They've got two or three offers on the table. And the first thing they want to talk through is division - is it D1, is it D2, is it NJCAA. Then it's the scholarship number. And somewhere down near the bottom of the list, almost as an afterthought, is the coach.
I get why. On paper, division and dollars are the easiest things to compare. But honestly? After doing this for 16 years, I can tell you the coach is the thing that actually decides whether this all works out for your kid.
Why the coach matters more than the crest
Most coaches in the US system have never worked with a kid who came up through NPL instead of the American youth academy system. And that's a bigger deal than people realise. The way we develop players here in Australia - the pathway, the culture around the game - it's genuinely different to how it's done in the States.
A coach who actually understands that difference is going to develop your kid faster and better than one who's just guessing, no matter how good their facilities are.
The real test - what happens after signing day
Here's the other thing I look for. Anyone can put on a good recruiting pitch. The real test is whether that coach is still calling, still being straight with the family about role and game time, six months after your kid's already signed and committed. Not just during the sell.
I've seen plenty of situations where a bigger name program looks amazing on paper and then goes quiet the second the ink's dry. And I've seen smaller programs where the coach is genuinely invested in the kid's development for the long haul. Culture and communication beat prestige, every single time, when it comes to what actually matters for your kid.
Lukas's story
A good example of this - we placed Lukas Luburic, an attacker from Sydney, at Feather River College in California. It's an NJCAA program, not exactly a household name. But the head coach there, Conrad Gooley, is Australian himself and has been coaching in the US college system for years.
Conrad gets the pathway Lukas came through. He's genuinely invested in developing him properly, not just filling a roster spot. I checked in with him recently and Lukas is doing exactly what we hoped - thriving.
What this means if you're deep in the process right now
If you're a family sitting there right now comparing offers, here's my honest advice: before you get too attached to the scholarship number or the division, find out who's actually going to be coaching your kid day to day. Ask about their track record with international players. Ask what happens after signing day, not just during recruitment.
That's the variable that actually decides whether this whole thing works out.
If you want an honest read on the offers your family is weighing up right now, that's exactly what a Pathway Session is for.
Book a Pathway Session - AU$165
John Stevanja is the Founder of Upper 90 College, Australia's longest-running boutique college soccer placement service. 16+ years. 700+ programs. 6 Australian national champions.
www.u90college.com.au | +61 409 314 072
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