HS Soccer is Essential for Girls

[Unregistered]

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.

They played ONE YEAR in GDA. Nearly all of their development came in ECNL. Dont' give GDA credit for something it didn't earn. Plenty of ECNL players were impact players as well. The full impact in college won't be seen for some time. Playing in GDA is not a necessity for college, certainly not for right now. College coaches know the quality of clubs and competition is very inconsistent (especially in the Northeast) and that not all the top players are in the league. Pick the best coaching in your area; dont' chose because of a patch

[Unregistered]

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.

Why do you consider these options mutually exclusive? Go read the bios of girls D1 rosters, including the top NCAA 16 perennial contenders. HS credits read before club and almost every kid has HS credits in those bios. Go read the bios of the Boys D1 (and most D2) rosters and the top players with most of the minutes come from other countries. Read the D3 rosters and you will find your DA players equally along with the kids with HS credits.

[Unregistered]

Why do you consider these options mutually exclusive? Go read the bios of girls D1 rosters, including the top NCAA 16 perennial contenders. HS credits read before club and almost every kid has HS credits in those bios. Go read the bios of the Boys D1 (and most D2) rosters and the top players with most of the minutes come from other countries. Read the D3 rosters and you will find your DA players equally along with the kids with HS credits.

Not totally a fair example on the girls side. With GDA now in it's 3rd year, 2nd for some clubs, your NCAA rosters are filled with upper classmen who never had the alternative.

Any league formation that asks a kid to change something midstream as drastic as that won't get full buy-in (i.e. a junior in HS is less likely to forego their remaining years vs. one who hasn't entered it yet). But, it has happened in a few cases.

You need to make the same comparison 5 years from now, even 8, so the 2005 class who never were in HS have gone through college and then look.

All that being said, GDA isn't a magic formula and you can "make it" going the HS route. All it's guaranteeing you is exposure. So, it could be easier, but no...not every GDA kid is destined for DI and not every HS kid is destined to top out at DIII.

In talking to one DA parent of a boy (not associated with a club in this state) he was saying that when contacting colleges, most of them had DA clubs in the drop-down. Non-DA clubs at some colleges weren't listed. You could, of course, choose "Other" and fill-in the club. Yes, HS was a requirement.

[Unregistered]

I don't know if it's "essential" but it's obviously desirable. If it wasn't, why would a multitude of SUSC players choose to cheat and play both at the same time?

[Unregistered]

I don't know if it's "essential" but it's obviously desirable. If it wasn't, why would a multitude of SUSC players choose to cheat and play both at the same time?

Someone said that earlier - great to have but not have to have. However, if girls can chose another league that still allows them to play HS and they still get good college exposure, then guess which they'll chose? Particularly when in this region GDA isn't very good why go that route. Life is short. No one is going pro; they barely even do on the boy's side.

[Unregistered]

Someone said that earlier - great to have but not have to have. However, if girls can chose another league that still allows them to play HS and they still get good college exposure, then guess which they'll chose? Particularly when in this region GDA isn't very good why go that route. Life is short. No one is going pro; they barely even do on the boy's side.

The question becomes that there isn't another league of similar quality that will allow you to do both within the logistical boundaries for most NH players.

Then you've got some who, when asked "if we could make it work, would you want to?" and they answer "no". Not going to make them.

[Unregistered]

Not totally a fair example on the girls side. With GDA now in it's 3rd year, 2nd for some clubs, your NCAA rosters are filled with upper classmen who never had the alternative.

Any league formation that asks a kid to change something midstream as drastic as that won't get full buy-in (i.e. a junior in HS is less likely to forego their remaining years vs. one who hasn't entered it yet). But, it has happened in a few cases.

You need to make the same comparison 5 years from now, even 8, so the 2005 class who never were in HS have gone through college and then look.

All that being said, GDA isn't a magic formula and you can "make it" going the HS route. All it's guaranteeing you is exposure. So, it could be easier, but no...not every GDA kid is destined for DI and not every HS kid is destined to top out at DIII.

In talking to one DA parent of a boy (not associated with a club in this state) he was saying that when contacting colleges, most of them had DA clubs in the drop-down. Non-DA clubs at some colleges weren't listed. You could, of course, choose "Other" and fill-in the club. Yes, HS was a requirement.

The issue I have with GDA right now in NH is that people claim the "higher level of coaching" but the SUSC GDA coaches have been with SUSC for years coaching other teams, do here is NO improvement in coaching - just recycling the same coaches to other assignments.

[Unregistered]

The question becomes that there isn't another league of similar quality that will allow you to do both within the logistical boundaries for most NH players.

Then you've got some who, when asked "if we could make it work, would you want to?" and they answer "no". Not going to make them.

In NH your exposure and ability to "make it big" in soccer is limited. That's why Charlie Davies went to CA and got out of NH to finish his HS and club soccer career.

[Unregistered]

In NH your exposure and ability to "make it big" in soccer is limited. That's why Charlie Davies went to CA and got out of NH to finish his HS and club soccer career.

I don't think anyone is thinking they are going to "make it big". Nobody I've ever heard say such a thing.

[Unregistered]

The issue I have with GDA right now in NH is that people claim the "higher level of coaching" but the SUSC GDA coaches have been with SUSC for years coaching other teams, do here is NO improvement in coaching - just recycling the same coaches to other assignments.

You are certainly welcome to your opinion. I'll value it even more if you can give a before and after from first hand experience.

From our experience, the coaches are their better/best coaches (too thin for everyone to get a great coach, sad to say) and WHAT they are coaching and the oversight in place is different.

Either way, that wasn't in my post so not sure why you replied to it and brought that up.

[Unregistered]

The question becomes that there isn't another league of similar quality that will allow you to do both within the logistical boundaries for most NH players.

Then you've got some who, when asked "if we could make it work, would you want to?" and they answer "no". Not going to make them.

Your daughter made that decision as an 8th grader. She might not feel different as a junior or senior, but she also might. Hopefully you'll be okay with that.

[Unregistered]

Your daughter made that decision as an 8th grader. She might not feel different as a junior or senior, but she also might. Hopefully you'll be okay with that.

Yes, actually, as an 8th grader. And as a freshman. It could change, we'll review it at the end of the year like we always due. She's adamant she won't, but I doubt she can honestly, truly speak for how she's going to feel in 3 years. She can always change it if she wants and play HS.

[Unregistered]

I only have boys... but every year you re-evaluate your situation. SUSC unfortunately doesn’t have a great Academy program so adding that into the mix the pros have never outweighed the cons.

[Unregistered]

You are certainly welcome to your opinion. I'll value it even more if you can give a before and after from first hand experience.

From our experience, the coaches are their better/best coaches (too thin for everyone to get a great coach, sad to say) and WHAT they are coaching and the oversight in place is different.

Either way, that wasn't in my post so not sure why you replied to it and brought that up.

Kind of speaks volumes that the Girls Academy DOC from Seacoast left to take a lower level position at NEFC.