Soccer: Prep star passes on scholarships, chooses BYU
Trevor Henderson, a junior at Orem's Timpanogos High, could go to a lot of colleges that have NCAA men's soccer programs and get his schooling paid for.
Instead, he's going to pay his own way and attend Brigham Young University and play soccer for BYU's club program.
"A lot of people feel like he's not doing as well as he can by going to BYU because he will get no scholarship," acknowledged his father, Jeff Henderson.
Trevor Henderson, 16, "committed" to BYU coach Chris Watkins last November. The teenager's ability is unquestioned. He made the western region pool of the Olympic Development Program (ODP), each of the last two years. He could end up being one of the best soccer players the state of Utah has ever produced.
At first glance, Watkins must be one heck of a recruiter. Jeff Henderson said his son was being recruited by at least six big-time NCAA Division I programs.
But there's more to the story.
BYU is unique in the college soccer world, I am told, because it is a member of the Premier Development League (PDL), a division of the United Soccer League (USL).
According to a story on Sports Illustrated's Web site, BYU joined the PDL after winning its seventh national club title in nine years because Watkins, sensing that the school would never sanction the sport to be an official NCAA program, thought the PDL would provide better competition and more opportunities for his players to move on to professional soccer.
He persuaded school officials to make the move, surprisingly, and BYU purchased a franchise in the PDL.
At any rate, the Hendersons see it as a viable alternative to NCAA soccer, and the Timpanogos star will be a Cougar in a few years.
"Trevor feels like he's seen the competition and feels like the talent in the PDL is as good or better than most colleges," Jeff Henderson said.
There are other factors in the decision, too.
Trevor Henderson wants to go on an LDS Church mission, and he feels like BYU understands that (obviously) more than other schools.
Also, Trevor is an outstanding musician, having composed his own album playing a variety of instruments, and BYU's music department annually sponsors international trips for its students to perform in exotic locations such as Fiji and South America.
"It's not the traditional way of getting to the next level, but Trevor feels like it works for him," Jeff Henderson said.
Instead, he's going to pay his own way and attend Brigham Young University and play soccer for BYU's club program.
"A lot of people feel like he's not doing as well as he can by going to BYU because he will get no scholarship," acknowledged his father, Jeff Henderson.
Trevor Henderson, 16, "committed" to BYU coach Chris Watkins last November. The teenager's ability is unquestioned. He made the western region pool of the Olympic Development Program (ODP), each of the last two years. He could end up being one of the best soccer players the state of Utah has ever produced.
At first glance, Watkins must be one heck of a recruiter. Jeff Henderson said his son was being recruited by at least six big-time NCAA Division I programs.
But there's more to the story.
BYU is unique in the college soccer world, I am told, because it is a member of the Premier Development League (PDL), a division of the United Soccer League (USL).
According to a story on Sports Illustrated's Web site, BYU joined the PDL after winning its seventh national club title in nine years because Watkins, sensing that the school would never sanction the sport to be an official NCAA program, thought the PDL would provide better competition and more opportunities for his players to move on to professional soccer.
He persuaded school officials to make the move, surprisingly, and BYU purchased a franchise in the PDL.
At any rate, the Hendersons see it as a viable alternative to NCAA soccer, and the Timpanogos star will be a Cougar in a few years.
"Trevor feels like he's seen the competition and feels like the talent in the PDL is as good or better than most colleges," Jeff Henderson said.
There are other factors in the decision, too.
Trevor Henderson wants to go on an LDS Church mission, and he feels like BYU understands that (obviously) more than other schools.
Also, Trevor is an outstanding musician, having composed his own album playing a variety of instruments, and BYU's music department annually sponsors international trips for its students to perform in exotic locations such as Fiji and South America.
"It's not the traditional way of getting to the next level, but Trevor feels like it works for him," Jeff Henderson said.
1 Comments:
BYU had a DI soccer program for a few years in the 80s (1983-1987) before both title IX and some violations (cheating) humiliated the school and program and the school decided it would drop it. The PDL is a comparable, if not better, talent level for soccer and BYU is in a unique situation with it. Almost every player on the BYU team could have played at the DI level, but decided to attend BYU and play in the PDL.
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