Taylor Twellman On College Soccer
Former MLS Star Taylor Twellman, now a television analyst for ESPN, on why college soccer is a problem even if there are super talented college coaches working hard to develop players.
“It’s pathetic.”
SoccerToday’s Interview with Taylor Twellman – Part 1
Read: FORMER PRO TAYLOR TWELLMAN ON HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER CAN BE BETTER THAN CLUB
Diane Scavuzzo: The American pathway to becoming a pro, how and what are your thoughts about the college scene?
Taylor Twellman: I struggle with college soccer.
NCAA has changed every single sport in order to benefit the student-athlete for the next level except soccer.
You play two and a half months … first off, it’s actually abusing the student-athlete — you’re putting an undue and needless amount of pressure on student-athletes if they get a concussion Wednesday, trying to play for the weekend game because you haven’t given them enough time to heal.
The reality is college soccer’s going to die.
There are too many other avenues to further your career while getting an education and, in my opinion, college soccer’s a perfect bottom level tier of developing pro players.
It’s ridiculous because there’s a lot of good college coaches developing players for the next level, but their hands are tied.
Because for eight and a half months you can’t do anything and then the other three months you play.
It’s pathetic.
Diane Scavuzzo: What advice do you have for young players who want to become pros?
Taylor Twellman: I think the one thing that got me to where I was is I played every game as if it was my last. Ironically, my career ended up that way — but you never know when your last game’s going to be and you never want to have regrets.
To be honest with you, I think if we treated life in the same way, we would not have a lot of regrets. You’re going to go all in. Unfortunately, I had to find that out through my injury.
This article is an excerpt from the previously published interview with Taylor Twellman
