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That question was posed to me by a well-respected coach on Tuesday. I actually sat back and thought about it. For the record, this coach is a former high school, club and college star, so he's seen it all.
There's no question most of the soccer played this past weekend at the Class AA state finals was very good and very entertaining. But with the Chicago Fire, Chicago Magic and Chicago Sockers taking players from the high school arena next year for their own academies, this coach asked me to think about that. And let's not fool ourselves here folks, the three programs I just mentioned aren't taking players from the sticks.
Naperville Central, New Trier and others powerhouse programs are going to lose players to these programs. Is that a bad thing? I don't know, because I've always been a big believer in having choices. Welcome to America.
But let's go back to the main question: Is there any area club team that would have beaten or blown out Neuqua Valley or Barrington this past weekend?
And you know something, let's take it step further and push the issue (I never do that): Can anyone honestly say anyone of those three programs would have been No. 1 all season if they were allowed in the Sun-Times Top 10?
You make the call.
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Any interesting question -- could a club team defeat this year's top teams (Barrington or Neuqua Valley). On one hand, both clubs are made up of "club all-stars." In the case of Barrington, the varsity players train with FC Chicago, Sockers, Chicago Wind & FC Barrington -- each a top club in their own right. Looked at another way, playing for your high school should be a top priority for serious players. Putting on your community colors, playing before friends, family AND the greater community, being honored by teachers, classmates and administrators are all aspects of high school ball that clubs can't provide. Additionally, high school teams have the advantage of building a sense of team purpose borne through classes together, growing up together and long bus rides to-and-from games. It's an interesting question, and would no doubt provide a heck of an entertaining match were it ever to happen.
I guarantee you that Dallas Texans A Team would absolutely kill the Barrington High School team. Ill give you a list of teams that would absolutely kill them.
Magic, Sockers, Rockford Raptors, Dallas Texans, Solar, Andromeda, FC Milwaukee, FC United(Washington), Neusport, Luz Fusz, FC Delco, Irvine Strikers, Arsenal U18 (3 Time National Champions), Concorde, Futsoc, Vardar, Boca Juniors, Indy Burn, PDA, Javanon, Ohio Eagles, Boston Bolts,FC United ( Illinois ), IMG Academies, Bethesda, Scott Gallagher, Michigan Wolves, Internationals.
Everyone one of these teams could absolutely kill Barrington. Everyone one of these clubs would kill every high school team in the country.
TROST RESPONDS: I was just talking about club teams from Illinois. This is not a debate if one is better than the other. The point of the question is would one dominate the other 10 out of 10 times? We'll never know, but it's an interesting question.
FC Chicago and the Wind are the worst teams in the state. My club team is FC United were not even that good. Decent for the state we beat them 3-0 and 5-0 every time to be honest.
Lets just take a look at who Barrington beat in the state finals...
That Nequa team is loaded with top club players, and LOST... so I think it would be a good game... Barrington would have to be at their best, that's for sure.
Don't judge Barrington Trevian #10 simply because you lost in the quarters to Hinsdale... it isn't fair.
Club teams are all-star teams, and talent wise, would likely be better and deeper than Barrington. But a close nit group of players who work hard and play as a team, they would have a chance on any given day... just 1 person's thoughts tho...
TROST RESPONDS: Seriously, why does every spell Neuqua wrong? I agree, older club teams are all-star teams. But give clubs credit, they help train those players at a young age to help them become all-stars.
Look,
As much as everybody loves IHSA Boys soccer, the truth is club soccer is at a totally different level skill wise. These high school teams have some good players from the best clubs, especially teams like New Trier that get the cream of the crop players from clubs such as FC United and Chicago Sockers. But the club teams are all-star teams, while high school teams are limited to the players in the schools. I also agree with New Trier #10 that the Wind and FC Chicago are not the best clubs in state. If you want proof, here it is...Deerfield High School has 9 of 11 starters playing for Chicago Pegasus U-18 this year, and we took Barrington 0-0 to triple OT in the Lake Zurich Sectional Semi. Our Chicago Pegasus team is not even a consideration for the best club teams in state, and we almost beat the state champions in the playoffs. Palatine HS also did the same thing, and most of the players on that team play for Palatine Celtic FC. Neither of those teams are considered the top in the state club wise, yet they took Barrington to 2-3 OTs in the sectional. Club teams just have more talent to choose from, more time to build team chemistry, and more competition to make their teams better.
Interesting discussion about soccer clubs versus HS teams. Note that two of Barrington's players: Ryan Nolan (game winning goal) and Tom Unak (goalkeeper) play varsity baseball (both pitch) in the spring rather than play club soccer. Maybe that experience allows them to see the soccer game with fresh eyes and a bit more desire in the fall.
After talking to most of the players after the game, the IHSA experience overwehlmed any club experience.