U18/19: Last year of Club or First Year of College?

[Unregistered]

Our daughter is heading into her senior year of high school and last season of club. She has committed to play college in the Fall of 2019. It will be an intense year closing out high school, etc.

We have spoken to a few families that travelled this route and they said this is the year/season to start looking ahead to her walking on campus in 12 months and competing for minutes on the college team. We seem to be getting conflicted advice on the best way to spend this last season of club/H.S. Some folks say she should soak it all up and enjoy every minute of it - play every minute of every game she can. Others say it is better to take her foot of the gas, train hard, stay healthy and save it for a year from now.

Any thoughts on do's and dont's during this last 12 months before heading off to compete in college?

[Unregistered]

Our daughter is heading into her senior year of high school and last season of club. She has committed to play college in the Fall of 2019. It will be an intense year closing out high school, etc.

We have spoken to a few families that travelled this route and they said this is the year/season to start looking ahead to her walking on campus in 12 months and competing for minutes on the college team. We seem to be getting conflicted advice on the best way to spend this last season of club/H.S. Some folks say she should soak it all up and enjoy every minute of it - play every minute of every game she can. Others say it is better to take her foot of the gas, train hard, stay healthy and save it for a year from now.

Any thoughts on do's and dont's during this last 12 months before heading off to compete in college?

Dont get injured

[Unregistered]

Dont get injured

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[Unregistered]

Our daughter is heading into her senior year of high school and last season of club. She has committed to play college in the Fall of 2019. It will be an intense year closing out high school, etc.

We have spoken to a few families that travelled this route and they said this is the year/season to start looking ahead to her walking on campus in 12 months and competing for minutes on the college team. We seem to be getting conflicted advice on the best way to spend this last season of club/H.S. Some folks say she should soak it all up and enjoy every minute of it - play every minute of every game she can. Others say it is better to take her foot of the gas, train hard, stay healthy and save it for a year from now.

Any thoughts on do's and dont's during this last 12 months before heading off to compete in college?

Well it depends on what she's going to do to "train hard". Stepping away from soccer for a year is basically a year of wasted development that all the physical training and conditioning workouts won't help improve. If you are paying for some kind of individual training that might help mitigate the lost time. Unless she's a soccer phenom the girls she'll compete against in college will be more physically mature and more skilled. And when she gets to college she'll be limited to only training 4 months out of the year (which will also slow her overall development in college). If he club team does a good job of training and developing players then you might want to continue her travel career. If it doesn't then that is probably a waste of time and you should search for alternatives.

[Unregistered]

Stay Healthy.
Hone touches and get stronger.
Become a better overall utility player and not a one trick, one position pony.
Focus on the game: deeper understanding of different tactics, positions and formations to defend and break others down.

[Unregistered]

Don't walk away from high school - it's senior year. If she has even one iota of desire to play she should. She can't get that back.

Club? That is tougher. Of course there's the motional attachment, which, like HS may or may not be there. Teams with lots of seniors tend to slack in the spring - everyone has prom and graduations etc. How intensive and what kind of quality is her club training? Will she have time to do separate strength and conditioning training? Because she needs to be doing that all throughout the spring and summer. Will continuing with club, plus workouts, give her enough time to do other things she wants to do in her final year in HS and with you? She should speak with her coach - some don't want you doing anything to get injured, others expect you to play to the very end.

[Unregistered]

It’s amazing how many recruits decide to “cruise” during their senior year.
They need to attend as many practices and play in as many games as they can.
Fitness is expected.
Players need to train extensively so that they excel on the beep test day one.

Recruits also can’t forget to respect their club, and college coaches by being in shape and ready to play.

Our daughter is heading into her senior year of high school and last season of club. She has committed to play college in the Fall of 2019. It will be an intense year closing out high school, etc.

We have spoken to a few families that travelled this route and they said this is the year/season to start looking ahead to her walking on campus in 12 months and competing for minutes on the college team. We seem to be getting conflicted advice on the best way to spend this last season of club/H.S. Some folks say she should soak it all up and enjoy every minute of it - play every minute of every game she can. Others say it is better to take her foot of the gas, train hard, stay healthy and save it for a year from now.

Any thoughts on do's and dont's during this last 12 months before heading off to compete in college?

[Unregistered]

Stay Healthy.
Hone touches and get stronger.
Become a better overall utility player and not a one trick, one position pony.
Focus on the game: deeper understanding of different tactics, positions and formations to defend and break others down.

Unfortunately a lot of these skills are better off when performed in groups rather than in a 1 or 2 person experience. If you can get some group training from a good instructor that's great. If not, you might want to play some travel for at least part of the season. Unless you are at one of the few HS with a good coach who understands how to develop and train you aren't going to improve much through HS play.

[Unregistered]

Unfortunately a lot of these skills are better off when performed in groups rather than in a 1 or 2 person experience. If you can get some group training from a good instructor that's great. If not, you might want to play some travel for at least part of the season. Unless you are at one of the few HS with a good coach who understands how to develop and train you aren't going to improve much through HS play.

Response should have included:
Focus on these items through out your last year while playing at club and HS.

[Unregistered]

Our daughter is heading into her senior year of high school and last season of club. She has committed to play college in the Fall of 2019. It will be an intense year closing out high school, etc.

We have spoken to a few families that travelled this route and they said this is the year/season to start looking ahead to her walking on campus in 12 months and competing for minutes on the college team. We seem to be getting conflicted advice on the best way to spend this last season of club/H.S. Some folks say she should soak it all up and enjoy every minute of it - play every minute of every game she can. Others say it is better to take her foot of the gas, train hard, stay healthy and save it for a year from now.

Any thoughts on do's and dont's during this last 12 months before heading off to compete in college?

Dumbest thread ever. I laugh at everyone making youth soccer so complicated. Here’s the dumbest thing said.
1. “ take your foot off the gas, save it for next year “
Are you joking? Your daughter has 5 years and counting of playing competitive soccer. Because let me go on a limb, she will not be the 2% and play professionally. If she loves the game why take a year off ? Conversely if she is going to a good soccer school, she shouldn’t play as much as a Freshman. So, great job. She has now taken 2 years off.

Look savor every moment and play, injuries happen anytime, anywhere. If she is a good player I would be surprised is wants to take time off. Competitive players are always wanting to play, get better and compete.

Most people here are bitter and uniformed parents. I am a coach that loves to read the garbage and know what I am up against. But I couldn’t pass this one up.

[Unregistered]

Dumbest thread ever. I laugh at everyone making youth soccer so complicated. Here’s the dumbest thing said.
1. “ take your foot off the gas, save it for next year “
Are you joking? Your daughter has 5 years and counting of playing competitive soccer. Because let me go on a limb, she will not be the 2% and play professionally. If she loves the game why take a year off ? Conversely if she is going to a good soccer school, she shouldn’t play as much as a Freshman. So, great job. She has now taken 2 years off.

Look savor every moment and play, injuries happen anytime, anywhere. If she is a good player I would be surprised is wants to take time off. Competitive players are always wanting to play, get better and compete.

Most people here are bitter and uniformed parents. I am a coach that loves to read the garbage and know what I am up against. But I couldn’t pass this one up.

You are 100% correct on you post here except I doubt you refrain from posting. Plenty of coach speak on TS and no doubt you are one regular submissions.

[Unregistered]

Play club in the fall, HS in the winter for sure. Then come spring possibly ease up or not play club at all. If you got a big injury fall or winter you have time to recover; springtime not so much. But, you have to work your tail off training, fitness etc. You cannot ever take your foot off the gas there.

[Unregistered]

You are 100% correct on you post here except I doubt you refrain from posting. Plenty of coach speak on TS and no doubt you are one regular submissions.

Incorrect, if I answered every stupid post I would never get out of here. I save the few for the dumbest, yet maybe have hope of saving. This girl should enjoy and play.

[Unregistered]

foot off the pedal? really? girls will play til they are 21-22, then its over, done

you can get injured doing yoga, if you live your life worried about getting injured go buy a bubble and live inside one...

what idiotic advise