Monday Morning Debate...

Fad? Sorry, can't agree with that. I see kids that are competitive and committed to playing club year round, especially kids whose HS programs aren't all that great. (even some that are) Whether it's the talent on the team, or the coaching, I can't agree it's a fad. Some kids want to be the best they can be.

My daughter plays club in the Fall plus indoor Winter. Our club does not offer Spring. She is having a great time with her High School. Plays with kids from her team plus plays against kids from her club. Check out the underclassman from the northwest suburbs.

First of all, Joe, you didn't say if the "local coach" was a High School or Club coach. Big difference.

Personally I think the question comes down to having fun playing soccer. I'd say on most club teams the girls have more "fun" playing. They practice 2 or 3 times a week and then usually play on Sunday in front of a nice little crowd of parents and relatives. And clubs are limited to 17 players so most girls get a good amount of playing time. Winning in nice but it isn't the be all or end all. And then go to a tournament or two during the season.

Whereas in high school practice is usually at least 5 days a week during the season. There's something of a crowd for high school games but a lot of parent's can't make the "away" games during the week. By this time of the year it has become a "long" season and some teams are a little beat up and/ or tired physically. With games 2 or 3 times a week, during the week, a girl leave home a 7AM and sometime doesn't get back from an away game until 9PM ... and then have to do some homework. It's just quite a grind. And for what? High School coaches ( in general) scream at the girls a lot more and on a lot of high school teams reserves get a lot less playing time. And winning and losing is much more the be all and end all. And as I've said before.... if your a good player on not such a good high school team with a very average high school coach.... what's the point of playing?

I don't know Joe.... if I was a good high school player I just might want to take at least a year off from the high school "merry go round". Wouldn't you?

I am very much in favor of girls playing high school soccer. The arguments for club play - better coaches, better overall teams and level of competition, better officiating(?) all have merit so I do not think that club soccer is a fad by any means. In my opinion, however, those are mostly reasons that the parents push their kids into year round club soccer - whether out of the hope of college scholarships or just the vicarious thrill of having a daughter playing on a nationally ranked club - it is the parents who I believe are most often the impetus behind the club soccer over high school soccer stance. I disagree that club soccer is more "fun" and that high school coaches are more likely to be screamers. I also believe that playing for one's high school (and one's community)with your classmates, whether or not the team is as good as your club team, is a valuable experience which provides memories long after whatever your club team accomplished.

Club isn't the fad, I think the big fad-like focus on "who is playing/not playing club" seems to have died down this year.

I do think that is good. It distracts from the great players and great stories in high school. When you have talent & class like Leah Fortune and Alison Suhey, I'm just saying there's a lot to write about in high school ball.

It's not an argument against club. Club has a necessary role. High school has a necessary role. If you believe that life lessons are learned in both environments, it doesn't make much sense to pit them as an either/or proposition. Peanut butter or Jelly? Didn't think so. Sounds crazy. Some things are better when they coexist.

Red & Black -

I would disagree with you 100%. Most of the girls I have coached that play both club and high school enjoy playing high school more, and some have even acheived great things with their club. The point of playing high school is that you are playing for something bigger than yourself. It's amazing when 500-700 people come out to a regional or sectional championship to cheer on teams. It's great when schools have to charter 4 or 5 student fan busses to accompany the support. Does that happen in the club scene? To be honest, I don't know. What I do know is that the few club games I have attended you don't get that kind of support.

It will be a fad if the other clubs cannot get enough players to skip school soccer and pay up. If the players on the better teams decide to keep their play at the higher club quality, this will endure.
Before my child was in high school I was told that club level play is better than high school play. This did not take into account that he played varsity as a freshman and numerous players on his club were starters also as sophmores. For the first two years they all thought that the school was a higher level of play. We'll see about the next two years.
The high school teams work-out or play 5-6 times a week. This brings faster development than club play. This excites the kids but you wouldn't want to do this in club.
I was in awe of the school spirit, quick bonding and the excitement of a new team every year. The club has an Esprit de Corps that is from playing together for 7 years, this could not happen in school.
As consumers my wife and I like each system.

If you ask H.S. coaches they will say it's a fad, if you ask club coaches they would say it is not. I believe Year round club is here to stay and with youth soccer improving year after year, I think year round soccer may even grow. I am all for playing H.S., there are alot of very good things to gain from it. Every player needs to weigh the pros and cons. There is no right answere. Like you said it's a choice - you have to be very committed to your club and sport to play year round.