HS soccer's Pivital role in Personal Development

My daughter is a senior and has been playing soccer since she was 5. Started in a very strong rec soccer league that was the true catalyst in igniting her love and passion for the game.We were fortunate to have three committed coaches that did focus on fundamentals but most importantly kept the game fun. About the time she started select at U11 the coaches were persuasively encouraging the girls not to play HS soccer. That it didn't matter to the recruiting process and was a waste of time. Had coaches even throw out scare tactics to convince parents that HS soccer was so unskilled that the injury risk could derail potential opportunities.HS soccer has played a pivotal role in my daughters consistent and continual growth in the sport. She is a three year varsity player and has been blessed to have a select experienced coach in a strong soccer district develop connections with HS soccer showcases like NEPS and Lady's Governor's Cup in Georgetown or the Colleyville Memorial Tournament. What built her into the player she is today is playing against elite talent in several older age groups.Did not see many college coaches taking the time to watch HS soccer 3 years ago but each year more coaches have expanded their search of finding that diamond in the rough are are finding talent. What coaches are getting is an unfiltered unbiased look at an athlete's talent without having the best talent around her in ECNL or upper D1 RPL action. She has committed to D1 program where she will play and continue to grow. Talent finds a way and there are few that will argue that she will graduate as one of the top players at her position. For my daughter HS was a proving ground that she could play at the highest level and she is not done yet. There are many ways to get it done but her internal flame for the sport has never been brighter heading to college and we are very thankful for that.

Our hs has a player who just committed to a D1 school who has never played in classic.
She is a 4 year starter at a good 5A HS (south of the Trinity River). Don't let coaches tell you you have to play classic to be seen.

Not saying it isnt possible, but i would love to hear the terms here, background story, etc...

So the recruiting coach strictly viewed HS games?

Just curious what schools they are going to???? no motives or judgment, just curious.

Some HS coaches are way better than most club coaches

Does she play on an ECNL team? I have always believed if you are good, they will find you.

Borussia wrote:Not saying it isnt possible, but i would love to hear the terms here, background story, etc...

So the recruiting coach strictly viewed HS games?

Not a chance. High school games are almost impossible to watch, unless you play in one of the few $$ talented districts with tons of CL, and/or ECNL players. Any coach that strictly views HS games probably won't be the coach at his/her current school much longer.

tornado11 wrote:Some HS coaches are way better than most club coaches

Most aren't though.

I would like to hear from the forum, how many more (serious) injuries have you seen in HS vs. club soccer. Is it just a bunch of unskilled thugs in HS or is it propaganda from the club coaches.

In my experience there are many more serious injuries playing club soccer than there are playing H.S. soccer

When I was playing almost all of the girls from my HS team injured were injured in club or were injured in non-contact situations in high school. Other situations is they were injured in club and came back during high school and were re-injured. The biggest problems is when teams that are not very good will intentionally try and go after top players on the good teams. I am sure there has been many injuries sustained that way just not in any games I have witnessed personally. I bet it would be interesting to do some type of study on injuries in HS v injuries in Club and compare and see if there is a difference in the two.

I can only speak for my experience with my dd's team, and for them at least, the vast majority of the serious injuries (torn acl's, etc.) came from high school soccer.  It was the main reason that I lobbied, unsuccessfully I might add, for my daughter to not play h.s. soccer.

Bumps and bruises more likely occur from club soccer if for no other reason than the fact that there are many more games and practices (opportunities) than high school.

tex_gator wrote:I would like to hear from the forum, how many more (serious) injuries have you seen in HS vs. club soccer.  Is it just a bunch of unskilled thugs in HS or is it propaganda from the club coaches.

Had 3 play in one of the better 5A Districts. Every team had top-level club players, so most games resembled LHGCL games. Over the combined 9 years, I didn't see any difference in injuries from club to HS with one exception.

One year, we played in Abilene against a West Texas team in the second or third round of playoffs. This team was clearly below our skill level and determined to take out our best players. They were successful in sending one to hospital with a broken collarbone on a flagrant, full-out takedown. Of course there was no call on the play.

Other than that though, I found it to be about the same. Perhaps it is different in other districts.

ballhead wrote:I can only speak for my experience with my dd's team, and for them at least, the vast majority of the serious injuries (torn acl's, etc.) came from high school soccer.  It was the main reason that I lobbied, unsuccessfully I might add, for my daughter to not play h.s. soccer.

Bumps and bruises more likely occur from club soccer if for no other reason than the fact that there are many more games and practices (opportunities) than high school.

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To me the biggest factor in all of this is the officiating. While we all can agree the CL, ECNL,..etc officials may not be the best, the things that are allowed by high school refs are at time borderline criminal. You already have that thing in your mouth, would it kill you to blow it every now and again?

Not that I am a ref, but it seems refs call the differently based on the level and stlyle of play.

futbollove wrote: You already have that thing in your mouth, would it kill you to blow it every now and again?