HS Tryout Process

[Unregistered]

For argument sake let's say that the Winchester Girls HS team from the early 2000's played Scorpos or Stars U17/18. I guarantee that team would utterly dismantle the club team. Why? Maybe slightly less talented but they play for team pride and not individual achievement. Club soccer has lousy team dynamics for the most part. Why? Because aside from the top 3-4 players the rest of the roster are competing against each other as much as they are against their opponent. Club is essentially mercenarial and selfish. I have years of experience in both venues as a coach and as a parent. This is not conjecure. This is fact. Obviously in it's entirety club soccer generally is a better product with better players but for the club snobs in here to argue that HS is some kind of Campfire Girl Marshmallow Toast Social Outing is not only grossly inaccurate but it is really insulting to the thousands of dedicated HS players who wind up playing in college in part because of their achievements on BOTH HS and club venue.

My nephew played soccer for a college coach who did not look kindly on players who skipped their HS seasons. He encouraged them to play in both venues. He felt turning your back on your community and friends was a character flaw. This coach was a consistent winner at a high D3 level with over an 80% career win percentage. He also coached an elite club team in VA that usually spanked teams from MA.

My nephew is now an AC at this school and he believes the same thing. HS soccer builds teamwork and competitive fire and toughens you up as a player. Club builds more technical and tactical areas and the two work together nicely. He played two years in the pro A league and firmly believes that his career would not have been as successful if he skipped HS.

DAP is obviously changing this dynamic but unless you are one of the top 15 players in your age group skipping HS for DAP may be a bad decision in the long run.

I suspect that DAP for girls will be even more intense in the HS vs DAP debate. Parents of female soccer players have this irrational intensity that makes the boys game look like church choir.

Of course it's conjecture, not fact. How could you ever hope to prove your hypothesis?

[Unregistered]

My kid plays high school (as a freshman and playing up) and also plays the rest of the year at one of the well known academy clubs-

The reason hes playing high school is that he tried out for and didn't make the u14 FT academy roster at his club- oh well life isn't over, although our kid was disappointed for sure. and PS the DA teams for this club have multiple US youth national team members on the roster, honestly they ARE better then our kid :) -

The positive surprise was that he really enjoys the high school thing a lot more then he thought, making tons of new friends quickly, including soph, juniors and seniors on his team, and the coach is good (that's lucky I guess)

All freshman on his team play higher level club soccer- is it quite as skilled as his club team (where half the roster played dallas cup), no- but still fun, good, and only a couple of months before club starts again (and chance to move up to DA maybe in coming years who knows)

So, don't know why one has to knock DA or HS, just different- DA kids are elite and earned it- however for the other 99% who play HS- by choice or didn't make roster, its also a god experience and shouldn't be knocked, just my opinion.

What club sounds like the one to join?

[Unregistered]

Of course it's conjecture, not fact. How could you ever hope to prove your hypothesis?

No less valid than the hypthesis that a Scorps U17/18 team would have beaten Winchester in it's prime. BTW - I have absolutely no affiliation with Winchester other than knowing the coaching staff and some of the former players through club play. Their #3 goalie one year played for a really good club - they had top club players who barely got time until their senior year. If you never saw them play you have no idea how good they were. One team was top ranked HS team in the country.

[Unregistered]

For argument sake let's say that the Winchester Girls HS team from the early 2000's played Scorpos or Stars U17/18. I guarantee that team would utterly dismantle the club team. Why? Maybe slightly less talented but they play for team pride and not individual achievement. Club soccer has lousy team dynamics for the most part. Why? Because aside from the top 3-4 players the rest of the roster are competing against each other as much as they are against their opponent. Club is essentially mercenarial and selfish. I have years of experience in both venues as a coach and as a parent. This is not conjecure. This is fact. Obviously in it's entirety club soccer generally is a better product with better players but for the club snobs in here to argue that HS is some kind of Campfire Girl Marshmallow Toast Social Outing is not only grossly inaccurate but it is really insulting to the thousands of dedicated HS players who wind up playing in college in part because of their achievements on BOTH HS and club venue.

My nephew played soccer for a college coach who did not look kindly on players who skipped their HS seasons. He encouraged them to play in both venues. He felt turning your back on your community and friends was a character flaw. This coach was a consistent winner at a high D3 level with over an 80% career win percentage. He also coached an elite club team in VA that usually spanked teams from MA.

My nephew is now an AC at this school and he believes the same thing. HS soccer builds teamwork and competitive fire and toughens you up as a player. Club builds more technical and tactical areas and the two work together nicely. He played two years in the pro A league and firmly believes that his career would not have been as successful if he skipped HS.

DAP is obviously changing this dynamic but unless you are one of the top 15 players in your age group skipping HS for DAP may be a bad decision in the long run.

I suspect that DAP for girls will be even more intense in the HS vs DAP debate. Parents of female soccer players have this irrational intensity that makes the boys game look like church choir.

You are a boob. Your nephew played D3....Wow. Who gives a sh%t. You think HS soccer is the end all be all. You continue to prove that you are an imbecile.

[Unregistered]

For argument sake let's say that the Winchester Girls HS team from the early 2000's played Scorpos or Stars U17/18. I guarantee that team would utterly dismantle the club team. Why? Maybe slightly less talented but they play for team pride and not individual achievement. Club soccer has lousy team dynamics for the most part. Why? Because aside from the top 3-4 players the rest of the roster are competing against each other as much as they are against their opponent. Club is essentially mercenarial and selfish. I have years of experience in both venues as a coach and as a parent. This is not conjecure. This is fact. Obviously in it's entirety club soccer generally is a better product with better players but for the club snobs in here to argue that HS is some kind of Campfire Girl Marshmallow Toast Social Outing is not only grossly inaccurate but it is really insulting to the thousands of dedicated HS players who wind up playing in college in part because of their achievements on BOTH HS and club venue.

My nephew played soccer for a college coach who did not look kindly on players who skipped their HS seasons. He encouraged them to play in both venues. He felt turning your back on your community and friends was a character flaw. This coach was a consistent winner at a high D3 level with over an 80% career win percentage. He also coached an elite club team in VA that usually spanked teams from MA.

My nephew is now an AC at this school and he believes the same thing. HS soccer builds teamwork and competitive fire and toughens you up as a player. Club builds more technical and tactical areas and the two work together nicely. He played two years in the pro A league and firmly believes that his career would not have been as successful if he skipped HS.

DAP is obviously changing this dynamic but unless you are one of the top 15 players in your age group skipping HS for DAP may be a bad decision in the long run.

I suspect that DAP for girls will be even more intense in the HS vs DAP debate. Parents of female soccer players have this irrational intensity that makes the boys game look like church choir.

My son plays for the U18 Dap team. I can assure you that none of them lack in character and they are all as tough as nails. They are passionate about their sport and many of them already have college commitments in their Junior year. Maturity wise, they are miles ahead of their HS counter parts.

Your post is inaccurate and based on no real facts. I sense a little jealousy in there also.

[Unregistered]

This person gets it

This poster gets it

My kid plays high school (as a freshman and playing up) and also plays the rest of the year at one of the well known academy clubs-

The reason hes playing high school is that he tried out for and didn't make the u14 FT academy roster at his club- oh well life isn't over, although our kid was disappointed for sure. and PS the DA teams for this club have multiple US youth national team members on the roster, honestly they ARE better then our kid :) -

The positive surprise was that he really enjoys the high school thing a lot more then he thought, making tons of new friends quickly, including soph, juniors and seniors on his team, and the coach is good (that's lucky I guess)

All freshman on his team play higher level club soccer- is it quite as skilled as his club team (where half the roster played dallas cup), no- but still fun, good, and only a couple of months before club starts again (and chance to move up to DA maybe in coming years who knows)


So, don't know why one has to knock DA or HS, just different- DA kids are elite and earned it- however for the other 99% who play HS- by choice or didn't make roster, its also a god experience and shouldn't be knocked, just my opinion.

[Unregistered]

No less valid than the hypthesis that a Scorps U17/18 team would have beaten Winchester in it's prime. BTW - I have absolutely no affiliation with Winchester other than knowing the coaching staff and some of the former players through club play. Their #3 goalie one year played for a really good club - they had top club players who barely got time until their senior year. If you never saw them play you have no idea how good they were. One team was top ranked HS team in the country.

I never saw them play and I know nothing about them. But I do know that you just admitted that your supposed "fact, not conjecture" was actually conjecture.

[Unregistered]

Then I think we agree

For the most part, absolutely.

[Unregistered]

You are a boob. Your nephew played D3....Wow. Who gives a sh%t. You think HS soccer is the end all be all. You continue to prove that you are an imbecile.

Yeah then after D3 he played A league pro ball. Made it a lot farther than your kid will likely ever make it. D1 ain't all it is cracked up to be. He CHOSE D3 over D1. D1 coach at UNH was a doosh.

[Unregistered]

Yeah then after D3 he played A league pro ball. Made it a lot farther than your kid will likely ever make it. D1 ain't all it is cracked up to be. He CHOSE D3 over D1. D1 coach at UNH was a doosh.

CUJO, in the grand scheme of things your nephew was just another guy, don't elevate him to the ranks of exceptional. Soccer at that level is more about who has the will to keep playing than about actual talent levels. The way you are carrying on you are making it seem like someone from the Boston Bandits is actually a NE Patriot in disguise.

[Unregistered]

CUJO, in the grand scheme of things your nephew was just another guy, don't elevate him to the ranks of exceptional. Soccer at that level is more about who has the will to keep playing than about actual talent levels. The way you are carrying on you are making it seem like someone from the Boston Bandits is actually a NE Patriot in disguise.

Did you ever see him play? If not - then shut the %$#@ up.....

BTW he is coaching at D1 level right now.

And............ he played (god forbid.....) HS soccer!!! Oh no!

[Unregistered]

Yeah then after D3 he played A league pro ball. Made it a lot farther than your kid will likely ever make it. D1 ain't all it is cracked up to be. He CHOSE D3 over D1. D1 coach at UNH was a doosh.

Sure he chose D3. I bet the D1 offers were rolling in! What a crock.

[Unregistered]

Did you ever see him play? If not - then shut the %$#@ up.....

BTW he is coaching at D1 level right now.

And............ he played (god forbid.....) HS soccer!!! Oh no!

The old saying applies.. those that can't, coach

[Unregistered]

Did you ever see him play? If not - then shut the %$#@ up.....

BTW he is coaching at D1 level right now.

And............ he played (god forbid.....) HS soccer!!! Oh no!

Take notice of the personality. Perspective is not the only loon on this site. CUJO is actually the all time leading poster on this site. He's never left, just taken his nasty brand of posting anonymous.

[Unregistered]

Sure he chose D3. I bet the D1 offers were rolling in! What a crock.

UNH and Virginia. 75% offers.

BTW - I post rarely and 99% is positive stuff.

Every year we have to deal with the annoying gross generalization that all HS soccer sucks from disgruntled U14 parents who can't believe the coaches who have their squads set won't even look at their kid until they are Soph or Jr.

So they degrade HS soccer to salve their bruised egos....