2018 HS Girls Soccer

[Unregistered]

Let's remember it's a bit apples and oranges.

High school starts hopefully after kids have been taking a break and while skills shouldn't be grossly slip after a break - just recall how most students do in the first couple of weeks of high school after summer break.

High school is about (hopefully) a few things - winning, teaching leadership, learning the responsibility of representing your school and community, playing before (usually) a lot more people than just parents in lawn chairs who have written checks - skill development is generally not on the list. Winning focus often means playing time, position, tactics and other geared toward, well, winning.

Club can be multiple things as well, but hopefully technical/tactical development is the priority with winning as a secondary outcome from that; development focus means playing time, position, tactics, and other geared toward player development, not winning.

Ideally, club plays once a week and ratio of training to playing is 3 to 1 or so; high school ratio, especially with the overpacked schedule, is often 2 to 1.

The spring and early summer tournaments when that "stylistic" play should be showing is after months of training; the first games in high school are after, what, two weeks?

Sad US Soccer has not viewed high school soccer as a way to promote the game instead of an obstacle with their narrow focus.

Are you suggesting high school coaches must have proper US Soccer licensing requirements?Most high school coaches do not even know how to kick a ball let alone coach. Sad but true. Schools need to treat coaching hiring like teachers. Remember these are student athletes.

[Unregistered]

Yeah Ok! On both statements.
Really? Why wouldn't a player use their "skill sets" learned at a supposed "higher level" with their lower level high school team. They should be tearing it up out there if that was the case. LOL. Even if their coach/s was/were clueless their soccer sense would kick in and they would use it. So that is BS!
So you don't watch your child play anymore? Bad parent alert!

You are a moron.

You could easily be the best player in the entire state, but if your team can't string together two passes, you will not flourish or sometimes even be noticed if playing in a poor soccer environment. Every team had at least 1 or 2 good players this year, but if the rest of the squad is a rec team you will have no prayer against a team where at least half the kids are decent.

Some of the weaker teams were barely even getting the ball across midfield, and a strong player can't dribble through everyone. You could potentially be the best facilitator on a club team, but if nobody on your high school team can score, your skillset is wasted.

It is not like a basketball game where one person can often control and dominate a game since only five on the floor.

[Unregistered]

Guess you never play soccer. When a player switched from possession to direct there are some attributes or lack of attributes needed to be effective. Possession require players to control the ball and control the rhythm of the play. Most high schools play direct (kick and run) where 50/50 balls are determined by athleticism and luck. Not much possessions. When you play kick and run you neutralize skill players and athleticism comes into play. Just like putting Usain Bolt forward and kick the ball to him 20 times and hope he’ll score 3 goals by chance bc of his athleticism, speed and strength.

Well Mr. Dad Coach... how would you overcome a kick and run team (most are) with your surprisingly fast, control style, possession style of soccer that you just admitted can't overcome kick/run soccer? Can't wait for this answer!

[Unregistered]

You are a moron.

You could easily be the best player in the entire state, but if your team can't string together two passes, you will not flourish or sometimes even be noticed if playing in a poor soccer environment. Every team had at least 1 or 2 good players this year, but if the rest of the squad is a rec team you will have no prayer against a team where at least half the kids are decent.

Some of the weaker teams were barely even getting the ball across midfield, and a strong player can't dribble through everyone. You could potentially be the best facilitator on a club team, but if nobody on your high school team can score, your skillset is wasted.

It is not like a basketball game where one person can often control and dominate a game since only five on the floor.

LOL... Who is the moron? At least in D1 I don't think there are too many players playing Rec soccer.
Most are playing club which really means nothing in RI. However, it is enough for them to do well in a low level HS league. Yet they can't raise there level of play against these weak opponents yet they are club/premier players. That says a lot about the level of play here.
Across the board in D1 you can see the skill set is ok at best. Maybe a handful have some talent. That is it! Sad but true.

[Unregistered]

Well Mr. Dad Coach... how would you overcome a kick and run team (most are) with your surprisingly fast, control style, possession style of soccer that you just admitted can't overcome kick/run soccer? Can't wait for this answer!

Try to figure it out. The answer is on my post.

[Unregistered]

Well Mr. Dad Coach... how would you overcome a kick and run team (most are) with your surprisingly fast, control style, possession style of soccer that you just admitted can't overcome kick/run soccer? Can't wait for this answer!

Also you already answered your question.

[Unregistered]

Also you already answered your question.

Also you admitted this can’t be accomplished like that because they all do not have the skill set

[Unregistered]

You are a moron.

You could easily be the best player in the entire state, but if your team can't string together two passes, you will not flourish or sometimes even be noticed if playing in a poor soccer environment. Every team had at least 1 or 2 good players this year, but if the rest of the squad is a rec team you will have no prayer against a team where at least half the kids are decent.

Some of the weaker teams were barely even getting the ball across midfield, and a strong player can't dribble through everyone. You could potentially be the best facilitator on a club team, but if nobody on your high school team can score, your skillset is wasted.

It is not like a basketball game where one person can often control and dominate a game since only five on the floor.

This is so true! From my observations in D1 this season is that most all D1 had a handful of standout players (who I suspect all play high level club), who no matter how good they may have been, they are surrounded by weaker talent and can not always affect the outcome of a game by themselves (I specifically recall the forward & CM on MH, the two freshmen starters on Barrington, the goalie on Scituate (no I’m not the mom), two center defenders on Bayview, and the striker on Smithfield. LaSalle is different beast because they are an entire roster of NPL or better players PLUS having the all American forward, where the rest of town teams have maybe 3-4 of those players at most. Then add in the variables of coaching, and you get teams either under or over performing based on their talent level. SK is deeper and well rounded, and plays better as a team than most of the other town team, so I’d say that’s a function of better coaching. LaSalle coach doesn’t have to do much to win, whereas town coaches really need to know how to coach a team with disparate talent 1-11. I mean, if you are trying to “hide” a player, maybe you shouldn’t be playing them 70 minutes a game? LaSalle never has to hide players. Easy coaching gig, but yet they only win 1-0 in a bunch of games. That also seems to be a coaching problem. Imagine if that coach had to deal with the roster of another team?

Bottom line...all teams not named LaSalle have some stand-outs and some dogs. Some years more than others, but its the coaching that makes the difference between many of the teams bunched in the middle.

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=Unregistered;2372351]This is so true! From my observations in D1 this season is that most all D1 had a handful of standout players (who I suspect all play high level club), who no matter how good they may have been, they are surrounded by weaker talent and can not always affect the outcome of a game by themselves (I specifically recall the forward & CM on MH, the two freshmen starters on Barrington, the goalie on Scituate (no I’m not the mom), two center defenders on Bayview, and the striker on Smithfield. LaSalle is different beast because they are an entire roster of NPL or better players PLUS having the all American forward, where the rest of town teams have maybe 3-4 of those players at most. Then add in the variables of coaching, and you get teams either under or over performing based on their talent level. SK is deeper and well rounded, and plays better as a team than most of the other town team, so I’d say that’s a function of better coaching. LaSalle coach doesn’t have to do much to win, whereas town coaches really need to know how to coach a team with disparate talent 1-11. I mean, if you are trying to “hide” a player, maybe you shouldn’t be playing them 70 minutes a game? LaSalle never has to hide players. Easy coaching gig, but yet they only win 1-0 in a bunch of games. That also seems to be a coaching problem. Imagine if that coach had to deal with the roster of another team?

Bottom line...all teams not named LaSalle have some stand-outs and some dogs. Some years more than others, but its the coaching that makes the difference between many of the teams bunched in the middle.[/QUOTE

I don't even thing good coaching can hide some of the players. And some of the players that need to be hidden are "premier/club" players, so their checkbook says. You can be the best coach in the world but if you have a player that can't control a ball, can't string a pass or breaks up a string of passes, who doesn't have a good first, second, or third touch I'm sure it is really frustrating and tough to hide them for the coach and the rest of the team. I see it with our team. Those 1, 2, 3 players get subbed in and the whole game changes.
We can hear the grumbles from the parents on our side and the opposing side when the coach subs people in and out. It's a horrible fact but it's true. And.. some of these players aren't "town players" they are premier players. And I am shocked how bad they are.
HS soccer used to be the gateway to the next level. A place where players were recruited and went on to play at a higher level. Not true anymore. Someone said it earlier, "HS is an extension of Rec now". Very true. How many players are going on to D1 or maybe D2 from RI. I am willing to bet you can count them on one hand.

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=Unregistered;2372485]

This is so true! From my observations in D1 this season is that most all D1 had a handful of standout players (who I suspect all play high level club), who no matter how good they may have been, they are surrounded by weaker talent and can not always affect the outcome of a game by themselves (I specifically recall the forward & CM on MH, the two freshmen starters on Barrington, the goalie on Scituate (no I’m not the mom), two center defenders on Bayview, and the striker on Smithfield. LaSalle is different beast because they are an entire roster of NPL or better players PLUS having the all American forward, where the rest of town teams have maybe 3-4 of those players at most. Then add in the variables of coaching, and you get teams either under or over performing based on their talent level. SK is deeper and well rounded, and plays better as a team than most of the other town team, so I’d say that’s a function of better coaching. LaSalle coach doesn’t have to do much to win, whereas town coaches really need to know how to coach a team with disparate talent 1-11. I mean, if you are trying to “hide” a player, maybe you shouldn’t be playing them 70 minutes a game? LaSalle never has to hide players. Easy coaching gig, but yet they only win 1-0 in a bunch of games. That also seems to be a coaching problem. Imagine if that coach had to deal with the roster of another team?

Bottom line...all teams not named LaSalle have some stand-outs and some dogs. Some years more than others, but its the coaching that makes the difference between many of the teams bunched in the middle.[/QUOTE

I don't even thing good coaching can hide some of the players. And some of the players that need to be hidden are "premier/club" players, so their checkbook says. You can be the best coach in the world but if you have a player that can't control a ball, can't string a pass or breaks up a string of passes, who doesn't have a good first, second, or third touch I'm sure it is really frustrating and tough to hide them for the coach and the rest of the team. I see it with our team. Those 1, 2, 3 players get subbed in and the whole game changes.
We can hear the grumbles from the parents on our side and the opposing side when the coach subs people in and out. It's a horrible fact but it's true. And.. some of these players aren't "town players" they are premier players. And I am shocked how bad they are.
HS soccer used to be the gateway to the next level. A place where players were recruited and went on to play at a higher level. Not true anymore. Someone said it earlier, "HS is an extension of Rec now". Very true. How many players are going on to D1 or maybe D2 from RI. I am willing to bet you can count them on one hand.

I am willing to bet that most of the players who will be playing in college are D3. D3 is really an extension of Premier. "Pay to Play". So you can't really get hyped out about a D3 commit.

[Unregistered]

There is a big difference between the club players who play on NPL/ECNL teams and those club players who play on mid/low tier NEP or NSL teams, and it shows on our team. The NPL/ECNL players never come out, and it’s some of the mid/low NEP/NSL players that need to be “hidden” or never get in the game.

[Unregistered]

There is a big difference between the club players who play on NPL/ECNL teams and those club players who play on mid/low tier NEP or NSL teams, and it shows on our team. The NPL/ECNL players never come out, and it’s some of the mid/low NEP/NSL players that need to be “hidden” or never get in the game.

I agree. Although some NPL/ECNL are very questionable as well. I find it really amazing.

[Unregistered]

I agree. Although some NPL/ECNL are very questionable as well. I find it really amazing.

Maybe on your team, but not on ours. The difference is VERY noticeable.

[Unregistered]

How many ECNL kids in RI? Not many. HS Soccer and mid level club play at Bayside isn’t going to get you noticed. The college recruiting scene has drastically changed over the past 5 years. What worked a decade ago simply doesn’t work now. College coaches are just not going to high school kick ball games and low level NPL matches. The top players get noticed at ECNL or DA games and college showcases put on by those leagues. The new NCAA recruiting rules further limiting contact with coaches further help the top teams on top clubs. Stars, NEFC and South Shore get the top kids in Mass and RI. And those clubs simply get much more exposure.
My guess is that 10-15 kids play DA or prep soccer. Would those 10-15 drastically improve the quality of play?

[Unregistered]

How many ECNL kids in RI? Not many. HS Soccer and mid level club play at Bayside isn’t going to get you noticed. The college recruiting scene has drastically changed over the past 5 years. What worked a decade ago simply doesn’t work now. College coaches are just not going to high school kick ball games and low level NPL matches. The top players get noticed at ECNL or DA games and college showcases put on by those leagues. The new NCAA recruiting rules further limiting contact with coaches further help the top teams on top clubs. Stars, NEFC and South Shore get the top kids in Mass and RI. And those clubs simply get much more exposure.
My guess is that 10-15 kids play DA or prep soccer. Would those 10-15 drastically improve the quality of play?

We have 1 ECNL, and 3 NPL players on our team (and none are from Bayside), and the rest NEP/NSL or no longer even play club.