Help Navigating HS (Club, HS, both??)

[Unregistered]

Good points. He's just one of those outliers. 13 but nearly 5'11" 143lbs and has the soft feet of a tiny kid. I'm not a "glory" dad so I have no illusions of him going pro but certainly shows he could go past HS (I think???) So my main question isn't whether to play varsity. It's how clubs work for HS age boys in case that's a better option (or how many HS boys are playing club in spring/summer - is that a viable route?). Would love advice. Thanks

If he's good, he definitely should be playing club. U14 and below generally do tournaments in the summer, fall season (the main season for younger kids), winter futsal, spring league, and state cup. U15 and above shuts down for fall (except for u15 for 8th graders), then does winter league (the main club season at this age) and state cup.

(This is true for Oregon. For Washington boys' soccer, the high school season is in the spring, not the fall. For Washington girls, it's the fall. In Oregon, HS soccer is a fall sport for both sexes).

HS soccer in Oregon only is active during late summer (tryout season and early practice) and fall, and wraps up by the end of October/early November. Assuming your son isn't doing another HS sport in winter or spring, there's no reason he can't do club soccer during the HS offseason.

The only thing that would be a conflict is if he's invited to join the Timbers Academy; that is a year-round program that bans participation in high school soccer (per US Soccer rules). But club soccer is intended to accommodate the high school calendar at that age.

[Unregistered]

If he's good, he definitely should be playing club. U14 and below generally do tournaments in the summer, fall season (the main season for younger kids), winter futsal, spring league, and state cup. U15 and above shuts down for fall (except for u15 for 8th graders), then does winter league (the main club season at this age) and state cup.

(This is true for Oregon. For Washington boys' soccer, the high school season is in the spring, not the fall. For Washington girls, it's the fall. In Oregon, HS soccer is a fall sport for both sexes).

HS soccer in Oregon only is active during late summer (tryout season and early practice) and fall, and wraps up by the end of October/early November. Assuming your son isn't doing another HS sport in winter or spring, there's no reason he can't do club soccer during the HS offseason.

The only thing that would be a conflict is if he's invited to join the Timbers Academy; that is a year-round program that bans participation in high school soccer (per US Soccer rules). But club soccer is intended to accommodate the high school calendar at that age.

Thanks. I think this helps too. He has been playing club for years. Last 1.5 yrs in premier. When I watched a local HS game a few days ago many of the players did NOT look like premier players to my eye (but I have admitted in this thread I'm kind of a newbie.) Just basic things like touch, vision for passing lanes, quality on the ball. This is what got me wondering if he needed something else.

I love the idea of playing HS in fall to have the community aspect and then do winter/spring/summer with a premier club. Just didn't even know how that worked around here.

thanks!

[Unregistered]

If he's a big kid and skilled he might do well on V or JV as a freshman. HS soccer is a totally different animal. It usually focuses on physical size over skill. It can be extremely physical and the refs usually let a lot of physicality go without batting an eye. I've seen lots of skilled players have to change their game to punt and run for HS as playing with the ball at your feet will invite body slams from the less skilled players.

All in all I recommend HS soccer to everyone because it's usually pretty fun. They practice and play with school mates, and it's less pressure than high level competitive. It give them a bit of a break from the year-round play and different coaching perspectives (this can be challenging but is great for life lessons)

Don't you or your son get too hung up on what team he ends up on, how many minutes he gets, or if he's "the best player" it's a short season and afterwards everyone can go back to club and unlearn the bad habits :)

[Unregistered]

High school soccer might not be the best example of skilled soccer but it's a lot of fun to play for your school no matter what team you make. He should try out his freshman year for sure because high school soccer will be the only fall option for grades 10-12, and not even an option at all for freshmen with fall birthdays since there is no club fall option for U16+.

[Unregistered]

If he's a big kid and skilled he might do well on V or JV as a freshman. HS soccer is a totally different animal. It usually focuses on physical size over skill. It can be extremely physical and the refs usually let a lot of physicality go without batting an eye. I've seen lots of skilled players have to change their game to punt and run for HS as playing with the ball at your feet will invite body slams from the less skilled players.

All in all I recommend HS soccer to everyone because it's usually pretty fun. They practice and play with school mates, and it's less pressure than high level competitive. It give them a bit of a break from the year-round play and different coaching perspectives (this can be challenging but is great for life lessons)

Don't you or your son get too hung up on what team he ends up on, how many minutes he gets, or if he's "the best player" it's a short season and afterwards everyone can go back to club and unlearn the bad habits :)

Sadly the coin has flipped and 'bad' habits are coming from pedestrian/recreational club soccer these days. Crazy stuff.

[Unregistered]

High school soccer might not be the best example of skilled soccer but it's a lot of fun to play for your school no matter what team you make. He should try out his freshman year for sure because high school soccer will be the only fall option for grades 10-12, and not even an option at all for freshmen with fall birthdays since there is no club fall option for U16+.

There is also high school rec soccer, generally co-ed. Not sure if you can do that and club at the same time, check with your coach.

[Unregistered]

Good points. He's just one of those outliers. 13 but nearly 5'11" 143lbs and has the soft feet of a tiny kid. I'm not a "glory" dad so I have no illusions of him going pro but certainly shows he could go past HS (I think???) So my main question isn't whether to play varsity. It's how clubs work for HS age boys in case that's a better option (or how many HS boys are playing club in spring/summer - is that a viable route?). Would love advice. Thanks

Play soccer in highschool and find other outside opportunities to continue development like futsal or other training as highschool soccer will not do that. My question is why not TA- I know many will go nuts right now but if that has not been an option yet then you should not be worrying as much as you are right now. Ask his coach or the DOC of the club he plays for. And by the way which club is it?

[Unregistered]

You can get an idea of where he is at by sending him to a college ID camp during the summer that has freshmen through seniors. We did that last year and it was an eye opener for my son as a freshman. The first day he was a deer in the headlights, but by the middle of the second day he had caught up to the speed of play and scored a couple of goals in one of the scrimmage games.

[Unregistered]

Has he played with TA or with kids who are there now? It's not all that but it would be good to get an idea of where he stands. My son's Premier team was recently taken apart by a kid was just cut from TA, so it was kind of an eye opener.

[Unregistered]

Club scene dies down at HS. Play JV as a freshman. It's more of a maturity thing IMO. Juniors and Seniors are light years ahead; talking about sex and weed. Play with your classmates at JV or JV2. Ride the bus, have friends, stay with your peer group.

Play TTL in the Winter...if your club team has enough. You may have to find a new club or team. Grab some of the good players from the JV team and get them together More parental involvement/parent coaches at this age.

Winter you have basketball....even if not playing kids want to go, support their school team and friends.

Summer kids have jobs and new interests. They are driving. Starting to see more HS teams in tournaments playing U19. If he loves to play still plenty of opportunities. Network with other teams, coaches, players to guest play if needed...

[Unregistered]

Club scene dies down at HS. Play JV as a freshman. It's more of a maturity thing IMO. Juniors and Seniors are light years ahead; talking about sex and weed. Play with your classmates at JV or JV2. Ride the bus, have friends, stay with your peer group.

Play TTL in the Winter...if your club team has enough. You may have to find a new club or team. Grab some of the good players from the JV team and get them together More parental involvement/parent coaches at this age.

Winter you have basketball....even if not playing kids want to go, support their school team and friends.

Summer kids have jobs and new interests. They are driving. Starting to see more HS teams in tournaments playing U19. If he loves to play still plenty of opportunities. Network with other teams, coaches, players to guest play if needed...

Juniors and Seniors talk about sex and weed? LOL.

[Unregistered]

Juniors and Seniors talk about sex and weed? LOL.

More like upper classmen are smoking weed in the parking lot and bragging (lying) about who on the girls team they've hooked up with. Depending on your kid, may or may not be the environment you want them in right away as a new Freshman. Can't shield them forever of course.

[Unregistered]

More like upper classmen are smoking weed in the parking lot and bragging (lying) about who on the girls team they've hooked up with. Depending on your kid, may or may not be the environment you want them in right away as a new Freshman. Can't shield them forever of course.

Yep, all are smoking week and talking about sex. Yep.

[Unregistered]

More like upper classmen are smoking weed in the parking lot and bragging (lying) about who on the girls team they've hooked up with. Depending on your kid, may or may not be the environment you want them in right away as a new Freshman. Can't shield them forever of course.

Please, middle schoolers are doing that stuff too. But, socially it can be harder for a freshman to fit in with a team that's all upper class men. Mine did quickly because he earned their respect, but at first at was really awkward. Even something simple as team members going out together to get something to eat after a game - he couldn't drive yet!