High School Soccer

[Unregistered]

I am posting this separate from the ECNL thread but some of what is in that thread, pertains here. Some within that thread have said that HS soccer will not be permitted by the ecnl. From everything that I have heard "officially", this is not accurate. Some clubs may not permit HS soccer but that is a club decision and not an ecnl decision.

Anyway, in various experiences, what is the experience of most of your daughters in terms of how much their high school teams train? I've heard a big range. Some train every day if there isn't a game. Some train 4 days per week and perhaps play 2 games per week. In short, most of what I've heard is that there is very little time off. My kid will not be in high school for 2 more years. I know that she will probably want to play on the high school team for the reasons that most kids do - friends, school spirit, etc. Some clubs have programs during the high school season and the kids seem to train less days. I am thinking that from a development standpoint that it is better to train 2 to 3 days per week with a club trainer and then maybe 1 or 2 days per week with an outside trainer that currently works with my daughter. Also, the clubs I am thinking of only have perhaps 8 to 10 games throughout the season. To me it just seems that HS soccer runs the players ragged while the training is questionable. Does anybody else have thoughts on this?

[Unregistered]

I am posting this separate from the ECNL thread but some of what is in that thread, pertains here. Some within that thread have said that HS soccer will not be permitted by the ecnl. From everything that I have heard "officially", this is not accurate. Some clubs may not permit HS soccer but that is a club decision and not an ecnl decision.

Anyway, in various experiences, what is the experience of most of your daughters in terms of how much their high school teams train? I've heard a big range. Some train every day if there isn't a game. Some train 4 days per week and perhaps play 2 games per week. In short, most of what I've heard is that there is very little time off. My kid will not be in high school for 2 more years. I know that she will probably want to play on the high school team for the reasons that most kids do - friends, school spirit, etc. Some clubs have programs during the high school season and the kids seem to train less days. I am thinking that from a development standpoint that it is better to train 2 to 3 days per week with a club trainer and then maybe 1 or 2 days per week with an outside trainer that currently works with my daughter. Also, the clubs I am thinking of only have perhaps 8 to 10 games throughout the season. To me it just seems that HS soccer runs the players ragged while the training is questionable. Does anybody else have thoughts on this?

Really.....again with this BS???

[Unregistered]

Really.....again with this BS???

Really...............can't you come up with a better retort than that? My guess is this is a totally honest question by someone who hasn't come to this forum for long or often, some people (unlike you obviously) don't live on this forum. If you don't like the subject why don't you just ignore it or how about just be civil and inform the OP that this subject has been discussed previously and maybe even go as far as suggesting they look back to the older threads discussing it.

[Unregistered]

OP here.....

No, this is not BS. This is an honest question. I've seen threads here relating to HS soccer vs. club soccer and most get mired down into a bunch of illogical arguments for and against. It is too tiring and nearly impossible to to go back through the old threads to read responses that are honest and logical. I am looking for real answers of pros vs cons of high school soccer vs club soccer and the training aspects of each. I am hoping that the thread stays civilized but that is probably expecting too much as is evidenced by the first response to my inquiry. Thanks.

[Unregistered]

My daughter turned down ECNL because of the (at the moment) ban on HS soccer. She enjoys HS very much and didn't think it was necessary to give it up. She plays on a Purple team at OCYS. The HS trains 4-5 days/week and club was training 2 days/week during the time.

Our thinking is this: club soccer is for training and development. HS soccer is for fun and camraderie. HS tends to overtrain and overschedule games. We let her train 4x week if she has 2 games. If there's a conflict between club and HS, club prevails for the better quality training and competition. Never had much pushback from the HS coach because of this. She usually attends all HS practices even if not actively training.

[Unregistered]

Really.....again with this BS???

are you the troll that loves HS soccer over Club? get real. High School is fun, and club is real soccer, or as real as the training can get here in the US. High School brings with it a variety of talents, from none to highly skilled. you do not have that variety in your club setting. club and HS often overlap, at ours they do so we often have HS training immediately after school and games or club training in the evening. ends up being about 14 hours of training/practice with a variety of coaches, and anywhere from 1-3 games over a 7-day week. with HS soccer over, we are now cross training with track and club soccer. i don't think you need to worry that your athlete is training too much, unless her grades are slipping.

[Unregistered]

"Our thinking is this: club soccer is for training and development. HS soccer is for fun and camraderie. HS tends to overtrain and overschedule games. We let her train 4x week if she has 2 games. If there's a conflict between club and HS, club prevails for the better quality training and competition. Never had much pushback from the HS coach because of this. She usually attends all HS practices even if not actively training."

I almost completely agree with this. Club is for training and development. HS is for fun and camraderie and RECOGNITION. HS kicks the crap out of club for recognition. News paper articles, school announcments, FACA All-Star teams, All-State teams, All County teams.... the list goes on. The truth, club does a horrible job recognizing players. A metal and a facebook post don't cut it. Don't rob your child the chance to be recognized for all their hard work. I like to think of HS as a showcase team because it gives your child the chance to "show off".

Further, I think you need to know what you want from competitive when you sign up. If you goal is to play varsity HS soccer, than ECNL is a waste of your time. If your goal is college than ECNL could help (but don't espect miracles). Too many parents push their kids into club without an "end" in mind.

Finally, I agree with attending practice. Exsesive training can hurt a person, but if you are not going to be apart of the team and attend practice, better than to not even play and take a spot from someone else.

[Unregistered]

"Our thinking is this: club soccer is for training and development. HS soccer is for fun and camraderie. HS tends to overtrain and overschedule games. We let her train 4x week if she has 2 games. If there's a conflict between club and HS, club prevails for the better quality training and competition. Never had much pushback from the HS coach because of this. She usually attends all HS practices even if not actively training."

I almost completely agree with this. Club is for training and development. HS is for fun and camraderie and RECOGNITION. HS kicks the crap out of club for recognition. News paper articles, school announcments, FACA All-Star teams, All-State teams, All County teams.... the list goes on. The truth, club does a horrible job recognizing players. A metal and a facebook post don't cut it. Don't rob your child the chance to be recognized for all their hard work. I like to think of HS as a showcase team because it gives your child the chance to "show off".

Further, I think you need to know what you want from competitive when you sign up. If you goal is to play varsity HS soccer, than ECNL is a waste of your time. If your goal is college than ECNL could help (but don't espect miracles). Too many parents push their kids into club without an "end" in mind.

Finally, I agree with attending practice. Exsesive training can hurt a person, but if you are not going to be apart of the team and attend practice, better than to not even play and take a spot from someone else.

Sorry but this post is ignorant to HS soccer. Poster has never been through a state champ caliber team obviously a rec poster.

[Unregistered]

Sorry but this post is ignorant to HS soccer. Poster has never been through a state champ caliber team obviously a rec poster.

Your comment makes no sense... Did you actually read the post or just start typing?

[Unregistered]

Your comment makes no sense... Did you actually read the post or just start typing?

Obviously this is not a true soccer forum since poster understands HS training while others wil never get it so keep drink ing up the kaid.

[Unregistered]

Your comment makes no sense... Did you actually read the post or just start typing?

just start typing really we are busy winninng state cups rec tourney.

[Guest]

I am posting this separate from the ECNL thread but some of what is in that thread, pertains here. Some within that thread have said that HS soccer will not be permitted by the ecnl. From everything that I have heard "officially", this is not accurate. Some clubs may not permit HS soccer but that is a club decision and not an ecnl decision.

Anyway, in various experiences, what is the experience of most of your daughters in terms of how much their high school teams train? I've heard a big range. Some train every day if there isn't a game. Some train 4 days per week and perhaps play 2 games per week. In short, most of what I've heard is that there is very little time off. My kid will not be in high school for 2 more years. I know that she will probably want to play on the high school team for the reasons that most kids do - friends, school spirit, etc. Some clubs have programs during the high school season and the kids seem to train less days. I am thinking that from a development standpoint that it is better to train 2 to 3 days per week with a club trainer and then maybe 1 or 2 days per week with an outside trainer that currently works with my daughter. Also, the clubs I am thinking of only have perhaps 8 to 10 games throughout the season. To me it just seems that HS soccer runs the players ragged while the training is questionable. Does anybody else have thoughts on this?

I will try to answer this as best as I can. Here is some background on me; I have played school soccer for 3 years and club for around 7 years.

I feel with school soccer, you get worked a bit too hard; you're constantly practicing and playing games. You also are more of a chess piece because school teams are for winning, and you are also extremely replaceable. In club, I feel like you are closer to your coaches/players, and you're treated more as a person that wants to improve.
I do think constant practices are great because the more you practice the better you get. Although school trainers are not the best, any training you put effort into is good training.

[Unregistered]

Sorry but this post is ignorant to HS soccer. Poster has never been through a state champ caliber team obviously a rec poster.

Oviedo girls won last year and were a complete joke. It was terrible soccer and the problem with high school soccer is you have rec players sprinkled in with the elite players. It is kick ball and practices are a social gathering.

If your kid was on purple it wasn't due to the high school issue. It may have been part of it coupled with minimal ECNL playing time, or financial perhaps. Just leave the we didn't play because...it really makes it seem like your kid was better and those who played would take exception. Or, give us a last name and age so we can see if you are a credible poster

[Unregistered]

Hs Soccer

I will try to answer this as best as I can. Here is some background on me; I have played school soccer for 3 years and club for around 7 years.

I feel with school soccer, you get worked a bit too hard; you're constantly practicing and playing games. You also are more of a chess piece because school teams are for winning, and you are also extremely replaceable. In club, I feel like you are closer to your coaches/players, and you're treated more as a person that wants to improve.
I do think constant practices are great because the more you practice the better you get. Although school trainers are not the best, any training you put effort into is good training.

Obviously alot has changed in the 20 plus years since I played HS soccer. I was lucky enough to play with a couple all americans, players who ended up play at the pro level and some who played for the US national team. Obviously these guys were all the product of club soccer, but the one thing we all had in common is we played when ever and where ever we could. HS did provide alot of exposure and recognition. I think that by taking HS soccer away from our kids they are trully missing out not so much at the soccer level but on a much more personal level. What kid doesnt want to be a high school star athlete and regardless of what some may think players who play at thier HS do get exposure that will help them get to the college level. I think thats what most parents want here in the US.

[Unregistered]

My daughter turned down ECNL because of the (at the moment) ban on HS soccer. She enjoys HS very much and didn't think it was necessary to give it up. She plays on a Purple team at OCYS. The HS trains 4-5 days/week and club was training 2 days/week during the time.

Our thinking is this: club soccer is for training and development. HS soccer is for fun and camraderie. HS tends to overtrain and overschedule games. We let her train 4x week if she has 2 games. If there's a conflict between club and HS, club prevails for the better quality training and competition. Never had much pushback from the HS coach because of this. She usually attends all HS practices even if not actively training.

What high school does she play for? Is she a junior or senior? Just curious as we know most of the girls in the area and are curious.