Testimonials
Testimonials:
Gary and Scott are Honest People who really care about the young men and women that they represent. I see them at so many games watching and supporting their clients.
These guys give the players they represent everything they have!”
“A must in today’s recruiting arena. They have my respect and admiration.
These guys work hard and take care of people. “
Chuck Sekyra
Head Women's Soccer Coach
Seattle Pacific University
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I came to Larry in the midst of my struggle to find a college that met my needs. The great thing about Larry is he knows everything about how to find the right college for each individual. Even during my senior year of high school when we were in a time crunch to find a college where I could play Division I soccer. Larry made it work. We used the VSI process, to set me up with Fairfield University in Connecticut, a Division I liberal arts school nestled in the rural areas of Connecticut but only 30 miles from New York City. I was an athlete with great potential but didn’t know how I could connect with college coaches. After assessing my athletic ability Larry lost sleep over finding me the perfect college! Larry is not only a college advisor but also a mentor, we built a great bond over the meetings spent together, and those meetings were the key to success!
Veronica Saez - Fairfield University - Class of 2016
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Scott - I was so lucky to hear you speak at Gymnastics East that one night. You and your staff have been tremendous! I watched as Sammy grew and grew in self confidence during the year. Right now, she is overflowing. When we started this journey we never thought we would end up where we did - I can't believe it, Cornell.
Thanks for all your help! - I'm sure you are going to be seeing some other gym east girls in the next couple of years - I talked you up last week at a little party we went to. Best Regards, Ken Vander Putten
After meeting Gary at an informational meeting with VSI in Gig Harbor, I knew I had found the right person to help my son with our college search. I had been working with a local representative of another company, and though their services were helpful, I knew there were pieces missing from our college search process. When I met Gary, his experience in the college search process was evident. What impressed me most was he had personal relationships with the coaches: collegiate, and in higher level teams in the area. He had spent time with these coaches, knew their style of coaching, and knew the schools, because he had been there himself. My son liked him immediately, and they continue to have a good friendship. My relief at having Gary as a resource is palpable. He continues to guide us through the process, and recently advised us about tryout rules for D2 teams, which is tricky for us in Washington state. My son and I feel we are on solid ground with Gary’s knowledge and expertise, and wish we had begun with him years ago.
In my practice of physical therapy, because of my years of experience, I often seem to be "the answer” in alleviating my patients of their neurological and orthopedic conditions. For us, Gary is our “magic wand” in this college search. His experience, knowledge and personal relationships greatly enhance his outcomes. I would, and do, highly encourage other students and families to use VSI’s approach, Gary’s vast knowledge of how to conduct a quality college search and their knowledge of the college recruiting and what it really takes to find the right school.
Martha Devereaux, PT, NDT
Being from Germany, it was obviously a lot harder for my family to grasp the whole idea of college sports in the United States. Larry, not only helped me understand what I had to do, he also helped my parents understand why I wanted to play college basketball in the United States. During this entire process he was far more than just a college counselor, he was a life coach as well. Working with Larry was a huge help and I now have a scholarship to go to play basketball at Central Washington University.
Thank you!
Philipp Lieser, 2010
Scott -
You have been a wonderful guide during this journey. When we began, I had no idea how invaluable of a resource you would become in helping all of us (Austin, Maria and myself). It was both the big and small items that you assisted and helped navigate since the beginning of our trip together.
Thank you ever so much for all you did and more importantly, truly caring for Austin.
Much care (and we do look forward to seeing you around).
Mark Burke
Scott helped my daughter understand the college search process from the perspective of a wannabe college athlete. She started working with him the summer after her sophomore year in high school. He matter-of-factly evaluated her prospects as a college recruit, explaining the differences between D1, D2, and D3 athletics. He guided her in handling the logistics of contacting coaches and following up with them, but that was the easy part. He helped set up visits and all the associated details; that, too, was helpful, but more of a logistics challenge, requiring organization skills.
The harder part was helping my daughter think about what she wanted from her college experience, and identifying schools which would fit her criteria. This is where Scott's strengths shined through. He developed a relationship with her based on trust and respect, and she responded by listening to him, working with him, and being honest. She enjoyed going to Scott's office to tackle her college search tasks. Scott always took time to talk with me and to listen to my perspective and successfully interwove my thoughts and concerns into the guidance he provided my daughter.
Scott ended up being a mentor and a friend to my daughter throughout the college search process, an adult who not only knew well the ins and outs of dealing with coaches and colleges, but who could translate his knowledge into a customized map that my daughter could follow to find the best program for her, given her capacities and dreams. Now, a high school senior, she has verbally committed to play soccer at the perfect school for her. She is content with her choice and already training for her college experience. She also knows that Scott will be there in the future to guide her if she has questions or concerns regarding her academic and athletic career.
When my daughter and I contemplated working with Scott, I assumed we would get help in the college search process; I did not anticipate that we would have a partner who cared as much as we did about her future, who would glory in her accomplishments and guide her through her rough spots as faithfully as her family would. Scott made my daughter's college search more than palatable, but exciting and, dare I say it, enjoyable. I wouldn't recommend Scott to a family simply looking for an athletic scholarship, because he does much more than that. I would recommend him to any family wanting to find the right school for their high school student athlete who dreams of competing at college.
Cheers, Ginny
When I first started my college search, I had no idea if I wanted to play soccer or if it was even possible. After working with Gary and VSI, I began to understand my options and what was realistic for me. He walked me through of the process of contacting coaches, and told me specifically the most important things to say. VSI is solely devoted to helping high school athletes find their perfect fit in college, so their incredible expertise vitally helped me in getting in contact with coaches. Well known, VSI has connections and relationships with innumerous college coaches. Gary even came out to watch several of my high school and club games, and he made himself readily available to talk at any point. Visiting colleges was easy, knowing what questions to ask the coaches, being able to stay with a player on the team, and ultimately discovering if the school was the right fit for me. Upon hearing where I was accepted, I faced the decision of going to a D1 school and not playing soccer or going to D3 school and being able to play soccer. In the end, I chose Whitman; first for its academics and the environment of the school, and secondly, to play soccer. Since coming here, soccer has been the most rewarding experience. Being part of a collegiate athletic team is such a privilege, that I would have never expected myself to be a part of. For me, the end result of my college search was a perfect fit. Thanks so much Gary and VSI.
-Jaclyn Rudd – Whitman College Class of 2013
“Lisa is a kind and attentive advisor for student athletes who desire to use their sport to find the best college fit. We hired VSI to find an NCAA Division I women's soccer team for our daughter, who wants to study engineering and play for a top 100 soccer team. Lisa helped us put together a list of colleges and walked us through each step of the process with endless patience. She helped us create a recruitment video, design a resume, and coached our daughter on how to call coaches. This culminated in a college tour of ten prospective schools, and Lisa prearranged all of the visits. Our daughter received numerous offers and has committed to play for a top 100 Division I soccer team at a quality engineering school. We really couldn't have made our daughter's dream come true without all of Lisa's advice and help, so I give VSI my highest recommendation.”
September 3, 2009
Deborah Schenberger, Portland, Oregon
Does a college advisory service bring value to a college student and their family? Are they really worth the time, money and effort? After interviewing several and hiring two, we can say with resounding confidence, “Absolutely Yes!”
We hired one consultant first, and Gary Whitehouse at VSI second. The first advisor was helpful in beginning the college search process, but our son was very interested in playing college soccer. The first consultant’s expertise was not in this area, so we continued to pursue additional options in hopes of finding someone who did have expertise related to playing sports in college.
Working with Gary proved to be a seminal step in, what we believe, will be some of the most influential years of our son’s life You don’t have to ask Gary to work to get to know and understand the person behind the athlete and student. You don’t have to nudge Gary to motivate, encourage or bring discipline and enthusiasm to the process. Gary simply doesn’t know how to do it any other way. This is who he is. He understands both the subject and the object-- the science and the art of college placement. Gary finds the center of gravity that should drive any and all decisions in placing your particular student in an environment where (s)he will thrive in every dimension as a human being. And he does it in a way that no parent can do.
Neither of us were afforded this sort of opportunity in our education—we were both just happy to GO to college. But we believe that Gary Whitehouse will prove to be a critical influencer on our son’s lifelong success—as a student, athlete and well-rounded adult.
Best regards,
Paul & Libby Matthaeus
After having seen Gary Whitehouse speak at various soccer events in Washington and having met once in person, our son, Kyle, worked with Gary to map an approach to how to connect with college coaches at schools Kyle was interested in.
We had already done a good bit of thinking and investigating what schools Kyle might be interested in, what the academics and soccer programs were like, and had even visited a number of schools. After deciding he wanted to focus on some smaller Division III schools where he was interested in the academics AND the soccer, Kyle went to work with Gary.
Gary provided a structure and approach that gave Kyle the focus and skills he needed to reach out and contact the coaches to let them know of his interest. The resources VSI provided, as well as the experience Gary brought to this and the step-by-step approach made it so much easier for Kyle to attack this problem than it would have been if he had tried it on his own.
As a result, Kyle successfully connected with each of the coaches he had set out to reach, was accepted to each school and had strong interest from each program.
The support that Gary and VSI provided were instrumental in helping our son plan out how he wanted to approach college soccer and in making it happen. Kyle will be attending Occidental College in the fall of 2009 and is excited to be a part of the Tigers soccer program.
Matt & Gretchen Scoble
When we first realized our son had the ability and desire to play soccer at the college level it became rather apparent that we needed some assistance in negotiating the extremely complicated process of finding the right school. Even though our son Forrest has two older brothers and therefore Barbara and I had twice dealt with selecting schools, the additional athletic dynamic was overwhelming. Gary was able to help immensely in virtually every step of the process. Initial selections were suggested in accordance with what we and Forrest were looking for along with invaluable information on who, when and how to properly contact key individuals at the various schools.
Having professional guidance was an immense stress reliever for our family in addition to the practical benefits. What really surprised me was the help VSI provided once we started getting deeper into the process. Forrest was fortunate enough to eventually have to make a decision between two extremely attractive options.
Gary was able to give advice on every step during this period and helped keep Forrest focused on what it was Forrest really wanted. In hindsight it is obvious to us that the help provided by VSI and Gary was instrumental in having our son end up with a selection that fit perfectly with what our family was hoping to find. VSI absolutely exceeded our expectations. Thank you again.
Jim and Barbara Marowitz
Like many other parents, we had a difficult time sorting out myth from reality as it comes to college and sports. It seems everyone has an opinion or an experience to share. In our case, that confusion came in double, since we have 2 sons in sports, who aspire to play at the college level: one senior playing tennis and a junior playing soccer.
We learned about VSI through the Crossfire organization and we are very happy we decided to utilize their services to help us out. First, Gary made us realize that this process isn’t about us and requires real involvement from the boys and that our job is to help them make the tough decisions. Second, he helped us set our expectations based on real data, which enabled us to support our sons to set realistic goals. Lastly, the way he connected with the boys instilled in them a sense of confidence that they needed to take on the responsibility to determine their own success. The results have been incredible.But since this was about playing sports at the college level, it is important to mention that through VSI contacts and guidance, both of our boys have the opportunity to pursue their dreams. Rodrigo has the opportunity to go play tennis at Occidental next year and Renato has committed to join Seattle University in 2010.
Thais and Raul Bandeira
When I began my college search I had no idea where the right school for me was. I knew that I wanted a smaller, liberal arts school, where ideally I could play soccer. My very first meeting with Gary and Scott opened my eyes to the awesome number of possibilities that I had. They walked me through the entire process from contacting coaches, editing my essays and planning visits. They helped me find the school of dreams in Oberlin, Ohio, a place I had never heard of or dreamed I would wind up. I just finished my first semester and soccer season and am overjoyed at the wonderful experience I have had. Being at Oberlin has greatly widened my horizons as well as given me a great academic opportunity, and playing soccer has given me a wonderful group of friends and eased my transition into the new and exciting world of college. Without the help of Gary, Scott and everyone else at VSI,
I don’t know if I would have ever found the perfect place for me, so thank you guys a thousand times over!
Ryann McChesney
Oberlin College 2012
It has taken me way too long to write this letter thanking you for all of your help through the grueling college search process. As this was my first child to go off to college, I had no idea where or how to begin the process. Gary was so helpful all the time from answering any amount of silly questions I might throw his way, to steering Ryann in the right direction as far as narrowing her search to schools that might work for her. We took a great trip planned by both Scott and Gary to see 10 schools in 7 days! The biggest thing I would like to impart to other families is that I am not your typical premiere soccer parent. I do not have a very large income and had no idea that I would be able to afford to send her to such a prestigious, and very expensive, school. This never would have been possible without all of the help and resources from everyone at VSI - especially Gary.
Lisa McChesney
Gary, Scott, Paula & Ronna were all great to work with . They provided us with a wealth of experience, a framework to work within and a disciplined approach for our student athlete to succeed in his collegiate search. We would highly recommend using VSI to other parents and student athletes.
Scott Cameron
VSI has helped me in many ways with college that I never dreamed off. I never thought I was good enough or would find a school that I loved and I would be able to play soccer at until I found Gary. He has helped me with everything from contacting colleges to visiting the school.
I am so grateful that I met Gary and VSI. During my time with them I have grown immensely as a person. One of the most important things I have learned is to breathe and relax, these guys will make things easier for you. Without their patience and help, I would not be going to a college that I love and am going to be able to play soccer for.
Thank you very much VSI.
Brittany McMullen
I just wanted to let you know how happy we’ve been with you and VSI. In the past six months, you have helped Ellen navigate the labyrinth of college soccer playing options, and have helped her work towards her 10-year old dream of playing college soccer. By giving her the tools and skills to contact college coaches, and by suggesting schools she had not previously contacted, Ellen was able to find colleges that would fit both her academic and athletic goals. Best of all, we’ve seen Ellen mature into a thoughtful, confident, self-assured young adult.
Thanks again for your help!
Penny and Eric Jansen
Our son, Alex, has just retuned home after his first year away at University of Redlands.
What a remarkable year he has had, full of so many positive experiences and growth.
The University of Redlands exceeded his expectations not only academically but athletically as he was a starter for the Men's Golf team. Academically, he told me about a month into school last Fall, "Mom, the teacher - student relationship is so cool here in our small classes. This is the best place I could be".
HIs Professors were so accomodating with his golf schedule 2nd semester. Athletically, the golf team went to the NCAA Div III National Championship where the University of Redlands finished in 2nd place, Alex placed 23rd and made the All American 3rd Team.
We will always be grateful for Gary's guidance (& patience) with Alex in his search and preparation for College. He pushed him, asked the hard questions and made him follow through. This was a much more successful approach as opposed to us as parents in that role. I can't recommend this company enough!
Thank you again.
Craig and Margaret Hedlund Arlington, WA.
VSI provided a friendly, structured, highly professional and businesslike approach to:
- Evaluating our daughter Molly’s needs and wants, including balancing athletic and academic criteria
- Screening colleges and universities according to these criteria
- Providing a framework for outreach to selected colleges
- Guidance on self-marketing
- Arranging college visits
Most importantly, Gary and Scott provided motivation. Could Molly have done all of this on her own (with her parents’ assistance, of course)? Absolutely. Would she have done it? Absolutely not! Gary and Scott helped Molly see the possibilities, understand her own desires, and explore the most relevant options. They helped make the process enjoyable, and not a chore. The bottom line: halfway through her junior year in high school, Molly had made a verbal commitment to the University of Tampa, the current NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer champions. What a load off all of our minds! Not only will Molly be joining the kind of soccer program she wants, but will also have the opportunity to pursue her top choice of an academic program (sports medicine/exercise science)—all without having to play soccer in the dampness and gloom of the Pacific Northwest.
Bill Gottlieb and Ruth Friedman, parents of Molly
We first heard about VSI from our daughter Stefani’s teammate at Washington Premier. Her parents were very enthusiastic about the results for their daughter. She is a Region IV ODP player and we figured that she of all people didn’t need the help of someone like VSI. We took their advice and gave Gary a call to set-up their offer for a free one-hour consultation. After our first meeting with Gary we came away with a sense of optimism for Stefani, knowing that she could get into a great school AND play soccer. What Gary stressed with us was that the sport aspect of college is and should be icing on the cake.
The most important thing was to help our daughter find a school that fit her academically, socially and athletically, in a geographic area that was acceptable. It was this sense of priority that really hit home with us. Stefani went through the process that Gary outlined for her. She entered a class to help her improve her math scores, took her SAT’s, wrote to coaches and investigated schools all over the country.
Without Gary’s help I don’t believe that she would have been able to accomplish that. She has found a fantastic school which will help her achieve her goal of getting a Psychology degree with an opportunity to play college soccer at the same time.
Jeff and Tina Vert
Parents of Stefani Vert
We were introduced to VSI at the FIELDturf Cup College Showcase in 2007.
Our daughter Olivia was a senior with the hope of finding a 4 year college almost out of sight. I suspected then, just what had been missing at so many of the other showcase tournaments we had attended over the last 2 years. We noticed a difference in the seminars that were offered for parents and players. This was truly a showcase where both coaches and players were given opportunity and knowledge for successful recruitment. We were both surprised and thrilled with Gary’s knowledge and honesty when dealing with our daughter. She responded immediately to Gary’s exceptional upbeat and assuring manner. After just one consultation she was hooked and the rest is history. Gary helped match our daughter with the right school; she will attend PLU, in Tacoma and play for the soccer team in fall 2008.
We have and will continue to encourage all our teams to consult with VSI. They are very well educated on the strategies to guide athletes to the right college, and the place where they will be successful in both academics and sports.
Melanie Lee
From Cliff McCrath, Former SPU Men’s Soccer Coach
“For today’s high school athletes - seeking a better highway on their journey to the “right” university – there are few, if any, ‘road maps’ as helpful as those provided by Scott Brayton and Gary Whitehouse. Their company – Varsity Student Institute (“VSI”) – is a living model of genuine concern and caring management so desperately needed today. If it had not been coined by a well-known Insurance company – VSI’s motto could well be: “You’re in good hands with VSI.” Come to think of it…with Scott and Gary there are no better people helping prospective student-athletes with such critical decisions!”
C. Cliff McCrath
Seattle Pacific University
Amanda Biggs a senior at Cedarcrest High School and Team Captain for Crossfire Jenkins GU-18 Team on February 8th signed a National Letter of Intent to play Women’s Soccer at Central Washington University. Gary Whitehouse of VSI played a very important part in her ultimate success.
Amanda signed up with VSI as a Sophomore. She new she wanted to play college soccer, but where and what she needed to do to get there was what VSI gave her. The first year, I (her mother) did most the work with Gary’s help. He helped us create her soccer resume, he coached us on emails to send before tournaments and afterwards and I spent many of evenings sending these out. Not only did he get her to focus on contacting the coaches, but grades were discussed in length and how important they were. Amanda was a 3.0 student at the time. She knew she could do better, Gary told her she could do better and that colleges wanted to see better. I am proud to say with this encouragement the last 3 semesters she has gotten over a 3.8 with one semester being a 4.0. Come her Junior year Gary said Amanda it’s time for mom to back off and you need to make the phone calls send the emails etc. So off she went by herself to VSI offices in Bellevue to make the phone calls to the schools she was interested in with a script provided by VSI. It took Amanda 45 minutes to make that first phone call; I think Gary thought they might just be spending the night at the office before that phone call got made!!! Funny how that first phone call was to Michael Farrand at Central Washington University! I am happy to say that after that first night, she began to pick up that phone and make contact with coaches, sent the emails made unofficial visit appointments all on her own. When we visited the various colleges we were given a script of questions to ask, she asked them all and then some. We had several comments on how well prepared she was from the coaches. She eventually had narrowed it down to 3 colleges in September and made her decision to verbally commit to Central in early October.
I want to say thank you to Gary Whitehouse and VSI for the wonderful experience my daughter, and her dad and I had with VSI. Of course the ultimate goal was achieved; she is going to the school of her choice on an athletic scholarship. But I want to say thank you for so much more. She has matured over the last two year into a bright, outgoing individual and I believe VSI gave her the tools to go out in the world hold her head up high and achieve anything she wants!!!
Cathi Biggs
Francis, our son, is an excited and motivated freshman at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), enrolled in the five year architecture program and a contributing member of their nationally ranked soccer team. The academic and athletic fits are excellent. Immeasureable thanks are due Scott Brayton and VSI.
Scott introduced Francis to SCAD, a school unknown to us, and persisted in getting Francis to investigate further. The coach did not respond to Francis's regular phone calls and e-mails. Scott's active involvement resulted in an invitation to spend a weekend as a guest of the soccer team, a meeting with the coaches, and playing in a scrimmage. By the end of the weekend, the coach was encouraging Francis to attend SCAD and join the team.
SCAD became Francis's top choice due to the visit.
It was a tough road to get to this point. Scott's and VSI's involvement were tremendous and invaluable. At the end of his sophmore year, Francis had mediocre grades, wanted to study architecture, and was a top player on a championship club team with solid college prospects. A couple of weeks prior to his junior year, Francis was seriously injured in an auto accident, missed the soccer season, struggled to keep up in school, and endured months of physical therapy, rehabilitation,and medical procedures. The year was harsh and frustrating, the college application process seemed daunting, and Francis put in massive energy to simply regain his physical strength and capabilities. Scott broke down the application and coach contact process into manageable steps, walked Francis through parts of this when necessary, and providied critical structure and supervision by inviting Francis to complete some of this work in his office. Equally if not more important, Scott's encouragement and support helped Francis stay motivated and maintain confidence while he worked towards his goals. Francis, to his amazement and satisfaction, reached his immediate athletic and academic goals, and is on a solid long term path in the same successful direction. Scott's professional expertise and personal involvement played an incredibly significant role in Francis's accomplishments and matriculation at SCAD. Scott still keeps tabs on Francis as he naviigates the freshman year and Francis appreciates this continued and solid guidance.
We are so happy with our experience with Scott and "VSI" we are now having Scott work with our daughter...
So, with thanks and tremendous respect,
Wendy "Francis' mom"
We found VSI an invaluable partner in helping our daughter Katherine successfully navigate the college soccer recruitment process. In addition to shaping her written and online video profile, VSI helped Katherine develop her short list of schools and coached her on how to engage in effective telephone conversations with prospective coaches. Scott was also able to watch her play and contacted several coaches directly to provide a reference. Because academics were her top priority, Katherine wanted to attend a highly selective Division III liberal arts college that was extremely difficult to get into. We knew she needed every advantage to gain admission and VSI helped convince the coach that she would be a great addition to the soccer team. In the end, it required great grades and high SAT scores to gain acceptance, but being able to contribute to the women’s soccer team undoubtedly helped her case in the admissions office. In short, we believe that VSI was instrumental in helping Katherine reach her goal of attending Pomona College, which has turned out to be a wonderful place for her to pursue her education. The experience with VSI was so good we are enlisting their help with our second daughter’s college soccer quest as well.
Charlie DeJong
Eastside Catholic Parent
Northwest Nationals and Crossfire Premier Soccer Parent
VSI is an absolutely wonderful program to work with if one is interested in playing collegiate athletics. Not only do they help you find the right team to play for, more importantly, they make sure the school fits as well. Too often people get overly excited about one or two schools, and don’t take the time to sit down and sctually see if it could work for them. VSI guides their clients through the entire process of getting one’s name out there, contacting the coaches, setting up meetings, and of course, seeing if the school is a match as well. It’s easy to get lost in this entire process, but Scott and Gary do an excellent job of walking their clients through it all, making sure everything is done appropriately and on time. I am certain I wouldn’t have had the confidece or know how to talk to the school I ended up attending if it weren’t for VSI. I would highly recommend VSI for anyone wishing to play sports in college. Whether you’re an all-star or just someone looking to play in college, VSI can help you find the perfect school.
-Corey Sinser- Seattle Pacific University Men’s Soccer Team- Class of 2010
Dear Scott and Gary,
I want to thank you again for everything you’ve done to help Corey achieve his dream of playing collegiate soccer. The time spent with both of you the past three years has been the critical piece that made his future plans possible. I tell everyone I know that you gave him the knowledge, support and direction he needed in order to make college soccer a reality. I think as he went through the process – Contacting coaches, networking, writing his resume, looking at soccer programs around the country, etc. – it helped him to be more organized and mature in his planning. You helped him think seriously about how HE could make this all happen and to believe it was absolutely possible.
So here we are in his freshman year at SPU. He’ll play for one of the finest coaches, in one of the best programs in the country and get a fabulous education while he’s there. Your input and advice and friendship have been invaluable to Corey. We are equally thrilled and eternally grateful to you. You’ve become an important part of our family and I look forward to our continued relationship as Quinn begins his quest to play collegiate. We couldn’t do it without you!
Fondly,
Beth Sinser
We were skeptical at first about paying someone to help our son, Roland, find a good fit to play soccer at the college level. First you get accepted, then you try out for the team and, if the kid has good skills, he, or she, will make the team. Right?
Wrong! And downright naive. Things have changed a slot since Dad walked on and tried out for a college team. For starters there are numerous NCAA regulations, and different regulations for the different levels; deadlines and timelines, and recruiting do's and don'ts. We were fortunate, particularly in retrospect, to have met Gary Whitehouse at VSI to help us sort it all out. Knowing when and how to present oneself to coaches is a complicated process and VSI's knowledge, experience, and contacts were very useful in navigating it.
One of the things that impressed us the most was the personal interest Gary took in Roland. He befriended and encouraged him, but also insisted on Roland taking charge of his responsibilities in completing his applications, putting together his resume, contacting coaches, preparing for interviews, and the like. This in itself became an important maturing process.
Gary and VSI helped us find several schools which were interested in Roland. He was offered a tryout and ultimately, some scholarship money at one university. This led to a roster spot at one of his top two choices, even though the coach showed little initial interest. VSI even arranged summer workouts with a college coach to put the kids in top shape and prepare them for the intensity of college soccer.
Roland just played his first half as a freshman. It just wouldn't have happened without VSI.
Gwen and Patrice Demombynes, Seattle
Parents of Roland Demombynes, Humboldt State Class of 2010
Varsity Student Institute (VSI) is an amazing organization dedicated to matching you with a college that is a great fit on an academic and athletic basis. Today, many students attend schools solely because of their athletics. VSI underlines the importance in attending a school that you would be happy with regardless of the sport you will be playing there. The college search process can be overwhelming with the many different steps that you need to take along the way. VSI helps ease the stress on the athlete, as well parents as they keep you on a schedule, and hold you accountable for contacting coaches. I had a great experience with the employees of the Varsity Student Institute. They are a caring group who is truly interested in your success. They are hard working and dedicated to what they do. I would recommend this organization to anyone who is serious about pursuing an athletic career at the collegiate level. They will help guide you to where you want to be!
Kim Grant
Chapman University Class of 2010
Gary –
Rossana and I would like to thank you for all your help in finding the right college “fit” for Matt. With Matt being our oldest, and his wanting to play soccer at the college level, we really didn’t know where to start. We were fortunate I knew someone in Seattle who had a son that played soccer who is a year younger than Matt, & he knew of you and your company.
I know you were hesitant to take on a student/athlete outside of the Seattle area, but we’re very glad you did! Your knowledge of the D2, 3 & NAIA colleges, not only their athletic programs but also the intangibles of the “look & feel” of the smaller colleges was a great help. It helped our initial research considerably, by helping us eliminate certain colleges early on, and allowed us to concentrate on those schools that would be a better fit for Matt.
Your ideas, including the DVD of Matt’s soccer highlights went over very well with the coaches we sent them to, and resulted in some very positive comments about Matt’s play, which gave him confidence, and helped him decide on which school to go to. Thank you for setting up the tours of the schools Matt was initially interested in, taking the time to drive down and visit Linfield with Matt, and meet the soccer coach with us. I’m sure that gave Matt a “leg up” on some of the other first year kids also trying out for the team.
The time you took working and talking with Matt, with the many lengthy late night telephone discussions and by e-mail, showed us you were interested in his choosing a college that would best fit his personality, as well as his athletic pursuits.
So, thank you again from Rossana and myself. Your personal attention and caring attitude are greatly appreciated. We look forward to sharing Matt’s college experience and growth with you.
Warmest Regards,
Tim & Rossana Jonathan