Making His Mark

Austen has recently begun thinking about college including what he thinks he wants to major in. This year, he took an honors engineering class and loved it. We thought he should focus on schools with engineering so Tom started asking him questions about types of engineering. Tom would say do you like this? And, Austen would answer, no, I like to do this. Then Tom would say, that's architecture Austen. This went on for several minutes with different questions and Tom's same answer, "that's architecture, Austen." So while he never really expressed any interest in architecture now we had to shift gears and start thinking architecture. 

He is already signed up for an honors architecture class next year but it also meant finding out which colleges actually offer an architecture program (not many) and then couple that with the fact that he wants to play college soccer and that list gets incredibly narrowed. Not to mention that he likely won't even be allowed by a coach to pursue that major (maybe at a D3) due to the rigorous course load. 

As a funny aside, Hailey got wind of Austen wanting to pursue architecture and she was like, "What?" He can't be an architect! I want him to be famous!" We had no idea what she was talking about? So she elaborated. "He's supposed to be a great soccer player and be famous!" she said.  We laughed that that's how she sees her brother even though she hates going to his games and if Peyton stays home, she doesn't really even come anymore. 

He's not going to be famous for soccer but he just may have a chance to play college soccer. Recently, during school he received an email saying that had been named to ProScore's "Best XI" from his National League PRO  games. National League PRO is a very selective league with teams from all over the nation competing for a chance at the National title. Austen played his games over the course of essentially two weekends away (FL and AZ). So 6 brackets of 8 teams in each with roughly 18 kids rostered on each team so a pool of about 864 players. ProScore is some computer generated system that tracks players through game film and essentially puts together their stats and then names the best 11 players so Austen gets the email that he's been named to this team. Apparently, he didn't think anything of it but all the players also follow this ProScore Instagram feed so his teammates notice he's been named and Austen starts receiving messages and screenshots from them. He comes home excited to tell me. I think it's cool that he's happy but don't really understand the magnitude of it until one of our parent's who is President of our club and has an older kid playing takes me aside at a recent game and says, you do know that's a big thing, right? I don't really know how big it is but then she proceeds to tell me the few names in the club (older boys) who have been named and they are all going D1 this year or next. I say, that I thought he played well but not exceptional in some of those games and she said well, ProScore is not subjective. It analyzes him and his stats so it's pretty accurate and pretty spot on with identifying top players. Wow. I didn't know and neither did Austen. It's a good confidence booster for him going into his junior year and the height of the recruitment season.

And, that's why he may ultimately decide not pursue architecture. He joined the Investment Club at school and is really thinking about majoring in business now because it casts a wider net of schools for him with soccer - and this kid just really wants to continue to play the sport that he's loved since he can remember. 

So he's putting in the work. He's created a list of possible schools with soccer and architecture (D1 and D3); schools with soccer and business (D1 and D3); and schools that he may just want to go to without playing competitively (maybe just club soccer). He has a highlight reel on YouTube and a soccer resume. He's emailed coaches and invited them to his games. D3s have started to respond since they can talk to him anytime. D1s have to wait until mid-June since he's only a sophomore unless they are just inviting him to their ID camp. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love the game. It would be great for him if he could play college soccer but it doesn't matter to me if he plays in college or not. I just want him to go to a college he loves and pursue the career he wants and of course to be happy and have fun. Isn't that all we want for our kids? 

Our club's repost of "Best XI"

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