Stepping back from DA to play High School soccer as a senior

[Anonymous]

His name has already been mentioned in this thread if you're paying attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:His name has already been mentioned in this thread if you're paying attention.

If that was directed at me (the post directly above yours), I said "he/she" because I intended it as a premise in general, while still considering it good advice for the OP's daughter. Otherwise, not sure who you meant.

Not sure why all the sass, but this forum is so uptight and growing more so with time, I suppose maybe I should excuse myself from the mix.

[Anonymous]

There has been only one name mentioned in this thread, and it was of a DA player featured in an article in the Post about his leaving his club to play in HS. If you’re so self-absorbed that you can’t figure out that that reference has nothing to do with your post about an unnamed college coach, then you’re beyond hope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There has been only one name mentioned in this thread, and it was of a DA player featured in an article in the Post about his leaving his club to play in HS. If you’re so self-absorbed that you can’t figure out that that reference has nothing to do with your post about an unnamed college coach, then you’re beyond hope.

And again with the rudeness. You have real issues. I'm not sure why you are being so emotional and taking this all so personal. It's pathetic actually.

[Anonymous]

I simply just don't like stupid people acting all holier-than-thou when they have no clue what they're talking about, eg, RSD talking about travel soccer, or you telling the board how to act in response to a comment that any person with an IQ over 100 could tell was not in response to their post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:His name has already been mentioned in this thread if you're paying attention.

If that was directed at me (the post directly above yours), I said "he/she" because I intended it as a premise in general, while still considering it good advice for the OP's daughter. Otherwise, not sure who you meant.

Not sure why all the sass, but this forum is so uptight and growing more so with time, I suppose maybe I should excuse myself from the mix.

What sass? The person used a well publicized example of a DA player having done what is being discussed. I'm not sure how anyone can take that as a personal affront.

Your narcissism is strong.

[Anonymous]

RantingSoccerDad wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

RantingSoccerDad wrote:Plenty of kids do this. If your college coach doesn't like it, maybe it's a good time to shop around for another college.

Another way of looking at it: If you want soccer to be a job rather than something you enjoy, go pro.

Plenty of kids committed to top 10 D1 college soccer programs quit DA to play HS their senior year? That scenario doesn't happen very often, IME, at least on the boys' side. I certainly agree that you should play at a level that you enjoy, but it's kind of bizarre that you'd be ambitious enough to work to get recruited at that high a level and then stop caring about improving your game. And I think it's entirely fair for a college coach to look with disfavor on that decision.

"Top 10" is a fluid designation. Kentucky is in Soccer America's Top 10 now. UNC Wilmington was in the Top 10 earlier this year.

Would one season of high school ruin their career paths? It might actually help with the transition to college. DA games take place in front of family and scouts, and the results supposedly don't matter. The atmosphere at high school games can vary widely -- a big deal in some California schools, hit or miss around here -- but it's closer to a college experience than the DA can offer.

I've talked with an MLS club exec who thinks academies should really focus on U16 or U17. After that, they're either pro track (USL in many cases, direct to MLS in some) or college track. Players can still develop on the college track, but if the next step is scholastic soccer, why not prep for by playing ... scholastic soccer?

I've also encountered too many college coaches who get all high-and-mighty about "development." One coach did a presentation in which he pointed the finger at a bad, bad rival school that won a game on a long throw-in, which he claimed was bad for "development." The next day, I watched an EPL game, where an important goal was scored ... on a long throw-in. What level did the college coach think he was "developing" his players for?

I'm the PP you are responding to, and here are my thoughts based on my experience with boys' DA. I am assuming that OP was referring to a traditional "top 10" school, even if it's not in the top 10 at a given point in a season. Those sorts of programs almost always have coaches who are very serious about putting together as strong a team as they can. While I don't think one season of HS would derail anyone's career (barring the sort of injuries that I believe are more likely to happen in HS than in DA or club competition), I think dropping back down to a lower level for the year before you arrive at college sends a message to the coach that you are not as serious as the coach likely expected. A player may want or need to throttle back from a DA level of intensity for any number of reasons, and it might be the right decision for them, but if they are committed to a serious college program, they should be realistic about how the decision will be viewed.

I don't think that playing in HS, regardless of the atmosphere, is going to be better preparation than DA for playing in a top D1 program. From what I've seen--again, on the boys'/men's side--both former DA and HS players get pumped up in an atmosphere with great fans (like at Maryland or Wake Forest) and compete just fine at schools with less of a great soccer culture. And most DA players have the experience of playing for more than just "parents and scouts". You will have friends and random spectators at many home games, and tons of kids from other teams watching you at showcases and tournaments. You'll play in front of hundreds if you advance to the playoffs, let alone the numbers that will see you if you are called in to the YNT trips.

I definitely don't agree that playing HS soccer is going to prepare you for playing top D1 college soccer. Yes, you use the "scholastic" modifier for both, but that doesn't mean the soccer programs or expectations are in any way similar. Your anecdote about the clueless college coaches aside, most D1 coaches of historically good programs do care about development (which is why most advocate for the 10 month college season) and they want to send as many of their players to the professional leagues as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I simply just don't like stupid people acting all holier-than-thou when they have no clue what they're talking about, eg, RSD talking about travel soccer, or you telling the board how to act in response to a comment that any person with an IQ over 100 could tell was not in response to their post.

Lol!! Holier than thou? You are ridiculous!! . Over what? I did say I was confused by your post and wasn't sure if you were referring to me. And instead of taking that at face value, you act like it was some big deal??

What a joke!! Thank you! I needed a good laugh!

If acting like a complete a** makes you feel like a big girl, go ahead sunshine.

[Anonymous]

What sass? The person used a well publicized example of a DA player having done what is being discussed. I'm not sure how anyone can take that as a personal affront.

Your narcissism is strong.

Sass refers to the tone, not the content, but it's refreshing to see posters now bring their own lawyers to the board to defend them.

Anyhow, this whole business by you two over nothing resembles a dynamic duo I've seen on other threads, so I will leave you both to it. Far too immature to waste further time on, and it takes away from a real discussion going on by adults. So instead of treating you as if you are, I'm going to just ignore you and go back to participating in the real conversation.

[Anonymous]

What sass? The person used a well publicized example of a DA player having done what is being discussed. I'm not sure how anyone can take that as a personal affront.

Your narcissism is strong.

Sass refers to the tone, not the content, but it's refreshing to see posters now bring their own lawyers to the board to defend them.

Anyhow, this whole business by you two over nothing resembles a dynamic duo I've seen on other threads, so I will leave you both to it. Far too immature to waste further time on, and it takes away from a real discussion going on by adults. So instead of treating you as if you are, I'm going to just ignore you and go back to participating in the real conversation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

What sass? The person used a well publicized example of a DA player having done what is being discussed. I'm not sure how anyone can take that as a personal affront.

Your narcissism is strong.

Sass refers to the tone, not the content, but it's refreshing to see posters now bring their own lawyers to the board to defend them.

Anyhow, this whole business by you two over nothing resembles a dynamic duo I've seen on other threads, so I will leave you both to it. Far too immature to waste further time on, and it takes away from a real discussion going on by adults. So instead of treating you as if you are, I'm going to just ignore you and go back to participating in the real conversation.

No you won't because this comment triggered you "His name has already been mentioned in this thread if you're paying attention."

Wow, such utter vulgar rudeness. A comment with a twinge of snark. Call the police. LOL

What on earth are not you not personally offended by?

[Anonymous]

RSD, I think you make a lot of good points, especially the one about how coaches may perceive you dropping back as a lack of seriousness on the athlete's part.

I also kind of wonder if there isn't a bit of truth to that. Some players do take the "I have arrived approach" and get a little lazy their senior year.

Also, in terms of sending to the pros, I have heard that the top D1 programs are very sensitive to that and to what their athletes do beyond college. Some colleges are even talking about coming up with full year programming and reducing the train to game ratio.

[Anonymous]

I mean by ratio is reducing the number of games being played compared to the amount of training, just to be clear.

[Anonymous]

I have seen both boys and girls do this who are going to play in college, but not at a traditional powerhouse soccer college. In all the cases I know of personally, it's worked out well. The high school team made deep runs into the state championships, the kids get to experience the high school thing at least one year, etc. To the extent it's relevant, the girls I know of were all playing ECNL as this was before girls DA existed. ECNL permits high school soccer play, but the girls chose not to play for the high school until senior year, after they'd committed. Which is food for thought maybe on the ongoing Girls DA v ECNL debate on other threads on this board.

[Anonymous]

How many girls in MD and VA actually make it into a top 10 D1 school in any given year? Look it up. Who are all you people commenting?