Boys: No $$$ for you so play HIGH SCHOOL

[Unregistered]

Why keep bringing it back to your family vacations. OP made a valid point on the boys side. Apples to pears? No apples to oranges.

NCAA Division I men's Soccer teams have an average roster size of 29 players but only a maximum of 9.9 athletic scholarships to award per team. This means the average award covers only about 1/3 of a typical athlete's annual college costs - and this assumes the sport is fully funded at the sponsoring school. 224 D1 boys teams vs 333 D1 girls teams. 16% foreign boys competing for spots vs 6 % on the girls side.

Pretty sure you are glad to have a girl.

http://www.scholarshipstats.com/soccer.html

The root cause of the complaints of DA vs. High School is the supposed cost of DA, and the return. So, yes, the girls are better positioned, but the complaint is still the same.

The broader picture is that as long as the discussion is pure $$ to play, the point will always be missed.

[Unregistered]

The root cause of the complaints of DA vs. High School is the supposed cost of DA, and the return. So, yes, the girls are better positioned, but the complaint is still the same.

The broader picture is that as long as the discussion is pure $$ to play, the point will always be missed.

The only thing any of us can change is the choice of where our kids play. High School or DA? Which club?

We can't change the system. But we can change where we are in the system.

[Unregistered]

The only thing any of us can change is the choice of where our kids play. High School or DA? Which club?

We can't change the system. But we can change where we are in the system.

Agreed. Which is why I question the validity of a statement that unless you are a generational talent, you should just play high school.

[Unregistered]

Holy Cross has a ton of soccer money $$$$

[Unregistered]

Agreed. Which is why I question the validity of a statement that unless you are a generational talent, you should just play high school.

Having one that played BDA and another that did not this is mostly true. The one who played HS has no regrets, neither does the one who gave it up but he definitely wishes he could have. Each player/situation is different, including the quality of their high school soccer. Kids basically fall into three groups

1) a consistent starter, preferably at an MLS Club (well, the Revs is another story) AND they don't care that much about HS ----> do DA.

2) a consistent starter but wants to play HS ----> do HS and high level club. You can't get those years back

^^^ #1 increases your odds of higher college recruitment but is by no means a guarantee.

3) not a consistent starter ---> play HS and club (unless your HS is truly horrific and even then bad HS can still be fun, and again you can't get that back).

There are 100 fewer men's D1 programs, fewer scholarships and much greater number of foreign players in D1 vs the women's side. So no you won't get much money unless you're a stud. But it isn't just about money - there simply are fewer spots out there. Many skilled players wind up at D3 with obviously no money, playing with kids who didn't give up HS. The annual commitment threads that show where local kids end up is eye opening. it should be required reading for all parents of middle school boys as they try and figure out the decision.

[Unregistered]

To summarize the above if I got this right:

If you are good and want to play HS, play HS

If you are good and don't want to play HS, don't play HS

If you are not that good, play HS.


Did I get that right?

[Unregistered]

Having one that played BDA and another that did not this is mostly true. The one who played HS has no regrets, neither does the one who gave it up but he definitely wishes he could have. Each player/situation is different, including the quality of their high school soccer. Kids basically fall into three groups

1) a consistent starter, preferably at an MLS Club (well, the Revs is another story) AND they don't care that much about HS ----> do DA.

2) a consistent starter but wants to play HS ----> do HS and high level club. You can't get those years back

^^^ #1 increases your odds of higher college recruitment but is by no means a guarantee.

3) not a consistent starter ---> play HS and club (unless your HS is truly horrific and even then bad HS can still be fun, and again you can't get that back).

There are 100 fewer men's D1 programs, fewer scholarships and much greater number of foreign players in D1 vs the women's side. So no you won't get much money unless you're a stud. But it isn't just about money - there simply are fewer spots out there. Many skilled players wind up at D3 with obviously no money, playing with kids who didn't give up HS. The annual commitment threads that show where local kids end up is eye opening. it should be required reading for all parents of middle school boys as they try and figure out the decision.

D is a freshmen starter on a good (not great) HS team. Plays 70ish minutes a game. For the life of me, I can't see why you would want to give up HS for DA. Kid is playing against opponents 2 to 4 years older. 2-3 games per week plus 3-4 training sessions per week. The soccer workload is much more similar to college than DA. My D now has friends from frosh to seniors because of playing varsity. Bottom line, as others have said, you don't get these years back and the social and local community benefits outweigh any perceived benefit of DA in terms of quality of training/teammates/opponents.

[Unregistered]

D is a freshmen starter on a good (not great) HS team. Plays 70ish minutes a game. For the life of me, I can't see why you would want to give up HS for DA. Kid is playing against opponents 2 to 4 years older. 2-3 games per week plus 3-4 training sessions per week. The soccer workload is much more similar to college than DA. My D now has friends from frosh to seniors because of playing varsity. Bottom line, as others have said, you don't get these years back and the social and local community benefits outweigh any perceived benefit of DA in terms of quality of training/teammates/opponents.

Something you are not seeing right now, fast forward two years. The age advantage is now gone and the practice sessions will have become way beyond routine.

I will say from experience that the freshman year is the high point and from that point forward the returns diminish significantly. Just so you know, my kid was on multiple tournament winning high school teams. They found it to be a burden by the end and didn't enjoy it nearly at all.

[Unregistered]

D is a freshmen starter on a good (not great) HS team. Plays 70ish minutes a game. For the life of me, I can't see why you would want to give up HS for DA. Kid is playing against opponents 2 to 4 years older. 2-3 games per week plus 3-4 training sessions per week. The soccer workload is much more similar to college than DA. My D now has friends from frosh to seniors because of playing varsity. Bottom line, as others have said, you don't get these years back and the social and local community benefits outweigh any perceived benefit of DA in terms of quality of training/teammates/opponents.

I have a son on the Revs. He has no interest in playing for the HS. It’s typically one of the best HS teams in the state but still poor soccer compared to DA. As far as thinking he is missing something I don’t quite get that comment. He travels all over the world to play and has lots of friends at school. Everyone at school knows what he does and are totally jealous he says.
I played on a state championship HS team and at a fairly high level in college and don’t see the comparison to what he does compared to HS soccer. Yes, it’s fun to win a big game in front of a couple thousand people but Playing at the top level is where he wants and enjoys the game. We expect zero payoff in the end. If it happens great if not I have prepared like the other poster said.
DA players can always play senior year if they so choose after they have committed to a college.

[Unregistered]

I have a son on the Revs. He has no interest in playing for the HS. It’s typically one of the best HS teams in the state but still poor soccer compared to DA. As far as thinking he is missing something I don’t quite get that comment. He travels all over the world to play and has lots of friends at school. Everyone at school knows what he does and are totally jealous he says.
I played on a state championship HS team and at a fairly high level in college and don’t see the comparison to what he does compared to HS soccer. Yes, it’s fun to win a big game in front of a couple thousand people but Playing at the top level is where he wants and enjoys the game. We expect zero payoff in the end. If it happens great if not I have prepared like the other poster said.
DA players can always play senior year if they so choose after they have committed to a college.

Here again is the difference between Boys and Girls DA. Sincerely happy for your son!

[Unregistered]

....The age advantage is now gone and the practice sessions will have become way beyond routine.

I will say from experience that the freshman year is the high point and from that point forward the returns diminish significantly. Just so you know, my kid was on multiple tournament winning high school teams. They found it to be a burden by the end and didn't enjoy it nearly at all.

Sounds EXACTLY like the issues with DA .... first year is great and then diminishing returns and routine workouts with no purpose ..... at least the HS roster changes every year and you start each year with a chance to win your league and states which should re-invigorate the team for those brief two months.

[Unregistered]

Sounds EXACTLY like the issues with DA .... first year is great and then diminishing returns and routine workouts with no purpose ..... at least the HS roster changes every year and you start each year with a chance to win your league and states which should re-invigorate the team for those brief two months.

Two months......

[Unregistered]

Two months......

Which is why the restriction is so stupid - it really is a very brief period of time. They can still do DA from early November to almost the end of June. Kids who don't want to play for their HS can opt out and a club can provide training for combined age groups, maybe get some scrimmages with HS team or other local DA clubs.

[Unregistered]

Which is why the restriction is so stupid - it really is a very brief period of time. They can still do DA from early November to almost the end of June. Kids who don't want to play for their HS can opt out and a club can provide training for combined age groups, maybe get some scrimmages with HS team or other local DA clubs.

I see your point, but what happens is for those two months is your team is fractured. Those playing HS are doing their thing with their teams and playing their styles under their supervision. Those not are left with "training the club can provide" or some other filler activity. No continuity, no fitness measuring or monitoring. No set playing style.

The entire point of it is to control the players development 100%. Play the way we want, eat what we want, exercise how we want you to. We will measure your progress and we will make recommendations to you, and our own program, based on that feedback. They won't know if they have the right ingredients if they don't have a consistent menu.

It's not just a "we don't want the kids to play HS just because".

Is it overkill? Yeah, probably. But, you asked for a reason, and that's what my explanation would be.

[Unregistered]

I see your point, but what happens is for those two months is your team is fractured. Those playing HS are doing their thing with their teams and playing their styles under their supervision. Those not are left with "training the club can provide" or some other filler activity. No continuity, no fitness measuring or monitoring. No set playing style.

The entire point of it is to control the players development 100%. Play the way we want, eat what we want, exercise how we want you to. We will measure your progress and we will make recommendations to you, and our own program, based on that feedback. They won't know if they have the right ingredients if they don't have a consistent menu.

It's not just a "we don't want the kids to play HS just because".

Is it overkill? Yeah, probably. But, you asked for a reason, and that's what my explanation would be.

Teams are not fractured now when the best players in DA and GDA are off in the fall playing prep school soccer on waivers? What am I missing here? They are the best players on their teams and their games are not affected by playing HS soccer and missing club for 2 months but the paying kids are somehow affected? Got it.