Pro After College

This article was written by our Co-Founder and Content Director, Mauricio Vargas. Mauricio also serves as the Director of Goalkeeping at FC Wichita and as an Assistant and Goalkeeper Coach at Friends University. Additionally, he was a former college player and played professionally for 8 years, including with the Costa Rica National Team.

Read time: 2 minutes.

It took me a while to write this article, as I'm not usually one to discuss my personal journey. However, after some contemplation, I felt motivated to share insights and advice for players who, like me, dream of taking their game to the next level while competing in college. Reflecting on my past, here are some strategies that were beneficial during my journey of aspiring to go pro while in college, and I hope they are useful for you too.

Never Underestimate Your Worth

Something that is key is to never underestimate your worth. It doesn't matter where you play, how old you are, what you've been through, and where you're coming from; you have value, and it is extremely important that you, as the main actor of your life, know that. If you don't know your worth, it will be hard for people to recognize it. I did mention that it doesn't matter where you play because people tend to think that if you are not playing in NCAA Division 1, you are not valuable as an athlete, and that's not true. There are no two exact journeys. I played NJCAA at Barton Community College and NAIA at Friends University and made it pro after. And it is true that in Division 1 you have more exposure, but it is not the only way, and that brings me to the next point.

Seek Exposure At All Costs

You should always find a way to have exposure. A great way to do this is to look for a local club that plays at the highest level of competition. While you’re a college player, there are multiple opportunities to play during the offseason. This not only will help you to stay involved with the game all year long but also will expose you to more eyes. By doing this, you’ll play in front of new club owners, agents, coaches, and you will play against top players from different colleges. Back in the day, I had the opportunity to play for FC Wichita, won a championship with them, and this put me on the map for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds from the USL Championship, where I signed my first professional contract. So find yourself a team that gives you the exposure and helps you reach your goals.

Look For Mentorship And Guidance

Through your journey, you will face challenges and have to make decisions, but you don't have to face them alone. Find people who align with your values and are important to you. You can have different kinds of mentors for different kinds of advice. To make it pro, everything has to be aligned, and sometimes a decision not related to the sport can bring you closer to achieving the dream. My number one mentors are still my parents; I admire and respect them, and I know they want the best for me, so I listen to them the most. But back in the day, I had former coaches as mentors, and I had agents who guided me. Of course, after all the guidance you receive, make sure you are the one making the decisions because it's your future and nobody else's. As my uncle always says, whenever you make a decision, mind, heart, and guts have to be aligned, so listen to your instincts.

Stay Focus

Do you really want to play professionally? Stay focused! There are a lot of distractions in college, and you have to find a way to continue growing while everything around you is telling you to look away from your goal. Find the right time for everything. I'm not telling you not to go out with your friends or on dates with your partner; I'm telling you to find the right moment to do it. College gives you so many tools to grow, and you might not even realize it. Nowadays, most schools have weight rooms, training rooms, indoor facilities where you can practice when the weather doesn’t help. They record your games so you can analyze yourself, and even provide you with supplements to help your performance. So stay focused and don't take your foot off the accelerator. Don't let the distractions in college separate you from your goal; instead, use all the tools and opportunities that are given to you to continue chasing your dream.

Remember, these are strategies that helped me through my journey, but there are not two exact paths. I hope something of what worked for me is useful for you. Shape it and apply it for yourself; don't forget how strong your mind is and that everything you do has a repercussion.