Roadmap to College Soccer : Temple Athlete Advisory Group

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.Chapters00:00 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 AthleteBook 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.Chapters00:00 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 CompetitionBook 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.Chapters00:00 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