Soccer- the highschool to college transition
The transition from highschool soccer to the collegiate environment can be a difficult one. This article will teach you what to expect in the first semester of college soccer and how to turn your last few months of highschool into a huge competitive advantage.
There are many variables at play that influence how an athlete’s transition from highschool athletics into college will go. Some things to prepare yourself for include:
Switching your mindset from being the “big fish in a little pond” to being in a much more competitive environment. This is especially true if its a highly competitive conference (such as a power-5, SEC example). Many athletes recruited into competitive conferences are used to being a top performer on the team and in the soccer clubs. Some athletes are have so much natural talent that they can even get away with some slacking on their nutrition and conditioning. Any weaknesses or poor behaviors that are present now will only be amplified when the stress of a full college course load and full time practice and competition schedule kick in.
Getting used to the strength and conditioning. In college, you are going to be working with a professional strength and conditioning coach. This is much more different and more demanding than what 99% of club and highschool athletes are used to. Athletes are already excpected to be in “soccer shape” but the extra weight lifting, sprinting, and agility drills can often leave incoming freshman sore on another level. Looking around, you’ll see the upperclassmen able to perform at a much higher level. Use this as inspiration. It takes time to get used to the weight room, but the payoff is a faster and more capable soccer player who is resistant to injury.
Good nutrition. Maybe in highschool, you're able to “outrun” a bad diet. Not in college. Soccer players often have a tough time with the nutrition transition because at home and in highschool, they have a lot of control and family support. In college, you will have a lot more freedom and a lot more choices. If nutrition knowledge and habits are non-existent, the transition is even harder. Competitive programs will have a sports dietitian on staff, which is good. However, in my experience in this setting, many athletes put off working with the dietitian until there is a problem. Be proactive about your nutrition and seek out help early.
Sleep and recovery. It can be tempting to stay up late to socialize and party on the weekends. There will certainly be opportunities and temptations to do so. Many athletes struggle with self-regulating their sleep and bedtime when they leave home to play in college. Unfortunately, this is one of the biggest reasons why athletes experience overtraining injuries their freshman year. The most resiliant athletes take their sleep seriously and you’ll notice that the upperclassmen take it seriously too.
Case study: “Jordan was recruited to compete in a top level collegiate program in the SEC conference. She was used to being a top athlete in her highschool program, often playing the full 90 minutes and scoring multiple goals per game as a striker. Jordan’s superior natural talent gave her a lot of leeway when it came to the rest of the puzzle. She fueled herself with fast food on the weekends, stayed up late, and found that the extra workouts were easy since her soccer coach used mostly bodyweight exercises because the highscool football team only really had access to the weight room.
When Jordan got to college, she started off great in practice and was a hopeful to be a starter when the season started. However, as the semester continued, her previous habits of poor sleep, nutrition, and inexperience in the weight room exposed her weaknesses as an athlete. A hamstring issue turned into a serious injury. Depressed from injury, Jordan continued to stay up late and junk food became a coping mechanism for the stress. When she was finally able to return to play in the middle of the season, she was deconditioned and now 15 pounds over her previous playing weight. She spent the rest of the season on the bench wishing she could compete. She felt her entire season was wasted and made no physical improvements like the rest of the team did.”
How does an athlete avoid a rough transition from highschool to college? What could Jordan have done differently in the case study above?
The answer is preparation. Athletes who come to college with good sleep and nutrition habits, and background working with a strength coach will remain resiliant and competitive throughout the season as they see their abilities continue to improve.
Soccer athletes who want to be more prepared to play at the highly competitive collegiate level need to prepare themselves. This is an investment you’ll need to make in yourself to customize a program that works for you. Follow these steps and you be ready to dominate your first season as an incoming freshman:
Give yourself time to prepare. I recommend starting after spring break of your last semester in highschool. This gives you enough time to learn your new habits and develop a routine.
Hire a coach to prepare you. Here at Elevate Human Performance we offer 6-12 week programs to customize your nutrition and training with a certified sports dietitian and strength coach who has 12+ years of experience working with soccer players ranging from highschool to elite NCAA athletes.
Expect there to be hard times ahead. It takes some getting used to the idea of going from “favorite player” to “the new guy” on the team. Not everything is going to be perfect your freshman year. But if you manage your expectations realistically and focus on the things you do have control over, you’ll be making strides in your training like no other.
