“The transfer portal is evil.” These are the words of my former college coach. All right, he said this to persuade me to enter it and leave his team. Yet, my experience with the soccer transfer portal was overwhelmingly negative.

Transferring from an NCAA Division II school that finished the season with a losing record, you would assume that a player who hit double digits for goals, earned a spot on the all-conference team, and was named to the conference tournament team would be in high demand. This was my assumption, after all.

Thinking about entering the soccer transfer portal? Reach out for advice before you make the leap — DM me on Instagram @jmc_recruiting

Soccer Transfer Portal Risks

High-Risk, High-Reward Decision

Entering the transfer portal fits into the high-risk, high-reward category. You surrender your scholarship and are at the mercy of your college coach regarding using school facilities and practice. In my case, I was lucky enough to keep my scholarship for the spring semester after being unable to find a new school for the start of the semester.

Becoming an Outcast

The one caveat to an otherwise miserable semester included my ex-coach instructing the entire team not to practice with me on their own time and ensuring that I was not using team facilities.

Suddenly, I felt like an outcast, as many of my teammates started acting differently around me. They almost seemed uncomfortable to converse with me. I had become a complete outsider. Moreso, with no regular soccer practice schedule to adhere to, it became mentally challenging daily to keep myself motivated to train (secretly) on my own.

Ill-treatment from Former Coach

“You are a mess”. Was the response to my admission that I was unsure what to do after receiving underwhelming feedback from my transfer portal entry. At a time when I was already overwhelmed and uncertain about my future, it was hardly the reassuring support you need as a twenty-year-old college student going through a difficult time.

Unfortunately, this treatment epitomizes how coaches often regard you once they learn you no longer want to play for their team. You’re no longer useful. In their eyes, your humanity goes out the window the second you stop being an asset to their career. To make matters even more ironic, I was called into his office that day to collect my all-tournament award.

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Difficulty of the Soccer Transfer Portal

Underwhelming Interest from Schools

My highlight video and profile were in the transfer portal for the better part of three months. Yet, most inquiries came from Division III schools that are unappealing to international athletes due to their inability to give out athletic scholarships and the rest from low to mid-level Division II schools.

I found the interest underwhelming. My target was top DII schools or low-end DI colleges. While I considered my aim realistic, it never came to fruition.

Networking Over the Transfer Portal

Ultimately, I found my ideal school as a nationally ranked NAIA school. The contact was initiated by a former USL League Two teammate who had just graduated from this school. This shows that having contacts can be far more successful than rolling the dice in the “evil” transfer portal.

Want help building connections beyond the transfer portal?
Message me on Instagram; @jmc_recruiting or email joseph@collegesoccerinsight.com to get personalised guidance through CSI Insight+.