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Post by onekickpop on May 10, 2021 15:52:08 GMT -5
For those of you who may have experienced it, this question is for you. If you have what many would call a highly skilled player (top level club player - top team, DA, ECNL starter, private training in the off season, etc) what has your experience been with them transitioning to HS soccer? Did their skills decline to some extent?
Understanding that HS is fun, I would assume the opportunity to be “seen” are slim to none - not sure how many scouts would visit local HS events as compared to Disney showcases/ECNL showcases around the country looking for talent. Curious to hear experiences here.
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Post by bogan on May 10, 2021 16:50:05 GMT -5
For those of you who may have experienced it, this question is for you. If you have what many would call a highly skilled player (top level club player - top team, DA, ECNL starter, private training in the off season, etc) what has your experience been with them transitioning to HS soccer? Did their skills decline to some extent? Understanding that HS is fun, I would assume the opportunity to be “seen” are slim to none - not sure how many scouts would visit local HS events as compared to Disney showcases/ECNL showcases around the country looking for talent. Curious to hear experiences here. Well, I’ll just say our objective was to stay in shape and not get hurt. Others objectives may be different. |
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Post by rifle on May 10, 2021 17:15:39 GMT -5
Maybe ask his agent?
If no agent yet - consider this suggestion. Skip HS if your HS team is simply awful. If they’re good or even just okay and they play other good schools, then enjoy the experience. It’d probably be fun to be the star of the team. Unless the kid is tiny and playing varsity as a freshman, worrying about getting hurt playing HS soccer is silly IMO. You can get hurt on the steps at home too.
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Post by bogan on May 10, 2021 17:44:32 GMT -5
rifle said … You can get hurt on the steps at home too. You must know my kid?!🤣
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Post by rifle on May 10, 2021 18:31:11 GMT -5
rifle said … You can get hurt on the steps at home too. You must know my kid?!🤣 Possibly. But I definitely know mine... |
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Post by newposter on May 10, 2021 20:02:20 GMT -5
Kid turned DA opportunity down as they wanted to control his whole soccer life. He wanted to play high school with his friends he had known since he was 3. When hearing we dont play HS because of injury I can say in 5 years around HS soccer, no one was hurt that kept them out of competing.
BTW kid had 20 plus offers to play at the next level including a top 15 ranked D1 school. He chose to go tobone of the flag ship universities without a mens soccer team. He said he wasnt interested in playing after college and his degree was most important. As his parents, we were proud and supportive of his decision. Let the kids play HS if they want. Bottom line is few play college and fewer ever make a career of it.
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Post by Brinker on May 10, 2021 20:19:29 GMT -5
Can you play High School if you play for a MLSNext team? Is it like the old DA rules?
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Post by mightydawg on May 10, 2021 20:29:34 GMT -5
No high school soccer if playing MLS Next
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Post by Brinker on May 10, 2021 20:39:06 GMT -5
No high school soccer if playing MLS Next If you are not on AU Academy, then what is the value of MLS Next? Wouldn’t it be better to play on a top ECNL team such as GSA, CF, UFA, or NASA (if you can make those teams) and then still play High School? Best of both worlds. |
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Post by footyfan on May 10, 2021 20:51:11 GMT -5
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Post by soulsurvivin on May 10, 2021 22:29:26 GMT -5
The one caveat for high school soccer and Mls Next is if one attends an independent or private school and participation is part of financial assistance. So put simply, a kid attends private school and his talent is soccer combined with academic excellence, MLS next would deem participation as permissible. I know a few individuals who fit this category.
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Post by soulsurvivin on May 10, 2021 22:39:35 GMT -5
No high school soccer if playing MLS Next If you are not on AU Academy, then what is the value of MLS Next? Wouldn’t it be better to play on a top ECNL team such as GSA, CF, UFA, or NASA (if you can make those teams) and then still play High School? Best of both worlds. I would imagine various factors come into play including: commute time to training, how good high school squad is along with coaching. The value would be the perceived top competition and exposure and playing against the best teams such as Atlanta United. I have heard coaches on podcasts mention that they look at individuals who played DA or are more likely to attend those showcases. I say DA because MLS Next is relatively new. |
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Post by bogan on May 11, 2021 4:25:33 GMT -5
rifle said … You can get hurt on the steps at home too. You must know my kid?!🤣 Possibly. But I definitely know mine... Of course-that’s why (like most things in life) there is no one answer to the question. What’s silly to one parent may not be to another based on circumstances and personal experiences and/or expectations. He plays -but doesn’t go at it like he’s qualifying for a World Cup-b/c the team is just plain awful…small private school…no real hopes of it getting better. So, for him, it’s really about staying in shape, enjoying playing with his friends, and trying to avoid taking unnecessary hard tackles (he’s small). I’m sure he will have an agent any day now…🙄😬 |
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Post by soccerloafer on May 11, 2021 7:38:22 GMT -5
Play HS soccer unless your kid is a superstar. They'll remember playing in a stadium in front of their friends long after they've forgotten yet another trip to a meaningless club showcase. The bigger metro area schools mostly have pretty solid programs, some are actually very good - equivalent to ECNL level.
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Post by notcrazysoccerdad on May 11, 2021 7:53:18 GMT -5
My kid has enjoyed HS soccer 100x more than club - better friends, less intra-squad competition, more social, better fans...
I can imagine if your team is awful there are good reasons not to play, but if the school is half decent I would highly recommend.
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Post by georgiasoccerdad on May 11, 2021 10:07:21 GMT -5
My daughter's team won an OT game against a big rival to put them in the State Finals. Students- Mainly Boys- rushed the field to celebrate with them.
We've played in three State Cup finals and I've never seen that with club.
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Post by Strikermom on May 11, 2021 10:22:03 GMT -5
Agree with everything. My daughter loved her years playing high school, and there is nothing better than beating your rival HS and having the students lose their mind! Club games, it is only parents, just not the same. Wearing the school colors means so much more. I also imagine that with the loss of DA high school teams are going to be more competitive, and we you will definitely notice the lower level of play from those schools that don't have players on higher level club teams, especially on the girls side.
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Post by mightydawg on May 11, 2021 10:47:38 GMT -5
The one caveat for high school soccer and Mls Next is if one attends an independent or private school and participation is part of financial assistance. So put simply, a kid attends private school and his talent is soccer combined with academic excellence, MLS next would deem participation as permissible. I know a few individuals who fit this category. That would not apply to any GHSA participating high school in Georgia because Georgia private schools are not allowed to offer athletic scholarships. Also financial aid must be need based and cannot be conditioned on athletic participation so no MLS Next kids will be playing high school soccer in Georgia under that exception. Where it might apply is places like IMG or other prep schools. |
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Post by defensewins on May 11, 2021 12:37:51 GMT -5
I agree with several others here. With high school, kids get an opportunity to learn other skills like leadership or maybe a position they don't get to play in club. The pride and fun of playing on the school field with and in front of their peers creates memories that last a lifetime.
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Post by brookhaven07 on May 11, 2021 13:05:26 GMT -5
College soccer coaches typically don’t go to high school games-can’t afford it with limited resources especially on the boys side. They gravitate to national/regional showcases of top level leagues.
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Post by georgiasoccerdad on May 11, 2021 13:21:00 GMT -5
College soccer coaches don’t go to high school games-can’t afford it with limited resources. They gravitate to national/regional showcases of top level leagues. We've had several coaches come to our high school games. Lots of different reasons- Spring season in the South doesn't compete with college Fall season so a little more free time to be had. I don't think they are "discovered" at a high school game, but on a couple of occasions it sealed the deal for one of our girls. Two SEC schools were scheduling to watch my daughter play last Spring but the pandemic hit and shut that down. |
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Post by Soccerhouse on May 11, 2021 13:37:41 GMT -5
we don't have to get into the social benefits of the high school game. But what I like is the kids are playing for something. playing for their peers, community, teachers, etc. The crowds get bigger as each game means more and more. Rivalries are legendary. Kids are heckled, and the emotions are raw and its so much fun to watch -- often just a different level of energy in the stadium for the games.
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Post by footyfan on May 12, 2021 7:19:48 GMT -5
HS soccer(sports) are more for the fans/parents than players IMO. When I played in HS, I did not have any clue there were fans in the stands. Except the time I was incessantly heckled by an opposing player's mother during a game. As I was getting ready for a throw-in, I turned to her and told her for the love of God, shut your yap. I had a meeting with my school AD after that. I think my coach was privately happy to see it.
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Post by atlfutboldad on May 12, 2021 8:06:05 GMT -5
There's a major difference between having your peers/family watching you in a stadium vs just family on the club sidelines.
For our local HS girls teams in the playoffs, there are peers, middle school players, club coaches, the boys players who didn't qualify, players from the other county HS team, other students/friends, etc. Plus there's the announcer, the scoreboard, the PA music, etc. Its more of a soccer party. Emotions seem to run higher.
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Post by chipolopolo on May 12, 2021 19:16:51 GMT -5
Heard from SSA coach that you can play high school even if you play MLS Next. Only Atlanta United prohibits their players from playing HS.
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Post by Brinker on May 12, 2021 19:41:39 GMT -5
Heard from SSA coach that you can play high school even if you play MLS Next. Only Atlanta United prohibits their players from playing HS. This would be a significant stray from the MLSNEXT rules. How does SSA plan to allow high school training and games plus MLSNEXT in the spring? Did you get any more details on this? |
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Post by 04gparent on May 12, 2021 21:02:31 GMT -5
There is no doubt that the High School experience should be better than the club experience. My daughter has experienced this. If your son or daughter is a high level club player that will become the leader of their HS team. So HS can teach leadership, responsibility, etc that they may not get on the club team.
HOWEVER, be aware that HS soccer is not better quality! When your son or daughter steps off the HS field and back into club be aware that at first the speed of play will suffer. It will take them a week or two to get to playing faster back with their club team.
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Post by chipolopolo on May 13, 2021 9:57:38 GMT -5
I'm not at all familiar with the MLSNEXT rules. My son is a 2007 player (rising U15) and I was told he could play MLS Next and would not be prohibited from playing for his HS team. I was surprised to hear that. Maybe it is case by case for each player.
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Post by soccermaxx72 on May 13, 2021 11:33:38 GMT -5
There is no doubt that the High School experience should be better than the club experience. My daughter has experienced this. If your son or daughter is a high level club player that will become the leader of their HS team. So HS can teach leadership, responsibility, etc that they may not get on the club team. HOWEVER, be aware that HS soccer is not better quality! When your son or daughter steps off the HS field and back into club be aware that at first the speed of play will suffer. It will take them a week or two to get to playing faster back with their club team. High school is an amazing experience but it’s not about they quality. As said above my daughter has played high school games with 10-20x they fans ever at at ecnl game plus there is something special about school spirit and the life lessons learned with team and leadership |
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Post by ball2futbol on May 13, 2021 12:00:58 GMT -5
Curious on how to poll the current interest in this HS season. Do we attribute the heightened attention solely on the demise of DA or are/were there other organic factors?
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