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"Seeing this blowing up as of late as it is passed around. My question can be summed up from one of the just recent reviews: Why would over 5+ players choose to quit a team, throughout the middle of a year/season? Surely this cant all be written off as "they just were not good and were bitter?" It is pure ignorance to assume that just because your experience was positive/different, others must be lying. As a past player, not knowing what happened at the second school he left mid-year from, how can you also write this off? With an entirely different roster, besides a few select players of his choosing to bring? I challenge you girls to realize private events and conversations occurred in which you know nothing about -- this goes both ways. Calling those who stood up "a small group of liars" makes no sense, when the only gain from the experience was ostricization, bullying and retaliation from all teammates. Question for the positive reviews - why do you think the 6+ scholarshipped players chose to not transfer after they quit and spoke with the school? Many of you don't know the full picture, and conversations (and actions) that were had both small level, and large scale surrounding these review claims."

"My experience playing under Coach Sharif Saber was one of the most damaging experiences of my life. I entered the program as a freshman excited to compete, grow, and be part of what should have been a supportive team environment, a home away from home. Instead, it became an environment marked by fear, favoritism, intimidation, and emotional exhaustion. By the middle of my sophomore year, approximately 75% of the freshman class I entered with had quit the program. That is not a statistic that should be ignored. This was not simply a matter of athletes being unable to handle the demands of college soccer. It reflected a culture that made many players feel unsafe, unsupported, and devalued. Coach Saber operated heavily through favoritism. If you were among the few players he chose to invest in, I can understand how your experience may have looked very different. But if you were not in that select group, you were often treated as though your effort, worth, and humanity held little value. Players were degraded, threatened with physical and verbal punishment, and routinely made to feel that fear was an acceptable coaching tool. Some people may argue that a coach’s primary job is to win games. But winning should never excuse the methods used to get there. Threats, intimidation, humiliation, and fear are not game-winning tactics, they are failures of leadership. The true measure of a coach is not just the scoreboard, but how they lead, develop, and influence the athletes placed under their care. It matters how a coach wins. In my college experience, the environment created under Coach Saber prioritized control over development, favoritism over fairness, and intimidation over mentorship. No athlete should have to fear the person responsible for guiding their growth. What made this experience even more troubling were the comments and attitudes that made it clear certain players were judged differently based on their background, upbringing, or identity. Those patterns were noticed, felt, and deeply damaging. A person in a position of authority over young women carries immense responsibility, and in my experience, Coach Saber was not fit for that responsibility. Soccer was something I loved deeply before college. My experience in this program did not strengthen that passion, it ruined it. No athlete should walk away from the sport they love feeling stripped of confidence, safety, or self-worth because of the culture created by a coach. If you are a prospective player, parent, or recruit researching this coach, I encourage you to look beyond records and wins. Ask former players difficult questions. Examine retention. Pay attention to culture. A winning record means very little if it comes at the expense of the wellbeing, dignity, and development of the athletes behind it."

"Coach Alex is the best coach I have had so far. "20+ girls quitting" is a reflection of themselves, not having playing time, and the negative people that they surround themselves with. Coach Alex had structured practices everyday and made roles clear. Open office hours if you ever had an issue and was an open person to talk to. Some people just don't like the truth and can't handle not being coached by their parents anymore. Mental abuse but forgets to mention playing games at practice for cool prizes such as Stanleys, going on a team camping trip, and being taken out for ice cream on her own free will. Stop always blaming external factors. The time you have on the field is what you make of it. Negative mindset will give you a negative life. "

"Davenport University has one of the finest baseball facilities in the entire GLIAC conference However where incompetency looks for a scapegoat, a toxic environment exists. Some young men have witnessed in disbelief, the ire of a conflicting leader. Young athletes deserve and parents expect, a knowledgeable caring mentor, an inspiring role model, who always puts his players in the best possible position to succeed. Wise men say never stay where you are constantly disrespected, go where you are appreciated. Perhaps this is why over recent years, many young men opted to transfer from DU baseball, only to excel in their athletic and academic ambitions in a program with higher standards, where good men with moral character and leadership skills are recruited by capable Athletic Directors. "

"Coach Grove and her staff have been the best coaching staff I’ve had. They dedicate themselves completely to the success of the team and improving the culture every day. They are always looking for ways to get better on the field and in the locker room. What I appreciate most is that it’s a coaching staff that believes in real relationships. It takes both the players and coaches being willing to grow and get to know one another, and they truly put effort into that. I love what Coach Grove is doing with the program. Like any D1 program, there are always going to be bumps and changes that need to happen, but they handle everything with grace. I think it’s easy for people to look for someone to blame when they aren’t getting the playing time they think they deserve, but the reality is that at the D1 level everyone is talented and competition is tough. Overall, Coach Grove and her staff genuinely care about the program and the players, and that shows. "