TMAN ... Have You Seen ths Article

[POLY1967]

U.S. Federation wants high school soccer players to forgo school teams for academy clubs.

See attached

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/high-school/bs-va-sp-soccer-academies-1013-20111012,0,4967866.story

 

[TMAN]

My gut says

IMO...More kids than not will stick to the high school team or a number of high schools stars will choose the academy but then find that it's not for them and head back to high school with their families, friends, girl friends ect. It's an incredible committment to a sport with the time involved. A lot of kids want more than that. I've seen a number of articles where a kid goes academy then drops off for one reason or another. Bottom line...they burn out. If I were Steve Nichols of McDonogh, I would worry too much about this. Just my nickle for the gum ball machine.

t.

 

[POLY1967]

Re: My gut says

My concern would be where does it end. Do we continue the academy system with girls soccer and then field hockey; boys baseball ; and maybe even girls basketball. Isn't high school supposed to be the best time of your life, where you hang around with people you will know for fifty years.

 

[TMAN]

Re: My gut says

HS is indeed the best time of your life. The other kicker in all of this is the $$$ are only so so in soccer unless ur a mega European star.

Yea you got a point with the other sports. Still I think the vast majority of kids will stick with their friends. This new strategy may make the high school coaches go the extra mile in giving the kids the training they need going forward in compared to the camps stuff. If anything it's indeed cut throat with two sides and it bears watching. The reality is both sides need each other. If they turn on each other then the sport suffers.