"At D1, you don't have a couple years anymore." ⏳ That's Eric Belcher, assistant coach at Grambling State women's soccer, now in his 17th year coaching college soccer. He joined Don Williams on the Inside College Soccer podcast, and it's one of the most honest takes on recruiting I've heard. Here's what stood out: 1️⃣ The spots are shrinking. With the 28-player roster limit and players able to take extra years, coaches are holding places open. Freshman classes that used to be 9 to 12 players are now around 3, because coaches feel they have about two years to win and often sign transfers instead. 📉 2️⃣ Fitness and strength come first. Short bursts of speed and time in the weight room matter most to him. Without them, skill "means nothing." His advice: "Get in shape and get in the weight room and everything else should fall into place." 💪 3️⃣ Don't chase D1 at all costs. He'd rather see a player get 80% of the minutes at a good D2 and move up than sit on a D1 bench. He wishes more club coaches would be honest about which level a player is ready for. 🎯 4️⃣ Stick it out. Freshmen aren't meant to be the best player straight away. Leave after one tough year and "you're taking three steps back." 🚪 5️⃣ Be the team-first player. He values players who put the team first and accept a new position. One winger he moved to left back became defensive player of the year. 🤝 6️⃣ Send proper film. When a coach asks for film, send a YouTube link, not an Instagram link. 🎥 If you're a player or parent going through recruiting, this is worth the listen. 🇺🇸⚽ 🎧 youtube.com/watch?v=Zk3kHcBJ… #CollegeSoccer #SoccerRecruiting #StudentAthlete