The amateur sport in may countries is characterised by the division of sport clubs in club leagues. Competitive athletes usually practise their sport as members of traditional clubs and compete with other clubs in leagues according to the the level of their competitiveness.
In the USA, these traditional sport clubs do hardly exist. Competitive sports are almost exclusively practised at colleges or universities or the professional level. While athletes also compete in various leagues, the classification of teams within these leagues is not solely based on the level of their competitiveness, but rather on the size of the individual college or university.
The following categories of divisions are distinguished: the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) I, II and III, and the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics).
The NCAA I comprises of the biggest colleges and universities in the country. In general, it is fair to say that the level of sports practised in this division is the highest. However, the athletic strength of the individual teams varies greatly, and a strong team in one of the other divisions may well play at a higher level than a weaker team within the NCAA I.
The NCAA II contains smaller universities and consequently a wide scope of teams on various competitive levels. The NCAA III is generally viewed as the weakest division. However, this league does not offer scholarships. The fourth league, the NAIA, can be compared to the level of the NCAA II in terms of the level of its teams, but it does not comprise as many sports.
The best timing for a soccer scholarship:
The best time to go to the USA with a sport scholarship is right after graduation from high-school or up to two years after. As a rule, only athletes ages 18 - 24 can compete within the college leagues. Consequently, coaches are increasingly committing to younger athletes as this gives them the opportunity to work with the athletes for a longer period of time. Of course, it is also possible to go to the USA for one year only. However, with every season of sports practised in a club league after high-school, the athlete will lose one year of eligibility to play in the college leagues. The rule is: the earlier you go, the better!!
Soccer scholarships in general:
Soccer is a very popular sport for both men and women at American colleges and universities. Round about 1000 universities and colleges award one or more scholarships to very talented soccer players which enables them to participate in collegiate and intercollegiate matches and possibly also national championships of the respective division.
Competitive level among holders of soccer scholarships:
Athletes, who would like to compete in the NCAA I should compete at the highest amateur level in their respective countries. To compete in the NCAA II or NAIA, one should start in the 2nd or 3rd highest amateur league. Of course, this estimate can only be seen as a rough guideline an varies from country to country
Requirements for a soccer scholarship:
Athletic scholarships for soccer can be arranged very well. For strong soccer players on the level of the First Division the chances to receive a full scholarship are relatively good.
In order to further raise the attractiveness of your profile and thus receive higher scholarship offers, it is important that you try to participate more in ranking tournaments in the time prior to your studies abroad. This will enable you to further improve your ranking.
An athlete’s position in the national or regional ranking is not, of course, an aspect that can be relied on 100 %, as other factors may influence the level at which the individual athlete will compete. These factors include recent injuries and the length of time that the sport has been practised. Often the athlete’s potential is a vital aspect, as coaches know from experience that even moderate athletic performance can be boosted immensely with their intensive training methods. In these cases, detailed explanations, compelling photographs of the athlete in action and, most importantly, an excellent video according to our advice are even more important
Soccer training on a soccer scholarship:
Naturally, soccer practice is not conducted in the same way at every university. In general, five practice sessions a week of 2 – 3 hours each are held on the soccer court alone, and additional strength and conditioning training is required as well.
As soccer coaches are sometimes paid according to the success or performance of their teams, soccer practice can seem tough compared to German standards and therefore also takes up a significant amount of the time spent at college. Because of the challenging training, soccer players often reach previously unattained levels of fitness and performance while playing at college, and several go on to be professional athletes after they leave university
Soccer season:
Soccer season always begins in fall (Fall Term/ August). Generally, it makes sense to apply f or a soccer scholarship beginning in autumn (Fall Term/ August), as you will already be part of the team during the training phase. However, it is vitally important to remember that the application process r equires a certain amount of handling time, and applicants should therefore have themselves be evaluated at least three-quarters of a year in advance, or better, even earlier.
It is also possible to arrange soccer scholarships half a year after the season has begun, in spring, for instance if a player of the collegiate team has been injured and the coach needs to recruit backing athletes. At this point in the year, though the number of scholarships offered is rather limited, the chances to be placed immediately prior to the beginning of the season are not bad in soccer.
