Surf Nation Football Focus Podcast

What Families Get Wrong About the College Soccer Process!

Choosing a college through soccer can feel overwhelming for families. Big names, division labels, and outside pressure often take over the conversation before anyone has taken a step back to ask the most important questions.
In this episode of the Surf Nation Podcast, Gary Curneen reflects on a conversation from the recent Surf Summit in Austin with Sierra Surf Director Debs Brereton, who shared a clear and grounded framework for navigating the college process.
The discussion focuses on why academics should sit at the center of every college decision, how to think realistically about different divisions and levels, and why fit, environment, and long-term life goals matter just as much as soccer ability. Families will also hear why choosing a school based only on a coach can be risky, and how to pressure-test decisions by asking one simple but powerful question: would this still be a great place to be if soccer ended tomorrow?
This episode is designed to help parents and players slow the process down, reduce anxiety, and build a college pathway that supports both development and life after the game.
 
If you have any questions or topic recommendations, please email Gary at gary@surfsoccer.com

What Pro Scouts Really Look For (Hint: It’s Not Goals)

Taka webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESTtfvkGnJU
In this episode of Surf Nation Football Focus, we take a closer look at how elite football environments are using data to better understand player performance — and why it’s not about goals, assists, or flashy statistics.
Modern scouting is shifting toward something much deeper: the quality of a player’s actions, especially what happens off the ball. From intelligent movement and decision-making to reactions in transition, many of the most important moments in a game never show up on a stat sheet.
Using insights from our data partners, Taka, we explore why separating the quality of an action from its outcome is so important for development, how coaches and scouts actually evaluate players at higher levels, and what this means for Surf players and families watching games every weekend.
If you’re a player looking to stand out, or a parent trying to better understand what coaches value, this episode will change the way you see the game.
Quality over outcome. Meaningful moments over noise

How College Coaches Actually Communicate — And Why It Feels So Vague!!

College recruiting communication can feel confusing, inconsistent, and at times frustrating for players and families. Coaches reply without committing, conversations stall, and phrases like “stay in touch” or “keep us updated” leave a lot open to interpretation.
In this episode of the Surf Nation Football Focus Podcast, Gary Curneen breaks down how college coaches actually communicate during the recruiting process — and why that communication often feels vague by design.
This episode explores the realities behind recruiting timelines, roster management, NCAA constraints, and decision-making from the coach’s perspective, helping players and parents better understand what messages really mean, how to interpret silence, and how to stay aligned without overreacting.
Designed to reduce anxiety, clarify expectations, and help families navigate recruiting conversations with more confidence and patience.
Feel free to email us with any questions or requests for future topics:
gcurneen@surfsoccer.com

What Do College Coaches REALLY Look For In A Player?

In this episode of Football Focus, we cut through the noise around college recruitment and get honest about what actually matters to college coaches when they evaluate players.
Beyond highlights, rankings, and social media clips, coaches are assessing behaviors and habits that translate to their environment. We break down the real indicators of potential — decision-making, game understanding, adaptability, work rate, coachability, and how players influence the game both on and off the ball.
This episode is designed to help players understand how they’re truly being evaluated, give parents clarity on the recruitment process, and support coaches in preparing players for the next level. Whether the goal is college soccer or long-term development, this conversation challenges common myths and offers practical insight into what separates players who get recruited from those who don’t.
A strong starting point for players, parents, and coaches navigating the modern college soccer landscape.
 
Any future topics you want covered? Please email Surf Nation Director of Football, Gary Curneen, at gcurneen@surfsoccer.com

Recruiting Emails That Actually Get Read! (5 Tips!)

College coaches receive hundreds of recruiting emails every week — most are deleted in seconds.
In this episode of the Surf Nation Football Focus Podcast, Gary Curneen breaks down exactly how college coaches read emails, what gets filtered out immediately, and the five simple rules that help your message stand out.
Built from real conversations with Division I coaches, this episode gives players and parents clear, practical guidance on how to communicate with purpose, clarity, and confidence during the recruiting process.