Anonymous
10/31/2024 10:32
Subject: High School Soccer is the new teen recreational soccer.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The more I look at how high schools handle their programs, the more I feel like I’m seeing recreational soccer for teens.
The problem is that the quality of play is usually like rec, but the schools *handle their programs like it was the most important athletic event in the world. In the large public schools in Moco at least, it is pretty hard to get on the team. You have to go to the "optional" summer games and somehow make a name for yourself with the coach before tryouts, and then you can still get cut if you have a bad time at tryouts. They load up the squads with over 20 players and then most the kids just sit and watch all the time. There is no emphasis on participation even though the whole idea is that this is just a fun activity you can do to represent your school.
The time commitment is MUCH larger than for high-level club during the season. It's not unusual for HS athletes to have to devote 15-20 hours a week to the team when you factor in travel, required team activities, etc. Players are often punished for missing team events, regardless of the reason. It ends up discouraging a lot of kids from doing soccer at all, which is the opposite of the rec mindset.
And somehow with a few small exceptions, the level of play is still awful and high-level players actually get worse during the season because the coaching is so bad. A lot of the big schools do have many players with high-level travel experience, but in most cases they end up playing down to the level of their competition.
The organization, at least in Maryland, is ridiculous. You have some schools that go undefeated or have great records because they only play against smaller, disadvantaged schools and never challenge themselves. They get a free pass to the state tournament. And they get rewarded with high seeds based on their win ratio - so winning is the only thing that matters, which again is the opposite of rec.
It drives me crazy that there is taxpayer funding for this.
Haha in CA club soccer is 15-20 hours a week year round and top players also do private lessons. Futsal, Mexican leagues, etc on top of that.
Thise private school idiots are out of their minds.
In Virginia, students attending public schools don’t even know what Homework is anymore. They have an average of 3-4 classes/week cause they have a bunch of days off. Oh and they are able to take many AP less rigorous classes in their Senior year.
Anonymous
10/31/2024 10:30
Subject: High School Soccer is the new teen recreational soccer.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:But what about Glenelg?
Genuine question...is anyone actually scouted through high school soccer? Are there even talented players only doing high school soccer and not club as well?
Teh most talented kids do not play HS - they dont want to get hurt by some field hockey kid from another team trying outside back for the first time.
This is absolutely not true. I would bet 90+% of ECNL boys play and 75% of MLS Next kids. Some DC United players risk repercussions and play against their coaches instructions. They all LOVE playing HS.
Calling BS on this
I don’t know if they LOVE it. But being Varsity Captain, MVP, all Met, all state, maybe even Gatorade player of the year etc is very impressive to college coaches. High school is the only path to those accolades.
College coaches see right through this kind of BS.
The only coaches it appeals to are small expensive private school coaches who are looking fir rich parents that will pay for everything so they don't have to offer a scholarship to their kid.
Anonymous
10/31/2024 10:29
Subject: High School Soccer is the new teen recreational soccer.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:But what about Glenelg?
Genuine question...is anyone actually scouted through high school soccer? Are there even talented players only doing high school soccer and not club as well?
Teh most talented kids do not play HS - they dont want to get hurt by some field hockey kid from another team trying outside back for the first time.
This is absolutely not true. I would bet 90+% of ECNL boys play and 75% of MLS Next kids. Some DC United players risk repercussions and play against their coaches instructions. They all LOVE playing HS.
Calling BS on this
I don’t know if they LOVE it. But being Varsity Captain, MVP, all Met, all state, maybe even Gatorade player of the year etc is very impressive to college coaches. High school is the only path to those accolades.
Add a state championship to this list and you have not just a D1 player, but P4.
Nope. I call BS. I know a few players with Gatorade POY to their names and state champs etc. If you didn't get seen in club - you will not be P4. Not if HS is your only experience.
Anonymous
10/31/2024 10:27
Subject: Re:High School Soccer is the new teen recreational soccer.
Always has been always will be. Teachers are not coaches.
Anonymous
10/31/2024 10:24
Subject: High School Soccer is the new teen recreational soccer.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The more I look at how high schools handle their programs, the more I feel like I’m seeing recreational soccer for teens.
The problem is that the quality of play is usually like rec, but the schools *handle their programs like it was the most important athletic event in the world. In the large public schools in Moco at least, it is pretty hard to get on the team. You have to go to the "optional" summer games and somehow make a name for yourself with the coach before tryouts, and then you can still get cut if you have a bad time at tryouts. They load up the squads with over 20 players and then most the kids just sit and watch all the time. There is no emphasis on participation even though the whole idea is that this is just a fun activity you can do to represent your school.
The time commitment is MUCH larger than for high-level club during the season. It's not unusual for HS athletes to have to devote 15-20 hours a week to the team when you factor in travel, required team activities, etc. Players are often punished for missing team events, regardless of the reason. It ends up discouraging a lot of kids from doing soccer at all, which is the opposite of the rec mindset.
And somehow with a few small exceptions, the level of play is still awful and high-level players actually get worse during the season because the coaching is so bad. A lot of the big schools do have many players with high-level travel experience, but in most cases they end up playing down to the level of their competition.
The organization, at least in Maryland, is ridiculous. You have some schools that go undefeated or have great records because they only play against smaller, disadvantaged schools and never challenge themselves. They get a free pass to the state tournament. And they get rewarded with high seeds based on their win ratio - so winning is the only thing that matters, which again is the opposite of rec.
It drives me crazy that there is taxpayer funding for this.
Haha in CA club soccer is 15-20 hours a week year round and top players also do private lessons. Futsal, Mexican leagues, etc on top of that.
Thise private school idiots are out of their minds.
Club Soccer is a disease
Anonymous
10/31/2024 10:23
Subject: High School Soccer is the new teen recreational soccer.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:But what about Glenelg?
Genuine question...is anyone actually scouted through high school soccer? Are there even talented players only doing high school soccer and not club as well?
Teh most talented kids do not play HS - they dont want to get hurt by some field hockey kid from another team trying outside back for the first time.
This is absolutely not true. I would bet 90+% of ECNL boys play and 75% of MLS Next kids. Some DC United players risk repercussions and play against their coaches instructions. They all LOVE playing HS.
Calling BS on this
I don’t know if they LOVE it. But being Varsity Captain, MVP, all Met, all state, maybe even Gatorade player of the year etc is very impressive to college coaches. High school is the only path to those accolades.
Add a state championship to this list and you have not just a D1 player, but P4.
Anonymous
10/31/2024 10:23
Subject: High School Soccer is the new teen recreational soccer.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The more I look at how high schools handle their programs, the more I feel like I’m seeing recreational soccer for teens.
The problem is that the quality of play is usually like rec, but the schools *handle their programs like it was the most important athletic event in the world. In the large public schools in Moco at least, it is pretty hard to get on the team. You have to go to the "optional" summer games and somehow make a name for yourself with the coach before tryouts, and then you can still get cut if you have a bad time at tryouts. They load up the squads with over 20 players and then most the kids just sit and watch all the time. There is no emphasis on participation even though the whole idea is that this is just a fun activity you can do to represent your school.
The time commitment is MUCH larger than for high-level club during the season. It's not unusual for HS athletes to have to devote 15-20 hours a week to the team when you factor in travel, required team activities, etc. Players are often punished for missing team events, regardless of the reason. It ends up discouraging a lot of kids from doing soccer at all, which is the opposite of the rec mindset.
And somehow with a few small exceptions, the level of play is still awful and high-level players actually get worse during the season because the coaching is so bad. A lot of the big schools do have many players with high-level travel experience, but in most cases they end up playing down to the level of their competition.
The organization, at least in Maryland, is ridiculous. You have some schools that go undefeated or have great records because they only play against smaller, disadvantaged schools and never challenge themselves. They get a free pass to the state tournament. And they get rewarded with high seeds based on their win ratio - so winning is the only thing that matters, which again is the opposite of rec.
It drives me crazy that there is taxpayer funding for this.
Haha in CA club soccer is 15-20 hours a week year round and top players also do private lessons. Futsal, Mexican leagues, etc on top of that.
Thise private school idiots are out of their minds.
Anonymous
10/31/2024 10:22
Subject: High School Soccer is the new teen recreational soccer.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:But what about Glenelg?
Genuine question...is anyone actually scouted through high school soccer? Are there even talented players only doing high school soccer and not club as well?
Teh most talented kids do not play HS - they dont want to get hurt by some field hockey kid from another team trying outside back for the first time.
This is absolutely not true. I would bet 90+% of ECNL boys play and 75% of MLS Next kids. Some DC United players risk repercussions and play against their coaches instructions. They all LOVE playing HS.
Calling BS on this
I don’t know if they LOVE it. But being Varsity Captain, MVP, all Met, all state, maybe even Gatorade player of the year etc is very impressive to college coaches. High school is the only path to those accolades.
Anonymous
10/31/2024 10:18
Subject: High School Soccer is the new teen recreational soccer.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The more I look at how high schools handle their programs, the more I feel like I’m seeing recreational soccer for teens.
The problem is that the quality of play is usually like rec, but the schools *handle their programs like it was the most important athletic event in the world. In the large public schools in Moco at least, it is pretty hard to get on the team. You have to go to the "optional" summer games and somehow make a name for yourself with the coach before tryouts, and then you can still get cut if you have a bad time at tryouts. They load up the squads with over 20 players and then most the kids just sit and watch all the time. There is no emphasis on participation even though the whole idea is that this is just a fun activity you can do to represent your school.
The time commitment is MUCH larger than for high-level club during the season. It's not unusual for HS athletes to have to devote 15-20 hours a week to the team when you factor in travel, required team activities, etc. Players are often punished for missing team events, regardless of the reason. It ends up discouraging a lot of kids from doing soccer at all, which is the opposite of the rec mindset.
And somehow with a few small exceptions, the level of play is still awful and high-level players actually get worse during the season because the coaching is so bad. A lot of the big schools do have many players with high-level travel experience, but in most cases they end up playing down to the level of their competition.
The organization, at least in Maryland, is ridiculous. You have some schools that go undefeated or have great records because they only play against smaller, disadvantaged schools and never challenge themselves. They get a free pass to the state tournament. And they get rewarded with high seeds based on their win ratio - so winning is the only thing that matters, which again is the opposite of rec.
It drives me crazy that there is taxpayer funding for this.
This is actually spot on.
(And we’ve found a Whitman basher …)
Anonymous
10/31/2024 10:08
Subject: High School Soccer is the new teen recreational soccer.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This is a ridiculous post - high school soccer is incredibly hard for kids to make.
At our private it is just about anyone who wants to try out. Not hard.
Oh, well, when people talk about schools, they usually are referencing the giant public high schools most students attend. Not tiny privates with walk-on participation medal teams.
At large public HS, 100+ boys try out for soccer.
Anonymous
10/31/2024 10:07
Subject: High School Soccer is the new teen recreational soccer.
Anonymous wrote:The more I look at how high schools handle their programs, the more I feel like I’m seeing recreational soccer for teens.
The problem is that the quality of play is usually like rec, but the schools *handle their programs like it was the most important athletic event in the world. In the large public schools in Moco at least, it is pretty hard to get on the team. You have to go to the "optional" summer games and somehow make a name for yourself with the coach before tryouts, and then you can still get cut if you have a bad time at tryouts. They load up the squads with over 20 players and then most the kids just sit and watch all the time. There is no emphasis on participation even though the whole idea is that this is just a fun activity you can do to represent your school.
The time commitment is MUCH larger than for high-level club during the season. It's not unusual for HS athletes to have to devote 15-20 hours a week to the team when you factor in travel, required team activities, etc. Players are often punished for missing team events, regardless of the reason. It ends up discouraging a lot of kids from doing soccer at all, which is the opposite of the rec mindset.
And somehow with a few small exceptions, the level of play is still awful and high-level players actually get worse during the season because the coaching is so bad. A lot of the big schools do have many players with high-level travel experience, but in most cases they end up playing down to the level of their competition.
The organization, at least in Maryland, is ridiculous. You have some schools that go undefeated or have great records because they only play against smaller, disadvantaged schools and never challenge themselves. They get a free pass to the state tournament. And they get rewarded with high seeds based on their win ratio - so winning is the only thing that matters, which again is the opposite of rec.
It drives me crazy that there is taxpayer funding for this.
Anonymous
10/31/2024 09:07
Subject: High School Soccer is the new teen recreational soccer.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This varies -- bous vs girls.
This varies by school.
So there is not one answer.
I do ask one question though. If you are at a top private in Honors and AP classes (most rigor) with several hours of homewrok a day and playing club with four practices a week plus work out plus private coach plus games on weekend, how do you do fit in HS soccer? DD could not even if she wanted to.
My sons quit HS Jr year and just did MLSNext. Both straight A students in private. Got into several T-10/20s on their academics alone. Got on college team after acceptance.
^ my current junior at a private with most rigorous schedule decided against HS. No competition and has club practice 4 nights per week and 2 games most weekends. It was beginning to get really difficult juggling both sophomore year. This is also a straight A student, academics really important to him.
Anonymous
10/31/2024 09:04
Subject: High School Soccer is the new teen recreational soccer.
Anonymous wrote:This varies -- bous vs girls.
This varies by school.
So there is not one answer.
I do ask one question though. If you are at a top private in Honors and AP classes (most rigor) with several hours of homewrok a day and playing club with four practices a week plus work out plus private coach plus games on weekend, how do you do fit in HS soccer? DD could not even if she wanted to.
My sons quit HS Jr year and just did MLSNext. Both straight A students in private. Got into several T-10/20s on their academics alone. Got on college team after acceptance.
Anonymous
10/31/2024 07:37
Subject: High School Soccer is the new teen recreational soccer.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This is a ridiculous post - high school soccer is incredibly hard for kids to make.
At our private it is just about anyone who wants to try out. Not hard.
All depends upon what kids are trying out. I think our public school has like 50 kids trying out for 20 something spots. Many of them play at large clubs.
Anonymous
10/31/2024 00:37
Subject: High School Soccer is the new teen recreational soccer.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This is a ridiculous post - high school soccer is incredibly hard for kids to make.
Hahahaha 😆
You have no idea.
In 8 years after all the hold backs her kid might graduate high school and she'll go away.
Sorry, truth...