You can be the best player on your team and still never get recruited. Every year, hundreds of talented athletes are left behind—not for lack of skill, but simply because of where they play. In this insider video, Harrison Szep (founder of StudentAthlete.ai) pulls back the curtain on how the American youth soccer system actually works—and which leagues truly get seen by college coaches.
You’ll learn:
– The full breakdown of the U.S. soccer pyramid (MLS NEXT, ECNL, USL Academy, E64, NPL, and more)
– Which leagues give you real exposure—and which leave you invisible
– Why two equally talented players can have completely different futures based on their competition -level
– The make-or-break recruiting timeline (ages 14–16) and why most miss their chance
– The myth that “talent alone gets you recruited”—and what matters more
– How to position yourself (or your player) where coaches are actually looking
– The unforgiving truth about lower leagues and what you need to do if you’re in one
By the end, you’ll know how to sidestep the hidden traps of the system—and what steps to take next so you’re in the right place, at the right time, when it matters most.
00:00 – Introduction: Talent Isn’t Enough—Why Where You Play Matters
00:32 – How the U.S. Soccer Pyramid Works
01:02 – Tier 1: MLS NEXT – The Proving Ground
01:52 – Tier 2: ECNL, USL Academy – The First Rows
03:43 – Tier 3 & 4: Regional and National Leagues
05:28 – Tiers 5-7: Premier, Local, and Developmental Leagues
06:00 – Prep Academies, High School, and Supplementary Pathways
06:32 – What Happens As You Move Down the Pyramid?
07:23 – Real Recruiting: Two Players, Different Outcomes
08:53 – The Crucial Recruiting Timeline No One Talks About
10:00 – The Harsh Truth: Talent vs. Timing and Visibility
10:56 – How to Position Yourself for College Soccer Success
11:49 – Final Advice: Control Your Path and Get Seen
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