Live The Pitch

This week we are going to discuss what’s on the minds of a lot of youth players in the United States. We are going to discuss the pros and cons of high school soccer. I want to know if there any benefits for a player to play high school soccer, or would player’s be better off just sticking with their club team.

We will start with the positives of high school soccer. First of all, the environment of the high school game cannot be matched at the club level. There is just something special about playing a night game in front of your peers that brings out the best in players. If you are lucky enough to be the home team the fans can be a huge asset to your team’s success. As a former high school soccer player myself I have heard it all from opposing fans.

The next great thing about high school soccer is that your accomplishments are recognized through local media, which is usually the newspaper. Here at livethepitch.com we were able to attend numerous high school matches throughout the year. Just this past Saturday we were fortunate to be able to attend the Georgia 5-A boy’s state championship in Roswell, Georgia. What a match! The level of soccer being played was through the roof. There were numerous division-1 signees on both teams as well as regional and national pool players.

Now we will explore the negatives of playing high school soccer. Foremost, the level of coaching is sub par compared to local club coaches. Many coaches at the high school level are not qualified to coach the elite level player. Do not get me wrong there are some great coaches at the high school level, but then there are some that have absolutely no soccer background. This sometimes turns into a big problem for some top players who will adapt bad tendencies playing for a non-qualified coach.

The next problem with high school soccer is the scheduling. There are some states that play soccer in the Fall and many that play in the Spring. This becomes a problem when there are college showcase tournaments that take place during the high school season. For a player trying to take their game to the next level it is crucial to be seen by the college coaches that attend these events. The problem arises when the high school coach takes offense to the player wanting to go on a trip with their club team. There are a lot of coaches out there who do not want their players risking injury while playing high school ball. All high school coaches should understand the importance of a player attending a college showcase tournament.

Another down fall is the lack of college coaches recruiting at high school games. A majority of recruiting is done at college showcases across the country for club teams. This is due to the fact that the level of soccer is higher on the club stage. In one day of recruiting at a college showcase a coach can see numerous potential student athletes. At a high school game they may only see a couple players with the ability to pay at the next level.

There are a lot of great moments that come from playing high school soccer which every youth player should experience. Players get to show their friends, teachers, and the local community their talent on the pitch. In my opinion the good aspects of high school soccer override any of the bad things. There may be more talent on a club team, but you can not match the atmosphere of a high school game.