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Messages - rangerfan

#1
Men's soccer / Re: NESCAC
October 02, 2023, 09:51:27 AM
Quote from: College Soccer Observer on October 01, 2023, 10:18:44 PM
Midseason outlook:

Amherst (7-1-1, 4-0-1 NESCAC).  The Mammoths have league games remaining at Conn, at Wesleyan, at Bowdoin, then go to Montclair State for a very interesting out of conference game, before finishing with home games vs Hamilton and Trinity. 

Middlebury (6-0-2, 3-0-2 NESCAC).  The Panthers have league games remaining at Colby, at Trinity, at Conn, host Tufts, and visit Williams.  They have non-conference games at Vassar and at Eastern Nazarene.

Tufts (6-1-2, 3-1-2 NESCAC).  The Jumbos visit Babson and host Emerson before hosting Bates and Williams in league play.  They finish with games at Middlebury and at Bowdoin.

Bowdoin (6-0-3, 2-0-2 NESCAC).  The Polar Bears host Trinity and Amherst, visit Hamilton, Colby, and Wesleyan, before finishing vs Amherst at home in a game that should have massive ramification on the top of the table.

Conn (6-0-2, 2-0-2 NESCAC).  The Camels have a five game homestand with Amherst, Williams, Coast Guard, Colby, and Middlebury, before closing on the road vs Bates and Wesleyan

Williams (5-2-1, 2-2-1 NESCAC).  The Ephs have non conference home games remaining with Keene State and Western Connecticut State.  In the league, they go to Conn, host Wesleyan, go to Tufts, and then finish at home with Trinity and Middlebury.

Colby (3-2-2, 1-2-2 NESCAC).  The Mules only have one game outside of Maine remaining.  The visit Husson, host Middlebury and Hamilton, visit Conn, host Bowdoin and Maine Maritime, and then close at Bates.

Trinity (2-4-2, 1-3-2 NESCAC).  Can the Bantams make a run at conference tournament spot?  They host Western New England and Castleton and visit Hartford out of conference, but their last 4 conference games are a brutal stretch, as they visit Bowdoin, host Middlebury, and then travel to both Williams and Amherst.

Hamilton (3-4-2, 1-4-1 NESCAC).  The Continentals have only four conference games left to make it into the NESCAC tourney, visiting Bates, Colby, and Amherst and hosting Bowdoin.  The also have non-cons against Ithaca and SUNY Oneonta. 

Wesleyan (3-2-2, 0-3-2 NESCAC).  The Cardinals better get hot in a hurry if they want to make the conference tourament.  They have out of conference games at Western Connecticut and home to Eastern Connecticut.  Their remaining league slate includes Amherst at home, Bates and Williams away, Bowdoin and Conn at home. 

Bates (2-6, 0-5 NESCAC).  The Bobcats only have two road games left, at Southern Maine and Tufts.  The host Hamilton, Wesleyan, Maine-Farmington, Conn and Colby.

How about we move on from the useless and off-topic trolling and name calling and discuss this....

Or better yet, here's a topic. The Development Academy (and now MLS Next) has changed the youth soccer landscape to such a degree that has resulted in massive jumps in the number of quality players across scores of D3 rosters. This is not your father's Middlebury or Bowdoin, for instance, where they out-size, out-kick and out-muscle you to a win. Instead, they out-run, out-class and out-score you with large rosters full of highly skilled players that play proper football

Discuss.
#2
Men's soccer / Re: Reserve Teams
September 19, 2023, 03:09:15 PM
I had a conversation with a now former NESCAC men's head coach right before Covid--I think it was around January 2020, but I could be off by a year. This coach, who was a head coach when we talked, mentioned that a few of the schools in the conference had conversations about this exact topic, and that reserve, JV-like games would become a thing. His thinking was around 4-6 games per fall season just to get those end of the bench players some experience and onto the field. Maybe before or after the 'varsity' games if possible (I never saw how that was possible with travel, 2 weekend games, etc). This coach assured me it was going to happen 'next season.' It never got past the conversation stage as far as I can tell based upon conversations I have had with other coaches since, but it was definitely on their minds. Maybe it will be again at some point.

Covid, of course, broke the roster size formulas for many schools. After next season, things should be back to a semblance of normal without super seniors clogging the way for the younger players. Some school bring in too many guys each year. If you look at the recently successful NESCAC schools, they for the most part take a different approach that has obviously worked for them.
#3
Men's soccer / Re: The Big Dance
December 03, 2018, 11:58:16 AM
Quote from: PaulNewman on December 03, 2018, 09:59:52 AM
Great post MaturinNYC....

A few loose thoughts/questions not necessarily fitting here but didn't want to start a whole new thread....

Tufts and NESCAC....Much is made of the shortened NESCAC season, and limited time for preseason training.  My question is whether there really is a lack of a Spring season.  I know they can't have any sort of formal Spring season with official practices and real scrimmages, but....is there an expectation that players training and lift and play indoors through the winter, and then latch on to some kind of fairly competitive Summer action?  Do the captains tapped for the next year make sure there is ongoing training and cohesion?

Also, much is made in the D1 vs D3 discussion about kids choosing D3 because (among several factors) of the option for doing a junior year abroad?  I was thinking about this and realized I can't recall anyone mentioning any players of real significance for at least top level, competitive D3s where kids actually have taken a year abroad.  I can recall a player or two from Kenyon taking a Spring semester only to go abroad but not a full year.  Anyone have any evidence to the contrary?

And what goes into programs NOT utilizing the training trip abroad once every 3-4 years?  Is this allowed in NESCAC?  Why would very competitive programs not take advantage?  Funding?  Just coach preference?  Lack of player interest? 

And finally (for now), and to the extent that there is any truth to this....what is the reason(s) some (and I don't mean Mr.Right) during the season (and prior seasons) seemed doubtful or unsure about how good Tufts is.  It almost seems like some are surprised.  Yes, there is good fortune (the pure luck of getting home field for the sectional in 2016), but Tufts arguably could have zero titles or FIVE.  Who could say they wouldn't have won last year if they had gotten by Brandeis in an OT game?  And they lost in the last 30 seconds to Kenyon in 2015 (preventing the Jumbos from playing in the Elite 8....none other than Calvin)?  And think there is a momentum that comes from winning one, but certainly after two to three within a short time frame that helps creates a culture of expecting to win, having a certain swagger, and I'm sure huge benefits in terms of recruiting.

Which reminds me, one more thing....to the extent that someone can share this info, what schools is Tufts winning recruits from in head to head battles or in cases where Tufts is one of a recruit's final 3-4 choices?  Other NESCACs?  Academically oriented D1 mid-majors (Davidson, Colgate, Richmond, Bucknell, etc)?


Lots of interesting commentary in this thread!

There are some questions above that I might be able to offer some color to as the parent of a committed NESCAC player.

My son had overnights and long visits at a variety of NESCAC schools so he got a wide variety of perspective from many different current players and coaches. At one school, I talked to the coach about terms abroad specifically (this school made the NESCAC tourney this season). He said 6 of 8 juniors went on term abroad the past season (and they went together!). The coach said he encourages it. The rising seniors become even closer, and the younger classes have to step up and become 'leaders' in the absence of the true 'leadership group' during the spring 'practices.' Other coaches had similar sentiments on terms abroad, but admittedly, I only discussed this personally with 2 current NESCAC coaches.

As for how different players made their decisions, it was fascinating to hear the details of conversations my son had with different players. He said there were a bunch of players that literally visited EVERY NESCAC school to find 'the right fit' for them after getting offers from every coach. I think most realize they aren't going pro playing at the D3 level, so the right fit academically, socially, soccerwise, etc. is all part of the puzzle. Not every kid wants a 5000+ student school in a city like Tufts, and not everyone wants to be in Maine or Vermont, etc. Now I realize this anecdote is probably unlikely, but many different players said very similar things. And seeing for ourselves how different various coaches run their programs, and how different some of the schools are from one another, leads me to believe this is all true. Some kids specifically told my son there were some coaches they could never play for so that school was off of their list.

Spring workouts and summer training are a must--if you want to play. In my area, many NESCAC players from rival schools find themselves playing as teammates on U23 teams over the summer. The games aren't that important, but the practices sure are. You'd be quite impressed with the quality of the practices, as there are a lot of D1 kids (and graduates!) playing on/practicing with/against these teams as well.

Finally, what schools is Tufts winning players from--I think that is a very loaded question. Tufts wins some players, and they also lose some. A recruiting class is quite small, and Shapiro is later than many (I'd probably even say later than most, or even last!) to make solid offers. And he is open and honest about it! But that comes from his position of strength, right? Success breeds success. Some kids want to wait, others don't. Some kids wait and get screwed and lose a spot. Shapiro is also a great guy and kids WANT to play for him. I was talking to another NESCAC recruit just yesterday about this exact issue, and he told me that there were only 3 NESCAC coaches he wanted to play for, and a few he "would never player for." Shapiro was one of the 3 he would play for. No shock there!

One thing that was always of interest to my son was the quality of talent at the school camps. If you've been to a Tufts one day camp, you'll see a massive disparity in the talent level between the players. And because Shapiro does one day camps rather than a 4 day camp like Bowdoin or Amherst, for instance, Friday's camp might have few skilled players relative to Saturday's camp.

I personally think the fact that Tufts is so different from the rest of NESCAC as a school makes it hard, if not impossible, to answer this question. Tufts has an engineering school, so if that's your thing, you think Tufts. If you want to go to school in a small New England town, Williams might be your choice. I doubt there are very many players looking at Richmond AND Tufts, but hey, I could be very wrong too. Once he knew that it was likely because of his academic performance, my son, for instance, was set on NESCAC. Geography also played a big part in the decision.
#4
Men's soccer / Re: NESCAC
October 30, 2018, 02:23:39 PM
Quote from: MEsoccer on October 29, 2018, 11:11:15 PM
I was also at the game.  The fact that Serpone and his assistant both got yellow cards but their players didn't was comical.  The ref had no control of the game from the start.  Amherst still was called with for more than twice the number of fouls.  It easily could have been four times.  The only time the ref showed some common sense was not calling a hand ball when a shot hit a Bowdoin defender's hand that was in a natural position by his side.  That off course sent Serpone into a tirade.

Glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. The way that Amherst jersey #10 got in the face of the ref on more than one occasion and didn't get a card--the was one of the worst displays of being a complete A-hole on the field that I have ever seen, and he just got away with it. The Amherst coaches create the culture, and their players behaved like they played for their coach. If you are a player and want that, that's up the individual player--I can't fault a kid for wanting an Amherst degree. But again, why didn't the referee take control of that game?? It was such an embarrassing display.
#5
Men's soccer / Re: NESCAC
October 29, 2018, 02:25:19 PM
Interesting (and disappointing) responses, but I'm talking strictly about the referees here. I understand Amherst plays that style and I'm not here to criticize it. That's fine if one likes that brand of ... soccer. But WTF is up with the referees? Are the responders here suggesting that calls are not made at Amherst that are made at other places? Or that Serpone and Amherst somehow change the way games are called on their home pitch?
#6
Men's soccer / Re: NESCAC
October 29, 2018, 01:13:05 PM
I was at the Bowdoin-Amherst game yesterday and have a question for the experts here. WTF is up with NESCAC refs? As a Grade 8 ref myself, I've got years of experience on this subject with the younger crowd. I thought that game yesterday was completely out of hand from the get go. IMHO, Mike the ref didn't call much that deserved a whistle (including two handed grabs, vicious elbows, obvious jersey pulling etc...), blew it a few times unexpectedly on soft, mysterious fould, and worst of all, he let the Amherst bench and players continually show him up, scream in his face (Amherst #10 should have had multiple yellows!), and endlessly waste time. The game was the most physical soccer game I have seen, and I saw Cornell play in person last year, so that says a lot!

Also saw at least 2 flip throws in directly in front of us that were questionable--no feet on the ground when the ball was released. Granted, that's tough to call and I can let that go. But the over the backs with forearm shivers on headers, grabbing of hips, and overall needless banging and trash talking had me leave that field quite down on NESCAC soccer in general. Can someone talk me off the edge here? Is NESCAC soccer always like this, or was it because it was a playoff game?!
#7
Men's soccer / Re: NESCAC
October 23, 2018, 02:53:56 PM
This Tufts-Bowdoin broadcast (I think it's a stretch to call it a broadcast!) has probably the worst camera operator I have ever seen. I'll be lucky to make it to halftime.
#8
Men's soccer / Re: Referees
October 17, 2018, 01:19:42 PM
FWIW, this is done at the Academy level as well. Coaches are asked/required to 'review' the refs after the games. The refs also file their own game reports that often includes info on the behavior of the coaches and the players. I assume many of the refs doing USSDA games are also doing College games. Probably some of the higher level high school games as well.

#9
Men's soccer / Re: NESCAC
October 15, 2018, 11:22:39 AM
Quote from: PaulNewman on October 13, 2018, 11:59:57 AM
Quote from: Saint of Old on October 13, 2018, 09:13:36 AM
Quote from: Mr.Right on October 12, 2018, 03:45:38 PM
Sounds about right...Shapiro is very attentive to every detail in every process. I find it a bit much to be spelling out to your son where he will play and who he will play behind and how many minutes and starts he will get as a Frosh. NO ONE can control that. You get injuries, maybe your son doesn't pan out as expected and now Shapiro has to change things up or change his position. These are all things out of his control unless he has super natural powers to be able to discern EVERY recruit and tip he brings in and know before the kid enrolls how good he will be. Most Coaches make mistakes EVERY year on at least 1 player and I am betting Shapiro falls into that category as well. It is only realistic to make a mistake once in a while so promising minutes, position and # of goals he will tally is WAY to much information. There is no way he could make all those promises happen......I am just using your son as an example as I am not saying he will fail or whatever just making a point...
Adding to your point Mr. R, I once knew a skinny SLU freshman  kid who was third in line for the #7 shirt but by game number 2  both players ahead of him broke their leg and he inherited the classic number not based on anything but weird freak destiny or chance....  :)

That is how random things can be in the college game.

I would advise any HS senior to do their best to diversify their game in order to give the coach more to think about in terms of where you can slot in if need be.

Great points, SoO....a team's top recruits certainly come in with a substantial advantage (in addition to usually being really good) and most often do well, but not always.  There is hope for those who come in far more unheralded if they work really hard, are determined, and are mostly all about the team and being a great teammate.

I knew a kid who didn't even get a jersey or dress for his first 3 games, got a chance after the coach benched a couple of guys for various reasons, then started for the rest of frosh year and most of soph year, was first sub off the bench his last 2 years, scored on Shoemaker Field in a NCAA game, and was a highly valued part of a squad that rose to #2 in the country.  Pretty cool for a kid who didn't think he could (or would be cleared to) play college soccer at all.

Just to clarify, I brought up the Shapiro recruiting story with my son only to give a perspective on how/why Shapiro has kept that program successful. IMHO, he is a better recruiter than the most/all of the others NESCAC coaches with whom my son interacted. Obviously kids walk on, develop later, get hurt, lose interest, have a few too many beers, etc.... All kids have to earn their time on the field once they earn their jersey, my son included. I was just pointing out one of the very compelling ways that Shapiro is able to get kids to buy into what he is selling.

I have a question on the online streams. The Bowdoin-Williams game yesterday was virtually unwatchable. Tufts-Trinity, on the other hand, was pretty much perfect. Why was the game at Williams so bad, and is this a common occurrence? Are the games usually watchable? The Tufts game was over early, and the Williams game worth watching!

And to echo earlier comments, Williams has a good group of freshman. Nick Boardman is a very good athlete--fast, tough and has a surprisingly big vertical (he's got ups!). Not the most technical player, but I'd definitely want him on my team.
#10
Men's soccer / Re: NESCAC
October 12, 2018, 03:36:47 PM
I don't want to comment on the 'ranking' of the schools within the conference because there is no right answer. Much of it is a matter of perception and is highly subjective. If you talk to college counselors today, you'll likely get a different current ranking based upon the recent results of kids accepted from their high schools. Needless to say, you can't go wrong at any of these schools, and you need to find the right fit in the classroom, on the team, on campus, etc. My son, a 2019 commit, made his NESCAC school choice and based it upon a variety of factors, many of which have been mentioned in the thoughtful discussion of the past 24 hours.

That said, I want to offer a brief word on Tufts and the process that Shapiro has going there, and to offer my $.02 on why he might be so successful recruiting. I'm not talking about Tufts as a school, I'll let others judge the school. But I can say that the sales pitch from Shapiro, if you are on his short list, is much more compelling than most other schools. He laid out to my son exactly where he saw him fitting on the squad, who he was going to play behind, when he'd likely get consistent minutes, and how he should look at the learning process while he worked out and trained. It was all very specific, quite thought out, and for a high school player looking at a top notch school and program, very compelling. Only one other NESCAC coach approached my son in such a fashion, but it wasn't nearly as specific in terms of the plan. It was, however, far beyond what he got from many other NESCAC coaches, most of whom spent too much time selling their schools and relying on assistant coaches to keep the lines of communication opened. I get that coming from Wesleyan, because it has a reputation as a more liberal place (as someone mentioned, in the mold of Brown) and it might require more selling to certain players. From most of the others, not so much.
#11
Men's soccer / Re: NESCAC
October 04, 2018, 10:02:49 PM
I've seen his throws in person and on the streams and I think it often looks illegal. His feet rarely appear to be down when he releases the ball. Curious to hear if other armchair refs agree.
#12
Men's soccer / Re: 2018 Season - National Perspective
October 04, 2018, 01:22:01 PM
Quote from: WUPHF on October 04, 2018, 01:01:43 PM
This may have been posted elsewhere, but if not, this game-winning Widener goal is worth watching: https://twitter.com/WidenerSports/status/1047864141921374209

Even if it was posted elsewhere, it's worth another look. Nice hit!
#13
Men's soccer / Re: NESCAC
September 17, 2018, 11:43:27 AM
Quote from: mom1234 on September 15, 2018, 07:26:57 PM

6. Closely monitor your kid's communications with coaches to be sure he's understanding a coach's intentions, and keep your radar up for anything funky. You are wiser. In my experience coaches were forthright and pretty clear, but we did have one situation that I'm sure is very rare in NESCAC: a coach who, without seeing your kid play, tells him—yes this actually happened and I heard it with my own ears because it was a phone message—"I'll use a tip on you" when he does not necessarily intend to do so and later retracts. I hate to throw this guy under the bus because he's truly a good guy just finding his way. Even when coaches are being open, the untrained ear of a 17-year-old can easily gloss over the difference between "You're definitely on my list of top recruits" and "you're my top recruit." So just find out exactly what is being said.

So that's the run-down. I guess it's time to jump over to the Centennial board if such a thing exists...

Mom1234,

Congrats & good luck to you and your son. I know one of the F&M freshman well, he's a good player and an even better kid.

I want to offer a bit more from my son's experience, as he is a 2019 NESCAC commit. We got that "you're on my list of top recruits" from one coach. In fact, I think your quote above was identical to what my son (and wife) was told in person by a coach last spring. I'll bet it's the same coach. That was translated for me by someone that know this coach well. This coach is later than most to make offers to players because he continues to hold out hope that some National Team pool players will decide to forego D1 and instead choose to become an impact player at a top D3 school, and the coach wants to save the spots for a difference maker. To the best of my knowledge, this coach is still waiting :) Had he offered my son a spot in the spring, my son would likely have accepted. Glad he is slow, as my son made a better choice for him.

On the other hand, we never had a coach use the word TIP with us. They preferred the word 'support' and seemed to use that the most.

We did get the "you're my top recruit", "you're my 1st offer for the 2019 class" and "if you decide you want to come here, I will support your application with the admissions office." And he did once my son called to tell him he wanted in. It seemed like the language was overly specific for a reason, so your point above is well taken--kids need to listen VERY carefully to what is being said!

Finally, in our experience, the NESCAC coaches were honest. What I mean by that is, there was no equivocating, and there was no worry about an offer being retracted. Perhaps that had to do with my son, but more likely it was the coaches we were dealing with, and the club my son plays for. You've only got one reputation, and as a coach, once you screw a kid, you screw yourself. My son's club produces a lot of men and women NESCAC players. We had a long talk with my son's future coach on this exact subject. It was quite enlightening to get the coaches perspective on the process. I'll add that I know of a former D3 coach that screwed a kid a few years ago and he couldn't recruit any good kids from our area after that incident, and the coach is now a D1 assistant and that player is now in NESCAC. A step up on the coach's resume perhaps, but he had no choice because he must have seen the writing on the wall. Once he went to D1, my son took that school off of his list--he just didn't want to be around that guy.

But until we get the acceptance letter in December, none of this means a thing.

#14
Men's soccer / Re: NESCAC
September 05, 2018, 11:21:06 AM
Quote from: OldNed on September 05, 2018, 07:56:37 AM
I was looking at the box score for the Conn College vs. Mitchell game and I didn't see any mention of Lockwood for Conn College.  It doesn't look like he's on the roster this year either - I was expecting him to have a big senior year, but it looks like he isn't playing.

On a side note, freshman Augie Djerdjaj scored 2 goals against Mitchell and he's from Mahopac, NY.  I guess they grow goal scorers there because St. Joe's F Brett Mattos is also from Mahopac.

Augie isn't a true goal scorer, but he can score goals some very nice goals. He's a skilled midfielder who plays a good, smart game. Not a bad college debut!
#15
Men's soccer / Re: The Recruiting Process
August 30, 2018, 02:33:19 PM
As the parent of a committed 2019 NESCAC recruit, I can say that this was pretty much my son's process, but of course, every school is different.

A few more insights:

Some schools track how many times you are on campus or reach out to the school for more info. Helps the coaches gauge a player's true interest in a school.

Some schools wait longer to hand out offers. It's really up to the coach. Some coaches are hoping a D1 kid ends up deciding that it's better to be a star in D3 instead of a bit player in D1. I've heard from a few people of a NESCAC coach who is late with offers (August) because he is hoping some national team pool kids decide that D3 is for them. Some D3 schools can't fill offers until December because the players they want are hoping for offers from 'better' schools.

Even if you get an early spring offer in Junior year, it still isn't 'final' until admissions signs off, which in most cases will not happen prior to July 1st. If the admissions office is behind or going through personnel changes, that can push things back a few weeks more. And even then, it isn't final. Depends on the coach. Of course, if they screw a kid and don't provide support after pledging it, the reputation of the coach will suffer. D3 soccer is a small world. I know of a player that was screwed a few years ago, and that coach has since left the school in question.