Forget college and club soccer; I'm focusing on high school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So your soccer star kid who missed all the social aspects of being on the high school team gets a scholarship to a div 1 program that is average in academics but they are good at soccer

or

the pretty good soccer player who plays club and high school gets really good grades and goes to a higher academic school on either an academic or athletic scholarship or combination and because of their soccer and grades gets accepted and is very employable after graduating meanwhile the really good soccer player has a run of the mill degree and not many job prospects.

this is a no brainier, 99.9% of the kids playing soccer are not going to make any money ever at it. Those who do, it will be less than an entry level job because they are not going to be top players that make serious money.

Yours is just one set of scenarios, and there are a million variations. It is not possible to generalize as you are trying to do to say that one avenue always works out best.

Agree. And why is it that the people who disparage the DA always make it seem like kids are leading a joyless lives and destined to go to a mediocre college at best? You don't sign a 4 year contract for DA. You can quit at any time if you are not enjoying it, and your HS coach will welcome you with open arms. Many kids who play DA are very focused on academic achievement, and it's a great way to get a boost into a top school. Bethesda's 2018 and 2019 DA classes include kids with commitments to Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Georgetown, Colgate, Wake Forest, Villanova, Tufts and Bowdoin among other great schools, and DC United's commitment list includes UPenn and UNC.

As do many clubs across the country. it just isn't DA, which is the new trend to say hey look at my kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a young rising u10 and I constantly think about if going down this travel/DA route will take away from school work and ultimately effect college options. He attends one of the top independent schools in DC and there no other kid playing travel soccer or any other sport that require all the extra camps and training. When ever practice is cancelled he gets so more school work done plus extra reading. He loves soccer and playing at the highest level so i support him but he so young and doesn't understand the kids he's competing with in the classroom are putting there time in there school work.

Please elaborate on how HS sports take less time away from a student than their club counterparts?

HS season runs a total of 2.5 months of the school year with no weekend games. Club season runs 9.5 months of the school year and has games most weekends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a young rising u10 and I constantly think about if going down this travel/DA route will take away from school work and ultimately effect college options. He attends one of the top independent schools in DC and there no other kid playing travel soccer or any other sport that require all the extra camps and training. When ever practice is cancelled he gets so more school work done plus extra reading. He loves soccer and playing at the highest level so i support him but he so young and doesn't understand the kids he's competing with in the classroom are putting there time in there school work.

Please elaborate on how HS sports take less time away from a student than their club counterparts?

HS season runs a total of 2.5 months of the school year with no weekend games. Club season runs 9.5 months of the school year and has games most weekends.

So a player would only play HS soccer? Ok

Weeknight games do not interfere with schoolwork. Getting home at 11:00 on school nights is better?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ha at my son's HS the whole team is fielded by travel players --it's sucks no one else could ever get near it. American soccer is so f*cked. I'm glad we weren't invited to the World Cup--US soccer: self-important asshole parents and coaches. You can rot for crushing the dreams of kids who have the ability and potential but don't play like Messi when they're 10 years old.

This. for my kids sport (Lacrosse) our local high school has an extremely competitive team. Unless you are a naturally unbelievable athlete or played travel sports leading up to high school, no way in hell will you make Varsity. Heck, they even cut kids from the freshman team!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So your soccer star kid who missed all the social aspects of being on the high school team gets a scholarship to a div 1 program that is average in academics but they are good at soccer

or

the pretty good soccer player who plays club and high school gets really good grades and goes to a higher academic school on either an academic or athletic scholarship or combination and because of their soccer and grades gets accepted and is very employable after graduating meanwhile the really good soccer player has a run of the mill degree and not many job prospects.

this is a no brainier, 99.9% of the kids playing soccer are not going to make any money ever at it. Those who do, it will be less than an entry level job because they are not going to be top players that make serious money.

OR you are my son.

he got a partial scholarship to play at Clemson. He also got into UVA (which was no easy task) based on his impeccable acdemic record. He also could have played soccer at UVA. he just wanted to be a normal college kid and thankfully we have never leaned on his athletic talent to try to wiggle our way out of saving for his education. He's excited to start school down in Charlottesville in the fall, free of a grueling practice schedule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a young rising u10 and I constantly think about if going down this travel/DA route will take away from school work and ultimately effect college options. He attends one of the top independent schools in DC and there no other kid playing travel soccer or any other sport that require all the extra camps and training. When ever practice is cancelled he gets so more school work done plus extra reading. He loves soccer and playing at the highest level so i support him but he so young and doesn't understand the kids he's competing with in the classroom are putting there time in there school work.

This is so random and out of place worrying about a 10 year old, unless you are a crazy soccer parent, and have high hopes for your kid to be in high league soccer. Plus 10 year old playing at the highest level? What exactly does that look like? Maybe use that money and go with him to a club camp in Netherlands, a good one and get a reality check. To spare you the academic worry, chances of your kid playing at the highest level?! which should be Europe and Latin America, are so incredibly small that you sound nuts. How about you let your kid play soccer now when he likes it and not obsess about some hypothetical future? Of course, that would mean I am writing to a normal parent and not a high strung, insane parent from this area(we all are slightly insane here, me included). You are only playacting that you are worried about academics, I have been around your kind day in and day out. No doubt, your insanity will prevent your kid from enjoying soccer very, very soon. We are only different when it comes to sport choice, crazies one and all here.

[Anonymous]

Yes, love to read stories like this.... I'm the U10 pp....I was thinking about the unknown and the expectations of HS homework, and possible UN debate or other schools extras. His schools matriculation is 30% Ivy or top 10 schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, love to read stories like this.... I'm the U10 pp....I was thinking about the unknown and the expectations of HS homework, and possible UN debate or other schools extras. His schools matriculation is 30% Ivy or top 10 schools.

I've known lots of kids at St Allbans, Sidwell and Maret on high level travel teams and on the DA. My DCs travel team alone had kids from those three plus Potomac and TJ. So it's surprising that at your school your DS is the only one playing travel soccer. Maybe that will change.

[Anonymous]

Yes, may be the kids coming in at later years from other schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

and how much was their first contract worth compared to a kid who played high school soccer, went to college got a degree and was employable?

It appears your argument is that everyone should play high school vs exclusively club because the odds of getting ahead financially are tiny. While that is true, I think you may have a fundamental misunderstanding of why kids play club soccer. It is not at all about money, it's about their competitiveness, college admissions and the desire to continue to play into their college years.
For most, HS soccer is not as competitive as club, poses injury risks, and does not help them achieve their college goals. Further, just because one is a college athlete does not mean they are not going to be competitive in the job market.

TRUTH!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, love to read stories like this.... I'm the U10 pp....I was thinking about the unknown and the expectations of HS homework, and possible UN debate or other schools extras. His schools matriculation is 30% Ivy or top 10 schools.

I would wait until it starts to become a problem. No need to block off roads at 10 years old and deprive him of potential experiences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a young rising u10 and I constantly think about if going down this travel/DA route will take away from school work and ultimately effect college options. He attends one of the top independent schools in DC and there no other kid playing travel soccer or any other sport that require all the extra camps and training. When ever practice is cancelled he gets so more school work done plus extra reading. He loves soccer and playing at the highest level so i support him but he so young and doesn't understand the kids he's competing with in the classroom are putting there time in there school work.

This is so random and out of place worrying about a 10 year old, unless you are a crazy soccer parent, and have high hopes for your kid to be in high league soccer. Plus 10 year old playing at the highest level? What exactly does that look like? Maybe use that money and go with him to a club camp in Netherlands, a good one and get a reality check. To spare you the academic worry, chances of your kid playing at the highest level?! which should be Europe and Latin America, are so incredibly small that you sound nuts. How about you let your kid play soccer now when he likes it and not obsess about some hypothetical future? Of course, that would mean I am writing to a normal parent and not a high strung, insane parent from this area(we all are slightly insane here, me included). You are only playacting that you are worried about academics, I have been around your kind day in and day out. No doubt, your insanity will prevent your kid from enjoying soccer very, very soon. We are only different when it comes to sport choice, crazies one and all here.

The kid isn't even 10. My U10 is currently an 8-year old. The kids playing U10 now are 8 and those Jan-May are 9. His kid is a 'rising U10'--so this freak is stressing about this stuff with a 7/8 year old.

[Anonymous]

I know it's early, but I had kids late so I'm witnessing friends with athletes accepting scholarships to colleges only so they can play soccer only to quit after 1 or 2 years. Family's and kids I know that invested that time in academics the kids are doing amazing things at school....studying abroad, internship in other cities and more. Not to say this cant happen while playing soccer and I hope it does......I have a the up most respect for the student athlete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So your soccer star kid who missed all the social aspects of being on the high school team gets a scholarship to a div 1 program that is average in academics but they are good at soccer

or

the pretty good soccer player who plays club and high school gets really good grades and goes to a higher academic school on either an academic or athletic scholarship or combination and because of their soccer and grades gets accepted and is very employable after graduating meanwhile the really good soccer player has a run of the mill degree and not many job prospects.

this is a no brainier, 99.9% of the kids playing soccer are not going to make any money ever at it. Those who do, it will be less than an entry level job because they are not going to be top players that make serious money.

Yours is just one set of scenarios, and there are a million variations. It is not possible to generalize as you are trying to do to say that one avenue always works out best.

Agree. And why is it that the people who disparage the DA always make it seem like kids are leading a joyless lives and destined to go to a mediocre college at best? You don't sign a 4 year contract for DA. You can quit at any time if you are not enjoying it, and your HS coach will welcome you with open arms. Many kids who play DA are very focused on academic achievement, and it's a great way to get a boost into a top school. Bethesda's 2018 and 2019 DA classes include kids with commitments to Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Georgetown, Colgate, Wake Forest, Villanova, Tufts and Bowdoin among other great schools, and DC United's commitment list includes UPenn and UNC.

As do many clubs across the country. it just isn't DA, which is the new trend to say hey look at my kid.

I'm not saying, at all, that the DA is the only avenue to playing at a top school. Just countering the false dichotomy that the PP and others have set up.