Fixing College Soccer
There have been many theories about how to fix college athletics. Pay the athletes, let them work sponsorship deals, consider them professional…the list goes on and on. Collegiate soccer is a different animal, because it is something where a college player can repeatedly play for his national team throughout the year, and not be able to receive a dime from it. Take, for example, Jordan Morris. He is a Junior at Stanford, and recently decided to turn professional after winning a National Championship, and is currently training with German side Werder Bremen. While that is normal in the likes of basketball and football, it’s a little different with soccer.
Morris made his National Team debut on August 28, 2014, making him the first collegiate player to be called up since 1999. He then would become a staple of the youth movement and even scored a goal against Mexico on April 15, 2015. What makes this so unique, is that he could not receive any special treatment or payment for his services, which is normal for the professionals when called into the National Team. The NCAA and the United States Soccer Federation have an arrangement that allows players to play for their respective National Teams, as long as it doesn’t break NCAA rules and regulations.
Year Round Ball
There has been talk about extending the college soccer season to make it year round, which would help with injuries and prepare players for the next step in their careers. That is a solid first step, but it should not be the only fix. Players who are called to represent their country should not only be allowed, but they should not be treated any differently than the professional players. The amount of risk is the same, if not more for these younger players, so why not allow them the opportunity to take that chance and grow?
Off-Season Chances
During the summer months, when the athletes are not in class, there should be an exception for players to sign a temporary contract and train with professional clubs without penalty. There can be a stipulation that prevents them from playing in matches, but if a club wants to have someone as talented as Jordan Morris train with their team, they should be allowed to make that decision. If a team is willing to take that risk, then it would have to assume all responsibility and medical care for any injury and possibly even provide an insurance policy that would pay off the scholarship. While that sounds pricey to us, it would make sense for the likes of the Seattle Sounders or Portland Timbers to take a trial run before offering a professional contract.
College or Professional? That is the Question
Right now, elite players face a difficult decision…do I go to college or do I turn pro. While the majority of us sitting on our couches are yelling “YOU GO PRO!”, the decision isn’t that easy to make. Often times, it’s harder to go back and finish college later in life. Alexi Lalas is famous for saying he has a 26 year degree. Lalas admitted that he had some regrets for not finishing, and this is coming from someone who had some success both on the field and off. College is a goal for some of these players, and it is not smart for US Soccer to make them choose, when the college game could provide a nice stepping stone in players' development. Right now it is normal for a player to start young and work their way through the club, then have to make a difficult decision to go off to college, or find a professional club that will not only sign you, but will be patient while you develop. If you create an atmosphere that allows the professional clubs to work with the NCAA, then it will benefit all parties involved, not just the colleges.
It’s All For the Kids
College athletics is full of a bunch of 18–22 year old kids in the prime of their athletic developmental years. So it is only natural that the NCAA would want to showcase their product to the masses. To their credit, they not only provide a high quality of athletic prowess, they also provide leadership courses to prepare their student athletes for success after graduation. This is a great bonus for the majority of the NCAA athletes, as they have no chance to take their craft to the professional ranks after graduation. It would appear, at least on paper, that the NCAA is doing everything in their ability to prepare their athletes for life after graduation…except the elite athletes. Preparing for a future after your athletic career is over is what college is designed to be, so why would an organization limit the ability for an elite player to work on their craft when not in school? In other words, why does the NCAA only allow college athletes to make their organization money, and not allow them to prepare for their future? If your mission is truly to prepare kids for their future, why hamper their development?
Next Steps
The logical first step to fix college soccer is to make the change to a year round sport instead of slamming twenty games into three months. This takes a toll on the bodies of the athletes, and in turn makes them more injury prone. Once the shock and awe of bucking tradition has subsided, it would be beneficial for the NCAA to allow their athletes to expand their athletic development by partnering with US Soccer and the professional leagues in the United States to create a paid “internship” during the summer months. This will afford the players and clubs the chance to work together before committing to a professional contract.
The NCAA is a mess, there is no denying that, and it needs a complete overhaul of the system. It is a huge conglomerate that makes a lot of money off of amateur status college kids. Paying them might work, sponsorship deals could be the answer, free tuition and medical care of course help. When it comes to the NCAA, they have an obligation to the colleges they support and not the professional clubs, which should be noted. However, you must evolve and adapt to not only survive an ever-changing atmosphere, but to thrive in it.
