage time, then the ref could just take on an extra minute or two. Or let him be the judge on when the Half or game should end. Speaking of ending games, I have noticed that many conferences throughout the county decide to go into extra-time if the match is tied after regulation. THIS IS WRONG. Part of Soccer is that when you are on the road, or against a difficult opponent the weaker side, or the visitors plays for the tie, collects the point and goes on their marry way. Instead, when it is a draw after 90 minutes, the teams play 2 15-minute extra times, if winner is not determined after that, then it is a draw. But have not the underdogs done through enough trying to hold off a stronger team for 90 minutes, now they need to sweat through overtime!!! Yes, creates more results, and makes it more exciting for the fans. But at what point do you cross trying to please the fans, and selling the integrity of your sport.

Another point of concern for me is the substitution rule, according the rules of college soccer a player can be subbed out once for every half, or extra-time. Therefore, you see coaches sub in the 40th minute, have sub play like a mad man for 5 minutes. Then the player subbed out comes back to start the second half. While it does put an interesting aspect to the college game, it does not do a good job assimilating to the professional game. An even more disturbing rule in the college game is the unlimited sub rule. Coaches can swamp in as many players as there heart contents. This makes the soccer purist cringe, that what is labeled as a developmental stage of a player's career, coaches can change the entire complexion, and format of the match with one quick sub. While I do realize this is only college sports, authenticity is key if American Soccer wants more players coming from the college system. At least in Division I the NCAA should consider switching the rules the having 6 subs a team, and you cannot come back on after you have been subbed off.

The last thought in my mind I know will not come true any time soon (so if you want to stay in reality world, you can just forget the 2 last paragraphs, and THANK YOU for reading.) The season needs to be longer. An August-November Schedule, at least. In truth mid-July to November schedule would be nice. This would make the amount of games played a week a lot more manageable. Make July- mid-August your month of non-conference games. Then from there play each side in your league twice, ONLY ONE GAME A WEEK. The current schedule does not help out teams, who on some weeks have 3 matches in 8 days, (Which then again will prepare them for the horrid part of an MLS schedule.) In college sports development is the key, Soccer is meant to be a one game a week sport (see EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga). The amount of games per-week cuts down on training time. With games more spread out, coaches can focus more on training. I do not think schools will allow teams to begin play in July, even if they did i KNOW the NCAA will not. So that is Dan Meloy's vision of fantasy, back to the real world.

If the NCAA implemented some of these changes two things will accrue. Number One: a better product on the field, and more competitive matches. Also Number Two: A system that will do a better job of producing talent for professional leagues. Now before you send me hate mail on how college sports are supposed to be extra-curricular activities, and not the minor-league's for sports. I will answer with this, the age of a professional soccer player's prime is roughly 26-30, so every year counts, it helps when player play serious soccer at 19-20 than 22-23. Second, the idea of college athletics are mere extra-curricular activities is long gone (Football and Basketball, anyone.) Finally, I only made these recommendations for NCAA Div. I, the tier that has the best chance of producing professional, therefore it makes sense that these rule changes apply to this tier in particular. With these changes I feel the NCAA can do a better job of developing young soccer players, and stop the loss of top-talent going over and starting professional career's early. Otherwise, top-division college soccer might become a thing of the past.