AVA2x
SOCCER TRAINING
you know this...
The saying goes that athletes experience TWO deaths; your identity as an athlete, what you devote yourself to and sacrifice so much for, suffers death long before you actually do (hopefully).
If you play at the pro level, you will experience this first death in your thirties.
Most who play in college, experience this first death in their early twenties.
Most who play in high school, experience this at age eighteen.
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Not deterred? Okay! Let's do this right by planning for the eventuality...
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My El Camino Real Charter High School Team on Signing Day.
The Priorities Are Listed In Order Of Importance:
Student-Athlete
For so many female soccer players, playing soccer even at the highest levels, does not provide a lasting financial independence. Your daughter will have another career or need business/marketing/branding skills to further capitalize financially on her soccer playing career.
USE YOUR SCHOOL'S
RESOURCES
Most school employees are not there for the money and they take great pride in helping their students succeed. This is true not only for teachers, but also for counselors and directors that will help you plan and adjust your schedule to make sure your core classes, or subjects where you may struggle, are not compromised by your athletic schedule. You're not the first athlete. Use their experience and knowledge.
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This is just as important in middle/junior high school. You want to walk into high school academically ahead to give yourself flexibility if needed and/or opportunity to take advanced AP courses.
Pictured:
back row from right to left
Executive Director, David Hussey
Academic Counselors, Stephen Perry, Douglas Coleman
Administrative Directors, Counselor, Juan Alba; VP Athletics, Jason Camp; Athletic Director, Richard Russell
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front row:
Eric Choi (teacher and 9 time CIF Los Angeles City Section Champion coach girls soccer)
Stephanie Franklin (teacher & coach of national award winning Academic Decathlon Team)
WOMEN'S SOCCER
SCHOLARSHIPS
The NCAA has set the maximum number of women's college soccer scholarships at 14 equivalency scholarships per program at the D1 level.
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Because this is a maximum, many D1 conferences have agreed on their own minimums as well. The Ivy League does not offer any soccer scholarships. You can read what each conference requires by searching the conference rules.
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The "equivalency" nature of the scholarships allows programs to break up the scholarship into pieces allowing a program to offer partial scholarships to more of its players.
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This is where strong academics adds opportunity. For example, let's say your player could command a "50% of the cost of attendance" based on her soccer skills, her strong academics might allow her to make up the difference with academic money.
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Often players with similar skill are being considered for a partial scholarship, but the girl with strong academics is preferred for the offer because the coach has a higher confidence of the player ultimately accepting due to the likelihood of a reduce out of pocket cost for the player eligible for academic money in addition to soccer money.
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As beneficial as strong academics can be, poor academics can be equally detrimental. Simply put, coaches need their players available. The female college soccer player faces far greater academic rigor and challenges to her time management skills than her high school counterpart. For this reason, your daughter's poor or mid range academics may give the coach at a higher academic school doubts about her ability to remain academically eligible during the season.
MORE INFORMATION
COMING SOON
FOR THE LOVE
OF THE GAME
While Trinity Rodman may have signed a contract for $1.1 million paid over four years (ESPN), and Alex Morgan's latest deal with the San Diego Wave may be worth $450,000 (AS.com), these women are among the best players in the world. They are exceptional, i.e. the exception, not the rule.
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On January 16, 2024, Mallory Swanson another arguably top 5 forward in the world, set two new NWSL contract records: 1) the largest contract in the NWSL valued at $2 million, and 2) reportedly the longest in the NWSL, paid over 4 years with an option for a 5th. (ESPN)
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Every youth female soccer player should consider the following:
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As of May 2022, the average salary in the NWSL was $54,000 per year. (The 18)
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The league minimum in the NWSL is $36,400 and each team has a salary cap of $1.375 million. (Pro Soccer Wire) For the 2024 season it is reported the salary cap will be raised to $2.75 million. (CBS Sports) This cap has to be spread out over a 22 to 26 player roster.
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To put this in perspective, the minimum hourly wage in the city of Los Angeles for full time employment is about $35,000 a year. The minimum salary in the city of Los Angeles is about $70,000.