High School Soccer

[Guest]

Yes. Many are standouts. Not all are scorers.

Hard to standout when teammates aren’t good enough for the kid to standout. Why is that so hard to understand? Really tired of hearing about how everyone in HS is as good as ECNL players. When in reality you would never know how good the kids are bc the HS game is so bad.

[Guest]

My daughter used to play for a mid-level EDP team. When they were 7v7, it didnt matter and she scored a ton of goals playing CF. just by being able to skill out or outrun kids When they moved to 9v9, especially U12, it changed a bit. if she played striker, she would disappear in games because her team couldnt reliably get her the ball. So they would often drop her back to play 6 or 10, but their team still didnt score as much because balls she would put out for the forwards wouldnt get converted. You'd think she was a good player, but nothing special.

It wasnt until i moved her to a better club with girls more consistently at her level that she really flourished because passes got connected and they created opportunities for each other. Soccer is still a team sport and yes, there are kids that can offensively set the game on fire at the HS level that cannot do the same thing in club or in college. That's what people mean when they talk about the HS game being bad. Teams might have a couple of GA, ECNL/RL, or USYS NL players, but for most schools you have starters where girls are either not even playing club soccer or are just playing EDP level at best. If you have an ECNL forward playing against a girl that only plays HS soccer, its pretty clear how that adds to stats. Conversely, a really good Midfielder or defensive player for an ECNL team might be playing out of position in HS or might just not see their contributions to the HS team in the stat sheet because the rest of the team isn't very good. There are like 450 high schools in NJ. You figure each ECNL/GA club has 72 HS aged kids. 4 ECNL teams, 4 GA teams. 576 ECNL/GA kids for 5000-ish starting spots.

[Guest]

Having 3 tough games a year isn't really all that special.

The envy is killing you.

[Guest]

My daughter used to play for a mid-level EDP team. When they were 7v7, it didnt matter and she scored a ton of goals playing CF. just by being able to skill out or outrun kids When they moved to 9v9, especially U12, it changed a bit. if she played striker, she would disappear in games because her team couldnt reliably get her the ball. So they would often drop her back to play 6 or 10, but their team still didnt score as much because balls she would put out for the forwards wouldnt get converted. You'd think she was a good player, but nothing special.

It wasnt until i moved her to a better club with girls more consistently at her level that she really flourished because passes got connected and they created opportunities for each other. Soccer is still a team sport and yes, there are kids that can offensively set the game on fire at the HS level that cannot do the same thing in club or in college. That's what people mean when they talk about the HS game being bad. Teams might have a couple of GA, ECNL/RL, or USYS NL players, but for most schools you have starters where girls are either not even playing club soccer or are just playing EDP level at best. If you have an ECNL forward playing against a girl that only plays HS soccer, its pretty clear how that adds to stats. Conversely, a really good Midfielder or defensive player for an ECNL team might be playing out of position in HS or might just not see their contributions to the HS team in the stat sheet because the rest of the team isn't very good. There are like 450 high schools in NJ. You figure each ECNL/GA club has 72 HS aged kids. 4 ECNL teams, 4 GA teams. 576 ECNL/GA kids for 5000-ish starting spots.

The player which gets the least recognition but is one of the most important players on the pitch is the holding midfielder. Its true for all of soccer, its especially true for highschool.

[Guest]

Yes. Many are standouts. Not all are scorers.

So if they aren't scorers, they would be defenders or mids yet their team still losses to teams that have EDP and rec level players.

I think that is standing out in the wrong way no?

[Guest]

No one is saying that. She has a great team around her at all times.

Midfield aside you could be right.

[Guest]

Hard to standout when teammates aren’t good enough for the kid to standout. Why is that so hard to understand? Really tired of hearing about how everyone in HS is as good as ECNL players. When in reality you would never know how good the kids are bc the HS game is so bad.

So multiple players on a HS squad play ECNL together but lose to teams with zero ECNL kids means what then?

For me it means those particular ECNL players aren't very good since HS soccer isn't very good.

Not hard to stand out in any way in HS soccer so when ECNL kids don't perform against traffic cones it is a pretty damming blow to the ECNL kids are better players crowd.

[Guest]

Last time I checked majority of the RP starters are ECNL. They are champions.

But… but… but AH didn’t score a hat trick in every game… but they should have won by 10 goals… but the didn’t annihilate an EDP team… but they won on penalties… but… but. Listen, you guys sound like whiny bitches. Just stop. HS season is over. RP won the states. Let it go.

Pivot back to talking **** about PDA. I’m sure you just can’t wait to do so.

[Guest]

Last time I checked majority of the RP starters are ECNL. They are champions.

But… but… but AH didn’t score a hat trick in every game… but they should have won by 10 goals… but the didn’t annihilate an EDP team… but they won on penalties… but… but. Listen, you guys sound like whiny bitches. Just stop. HS season is over. RP won the states. Let it go.

Pivot back to talking **** about PDA. I’m sure you just can’t wait to do so.

Your right, can't wait to see PDA choke it up in the ECNL playoffs again this year. AH can't score, team doesn't score. Lather, rinse, repeat.

[Guest]

You’re right, can't wait to see PDA choke it up in the ECNL playoffs again this year. AH can't score, team doesn't score. Lather, rinse, repeat.

AH and PDA must have done a real number in your kid.

[Guest]

right, can't wait to see PDA choke it up in the ECNL playoffs again this year. AH can't score, team doesn't score. Lather, rinse, repeat.

AH can score. That’s where you’re wrong Come
to a game a watch … pda win … AH score repeat … it happens all season. why the hate for PDA and AH? They made it out of group stages and to the Elite 8 and then lost. They year before went to the Final 4. Again, not saying the 06 team should have won or is even good enough to win, but to say it’s a choke isn’t really accurate. Again, it been said, AH is a good player and soccer is a team sport. It’s not 1v 11. Move on and get over PDA RP and AH. U need therapy ….

[Guest]

AH and PDA must have done a real number in your kid.

They sure did. CUT and onto PDA South ….

[Guest]

PDA should not be expected to win Nationals at every age group or any age group. There are a bunch of really fantastic clubs and teams nationwide. PDA for the most part does dominate at a regional level which in itself is a testament to how good PDA Blue is. Let’s stop with the jealous rage about how 1 kid does in the playoffs. It’s ridiculous and childish.

[Guest]

The player which gets the least recognition but is one of the most important players on the pitch is the holding midfielder. Its true for all of soccer, its especially true for highschool.

Ds a holding mid that teams actively try to play around which isn't hard when the rest of the team is bad (think local league, no longer plays outside HS, or low level - div 4 and lower level players) and playing teams with multiple D1/2 USYS, GA, and ENNL forwards and mids. If the striker or wings could shoot the ball (most goals scored in a season by a single player over the last few years is 7) she'd have 30+ assists a year easy. Instead she winds up with a handful of goals and assists per year.

On the fun side she just had her banquet where they announced players making conference teams. Senior who's mom is a coach - 1st team all conference which is odd because as a FWD/Mid she tallied a staggering 5 goals and 1 assist which wasn't even good enough to be the top on the team let alone one of the best in the conference (26 players had more points in the conference). So I stand by my statement that HS is bull****!

[Guest]

So multiple players on a HS squad play ECNL together but lose to teams with zero ECNL kids means what then?

For me it means those particular ECNL players aren't very good since HS soccer isn't very good.

Not hard to stand out in any way in HS soccer so when ECNL kids don't perform against traffic cones it is a pretty damming blow to the ECNL kids are better players crowd.

Correct, just because they play on an ECNL or GA team doesn't mean they are good. They could be those bench players that the coach wishes he could replace or just be at a club that doesn't attract the best players. I've seen an entire USYS D1 team that had almost every player at the same HS dominate for 4 years before players started graduating and went from top 2 in conference to last place with a single win.