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The comments keep coming, so in Episode 33 Grant and Erik keep answering them. They open with Erik’s first season in a new conference, including a scoreless tie against Messiah, one of the most decorated programs in D3 history, and what a program’s rise changes about how a coach recruits. Erik explains why recruiting to an identity matters more than chasing the best player at every position. Then an update on the D1 year-round vote, which is due November 6th. Erik breaks down something most people don’t realize: every D1 school votes, including schools that don’t sponsor men’s soccer. They also discuss what the decision could open up for other sports, and why the weeks after the vote and the start of the transfer portal could reshape recruiting heading into December showcases. Erik’s advice to families priced out of the top leagues: be selective with ID camps, be honest with coaches about your situation, and consider starting at a level where you’ll play, then working your way up. Got a question or a take you want us to answer on air? Email: [email protected] or drop it in the comments. New episodes every Friday. Book a free strategy call with TAAG: https://templeathlete.com/strategy?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=comments-round-2&utm_content=ep33-description Join the Roadmap to College Soccer Operating System: https://www.skool.com/temple-athlete-advisory-group-7525/about?utm_source=podcast

Our clip on the D1 year-round season got more comments than anything we’ve ever posted. Some of you agreed. A lot of you didn’t. So in episode 32, Grant and Erik read your comments and an email from a listener and answer them directly, no edits. They start with the gap year clip that got cut right at the wrong moment, and Erik explains what he actually meant when he said a recruit telling him “I want to go pro” can end the conversation. Then a listener pushed back on the idea that “D3 is the new D1” and pointed out how talented southern D2 conferences are. Erik explains where that idea came from, where the listener is right, and how the top of D1 moving toward a semi-pro model is pushing strong players into D3 and D2. From there they take on the biggest topic in the comments: international players. How American players can compete, why international recruits often arrive with a different mindset about going pro, why sending American kids overseas for a gap year may not get them seen by the right people, and why the new age-based eligibility clock could narrow the age gap. They also respond to comments claiming 2027 recruits are “screwed,” that most D1 programs will be cut “by design,” that no D1 player goes pro, and that most recruits stay within 150 miles of home. Plus a player’s question: can D2 or D3 still lead to professional soccer? The theme running through all of it: playing college soccer is a privilege you earn, not something you’re owed. Got a question or a take you want us to answer on air? Email mailto:[email protected] or drop it in the comments.1

The biggest recruiting events of the year are coming. ECNL Phoenix. ECNL South Carolina. MLS Next Fest in Arizona. Thousands of players, hundreds of college coaches, and most families walking in with no plan. In episode 31, Erik takes you inside how a college coaching staff actually builds its showcase schedule. Which events a staff chooses and why, how coaches split up when two major events land on the same weekend, and how a coach decides which of the dozens of games in a single time slot is worth walking to. He explains why the player who emailed ahead of time draws a coach to the field (and their teammates and opponents along with them), why goalkeepers need to tell coaches exactly which half they’re playing, and why D3 programs are now showing up at MLS Next events they would have skipped a few years ago. He also covers what coaches see in person that film never shows: warmups, body language, coach-ability, how a player responds after giving the ball away or getting subbed off. Then he lays out a simple three-step framework for the next six to eight weeks: identify, prepare, execute. Plus how to find which coaches are registered for each event, and a real client story about what a genuine official visit looks like compared to one that signals low interest. Book a free strategy call with TAAG: https://templeathlete.com/strategy?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=showcase-season&utm_content=ep31-description Join the Roadmap to College Soccer Operating System: https://www.skool.com/temple-athlete-advisory-group-7525/about?utm_source=podcast

On October 7th the NCAA Division I Cabinet affirmed the proposal to move D1 men’s soccer to a year-round model. Fall and spring competition segments. A spring championship. One transfer window after the season ends. It is now in a 30-day rescission period, and if it survives, it takes effect for the 2027-28 academic year. In Episode 30, Grant and Erik break down what actually happened, why the vote was close, and what this means for families in the recruiting process right now. Erik explains why nearly every coach loves the idea from a pure soccer standpoint, and why the decision will come down to athletic directors, presidents, budgets, and facilities. They walk through the real risk that some mid- and low-major programs cut men’s soccer entirely rather than absorb the cost, and what that does to the number of D1 roster spots available. They also get into how a single spring transfer window and the fifth year eligibility rule could collide on D1 rosters, how the showcase calendar is likely to shift, and what this means for D2 and D3 coaches who recruit at the same events. And they cover the women’s side, where the oversight committee declined to propose the same change. The bottom line: you cannot control what the NCAA decides. You can control finding your best fit. New episodes every Friday. Join the Roadmap to College Soccer Operating System: https://www.skool.com/temple-athlete-advisory-group-7525/about?utm_source=podcast

The Five-for-Five eligibility rule changed the landscape. And now more families than ever are asking the same question — should my athlete take a gap year? In Episode 29 Grant and Erik give you the most honest take on gap years you are going to hear anywhere. Not the version the prep school program sells you. Not the version the club coach suggests when they want to keep your kid on the roster for another year. The actual version. They cover what is actually driving this conversation right now, what the Five-for-Five eligibility clock means for families considering a gap year and why getting this wrong can cost your athlete eligibility rather than preserve it, the specific circumstances where a gap year genuinely makes sense versus where it is almost always a reactive emotional decision, what coaches actually think when a recruit tells them they are taking a gap year, the bridges that get burned in that moment and how hard they are to rebuild, and the pro and con framework every family should run through before making this call. They also announce a new school directory inside the Roadmap to College Soccer community with all college coach contacts and a best fit filter built in. New episodes every Friday.

Five weeks left in the college soccer season. In episode 28 Grant and Erik pull back the curtain on what is actually happening inside programs right now and what it means for families navigating the recruiting process this fall. They get into how the schedule works and why it matters for recruiting, what coaches are evaluating about their rosters as the season winds down, how the decision to bring someone back for a fifth year gets made and when those conversations actually happen, and why the Five-for-Five eligibility rule has created genuine chaos for coaches who are trying to build their classes without knowing the rules that will govern them. They also share a real client story about resetting not restarting when a commitment falls through and what that actually looks like in practice. And they close with the most actionable advice of the season for families who still have time to move the needle before November. New episodes every Friday. Book a free strategy call with TAAG: https://templeathlete.com/strategy?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=october-fifth-year-chaos&utm_content=ep28-description

In Episode 27 Grant and Erik sit down with Lauren Ruhl, Licensed Professional Counselor and Sport Psychology Clinician at Greenepsych in Haverford Pennsylvania. Lauren is the Director of the Injury Recovery Program and has worked with athletes from middle school through professional levels on the mental and emotional side of sport, injury, and performance. She has also lived it. Three ACL tears of her own. A college career at Lebanon Valley College interrupted by injury. A career path that changed entirely because of what she experienced and what she saw was missing for athletes going through the same thing. This episode covers everything the physical side of recruiting does not. What prolonged uncertainty and pressure actually do to a young athlete's mental state. What mind chatter is and how it shows up in the worst possible moments. The difference between real confidence and performed confidence. What happens to an athlete's identity when a serious injury hits during the recruiting process. How fear of reinjury actually shows up when an athlete returns to play. And what parents do that helps versus what they do that makes it worse even when it comes from a place of love. One of the most important episodes we have recorded. New episodes every Friday.

Three weeks into the college soccer season and Erik is in the thick of it. In Episode 26 he and Grant pull back the curtain on what the first few weeks of the season actually look like inside a program — how a freshman recruiting class gets evaluated in real time, what culture looks like when the pressure is on, and why the first three weeks tell a coach more about a player than twelve months of recruiting ever could. They also get into campus visits. Fall is the best window to get on a college campus and watch a program play live — and most families are not doing it. Erik breaks down exactly what a recruit should be observing, what parents should understand about their role on a visit, and why there is no substitute for actually being in the building when the game is happening at full speed. And they announce something new — the Roadmap to College Soccer Community is live. For families who want the insider knowledge without the one-on-one advisory, it is all in there. Tools, resources, live office hours, and a direct path through the process without the noise. New Episodes every Friday! Hit that Subscribe button. Book a free strategy call with TAAG: https://templeathlete.com/strategy?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep26-visits-community&utm_content=description

In Episode 25, Grant and Erik sit down with Zach Bittner — a current college goalkeeper, former Sporting Delaware standout, and someone Erik coached and advocated for through the entire recruiting process firsthand. Zach has trialed with DC United at 14, Cincinnati at 17, Atlanta United, and most recently LAFC this past summer. He started at Hofstra, transferred to Queens College, and is still actively pursuing professional soccer while finishing his degree. His path is anything but linear — and that is exactly why this episode is worth your time. He talks about splitting minutes with a good friend on one of the best club teams in the country and how they both got recruited anyway, what it actually looks like to transfer from D1 to D2 and why it was the right move, how a day in the life of a college athlete actually goes, what the goalkeeper position demands that no other position does, and what he would tell his 16 year old self knowing everything he knows now. He also talks about what having someone advocate for him with college coaches actually changed in his process. That part alone is worth the listen. New episodes every Friday. Chapters 00:00 Journey from Club to College03:29 Trials at MLS Academies12:31 Transition from D1 to D2 College Soccer19:49 College Recruiting Process23:27 Role of a College Pathway Director26:21 Daily Life of a College Athlete Book a free strategy call with TAAG: https://templeathlete.com/strategy?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=zach-bittner-goalkeeper&utm_content=ep25-description

Erik just finished his first ten days of preseason. In episode 24 he and Grant pull back the curtain on what that actually looks like inside a college program — the scrimmages, the roster decisions, the eighteen hour days, and why coaches go silent the moment August hits. Then they get into the conversation most families are not having until it is too late — the commitment. What a verbal commitment actually means and what it does not. What should happen before a family says yes to any program. The cost of committing too early. The cost of waiting too long. What happens inside a coaching staff the moment a recruit commits. And what nobody tells you about the period right after you commit. They also share real stories from current clients who are going through this process right now. Chapters 00:00 Preseason Grind02:58 Scheduling and Conference Changes10:09 Preseason Challenges and Mindset22:58 Recruiting and Commitments24:34 College Soccer Recruiting Timelines25:32 Understanding Early Decision and Early Action28:20 Transparency and Communication in Recruiting29:10 Evaluating Offers and Commitment Process39:15 Navigating the Final Decision46:41 The Game Beyond Competition Book a free strategy call: https://templeathlete.com/call-booking-page?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=preseason-commitment&utm_content=ep24-description

In episode 23, Grant and Erik sit down with two of the most recognizable names in the Dallas soccer world — Dillon Vedral, founder of Vedral Soccer Academy and head coach of West Ham United at The Soccer Tournament, and David Balyeat, better known as Soccer Dave, with 257,000 Instagram followers and a playing career that took him from Mississippi College to Bolivia to Spain. They talk about what they actually see from the kids they train every day, why playing at the highest club level does not automatically mean the recruiting will come, what social media does and does not do for a recruit, how to make yourself more recruitable off the field, and why the mindset you carry into this process matters more than most families realize. They also get into the question nobody wants to answer honestly — what percentage of kids actually make it and what does that mean for the 99 percent who do not. One of the most honest conversations we have had on this show. Chapters 00:00 Unique Pathways to College Soccer08:47 The Importance of Finding the Best Fit24:31 The Impact of Social Media on Recruiting31:54 Navigating the College Recruiting Process34:09 The Reality of Pursuing Professional Soccer37:19 The Importance of Personal Development and Mindset39:16 The Role of Parents and Coaches in Player Development48:05 The Grind of College Soccer59:40 Insights and Advice for Aspiring College Soccer Players

Twenty two episodes in and we have never made this the main topic. Until now. In Episode 22, Grant and Erik get into the one factor in college soccer recruiting that nobody talks about directly — the parent. What the best soccer parents actually do. What the ones who are hurting their kid's process look like without realizing it. What college coaches are clocking on the sideline during the recruiting process. What happens inside a program when a parent crosses the line. And why the sunk cost of ten years and a hundred thousand dollars in club fees can lead families to force decisions that cost their kid everything. This one is not a knock on parents. It is a guide for them. Every college coach who has been on this show has touched on this topic. Today it gets its own episode. No guests. No filter. New episodes every Friday! Chapters 00:00 Exciting Upcoming Guests01:14 The Role of Parents in College Soccer03:18 The Impact of Parents on College Recruiting04:06 Qualities of Supportive Soccer Parents05:58 Negative Impact of Overbearing Parents08:29 Guiding from the Back09:27 Strategic Parental Involvement13:53 Observing Parental Behavior17:29 Consequences of Parental Behavior21:39 Parental Dominance in Recruiting25:00 Balancing Parental Involvement27:54 Parental Perspective31:22 Coaching and Parenting Parallels35:09 Communication and Boundaries36:16 Sunk Cost Fallacy41:22 Financial Pressure and Decision Making43:47 Financial Impact on Recruiting45:30 Reframing Financial Perspectives46:30 Impact of Financial Pressure Book a free strategy call with TAAG: https://templeathlete.com/strategy?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=parent-episode&utm_content=ep22-description

In Episode 21, Grant and Erik sit down with Marsha Lycan, Associate Head Coach of Women's Soccer at William and Mary — and the first female coach to appear on the podcast. Marsha played at William and Mary in the 1980s, spent decades coaching at the youth and college level, and returned to her alma mater eight years ago to build something alongside her former teammate and head coach Julie Shackford. The result is a program that just sent eight players home who came in together as freshmen and left together as seniors — something almost nobody is doing in college soccer right now. She talks about what the women's recruiting timeline actually looks like, why confidence and parent dynamics matter as much as talent, the story of a recruit who sent an email with the subject line "Is the ink dry yet?" that changed everything, why chasing the D1 label is one of the most expensive mistakes a family can make, and what she would tell every junior year female athlete right now who feels stuck. Every coach we have had on this show says the same thing. This episode is no different. Chapters 00:00 Journey from Player to Coach at William and Mary03:04 The Evolution of Recruiting for High-Academic, High-Athletic Programs06:00 The Role of Mentality and Character in Player Selection08:59 The Significance of Personal Connections in Recruiting14:59 Beyond D1: Relationships, Life Lessons, and Character Development27:00 The Impact of Parental Influence28:21 Challenges in College Soccer Recruiting31:15 The Role of Leadership and Team Dynamics34:14 The Importance of Finding the Right Fit38:56 The Misconceptions of College Soccer Recruiting37:21 The Importance of Confidence and Support System49:00 Recruiting Advice and Insights

College soccer is officially back. Preseason is underway and the season is right around the corner. In episode 20, Grant and Erik break down exactly what is happening inside college programs right now and what that means for families in the middle of the recruiting process. They cover why silence from a coach during the season is not a red flag, what a college coach’s actual week looks like hour by hour, how to communicate with coaches during the season without being annoying or invisible, why fall is one of the most underrated windows to visit campuses and watch games, and what the one percent looks like when you feel stuck and overwhelmed in the process. 20 straight weeks. No signs of stopping. New Episodes every Friday! Chapters 00:00 Episode 20 Kickoff01:39 Preseason Preparation03:11 The Chaos of Preseason04:42 Communication During the Season15:45 Understanding Coach's Daily Routine20:31 Assistant Coach Communication24:29 Building Relationships in the Industry25:04 The Importance of Assistant Coaches26:12 Leveraging Relationships for Job Placement28:15 The Value of Networking and Proximity29:09 The Significance of Titles and Relationships30:19 The Importance of Campus Visits and Game Attendance31:04 The Impact of In-Person Experience34:17 Taking Control of the Recruiting Process39:49 The Long-Term Nature of Recruiting Book a free strategy call with TAAG:https://templeathlete.com/call-booking-page?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=season-starts-communication&utm_content=ep20-description

The market for college soccer recruiting help has exploded. There are platforms, agencies, advisors, AI tools, and overseas professional placement companies all competing for the same families. In episode 19, Grant and Erik break down every category honestly — what each one actually does, who it is built for, what it cannot do, and where the lines get blurry. They also get into something nobody is talking about publicly — the growing trend of committed players walking away from college programs at the last minute to chase professional opportunities overseas, what is actually behind that trend, and what it reveals about where youth soccer culture is heading. This one gets real. No guests. No filter. Chapters 00:00 The Evolution of College Soccer Recruiting01:25 The Emergence of College Soccer Recruiting Services02:11 Changes in Youth Soccer Space04:01 The Need for College Soccer Recruiting Services05:26 Challenges in the Recruiting Process08:29 Professional Opportunities in Soccer09:15 The Role of College Coaches11:15 The Impact of Recruiting Services12:28 Different Types of Recruiting Services13:43 Accountability in the Recruiting Process18:15 The Value of One-on-One Time24:49 Transparency in Recruiting Services32:39 The Impact of NIL on College Soccer33:11 The Influence of Sponsorship and Deals34:07 Motivation and Decision-Making36:40 Navigating College Recruitment Services37:40 The Importance of Personal Growth39:07 The Impact of Decisions on Future Outcomes43:12 The Role of College Coaches41:05 The Importance of Personal Character44:08 The Commitment and Loyalty Dilemma49:40 The Influence of College Roster Construction54:00 The Impact of Personal Decisions57:23 The Roadmap to College Soccer