HS versus Club Observation of Son

[Unregistered]

This is more of an observation by a father who can't wait for the club season to start.

So my son plays every minute of every game at center mid for one of the better U16 teams in the region but it's amazing and frustrating to see how invisible he sometimes looks out on the field with his HS varsity team. Because his club team plays a very ball control "system" he almost plays kind of a point guard position out there distributing it all over the field. However in HS, it's all kick and run and he finds himself barely touching the ball while playing the middle of the field for every entire game! The team is horrible and it's very painful to watch the lack of quality soccer out there.

I know if he relied only on college coaches coming to a HS game to scout him out he would never get an offer. Instead him and about 7 or 8 of his club team mates are beginning to get noticed at the club level.

Just an observation but sometimes you forget this is truly is a team game.

2 more years of this?? Father rant over.

Any option to go to another school? Private or prep school? If you kid is on one of the better U16 teams in the region there should be other options available to him.

[Unregistered]

There are around 13,000 Boy High school soccer player in the state
There are around 12,500 Girl High School soccer players in the state

figures from 2012-2013

[Unregistered]

OP Here. I'm not going to sit home because I love my son enough to go and support him and the team regardless of how bad the soccer quality is. It's just not me who's frustrated. More importanly it's him. I'm just venting. He plays for a smaller school and the coach is basically a teacher who's been doing this for years. Great guy who knows something about soccer but with the limited training window can only play the cards he's dealt. I've seen a lot of High Schools play some pretty decent soccer out there with teams stacked with talented club players. I know they exist. I was just making the observation that it's amazing how much talent around a center mid really matters. He played 4 beautiful through balls in a game last week to 3 different players and they went 0 for 4 on the breakaways. On the score sheet he could have had 4 assists. Instead he has none. He'll receive the ball from a back just as he normally does and look to drop it off to the open player, who then kicks it as far as he can into no man's land. It is what it is. I just needed to know as a father I wasn't alone and it doesn't sound like I am.

Oh, so he is getting the ball. At least enough to craft 4 beautiful through balls that you are upset about him not getting points for. Imagine how you are going to feel when his team eventually does score on one of those and he doesn't get properly credited with the assist.

[Unregistered]

OP Here. I'm not going to sit home because I love my son enough to go and support him and the team regardless of how bad the soccer quality is. It's just not me who's frustrated. More importanly it's him. I'm just venting. He plays for a smaller school and the coach is basically a teacher who's been doing this for years. Great guy who knows something about soccer but with the limited training window can only play the cards he's dealt. I've seen a lot of High Schools play some pretty decent soccer out there with teams stacked with talented club players. I know they exist. I was just making the observation that it's amazing how much talent around a center mid really matters. He played 4 beautiful through balls in a game last week to 3 different players and they went 0 for 4 on the breakaways. On the score sheet he could have had 4 assists. Instead he has none. He'll receive the ball from a back just as he normally does and look to drop it off to the open player, who then kicks it as far as he can into no man's land. It is what it is. I just needed to know as a father I wasn't alone and it doesn't sound like I am.

Yup. Just as I thought... My son is amazing and all his teammates stink. Of course your son played 4 beautiful through balls and of course his teammates went 0 for 4 on the breakaways. I was the poster who was said to be trying to shut down this father who only wanted to vent his frustrations, etc... And here we are just another Dad bragging about how amazing their superstar is. Called it.

[Unregistered]

There are around 13,000 Boy High school soccer player in the state
There are around 12,500 Girl High School soccer players in the state

figures from 2012-2013

If the previous 400 HS in MA is correct, these numbers would seem to include JV, Fresh.

[Unregistered]

Oh, so he is getting the ball. At least enough to craft 4 beautiful through balls that you are upset about him not getting points for. Imagine how you are going to feel when his team eventually does score on one of those and he doesn't get properly credited with the assist.

OP Again. As soon as I hit "post" I knew I'd get this response. I could care less about the stat sheet. It's about being "rewarded" about making a good play. As a player who distributes the ball instead of scores it, the way a player is "rewarded" is by a player putting it in the back of the ole onion bag. Hearing "nice pass" without a finish isn't as "rewarding". As for the other hacks on here, he plays all but about 5 minutes of every game so it has nothing to do with playing time.

This really has nothing to do with anything. Son is a good player who's very frustrated and so am I. He loves the game and wants to do anything to help but he's discovering how important having other quality players on the field at the same time is. We've obviously been spoiled for many years. He loves the social part of the HS experience so he wouldn't give it up regardless.

[Unregistered]

OP Again. As soon as I hit "post" I knew I'd get this response. I could care less about the stat sheet. It's about being "rewarded" about making a good play. As a player who distributes the ball instead of scores it, the way a player is "rewarded" is by a player putting it in the back of the ole onion bag. Hearing "nice pass" without a finish isn't as "rewarding". As for the other hacks on here, he plays all but about 5 minutes of every game so it has nothing to do with playing time.

This really has nothing to do with anything. Son is a good player who's very frustrated and so am I. He loves the game and wants to do anything to help but he's discovering how important having other quality players on the field at the same time is. We've obviously been spoiled for many years. He loves the social part of the HS experience so he wouldn't give it up regardless.

Mine is frustrated as well with the level of play - there is a core group of core club players who make a big impact, followed by another group of solid travel/low-level club players. There's only two or so who you could say "dabble" in soccer. But he loves playing for his school and does like the coach very much who is good for a HS coach. He also knows that the HS season is very short in the grand scheme of things. He also thinks it's fun to have to play against some of his club team mates.

[Unregistered]

Yup. Just as I thought... My son is amazing and all his teammates stink. Of course your son played 4 beautiful through balls and of course his teammates went 0 for 4 on the breakaways. I was the poster who was said to be trying to shut down this father who only wanted to vent his frustrations, etc... And here we are just another Dad bragging about how amazing their superstar is. Called it.

OP: I'm sorry I should have just came on here and said that my son is an average player playing with other average players and that's why he's frustrated. Oh wait. Why would he be frustrated? He shouldn't even know what good soccer is. Thanks for the well described snarky responses. Believe it or not there are good players out there and believe it or not there are players out there that aren't very good. Sometimes they play together. It's called HS apparently. And sometimes it can not be very pretty.

[Unregistered]

OP: I'm sorry I should have just came on here and said that my son is an average player playing with other average players and that's why he's frustrated. Oh wait. Why would he be frustrated? He shouldn't even know what good soccer is. Thanks for the well described snarky responses. Believe it or not there are good players out there and believe it or not there are players out there that aren't very good. Sometimes they play together. It's called HS apparently. And sometimes it can not be very pretty.

OK, you have confirmed it. You're an arrogant, condescending know-it-all. Believe it or not there are some other parents on here who also have kids who are very good players, and parents who have had kids who exceled at high school soccer and beyond despite obstacles you are making sound much worse than they are.

[Unregistered]

Mine's a keeper so the fact that his HS team can't keep a defensive line to save their lives has greatly improved his GK skills. His club team's back line is like a brick wall.

See - it's all in how you look at it.

[Unregistered]

OP Again. As soon as I hit "post" I knew I'd get this response. I could care less about the stat sheet. It's about being "rewarded" about making a good play. As a player who distributes the ball instead of scores it, the way a player is "rewarded" is by a player putting it in the back of the ole onion bag. Hearing "nice pass" without a finish isn't as "rewarding". As for the other hacks on here, he plays all but about 5 minutes of every game so it has nothing to do with playing time.

This really has nothing to do with anything. Son is a good player who's very frustrated and so am I. He loves the game and wants to do anything to help but he's discovering how important having other quality players on the field at the same time is. We've obviously been spoiled for many years. He loves the social part of the HS experience so he wouldn't give it up regardless.

Couple of options.
1: don't play
2: play for love of game and not the glory. A nice pass is a nice pass. Please don't worry about recognition for assists or goals.
3: play to get girls

And don't come on here complaining. Be happy your son is a good player. Put yourself in the shoes of the parent whose kid does not finish those passes. Don't be smug.

[Unregistered]

Couple of options.
1: don't play
2: play for love of game and not the glory. A nice pass is a nice pass. Please don't worry about recognition for assists or goals.
3: play to get girls

And don't come on here complaining. Be happy your son is a good player. Put yourself in the shoes of the parent whose kid does not finish those passes. Don't be smug.

And also, remind your kid not to be that smug jerk who rolls their eyes and complains about the kid who can't finish... If your kid is truly a superstar then the other kids know it too. Your kid will be respected as long as he / she shows respect in return. Don't play the "I'm better than you" game with your teammates.

[Unregistered]

I don't buy it. I've watched a ton of high school soccer and the best players still rise to the top. My guess is this is a sophomore kid not getting to play the amount that the parents thinks is indicated. Almost all complaints like this come back to playing time, or not starting, or a combination therein, but I doubt the OP will cop to that now.

I'm one of the people responding who understands where the OP is coming from. You judge for yourself whether my kid was one of the better kids on the team or not. A 4 year varsity player, an All State and team caprain now playing D1college soccer and starting. Been around long enough to know the difference between good coaching and bad which is why we chose prep school over public. My kid would have been useless playing kick and chase soccer.

[Unregistered]

OP: Amazing how this thread turned from an observation of a good mid fielder playing HS vs. Club into an indictment of me as an "arrogant" parent. If by "arrogant" you mean I think my son is good. You're damn right I do and will never think otherwise. Hopefully you feel the same way about your kid who's worked really hard almost 10+ years at something they love. By the way, more importantly I also think he's brilliant and one of the nicest most respectful kids his age. Shoot me. I continue to love this forum. It rarely disappoints.

[Unregistered]

I'm one of the people responding who understands where the OP is coming from. You judge for yourself whether my kid was one of the better kids on the team or not. A 4 year varsity player, an All State and team caprain now playing D1college soccer and starting. Been around long enough to know the difference between good coaching and bad which is why we chose prep school over public. My kid would have been useless playing kick and chase soccer.

That's a different issue. Was your kid marginalized and overlooked on the field of play in high school or did he find a way to make a difference? The OP started with a complaint about his kid being essentially invisible because of poor coaching, long ball, etc and then later added a complaint that teammates couldn't finish good plays started his kid. All of us know about mediocre coaching and mediocre teammates. You and the OP aren't the only 2 people on earth who know something about soccer or who have a talented kid.