HS Soccer is Essential for Girls

[Unregistered]

My daughter was invited and asked to tryout for DA this year and she said no because as she puts it - nobody cares or follows your team other than the parents. The school team - kids talk to you in the halls about it, they come to games... the crowd at playoffs is awesome. That never happens in club. So she will play HS and club (GPS next year) and enjoy all of it.

I think you just pointed out the essential difference between DA players and high school players. All these kids are working hard at the sport, but some kids just really need to be recognized for that work by peers, teachers, and community members to keep them motivated. High school soccer provides this and they are Ok with a lower level of competition and coaching, as long as they are rewarded externally.

For DA player, the motivation is more internal. They could care less who knows they are good soccer players (my kid will be entering his third year in DA this fall, and his friends have just started finding out his level of play). They work hard to be the best players they can be, usually with some long term goal in mind, but are not interested in gaining recognition and accolades short term.
Either high school or DA is fine, kids are working hard, improving at something they are passionate about, learning how to work with other people, etc. It really is just a matter of preference.

The tricky part is when you have a kid who has the DA mindset, but a parent who played high school and has the HS mindset. It drives the parent crazy that the community has no idea their kid even plays soccer. So they have to use TS to anonomously to your how great their kid, and the DA program, is, which usually comes off as being pretentious. If your kid decides on playing DA, be happy with the decision and respect that they are fine not getting the recognition.

[Unregistered]

I think you just pointed out the essential difference between DA players and high school players. All these kids are working hard at the sport, but some kids just really need to be recognized for that work by peers, teachers, and community members to keep them motivated. High school soccer provides this and they are Ok with a lower level of competition and coaching, as long as they are rewarded externally.

For DA player, the motivation is more internal. They could care less who knows they are good soccer players (my kid will be entering his third year in DA this fall, and his friends have just started finding out his level of play). They work hard to be the best players they can be, usually with some long term goal in mind, but are not interested in gaining recognition and accolades short term.
Either high school or DA is fine, kids are working hard, improving at something they are passionate about, learning how to work with other people, etc. It really is just a matter of preference.

The tricky part is when you have a kid who has the DA mindset, but a parent who played high school and has the HS mindset. It drives the parent crazy that the community has no idea their kid even plays soccer. So they have to use TS to anonomously to your how great their kid, and the DA program, is, which usually comes off as being pretentious. If your kid decides on playing DA, be happy with the decision and respect that they are fine not getting the recognition.

Well said, and there is not right or wrong answer. To me, as long as they are playing at the level they wish, and help foster the love of the game and help it to move it forward, I really don't care what other families are doing.

It's a game for all; pick YOUR level and have fun with it.

[Unregistered]

Some of you are over-estimating the influence of parents' on the desire for many kids to play in high school. Most teens I know are pretty driven and know their own minds. You're also underestimating how many kids in the DA system would chose HS if they could. Yes they're making that choice but it doesn't mean they are happy with it. For most of these kids playing a few more months of club soccer isn't going to change their trajectory whatsoever.

[Unregistered]

Some of you are over-estimating the influence of parents' on the desire for many kids to play in high school. Most teens I know are pretty driven and know their own minds. You're also underestimating how many kids in the DA system would chose HS if they could. Yes they're making that choice but it doesn't mean they are happy with it. For most of these kids playing a few more months of club soccer isn't going to change their trajectory whatsoever.

I don't doubt close to 100% of the kids would choose it if they could. Actually...every single kid CAN choose it if they want to.

But, when having to make a decision, some do, some don't. Either way, I think you are overestimating how many parents are making the decision for their kids. These are decisions made by the kids, not the adults. I won't force my kid to do something she doesn't want to do and isn't necessary for her.

[Unregistered]

What if...my kid doesn't want it? What if my kid doesn't need that? What if she likes her club friends from all over as much as her HS friends? Why do you think you speak for everyone?

Different kids need different things. To make definitive statements with absolutes is off-base.

Bottomline, if your kid needs to be recognized by their peers and soccer is the path to do it, I strongly encourage it. Doesn't mean everyone does, though.

So your daughter is insecure if she needs the approval of her club coach, club friends, etc... what a pointless reply you posted... Jesus wake up! Kids are social and want to be recognized for their accomplishments. Heck - you want validation from your own job! Kids have goals and aspirations and if HS soccer means more to them - so be it. Calling them insecure because they want to keep playing with their friends they have played with since age 5 is a total douche move!

[Unregistered]

I think you just pointed out the essential difference between DA players and high school players. All these kids are working hard at the sport, but some kids just really need to be recognized for that work by peers, teachers, and community members to keep them motivated. High school soccer provides this and they are Ok with a lower level of competition and coaching, as long as they are rewarded externally.

For DA player, the motivation is more internal. They could care less who knows they are good soccer players (my kid will be entering his third year in DA this fall, and his friends have just started finding out his level of play). They work hard to be the best players they can be, usually with some long term goal in mind, but are not interested in gaining recognition and accolades short term.
Either high school or DA is fine, kids are working hard, improving at something they are passionate about, learning how to work with other people, etc. It really is just a matter of preference.

The tricky part is when you have a kid who has the DA mindset, but a parent who played high school and has the HS mindset. It drives the parent crazy that the community has no idea their kid even plays soccer. So they have to use TS to anonomously to your how great their kid, and the DA program, is, which usually comes off as being pretentious. If your kid decides on playing DA, be happy with the decision and respect that they are fine not getting the recognition.

So you are ok saying let’s not recognize their hard work, accomplishments, and celebrating success- 😳🤔 sounds like a SUSC Coach! This is the exact reason my kids both left SUSC for GPS. With SUSC - as long as your check clears the bank, they are all good! No drive to build the product or player by working to get them to improve to play the next level. Heck - SUSC could not even fill their rosters this past spring. Took parents money though...

With SUSC - if you are not NPL or GDA - your kid will not get coaching, they will fall behind as they scramble on Thursday’s to call enough kids to fill a team for the weekend.

[Unregistered]

So your daughter is insecure if she needs the approval of her club coach, club friends, etc... what a pointless reply you posted... Jesus wake up! Kids are social and want to be recognized for their accomplishments. Heck - you want validation from your own job! Kids have goals and aspirations and if HS soccer means more to them - so be it. Calling them insecure because they want to keep playing with their friends they have played with since age 5 is a total douche move!

Nope, not every kid who plays soccer needs to do it for the accolades. She's not insecure that she needs people cheering for her. Fully integrated into school, goes to all the events and contributes to all kinds of activities; recognized leader by all her teachers, guidance councilers, etc. She plays soccer for herself.

You seem to fail to grasp that you can be recognized in many different ways. One doesn't need soccer for that.

And, yes, to me, it is a little insecure if they don't want to step out of their comfort zone and try new experiences. It's hard for any kid to leave the club they were at for several years and trying something new. Proud of my kid in how she suggested it, pursued it, followed through with it, and embraced it. She's got a whole separate life that is just hers and when the whims of the school don't go her way, she's got something else to fall back on.

I encourage every kid to live and experience outside of just their school life. It will end soon enough, and her broadened circle will only help her in life.

Our town put in a new HS a few years ago, and I was staunchly against it. I actually liked how they went to a different town, met new people from different backgrounds, etc. Living a sheltered life will be much harder when they get older for many people.

[Unregistered]

With SUSC - if you are not NPL or GDA - your kid will not get coaching, they will fall behind as they scramble on Thursday’s to call enough kids to fill a team for the weekend.

I cannot express how false this is. I lived the GPS world for 5 years. 11 different coaches in 5 years as a "Select" player. Constantly being asked to play up an age group because they needed players.

Good coaches, no matter the program, lead the top teams. The rest get the coach-of-the-day.

[Unregistered]

Nope, not every kid who plays soccer needs to do it for the accolades. She's not insecure that she needs people cheering for her. Fully integrated into school, goes to all the events and contributes to all kinds of activities; recognized leader by all her teachers, guidance councilers, etc. She plays soccer for herself.

You seem to fail to grasp that you can be recognized in many different ways. One doesn't need soccer for that.

And, yes, to me, it is a little insecure if they don't want to step out of their comfort zone and try new experiences. It's hard for any kid to leave the club they were at for several years and trying something new. Proud of my kid in how she suggested it, pursued it, followed through with it, and embraced it. She's got a whole separate life that is just hers and when the whims of the school don't go her way, she's got something else to fall back on.

I encourage every kid to live and experience outside of just their school life. It will end soon enough, and her broadened circle will only help her in life.

Our town put in a new HS a few years ago, and I was staunchly against it. I actually liked how they went to a different town, met new people from different backgrounds, etc. Living a sheltered life will be much harder when they get older for many people.

Thanks Dad

[Unregistered]

Title is incorrect. HS soccer isn't "essential" for girls but it is important to many of them. Some just won't care, especially if the HS is terrible. But many would prefer to play even if their team is only ok. USSF grossly underestimated the draw of HS soccer and thought they could roll over ECNL.

[Unregistered]

Title is incorrect. HS soccer isn't "essential" for girls but it is important to many of them. Some just won't care, especially if the HS is terrible. But many would prefer to play even if their team is only ok. USSF grossly underestimated the draw of HS soccer and thought they could roll over ECNL.

All you DA fans are forgetting that college soccer is more like High School soccer than DA. No Fifa sub rules, mixed age group with U19’s expected to perform against U22’s and a very condensed competitive schedule in the fall which also requires the juggling of school and social commitments. DA soccer is at most 4 days per week, 3 practices and 1 game on Sunday. Want to prepare for college ball and learn to balance soccer and school? Play HS soccer.

That’s without going into the social and community aspects of HS vs DA. A HS team wins a Championship or State title, that team is honored for decades to come in the hallways and gymnasiums. No one cares but the club and parents about club soccer victories. It is a means to an end: get recruited to play in college.

DA parents are delusional and kids will look back in 10 or 20 years and wish they had done it different. Too bad you only get one shot at this and USSF has brain washed so many to believe GDA is the answer... rather than part of the problem.

[Unregistered]

That’s without going into the social and community aspects of HS vs DA. A HS team wins a Championship or State title, that team is honored for decades to come in the hallways and gymnasiums. No one cares but the club and parents about club soccer victories. It is a means to an end: get recruited to play in college.

This is kind of amusing. I remember there being a trophy case in the hallway of my high school, but I honestly can't remember once in my four years there stopping to read the little engraved plaques at the bottom to see what they were for. Same goes with the banners hung up in the gym, which I think were for basketball, or maybe it was wrestling? I myself was part of a state championship team in high school, but I'm pretty sure other than my teammates, parents of my teammates and a few close friends, nobody had a second thought about it more than a day after the big win. Maybe we had our names mentioned in the local paper, can't remember. My point being, does anybody, other than the players and their parents, really care about results of local sports competitions, HS or club? Probably not, unless there is a local phenom involved who is recognized at a national level.

As for whether high school or DA better prepare a player for college? I'd go with the one offering the higher level of competition and speed of play. Both have tough schedules that require students to plan and manage their time in order to do well in school.

[Unregistered]

I don't know why the quote feature is so screwed up on this board....to answer the post above it is much more demanding to balance school, work and classes with HS than DA. Just like college the schedule is condensed and grinding. You probably will miss some classes for games and travel. The travel will be on lousy, loud buses, not the comfort of your dad's car. Less recovery time in between games, the need to win for titles and for the coach to keep his job. Games and practices 6 days/ week. I'm not saying it's all to the good but it is much more like college.

People also go to HS games. Not huge numbers for regular games but more than just a few parents at club games. Playoffs, senior nights all get butts in the seats. Teams plan out special activities before or on game days. It is Kids just like it. There's just no getting around it. Some can walk away from it without even blinking. Some leave it unwillingly and the rest won't give it up. If what you're giving it up for isn't that great and you aren't a NT player (99.5%)then all the more reason to stay

[Unregistered]

I don't know why the quote feature is so screwed up on this board....to answer the post above it is much more demanding to balance school, work and classes with HS than DA. Just like college the schedule is condensed and grinding. You probably will miss some classes for games and travel. The travel will be on lousy, loud buses, not the comfort of your dad's car. Less recovery time in between games, the need to win for titles and for the coach to keep his job. Games and practices 6 days/ week. I'm not saying it's all to the good but it is much more like college.

People also go to HS games. Not huge numbers for regular games but more than just a few parents at club games. Playoffs, senior nights all get butts in the seats. Teams plan out special activities before or on game days. It is Kids just like it. There's just no getting around it. Some can walk away from it without even blinking. Some leave it unwillingly and the rest won't give it up. If what you're giving it up for isn't that great and you aren't a NT player (99.5%)then all the more reason to stay

Good points. But last year's freshman class in college featured players that played substantial minutes and were contributors. Most of those kids played in the GDA. And, in their high school programs were substantial contributors too. Some didn't play their senior year in high school.

Do you want to play in high school or get a lot of minutes in college? Only the individuals and their family can answer that.

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=Unregistered;2516047]

Boy, that high level of coaching sure pays off for the boys DA huh? I forgot how good the DA programs are at cranking out top level talent for the USMNT. I mean SUSC boys DA has been aces these last 11 years

It’s a higher level then any HS in the state. FACT.

It’s a higher level then snub ODP team in the state. FACT.

Over the years, the happy SUSC DA players are slim to none! FACT.