JUST IMAGINE :

if there was a coach who developed a true year round training program focusing on skills
If he held the players to a high standard academically
If he had an indoor training facility
If he had an indoor weight training facility
If he had an outdoor training facility of both grass and turf
If the coaches salary was paid by a third party
If the parents had to pay less than $500 out of pocket per year
If the players could all attend school together close to their home

Most of our high schools have these incredible facilities available to them.





[list][*]

Very interesting comment! Maybe the Soccer Establishment should work more with high schools instead of against them.

To me it's Free Market Capitalism vs Socialism. Do we develop athletes that have parents who are willing to pay thousands of dollars for training, or do we create a system that seeks to train everyone and then identify the most talented.

The frustration is when high school and college coaches, pick who they see are the most talented. When a few of the pay to play kids are overlooked, the frustration appears.

I have no problem with pay to play but I do have a problem with "Club Busting", "League Busting", and "High School Busting", just so the "Pay to Play" appears to be the only way.

JUST IMAGINE :

A league (USSF) which dictates what a person can and cannot do of the field.

A: You cannot play in "Classic League"
B: You cannot play in "Premiere League"
C: You cannot play in "State Cup"
D: You cannot play in "US Youth Soccer"
E: You cannot play in "US Club Soccer"
F: You cannot play in "High School Soccer"

Reminds me of Bill Gates and it really seems like antitrust.

The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior (monopoly) and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace.[1] These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both, or generally to violate standards of ethical behavior.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_antitrust_law

NTskeptic wrote:JUST IMAGINE :

if there was a coach who developed a true year round training program focusing on skills
If he held the players to a high standard academically
If he had an indoor training facility
If he had an indoor weight training facility
If he had an outdoor training facility of both grass and turf
If the coaches salary was paid by a third party
If the parents had to pay less than $500 out of pocket per year
If the players could all attend school together close to their home

Most of our high schools have these incredible facilities available to them.




[list][*]

What is really sad is there are some true soccer coaches out there in high school programs that would love to do this. The problem is the UIL forbids off season training and the fact that most high schools require the soccer coaches to be one of the 15 to 20 coach football staff. I say soccer should quit the UIL. Can anyone tell me exactly what do they do for soccer?

Off season training can still occur at least one hour 5 days a week 9 months of the year during their soccer class. Not perfect but if utilized appropriately could be very benefitial.

NTskeptic wrote:JUST IMAGINE :

if there was a coach who developed a true year round training program focusing on skills
If he held the players to a high standard academically
If he had an indoor training facility
If he had an indoor weight training facility
If he had an outdoor training facility of both grass and turf
If the coaches salary was paid by a third party
If the parents had to pay less than $500 out of pocket per year
If the players could all attend school together close to their home

Most of our high schools have these incredible facilities available to them.





[list][*]

Unfortunately, the things on this list are for high school athletes and high school athletics and will always be, for the most part, monopolized by them. Why in the world do you think the club and pay for play system started in the first place?

Ooohhhhh! Pick me! Pick me! I know the answer!

Club started because soccer was a foreign sport that wasn't popular enough for American high schools to have programs! Duh!???

Of course it's for high school athletes but you're forgetting....Little League is the ultimate club sport and yet it works with high schools not in opposition!

Soccerinsanity wrote:Ooohhhhh! Pick me! Pick me! I know the answer!

Club started because soccer was a foreign sport that wasn't popular enough for American high schools to have programs! Duh!???

Of course it's for high school athletes but you're forgetting....Little League is the ultimate club sport and yet it works with high schools not in opposition!

Yep, you have a point. Of course, it's baseball vs. soccer, but I think you're probably right that little league and club soccer are very close to the same thing. Preparing kids for the high school level of athletics. Of course with little league, if they're not good enough for the next level, they don't have the opportunity to continue to pay to play for clubs in their junior and high school years. But, even though it's painted some unrealistic expectations in many a parent's head, club soccer for those older kids still serve a very positive purpose. Where else are these kids going to go? It's still unrealistic, however, to expect high school athletics to open up their facilities for a segment that can't meet the requirements.

And I agree with you, Star!

starbuck wrote:

Soccerinsanity wrote:Ooohhhhh! Pick me! Pick me! I know the answer!

Club started because soccer was a foreign sport that wasn't popular enough for American high schools to have programs! Duh!???

Of course it's for high school athletes but you're forgetting....Little League is the ultimate club sport and yet it works with high schools not in opposition!

Yep, you have a point. Of course, it's baseball vs. soccer, but I think you're probably right that little league and club soccer are very close to the same thing. Preparing kids for the high school level of athletics. Of course with little league, if they're not good enough for the next level, they don't have the opportunity to continue to pay to play for clubs in their junior and high school years. But, even though it's painted some unrealistic expectations in many a parent's head, club soccer for those older kids still serve a very positive purpose. Where else are these kids going to go? It's still unrealistic, however, to expect high school athletics to open up their facilities for a segment that can't meet the requirements.

Rec. If they are not good enough to make their high school team then they are probably playing lower division PPl or Arlington. At U19 rec ( which includes U17 and U18)95% of the players are high school team members, former high school players that graduated but are still in the area, or former club players that were not going to play in college so quit club. I have seen many U19 rec teams that were better than teams from the leagues mentioned above.

I think as soccer advocates (at least I hope) we need to get rid of our "inferiority complex". Why should we expect less from our public schools than to adequately support this sport?

If you look at high school participation numbers, there isn't a huge disparity between the number of kids playing soccer (specifically boys) and baseball.

Even with the kids playing DA, only the top impact players are going to be looking at playing for a top d1 program. The rest (well over half) are going to end up at D2, D3, NAIA and juco programs.

There's nothing wrong with that. Especially considering the huge overlap in quality between divisions.

My point here is that the vast majority of these kids could play for "regular" club teams and therefore enjoying the best of both worlds.

In the state where I live (without DA clubs/teams) high school soccer is a BIG DEAL! The season begins in late October and ends in mid February. Club shuts down for those months. The vast majority of high school teams are coached by licensed club coaches (hired as indy contractors)and do a decent job.

The teams train 4 and 5 times a week and usually play 2 games a week. That's a LOT MORE than club teams train!h There's even media coverage!