High school soccer drama

[Unregistered]

True dat! Kids that started over my kid as a freshman did not go on to play soccer, or any sport, in college. Did they suddenly lose the passion? Maybe no college college coach in their right mind would even carry them on their bench should say something. Coach felt like he owed them for staying with the program all these years. Even worse, coach felt obligated to support them for post season honors. Funny how the next year, we were better without the dead wood. I would much rather get an ecnl freshman on the field, one who is more technical or has a better understanding of the game and who practices outside of high school and will improve and pay dividends to the program over 4 years, then a player who is bigger and has one Fall to give back to the program.

Funny how many freshman parents come on here year after year and espouse their kids greatness ... too bad it wasn't so apparent that their HS coaches noticed. Sorry, if your kid is only marginally better than the sophomore or junior travel player that plays lacrosse and basketball, then they should probably work a little harder and play soccer a lot better. I can't believe that their coaches don't see the greatness .... they are ENTITLED to the coveted varsity spot on a .500 team in M!

[Unregistered]

Funny how many freshman parents come on here year after year and espouse their kids greatness ... too bad it wasn't so apparent that their HS coaches noticed. Sorry, if your kid is only marginally better than the sophomore or junior travel player that plays lacrosse and basketball, then they should probably work a little harder and play soccer a lot better. I can't believe that their coaches don't see the greatness .... they are ENTITLED to the coveted varsity spot on a .500 team in M!

I find it funny that you hear people say - hey, it's HS and it's not kiddy soccer anymore and the point is to win games for the school, etc. etc. But then the coach rosters 28 kids, has 4 senior captains and doesn't play freshman who are better. Because guess what, all that other talk was BS. Some of these teams are glorified participation trophy presentations.

That being said, there are ECNL players and there are ECNL players. If your kid is the bottom 5 on their ECNL team, they're probably no better than a super multi-sport athlete that plays soccer part time. Not all ECNL players are created equal.

[Unregistered]

Funny how many freshman parents come on here year after year and espouse their kids greatness ... too bad it wasn't so apparent that their HS coaches noticed. Sorry, if your kid is only marginally better than the sophomore or junior travel player that plays lacrosse and basketball, then they should probably work a little harder and play soccer a lot better. I can't believe that their coaches don't see the greatness .... they are ENTITLED to the coveted varsity spot on a .500 team in M!

Tale as old as time. Check-writing club parents expect their freshmen will not only make varsity but also start. Like you said unless a frosh is visibly stronger than an older player, coaches are unlikely to take them on. They can readily prove themselves on JV and often get moved up through the season as varsity injuries start to ramp up. Size and muscle matter too. How many emaciated freshmen boys looking like newborn giraffes do you see every year? Countless. It's less of a factor with girls but still present there also. Many freshmen aren't able to keep the ball against a player 4 years older and more experience. It is what it is. If they're good and have a good attitude, work hard, their time will come

[Unregistered]

Tale as old as time. Check-writing club parents expect their freshmen will not only make varsity but also start. Like you said unless a frosh is visibly stronger than an older player, coaches are unlikely to take them on. They can readily prove themselves on JV and often get moved up through the season as varsity injuries start to ramp up. Size and muscle matter too. How many emaciated freshmen boys looking like newborn giraffes do you see every year? Countless. It's less of a factor with girls but still present there also. Many freshmen aren't able to keep the ball against a player 4 years older and more experience. It is what it is. If they're good and have a good attitude, work hard, their time will come

Too bad no kids are willing to put in a little OT and work harder for a spot. My son is a freshman this year (from a big 3 club) and he's a noticeably better player than almost all of his JV teammates (in a good-sized school in a soccer town). Honestly, he is a better soccer player than most of the varsity kids as well. The setback for him is that he can not compete in a footrace with 3/4 of them though because they are just so much bigger, faster, and stronger than him right now (the varsity players that is). He is having fun, making tons of friends with kids in other grades and just enjoying his new team (as are we). I also don't think he is where they are socially. We really don't want him attending parties with juniors and seniors. He just isn't into stuff they are into ..... yet. I think he would be very awkward at an upperclassmen party.

[Unregistered]

Tale as old as time. Check-writing club parents expect their freshmen will not only make varsity but also start. Like you said unless a frosh is visibly stronger than an older player, coaches are unlikely to take them on. They can readily prove themselves on JV and often get moved up through the season as varsity injuries start to ramp up. Size and muscle matter too. How many emaciated freshmen boys looking like newborn giraffes do you see every year? Countless. It's less of a factor with girls but still present there also. Many freshmen aren't able to keep the ball against a player 4 years older and more experience. It is what it is. If they're good and have a good attitude, work hard, their time will come

The freshman that make and start varsity (in LL and L schools) are top players and make a difference on the field. The mid range freshman players go through JV and sit varsity into the season. They may get token minutes in easy games. The rest go up the ladder with everybody else. Remove the dad glasses.

[Unregistered]

Seriously, how does a freshmen ecnl player get the coachs attention? She's asked what she needs to do to get more minutes, but gets no direction, just to work hard at practice. Starting to think coach is not as qualified as I thought, but don't want to make it worse by calling him.

So many factors here. First off just because the coach did no paint himself in the corner and give specific factors for her getting more game time does not make him a bad or unqualified coach. He likely knows your daughter will run to her daddy with the specifics and that Daddy will hold if against the coach and go to the AD and be a big PITA when he does not play her as much as daddy thinks is fair.

Does the coach give directions in practice? Your daughter should focus on making herself better for what the team needs based on the coaches vision. Not you but your daughter should Look at the players who get more game time than your daughter what are they doing different.

The cold hard reality is most High school is not technical high IQ play. And sticking little ECNL MIA in that is not going to change things. If anything it may be disruptive.

Most Highschool coaches priority is they want to win, developing a pool freshman is way down the list. If coach really believes freshman can help him/her win the girl will get game time period.



If all else trying setting up $100 hour private lesson with the highschool coach like so many parents in premier soccer do with the team coach on the side. If he takes your money and trains your daughter he is not as qualified.

[Unregistered]

Funny how many freshman parents come on here year after year and espouse their kids greatness ... too bad it wasn't so apparent that their HS coaches noticed. Sorry, if your kid is only marginally better than the sophomore or junior travel player that plays lacrosse and basketball, then they should probably work a little harder and play soccer a lot better. I can't believe that their coaches don't see the greatness .... they are ENTITLED to the coveted varsity spot on a .500 team in M!

In most cases high school soccer is gawd awful

[Unregistered]

The freshman that make and start varsity (in LL and L schools) are top players and make a difference on the field. The mid range freshman players go through JV and sit varsity into the season. They may get token minutes in easy games. The rest go up the ladder with everybody else. Remove the dad glasses.

You just agreed with the poster. What was your point?

[Unregistered]

Too bad no kids are willing to put in a little OT and work harder for a spot. My son is a freshman this year (from a big 3 club) and he's a noticeably better player than almost all of his JV teammates (in a good-sized school in a soccer town). Honestly, he is a better soccer player than most of the varsity kids as well. The setback for him is that he can not compete in a footrace with 3/4 of them though because they are just so much bigger, faster, and stronger than him right now (the varsity players that is). He is having fun, making tons of friends with kids in other grades and just enjoying his new team (as are we). I also don't think he is where they are socially. We really don't want him attending parties with juniors and seniors. He just isn't into stuff they are into ..... yet. I think he would be very awkward at an upperclassmen party.

Great post.

Hits the issue of club v HS on point.

Though not as extreme as the boys, girls face
the same disparity of size, speed and team culture.

My oldest daughter made and started Varsity as
a Freshman in a competitive LL FCIAC program.

Earned her job on the field. Hardest part was trying
to connect with a Junior/Senior weighted team.

She earned respect on the field, but struggled in the
locker room.

A big difference between a 14/15 year old girl
and a 17/18 year old woman in so many ways.

When as a Junior and Senior Captain she layed
down rules of behavior off the field.

Club parents struggle with entitlement and
the bigger issues of playing HS sports.

Outside of a select few programs, HS soccer is about
having fun, playing with friends and being a part
of a community.

Same daughter played JV B-ball for 2 years.

Loved playing with her friends, most who never
made Varsity.

[Unregistered]

Great post.

Hits the issue of club v HS on point.

Though not as extreme as the boys, girls face
the same disparity of size, speed and team culture.

My oldest daughter made and started Varsity as
a Freshman in a competitive LL FCIAC program.

Earned her job on the field. Hardest part was trying
to connect with a Junior/Senior weighted team.

She earned respect on the field, but struggled in the
locker room.

A big difference between a 14/15 year old girl
and a 17/18 year old woman in so many ways.

When as a Junior and Senior Captain she layed
down rules of behavior off the field.

Club parents struggle with entitlement and
the bigger issues of playing HS sports.

Outside of a select few programs, HS soccer is about
having fun, playing with friends and being a part
of a community.

Same daughter played JV B-ball for 2 years.

Loved playing with her friends, most who never
made Varsity.

You seem like a real pretentious guy. Your kids team was competitive, but never did anything in the fciac or the states when she was a captain. So be honest, she may have laid down the law off the field, but the team under her leadership accomplished nothing.

[Unregistered]

You seem like a real pretentious guy. Your kids team was competitive, but never did anything in the fciac or the states when she was a captain. So be honest, she may have laid down the law off the field, but the team under her leadership accomplished nothing.

How in god's name can you extrapolate
what you have from the prior post is
stunning.

How did you come to this conclusion.

Share please.