I don’t know girls but boys “big 4” is meaningless. The big ten is an avg at best conf. The national championship was Vermont vs marshal. So look at programs and schools and fit.Our situation is a bit different...
Kid's "moved up the ladder" from small Bloomington club, to ECNL club (Pride). Plays both RL and NL, but mostly as the Alpha on the RL, with spot pull-ups on the NL squad for showcases, etc. Has a handful of goals playing NL. Set Bloomington South varsity record for goals as a Freshman. All-Conf and All-Area First team as a Frosh as well. Baller at the RL level, and our RL team is good (won Ohio Valley ECRL last year, #5 ranked in state currently).
First Conference game from last Friday...
We've been taking her to ID camps from DIII to "Big 4" D1, and she just seems set on wanting D1 (quite honestly, I'd be fine with a Depauw, Hanover, Wash & Lee, or Sewanee, or the like). But she's motivated.
Our NL squad is top 25 nationally, easily best in state, and our two girls up top (kinda a #9 and #11) are Big 4 level D1 locks. Our kid may never get significant mins with the NL squad at the position she is a natural at as a tall, fast lefty that just finda a way to score. She loves the whole Pride 2010 crew (both NL and RL girls), and is insistent she doesn't want to move clubs.
That said, the stats are the stats. Given she wants to at least have solid looks from D1...do we stick with being a (potentially) All-Conf star on a playoff-level RL squad, or look at trying to make the NL team at Fire or Racing Louisville, or even Premier's GA team?
So...Lars, McM, Mark M (even though this is girls and slightly different from boys), or any others with valid experience in this "bind", what would you do? Good problem to have, I guess...but we're going to need to figure out a path sooner than later.
At her age she needs to play for the top club and top team possible. She’s in that recruiting period. She needs the highest level of competition. And whatever schools she’s interested hit their ID camp. Talk to the coaches at schools she likes. See where they will be. Get them videos