ClIENT TESTIMONIALS & COLLEGE PLACEMENT​

 

“We began the process living in a relatively remote location, in between club teams, randomly attending ID camps, armed with lots of internet based information but no real direction or idea of how to negotiate the college recruiting landscape. We ended up with our son entertaining multiple offers including from D1 programs. Pete’s part in that process cannot be underemphasized. He truly was there every step of the way, through the highs and lows, balancing expectations with reality, providing a clear path for both the player and the parents.  What impressed us the most was Pete’s coaching and emphasis on how to effectively communicate with college coaches.  Through regular interaction with Pete our son matured into an effective communicator who really learned how to put his best foot forward. The results truly exceeded expectations.”

 

                                                                                 -Doug and Karen, Parents. Son attending Harvard University

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"Pete Gail began working with with my daughter at the end of her freshmen year. After getting together with us and then discussing in detail later with her, they planned her summer ID camps. As she heard back from coaches Pete was there every inch of the way, discussing the pros and cons of that particular program, her next step and always focusing back on her academics. What had begun as a stressful situation for me became empowering for her as she took the reins of the game plan.

 

Pete kept her on top of the recruitment process, organizing her letters and correspondence, her camps and her academics. And when coaches started pressuring her for commitment, he was there and her constant source of advice and wisdom. He was always accessible, responsible and quick to discuss whatever question she had. We cannot recommend Pete Gail high enough, just an incredible individual and he far exceeded any expectations!

                                                                                 

                                                                                -Dixie Richards, Parent. Daughter attending Emory University

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"We were put in touch with Pete & PG Method through a friend when our son began his college search. We never looked back. From the very beginning, Pete took the utmost care to get to know both our son and our family and was committed throughout the journey to communicating and guiding us through what can be a very stressful and complex decision making process. Pete was a steady hand throughout and became a truly trusted and valuable mentor to our son. He is an excellent listener, respected our family dynamic and helped empower our son to find the confidence and maturity he needed to navigate the ups and downs of the recruiting process.

 

There are many layers involved in choosing the right school for a student athlete and Pete's expertise in the soccer arena and extensive knowledge of the myriad of college soccer programs was invaluable. It also helped that he acted as a bridge between us and our son, supporting his growth as an athlete and encouraging his development in many areas.

 

After much debate as to which division to pursue, our son was admitted into an excellent D3 school which appears to be an ideal fit for him. We are very grateful to Pete for the integral role that he played and we all recommend him highly." 

                       

                                                                                               -Rory & David, Parents. Son attending Colorado College

 

 

"Pete Gail was absolutely responsible for my daughter earning a place on a Division III team at a top ranked liberal arts college. We started with Pete in my daughter's junior year. Pete helped her through team tryouts when her junior year club team folded, helped her identify colleges to target (encouraging her to reach while still being realistic), helped her put together an awesome coach outreach program, and provided much needed support and counseling throughout the entire nerve-racking summer ID camp and fall winnowing season as the coaches made their final selections. So many times he kept us from putting our feet in our mouths or going down the wrong path. We can't say enough good things about his mentoring program!"

 

                                                                                              -Eliza, Parent. Daughter attending Vassar College

                                                                                          

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"I cannot imagine us not having Pete in our corner to consult with during the college recruitment process for our son.  It’s such a time of ups and downs, and Pete’s perspective is so unique and absolutely not something either my husband or I could have offered.  Since Pete was a college player, coach, and now has a vantage point on so many colleges – he speaks from both experience and understanding.

 

If you think you want him to do your video– he does such a great job with that and has the equipment (we thought we could do it ourselves until we sat down and started…so time consuming and frustrating if you don’t have solid editing skills). 

 

There were times when we hit some very frustrating circumstances and each time Pete had such insightful and wise advice.  Having an “expert” who is not your child’s parent be the one who is giving the advice makes a big difference.  Pete also made a very strong case for colleges that might not have been the immediate choices of our son, but based on what he knew about them (their soccer programs and academic programs) he thought we should consider – and that advice was wise beyond what we even knew at the time.

 

After spending about 15 months on the process, our son has committed to a school that he is over the moon about and so are we.  It wasn’t in his immediate top 5 choices to begin with, and now we cannot imagine how he/we could have potentially missed the opportunity for him to go there.  It’s a wonderful fit from a soccer, academic, social, and cultural standpoint for him – which is something that was so important to all of us."

 

                                                                                                                                                                                               -                                                                              -Jana, Parent.  Son attending Whitman College

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"My son and I had no idea where to even begin with the recruiting process. We were referred to Pete by another mom whose son from our school had just been recruited to a Division 1 school. My son at the time was a Sophomore and quite shy with people he hadn’t met before, and the prospect of having to communicate with coaches made him very nervous. It turned out that Pete was so easy to talk to and told us he would be able to help us every step of the way. By the time my son was recruited to a Division 1 school Pete had helped him every step of that way! Pete is genuinely interested in your athlete – my son had told him he really wanted to play D1 or D2, and wanted to actually play, rather than sitting on the sideline. When it came to choosing the schools that he wanted to go to, a particular D1 school was his first choice even though he probably wouldn’t play that first year. However, he loved everything about school, coaches and city, and this was his top choice. In the meantime, Pete had a conversation with my son and I to make sure that my son knew he might not be playing for a year or so. Pete was concerned because this was a change from what my son had originally said. Pete came up with a list of schools that might have interested my son, and there was one where he really liked the coaches, who made him an offer. Pete helped him to strategize, how to word his communications, and when to make those communications because he still did not want to give up his dream of going to his top choice until he really had to. My son ended up with an offer from his top choice. Without Pete, the process for me as a parent would have been very stressful. For my son, having Pete to guide him was incredible. Pete always responds, is not pushy but is there in the wings waiting to help whenever needed. His knowledge of the schools and coaches is invaluable and really I could not say enough about the reassurance, kindness and help that he has shown to my son and I!

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                                                                                               -Valerie, Parent.  Son attending Seattle University

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"Pete Gail (PG Method) brought a unique combination of talents to the college soccer recruitment process not available within our private high school or competitive club organization. He surely knows the beautiful game, but as importantly, understands student-athletes, parents, coaches, college programs, and is an effective navigator in these exciting, yet challenging waters. Utilizing his first hand experience, he guides each player/family individually in pursuing the best athletic, academic, social and geographic fits, and is a great interpreter of unfolding events for us novices! He is an optimistic, hard working and tenacious mentor. Thank you Pete, for your informed, supportive and no nonsense approach!"

                                                                                                  -Judith, Parent. Son attending Oberlin College

 

 

"Once on board, Pete is there every step of the way, helping you calibrate your son's talent, his prospects for admission and adding a rational and experienced outside voice to the family dialogue. He also helps to keep your son focused on the various tasks. In the end, in partnership with player, coach and family, what may have seemed impossible becomes​ possible. Our family is delighted that our son is committed to playing his college soccer at an excellent school which competes in Division I. And our son really feels like his dreams have come true. Thanks Pete for being a big part of both the journey and the destination."                            

                                                                   

                                                                     - Steve, Parent and Team Manager. Son attending Colgate University

 

 

"We started attending PG's workshops when my son was in 8th grade and eventually signed on for the highest level of service when my son was a sophomore. We definitely got our money's worth!  Pete gave my son the confidence he needed at each stage of the recruitment process, encouraged him when he needed encouraging and gently pointed him in the right direction.  The most valuable aspect of PG's involvement occurred when the offers arrived.  Pete guided my son on how to speak to the coaches, what NOT to say, whether to call them, whether to request a visit and ultimately, considerations in the decision making process.  PG is the real deal.  He is attentive, responsive and always had excellent advice that served my son well.  I honestly believe that my son would not be playing D1 soccer if it were not for Pete.  I could not recommend him more highly."

 

                                                                                                           -Melissa, Parent. Son attending UC Davis

 

 

“It was during the summer between my daughter’s sophomore and junior year of high school that we attended a 1 hour seminar by Pete Gail sponsored by my daughter’s soccer club.   I knew my daughter wanted to play at a collegiate level but I had no idea what the process entailed or where to start.  After the seminar, I invited Pete to a one on one meeting to answer additional questions and to vet him with other parents he had already worked with.  After our meeting with Pete and after talking with other parents, I knew that Pete would give my daughter the best chance at fulfilling her dreams of playing collegiate soccer.  Pete laid out a comprehensive plan with my daughter and developed a list of competitive soccer programs throughout the country while serving as a mentor through the entire process.  Pete made sure that my daughter stayed focused and was specific with her communications to college coaches, either via email or phone conversations.  Pete also compiled a highlight reel out of hours of game footage that showcased my daughter’s talents, which consistently received positive feedback from coaches. Also, Pete’s relationships with college coaches, especially Chico State, opened additional doors for my daughter to begin conversations with their coaching staffs.  After everything was said and done, my daughter received a great offer from a top California D2 school and is excited to begin her collegiate soccer career next fall!”

 

                                                                                                   -Scott, Parent. Daughter attending Chico State

 

 

 

"Pete Gail (PG Method) provided sincere direction, guidance, and clarity to the college soccer recruitment process. We found him easy to work with and as parents who were unfamiliar with the recruitment process, he was always available to answer our questions.  Pete is extremely well connected across the country with diverse schools and soccer coaches.  He provided exceptional guidance and mentorship to our son, helping him navigate the recruitment process, reaching out to coaches, essential follow up with coaches, etc.  But more importantly he was available to our son.  He followed up with him after recruiting events and asked important questions to guide our son’s decisions about the best college fit academically as well as collegiate athletics. Thank you Pete, for your guidance in helping our son navigate a seemingly complex process. But more importantly for your guidance and mentorship with our son."

 

                                                                           -Zlatko and Mary Beth, Parents. Son attending Colorado College

 

 

 

"We are very pleased with the mentoring Pete Gail has provided to our family over the past year.  We started the process with Pete during our son's junior year and we gained valuable knowledge throughout this journey. Pete kept our son on track throughout the year advising us on what needed to be done each and every step of the way.  Athletes have an extremely busy schedule juggling sports and academics and it's so easy to let the days/weeks/months go by and put off work needed to play collegiate sports. We found Pete's reminders and detailed instruction were key to keeping us on track.  Also, we realized that it is very difficult for Hawaii athletes to get noticed by college coaches.  This doesn't happen on it's own.  Pete was wonderful in helping us improve our son's profile (resume) and highlight reel.  Pete guided us patiently through the process of when to email coaches, when to call coaches and even assisted in setting up appointments with coaching staff.  He was always there to answer any questions we had throughout this process.  Our son is thrilled to have received multiple offers before the start of his senior year in high school to play at a Division 1 program!"

                                                                -Tom and Leah, Parents. Son attending University of Nevada Las Vegas

 

 

" We started exploring collegiate soccer programs during my son's Junior year.  To be honest, doing this on our own, we experienced a lot of confusion and anxiety at the start of this process.  First of all, there were no clear signposts that we could follow and secondly, there was a tremendous amount of misinformation about what players need to do to get into a strong collegiate soccer program.  We were fortunate to work with Pete Gail, who was recommended by one of my son's teammates who had successfully gone through this process and had a great experience with Pete.  Pete has served as a  mentor assisting my son in developing a list of competitive collegiate soccer programs that combine his desire to play at the highest level (D1), while getting a great education in his desired major in southern california.  Pete has been there every step of the way--helping my son develop skills in communication with different soccer programs, developing relationships with college coaches, assisting him in showcasing his abilities via videos, ID camps and other venues.  Pete's guidance is calm, supportive and reflective--he focuses on player development, and assessment of what might be the best fit in a college program.  I know my son benefitted on many levels by his mentorship.  Best of all, he received a fantastic offer at a top D1 program in Southern California!"

                                                                                         

                                                                                         - Suzanne, Parent. Son attending San Diego State University

 

 

"Pete was invaluable in helping our family get organized and proceed with the college soccer recruiting process. We had no clue how difficult and time-consuming this process is. From the beginning he helped us figure out how to target and communicate with coaches, what the role of ID camps and showcase tournaments was, and who was really interested in our son and who wasn't. We were told that the video he did was excellent. Thanks to Pete, our son is committed to a Division 1 soccer program for 2016."

 

                                                          - Pat & Grace, Parents.  Son attending University of North Carolina-Asheville 

 

 

"Pete Gail was instrumental in providing our son with excellent college student-athlete mentorship, training, and application preparation and support work.  We did not realize that the process included so many diverse elements.  The areas of service that Pete provided our family and son included:

 

• specific technical skill development/refinement,

• assisting in college identification to match the academic and athletic goals of the student and family, including assessing the appropriate level of NCAA play, understanding the athletic recruitment process, and preparing well in advance to be successful not only in the application process, but also in responding and interpreting college responses,

• putting video reel together,

• developing our son's ability to independently interact/interview with recruiters, coaches, and head coaches,

• post acceptance, assisting our son in developing a training program and a network of high level coaches to report to his freshman season "college ready."

 

Will is very excited to report to Trinity in the Fall.  

 

                                                                                                               - Naomi, Parent. Son attending Trinity College

 

 

"What separates Pete from others is his personalized, hands-on approach to the college recruiting process. Pete was instrumental in helping Dante navigate and maximize the opportunities that were available to him. Dante was able to secure a roster spot in a top-notch, Division 1 soccer program. We highly recommend Pete Gail to any athlete seeking guidance through the recruiting process."

                                                                                   Gina, Parent. Son attending Loyola Marymount University

 

 

"Thank you Pete for the most amazing mentor program you provided to my son and so many others! It's a task to navigate the whole recruiting process and with your guidance we did it!! So apppreciate you! SFSU here Jake comes to follow his dream on playing College soccer!"

                                                                     -Darbe, Parent & Team Manager. Son attending San Francisco State

 

 

"We had researched several other recruitment resources.  Most seemed to be giving the hard sell and made us feel that our son's dream of playing college soccer at the highest level was unrealistic. When we met Pete, we appreciated his honest approach and true interest in getting to know our son.  As we began to work with him, we realized it's Pete's more personalized approach and mentorship that helped our son find the perfect "fit" college and team.  Pete is an all around resource with a substantial base of college soccer contacts....He is a mentor, with first hand knowledge about college soccer, who was able to give us an objective assessment of our son's skills, and help him to realize his fullest potential." 

                                                                                    -Adam and Debra, Parents. Son attending Flagler College

 

 

"I was mistaken when I thought all Griffin needed was a video and some direction to realize his dream of playing soccer in college.  I appreciate all you’re doing to help him get there! I will spread the word among his teammates that it’s better to start with you as a junior than to wait until the last minute as we did.  I believe Griffin will end up in the college that is right for him, but he may have had more choices had he gotten a proper start last year.  You just don’t know what you don’t know until you know better!" 

                                                                                 - Stacy, Parent.  Son attending Loyola Marymount University

 

 

"PG knows the right things to say to soccer coaches to get their attention without over-selling the abilities of the player...You know how your kid often need 8-10 reminders to get something done even when it is for their benefit? Pete only needs to send 1 email and it gets done!! A small miracle indeed...Pete has been directly involved in our son getting a couple of offers of a college soccer roster spot with a few others still in play."                                                                                                                                                                                                -Dermot, Club President

 

 

"Thank you for helping me these last couple of years with my college soccer!  You have helped pave my future.  I am very thankful for all the work you invested in me.   I am so excited to see what the future has to offer."

                                                                                               

                                                                                              -Alex, Student-Athlete. Attending Colorado College

 

 

"Pete Gail has been absolutely crucial in my college process. Not only did he help nurture and facilitate my conversations with coaches but he provided advice on almost every aspect of college recruitment. As an athlete belonging to a family who had never gone through the process, we did not really know what to do...that was until Pete of course. He essentially changed the foundation of my college plan in the most positive way possible.  Pete also provided some important life advice during the final stages of my decision.  I was essentially choosing between two D1 offers and a D2 offer. The simple choice would have been to go D1, but it was much more complex than that. I liked the D2 school much more and Pete knew it.  He made it clear that enjoying your college experience is far more important than playing at a higher division.  Pete helped me find the school that is the best fit for me. When I go to college I can leave with full confidence knowing that I made the right decision, so thank you Pete for

making this process much easier." 

                                                                                                  -Cam, Student-Athlete. Attending Flager College

 

 

"Pete helped me out with a lot of different aspects of the college recruiting process. He was really methodical and honest with me in the way he went through selecting an initial list of both colleges that I thought that I would like and ones that he thought I should look at as well. He was also very helpful in giving me a unique insight into the way coaches might be thinking in certain situations. He really let me be in the driver's seat in terms of the way I felt about certain colleges and collegiate programs but was always there to guide me along the way. Honestly, I don't think I would have ended up at the school I am currently committed to without Pete's help; his expertise and experience around collegiate programs and coaches was incredibly helpful in going through the recruiting process. As the first person in my family to go through the recruiting process for an American university, it was really important for me to have someone who could guide me along, and Pete did a great job of that."

                                                           

                                                           -Nick, Student-Athlete. Attending Academy of Art University, San Francisco

 

 

 

"I just want to thank you for all the help you gave me throughout the whole process.  I really don't know if this opportunity would have even been possible without your guidance and expertise.  I'm thrilled to be able to go to such and amazing school!

                                                                                              -Nate M, Student-Athlete. Attending Bates College

 

 

SEMINARS/WORKSHOPS

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"Washington Timbers partnered up with PG Method to provide our players, parents and coaches a better understanding of the path to playing college soccer.  Pete’s experience as a certified college counselor and “A” licensed Division 1 coach make him uniquely qualified in the college recruiting space.  The feedback on his presentations and workshops has been incredibly positive. Pete helps players understand that recruiting is largely about genuinely connecting with college coaches and developing meaningful relationships.  With so many software based recruiting services out there, it’s great to work with a recruiting expert who cares primarily about educating and mentoring kids to find their best fit.  There are no gimmicks with PG Method, just great information.  As a result of our partnership, our college program is stronger than ever. Club members have a much more firm command of the process, and more of our players are realizing their dream of playing at the college level."

 

                                                                                   -Sean Janson, Executive Director. Washington Timbers

 

"Crusaders Soccer Club has taken advantage of the PG Method for the last 2 years and it has become an integral part of our older orientation night. Pete has come down to San Diego and with his knowledge, professionalism and commitment to his craft has become a club favorite by parents and players alike. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable in the college placement field but his demeanor and personality truly makes the athletes and parents feel very comfortable asking questions and getting the answers at the level that every one understands. One thing is for sure: When Pete Visits CSC, the session won't be over until all the questions have been answered and the audience have gotten his best."

                                                                              

                                                                                  -Rene Miramontes, Director of Coaching. San Diego Crusaders

 

"My name is Manu Appelius and I am the Technical Director of Santa Monica United FC. SMUFC is one of the oldest clubs in the country (currently celebrating 40 years) and one of the most prestigious clubs in our area.

We were lucky to be working with Coach Pete Gail and his PG Method program in the last few years.

Amongst the many services he offers, he put together for us a College Night, once a season, for the last 4 years.

In this College Night, where he always brings some college coaches as guest speakers, Pete Gail offers an incredibly comprehensive and explanatory guide to the college recruiting process for all of our High School age players and their parents. The feedback received from our families has been amazing and I can truly say that this is the best event of its type that I have witnessed in my entire career. We consider Pete's College Nights so valuable that we will continue to have him put one together for us even now that he lives in Oregon!  I strongly recommend Pete Gail's services to any club that is seriously focused on helping their players through the difficult path and complexity of college recruiting."

 

                                                                                -Manu Appelius, Technical Director. Santa Monica United FC

 

 

"I have engaged Pete as a parent and as a booster club board member putting together a college athletics night for students interested in playing sports in college. Pete has a combination of knowledge, professionalism, and charisma that’s rare to find. I have seen him share the floor with high school athletes and be a lone presenter. He is engaging, knows his the college recruitment process inside and out, and has great rapport with young athletes. Parents appreciate his ability to connect with students, his genuine concern for students finding a great college-athlete fit, and that he encourages athletes to take academics seriously in order to increase their options. We look forward to continuing to work with Pete in the future."

                                                                               -Kathryn Ibarra, Malibu High School Athletic Booster Club