Is soccer a year-round commitment at Brandeis?
Yes. Our fall season runs from our pre-season in mid-august and
ends in mid to late November, depending on post season
qualifications. At the conclusion of our fall season, our
players take a break to concentrate on their academics, while
maintaining a post season fitness level. The returning
players meet twice a week in the first part of spring semester to
play futsol and for fitness training, including weight lifting
three times a week. Weight training off-season is mandatory to
prevent injuries and to increase strength and speed. In
March we have our non-traditional season involving team practices
with coaches. The non-traditional season lasts five weeks,
and it consists of 16 practice sessions, including an alumni game
and a home tournament to conclude the year.
At the beginning of June our pre-season 12 week summer training program begins.
How does team selection take place?
If you have been recruited to Brandeis University by the women's soccer coaches, and pass the pre-season fitness test, then you are guaranteed your first year on the team. The fitness test is administered during the pre-season tryouts and consists of endurance (mile run, etc.), speed (full field sprints), sit ups, push ups, and agility with the ball (spin turns).
Competition for a spot on the team is very strong every year.
If you were not recruited for our team, but would like to tryout for the team, a walk-on tryout session will be held during the first week of school. Decision is made on case-by-case basis.
How is playing time determined?
Players earn playing time by performing well at practices, working hard, talent, team needs, etc. regardless of number of years in the program or previous accolades.
How competitive is the program and the competition?
We compete in the University Athletic Association (UAA) which is one of the most competitive conferences in the country. Last season four UAA teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Three of the remaining four teams were selected for the ECAC post season play.
Our players typically are competing on both high school and club programs. Many of our players are on the ODP teams, captains of their respective teams, All-Conference, All-Region and All-State.
How far do you travel to compete?
Our conference play consists of single round robin play, which means half of our conference games are played at home and the remaining half are played away. We typically take two plane rides during the fall season. Our players enjoy traveling to different parts of the country for our conference competition. Our conference opponents are: Washington University in St. Louis, The University of Chicago, Emory University in Atlanta, GA, Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, University of Rochester and New York University.
How do I get recruited to Brandeis?
If you are interested in our program it is best to complete our online recruit form on our website. www.brandeisjudges.com Once you have completed the form, email the head coach dallamor@brandeis.edu with a short explanation of why you are pursuing a Brandeis education and attach a soccer resume and a transcript of your grades. Send us a DVD of highlights so we can assess your soccer ability. Once we hear from you will be in touch and the recruiting process begins.
How do I fit soccer into my academic schedule?
We practice 5-6 days a week for 2 hours on our new turf field. The field has lights so we are able to rotate practice times with the men's team from either 4-6pm or 6-8pm. We also schedule as many night games as possible so there is very little missed class time for competition. Most of our regional competition is in close proximity (20-45 minutes travel time), with the farthest trip being 2 hours. We have found that students tend do better in school during the fall season as they are accustomed to balancing their time. Academic performance is very important to us. We expect our players to take full advantage of the wide variety of classes and our exceptional faculty. The student to faculty ratio is 8:1, which affords every Brandeis student an exceptional education through individual attention. A Writing Center is available at the library to all students on a walk-in basis to assist in every facet of the writing process. Various study sessions are available for students desiring additional help with a class.
We believe our competitive schedule; exceptional faculty, wide range in fields of study and the proximity to Boston make Brandeis University and the Women's Soccer program second to none.
Is traveling abroad your junior year allowed?
As quoted from the University's web site under academic services.
“In an increasingly globalized world, it is important that Brandeis students take advantage of all opportunities to become better informed global citizens. Study abroad is an excellent way for students to increase their global competence and gain a better working knowledge of the issues that will shape the next century. “
“The Office of Study Abroad, a sub department of the Office of Academic Services, supports Brandeis students who participate on any of our 250 approved programs in some 70 different countries around the world.“
“This year over 45% of the junior class studied abroad during the academic year while still more students took advantage of various international opportunities in the summer. There is a huge diversity of experiences that Brandeis students have engaged in abroad including studying visual neuroscience at Oxford University, conducting ethnographic research on sacred figures in Mongolia, and interning in special education classrooms in Sydney, Australia to name a few.”