Sometimes the best thing we can do is learn from someone who has been where we are going. This post is about a soccer parents journey from watching her son go through ups and downs at the youth level to getting playing time as a freshman in college. The purpose of this article is to help you better understand youth soccer.
I’ve asked Erica (a friend and client) to write her experience as a parent. Nobody has the same journey, but hopefully this helps you with yours.
*Guest Blog Post – Erica Swett, September 21, 2026: Soccer parent shares the journey of their son making a college team
A journey together
Our son, Cole Swett, is currently a freshman at Biola University in La Mirada, CA and part of their D2 Men’s Soccer squad.
The journey of Cole making his way to play in college has had many twists and turns.
As a soccer parent I’ve often felt as though I’ve been playing offense, defense, and sometimes in the midfield. Yet the constants (by Cole and us) have always been positivity, persistency, and prayer – that is our hope for any soccer parent!
Highlights of Cole’s soccer journey:
- 2010: Cole began playing soccer at age 3 with SoccerTots
- 2011 – 2015: Cole played recreational soccer with the Grapevine-Southlake Soccer Association (GSSA). GSSA is where Cole, and we as parents, built community through the game of soccer. It is where Cole developed many friendships and healthy relationships with his coaches
- 2015 – 2016: We learned of the opportunity for Cole to play more competitive soccer as part of Andromeda FC, and in mid-2016 Andromeda FC merged with Solar Soccer Club
- Late-2016 – Mid-2019: Cole returned to GSSA
- Mid-2019 – Mid-2022: Evolution (EVO) competitive and academy soccer club; Classic League
- Mid-2019 – Present: Invaluable 1:1 private skills training with Jeremie Piette, Global Futbol Training (GFT)
- 2020 – 2022: Southlake Carroll Middle School Soccer
- Mid-2022 – Mid-2024: North Texas Olympic Development Program (ODP)
- 2022 – 2026: Southlake Carroll High School Varsity Soccer
- Mid-2022 – Mid-2026: BVB ECNL
- August 2026 – Present: Biola University Men’s Soccer (D2)
Briefly stepping away from the game
Cole’s time at Andromeda/Solar was extremely challenging.
The expectations of the coaches and the level of competitive play for an athlete Cole’s age was intense.
It was that intensity that led Cole to personally make the decision to step away from soccer altogether – he had lost his spark.
It was a sad time for us as parents to see Cole walk away from something that he’d always loved. Although, we whole-heartedly supported and respected Cole’s decision.
A new spark ignited
In mid-2019 Cole got a call from his former GSSA Coach who shared that they were playing in the championship. They were down a player, and he asked Cole if he wanted to come back as a guest player.
It was that opportunity that changed everything – Cole was back on the pitch, playing freely, having fun with his friends and a Coach that had always believed in him!
He got his spark back!
That summer we were looking at soccer camp opportunities and enrolled Cole in the EVO Camp. He was scouted by an EVO Coach that invited Cole to join his team.
Cole played a variety of positions while at EVO, developing him into a very versatile player.
Training with GFT begins
At the same time, we were seeking a Coach that could provide 1:1 private skills training for Cole. We were referred to Jeremie Piette of GFT.
Everything we were told about Jeremie was true – Jeremie is a man of character, he was and continues to be the consummate professional, he has connected with Cole on so many levels – as a Coach, as a mentor, as a brother in Christ, as a family man, as a friend, and most importantly, as one of the most positive and persistent forces in Cole’s life.
Jeremie has continued to stay in touch with Cole while he’s at college, providing him with words of encouragement, feedback, advice, prayer, and fellowship.
This really makes a soccer parents journey easier when other adults are a support system.
The relationship that Cole and our family have developed with Jeremie and his family is invaluable, and it is one that will last a lifetime!
Moving up levels in club soccer
As Cole approached his freshman year of high school it became clear that if he wanted to continue with soccer at a competitive level he’d have to look at more competitive clubs.
An EVO teammate was trying out for BVB and suggested Cole do the same – we went to the BVB tryouts not being educated about the
different levels of ECNL (ECNL RL NTX to ECNL RL to ECNL). We thought if Cole was able to play at any level of ECNL it’d be a step up in competitive play.
After tryouts the BVB ECNL RL Coach came over, congratulated Cole on making his team. He shared that the BVB ECNL Coach (a longtime Coach in the DFW area) wanted to see Cole back for tryouts if he was interested.
Cole was up for the challenge, returned to tryouts and was ultimately offered a spot as a Striker on BVB ECNL.
ECNL commitment from a parents perspective
As parents we were excited, nervous, and hopeful all at the same time. We believe Cole shared those same sentiments.
BVB ECNL was a significant financial commitment. It included 3 nights of practice per week, 2 games per
week including travel to surrounding states, and showcases to compete in throughout the U.S.
The physical, emotional, and mental demands on our son as a soccer player were like nothing we’d ever experienced before.
Cole started out on BVB ECNL with limited playing time… He had to work hard to earn minutes with a Coach that was beyond tough and demanding.
As Cole approached the end of ECNL Season 1 there was lots of talk of would teammates go tryout for other clubs. Our Coach was threatening to cut players from his team if they did go and try out with another club – it was stressful.
I was devasted by all of this, contemplating should Cole stay or go. I was literally in tears over this, Cole came over to me, gave me a hug, and told me it was going to be okay – that he’d make the decision that was best for him. What a mature young man!
He prayed on it and decided to stick it out with BVB ECNL for Season 2 and beyond. Eventually earning the starting Striker spot, helping his team make Dallas Cup Finals.
Dealing with a serious injury
In Season 3 Cole was strong, in the fittest shape of his life, competing with BVB to make Dallas Cup Semi-Finals.
While taking the ball down the sideline in an attempt to score, the defending player blindsided him with a slide tackle that was originally all ball. Although, the defender raised his leg late, causing Cole to fall hard on his side and back.
Cole’s Coach asked him if he was able to go back in… Cole got up, went in and tried to play for the next 2 minutes but something was wrong – he came out of the game.
It turns out that Cole had literally broken his back – he had L1, L2, L3 transverse process fractures alongside damage to his kidney and liver.
He was told by doctors that he’d be out 4-6 weeks, and he was devastated as his team was making a strong run for ECNL Playoffs.
We, as parents, got Cole all of the forms of medical treatment possible. Cole immersed himself in prayer, and BVB made ECNL Playoffs where, in only 4 weeks time, Cole rejoined his team on the pitch where they punched their ticket to ECNL Finals!
Recruiting time
Around this same time college recruiting activities ramped up, and to say that is a grueling process is an understatement!
While Cole had initially desired to play D1 soccer, anywhere in the U.S., that thinking evolved to D1 or D2 in warmer temperate climates.
Cole was constantly sending out communications to college coaches, including highlight reels. In addition, we paid lots of money to have Cole attend ID camps across the U.S.
In the end a reconnection with a college Coach who attended a BVB ID camp nearby to home in Texas. He recruited Cole to play D2 Men’s Soccer at Biola University, a private Christian university, in Southern California.
Emergency appendix surgery
One month prior to departing for Biola preseason training Cole ended up with acute appendicitis. He underwent emergency surgery to remove his appendix; it was biopsied and we soon learned that they’d found a neuroendocrine tumor, grade 1, in Cole’s appendix – a form of cancer.
The removal of the appendix was the form of treatment for this cancer.
The surgeon said, “It was divine intervention that Cole got appendicitis so that we could remove the appendix (and ultimately, the tumor so that it couldn’t metastasize).”
At this point, I never imagined this would be apart of this soccer parents journey. Our son impressed us with his calm and positive attitude.
Cole, once again, took all the necessary steps to get his mind and body ready for preseason. This included training with Jeremie and GFT, and he was back on the pitch at Biola in time.
Setbacks to comebacks
Positivity, persistency, and prayer were, have been, and will always be ever-present within our family. We say minor setbacks lead to major comebacks!
Cole is majoring in Business with a minor in Theology.
He’s doing what he loves (Futbol is Life!), with a built-in group of friends (his Biola teammates), at a smaller college campus, in what was one of his major criteria – a warmer temperate climate (sunny SoCal)! Cheers to that!
A soccer parents journey
Every soccer parents journey is different, but I think we all experience similar challenges and worries along the way.
Supporting our kids and watching them do what they love gives a parent joy.
One day it all ends, but our hope is that our kids appreciate and work hard for what we give them.
Enjoy each moment and day. It goes by fast!
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