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**Unregistered** · 11-22-2010, 10:40 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

My oldest (10 yo) is probably in the top 20% of the players at her age in her town league. She plays both fall and spring outdoors and plays indoor as well. She also does a couple skills clinics/camps per year.

I'm struggling with the idea of this whole club thing. I can see how it would be beneficial for the elite players but is it really necessary for the nice player who hopes to play for her high school team?

I have no delusions that my daughter would ever have a chance to play in college. I'm just hoping that if she is having fun and enjoying the sport that she has a chance to play for her high school team.

Depends on the town / highschool. larger the school, the more important club would be for her to play in HS. Also, do many of her town teammates do club?

**Unregistered** · 11-22-2010, 10:42 AM

A lot of it depends on the concentration of talent in your town. if you live in regions with unusually strong clubs most of these girls will be competing for spots with your daughter come HS. If not, town travel may be sufficient.

**Unregistered** · 11-22-2010, 10:47 AM

we have an all state player who does not play soccer outside the hs season and plays to other hs sports, can be done but obviously the more you play year round the more likely to start and get more playing time.

**Unregistered** · 11-22-2010, 11:42 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

My oldest (10 yo) is probably in the top 20% of the players at her age in her town league. She plays both fall and spring outdoors and plays indoor as well. She also does a couple skills clinics/camps per year.

This is just a statistics problem and the important variable is the size of the group of players.

I would guess that a normal sized competitive HS's roster would look something like 8 Seniors, 7 Juniors, 4 Sophomores and 1 Freshmen.

A top 20% Junior would have a spot on the team unless you have a group of about 50 soccer playing Juniors.

**Unregistered** · 11-22-2010, 11:46 AM

Some will depend on the coaching for the town team also. If there is little difference between the quality of training between the Clinics and her town team then she will probably be alright. (also taking into account all of the previous posts)

**Unregistered** · 11-22-2010, 11:50 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

This is just a statistics problem and the important variable is the size of the group of players.

I would guess that a normal sized competitive HS's roster would look something like 8 Seniors, 7 Juniors, 4 Sophomores and 1 Freshmen.

A top 20% Junior would have a spot on the team unless you have a group of about 50 soccer playing Juniors.

If she is top 20% on her town team then she would probably be around 40% considering that most will be Club players. what does that get her?

**Unregistered** · 11-22-2010, 11:54 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

This is just a statistics problem and the important variable is the size of the group of players.

I would guess that a normal sized competitive HS's roster would look something like 8 Seniors, 7 Juniors, 4 Sophomores and 1 Freshmen.

A top 20% Junior would have a spot on the team unless you have a group of about 50 soccer playing Juniors.

Adding to my post:

However, remaining in that top 20% through your junior year is the trick. With club soccer (for better or for worse) reaching out to a larger group of players - staying competitive is tough!

I was a pretty terrible youth soccer player and ended up playing in college. A lot of fluctuation can (and will) take place.

**Unregistered** · 11-22-2010, 11:55 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

If she is top 20% on her town team then she would probably be around 40% considering that most will be Club players. what does that get her?

I don't understand this question. 40% of what?

**Unregistered** · 11-22-2010, 12:29 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

If she is top 20% on her town team then she would probably be around 40% considering that most will be Club players. what does that get her?

I hear you but I don't think our town has a ton of girls playing club....yet. I know of maybe a handful (3-5). There may be others but not many. That would be out of roughly 70-80 girls in 5th and 6th grade playing in town.

**Unregistered** · 11-22-2010, 12:35 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

This is just a statistics problem and the important variable is the size of the group of players.

I would guess that a normal sized competitive HS's roster would look something like 8 Seniors, 7 Juniors, 4 Sophomores and 1 Freshmen.

A top 20% Junior would have a spot on the team unless you have a group of about 50 soccer playing Juniors.

Agreed. It really is a statistics problem. Right now I would say she may not be in the top 7 or 8 at her age but certainly in the top 15 or so (out of 75 or 80 in U12). Of course, I'm projecting out 5 or 6 years at this point.

**Unregistered** · 11-22-2010, 01:06 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Agreed. It really is a statistics problem. Right now I would say she may not be in the top 7 or 8 at her age but certainly in the top 15 or so (out of 75 or 80 in U12). Of course, I'm projecting out 5 or 6 years at this point.

Projecting 5 or 6 years is really tough.

Honestly - no matter the statistics problem that I pointed out - the most important thing at 10 years old is that she is having fun.

And in my opinion, 10 years old is mighty young for club soccer. Even as a huge supporter of the club / academy / odp route - I wouldn't advise anyone from playing club before the age of 12-13.

**Unregistered** · 11-22-2010, 01:09 PM

Go and check it out

You are obviously curios about the club teams. I would suggest getting in contact with the clubs near you and have your daughter go to a few practices.(Should be free) If she really likes it and you don't mind spending the money then you should consider it.

**dd2** · 11-22-2010, 02:07 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

My oldest (10 yo) is probably in the top 20% of the players at her age in her town league. She plays both fall and spring outdoors and plays indoor as well. She also does a couple skills clinics/camps per year.

I'm struggling with the idea of this whole club thing. I can see how it would be beneficial for the elite players but is it really necessary for the nice player who hopes to play for her high school team?

I have no delusions that my daughter would ever have a chance to play in college. I'm just hoping that if she is having fun and enjoying the sport that she has a chance to play for her high school team.

The answer to this question depends a great deal on what you mean by "play for her high school team." Do you want her to play as a freshman or will making it as a senior be enough? And when you say "play," do you mean make the team, play only in "garbage time," play meaningful minutes, start, or be a key member of a team?

I think it's pretty hard for freshmen to make a truly strong (i.e. state section semifinalist level) team at all. Some programs just won't do it and will take inferior upperclassmen to skilled freshmen. It's even rare to be a team stud as a freshman. Pretty much every freshman I know who has made a big team has also been a strong club player. There must be those who don't fit the rule, and I'd wager that those kids are the bigger, terrific athlete types.

On the other hand, every team has seniors who play as subs who aren't club players. Their background is regular participation in town programs. There are even some stud players who are juniors or seniors who have played no club - again, terrific athletes. But as a general rule, these players are somewhat rare.

So obviously you don't HAVE to play club soccer to have a good high school career. But if making a high school soccer team matters, your child will need some kind of plan on how to develop skills and game experience.

**Unregistered** · 11-22-2010, 02:35 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Projecting 5 or 6 years is really tough.

Honestly - no matter the statistics problem that I pointed out - the most important thing at 10 years old is that she is having fun.

And in my opinion, 10 years old is mighty young for club soccer. Even as a huge supporter of the club / academy / odp route - I wouldn't advise anyone from playing club before the age of 12-13.

My player went to club at U10 after being repeatedly put on the lowest BAYS team in town despite scoring at will in D4 games - he didn't hang with the right kids, unfortunately. He is now a D1 MAPLE U16 player, and his observation is that club & HS soccer are completely different animals. If the poster's daughter ends up being a tall, fast, highly aggressive player, odds are she'll get a spot on a HS team (unless these types of players are in abundance!). Players who are finesse rather than power players - and this can be the case with club kids - may have a harder time being noticed. They may have intangibles the typical HS coach may have trouble spotting, if what he/she is looking for is a big physical specimen.

Ultimately, soccer is just a game, and she should do whatever she has the most fun with. Good luck!