Snip: C.J. Phelps, Boca Raton (Fla.): Phelps was named the Palm Beach Post Big School Player of the Year after leading Boca Raton to a Class 6A runner-up finish. Phelps, a U.S. under-18 national team member, scored 18 goals and had 18 assists. Phelps is entertaining turning pro instead of attending college. http://sports.espn.go.com/highschool/rise/soccer/news/story?id=4211592 Since I don't know if he's looking in the U.S., overseas or both, this is probably the best forum for this for now.
http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_12025865.html Not surprisingly he is a Schulz Academy player who interestingly was listed as defender in the U-18 Megacamp. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_7962638.html Assuming his real name is "Reginald" (the player is also from Schulz Academy) he was on the U-15/U-16 Dev. Academy Best XI last summer.
I remember seeing him in the DA Championship Show on FSC. I really liked his skill for a Central Defender, reading of the game, and is a beast athletically. Liked the long driven pass over the top. His only major drawback and it's big for a Central Defender is his height. I think they listed him at 5-8 and that might be a stretch. Very, Very short but stocky. He had some crazy afro sticking like 5 inches high to make himself look taller.
It was like an NBA 70's afro but more like one of those little troll doll haircuts that stick straight up. I can't believe I'm discussing hair styles on Big Soccer. I have to stop watching The View!
At 5-8, I hope this kid has the wheels to play fullback and/or the ball skills to play in the midfield.
Well he obviously plays midfield or forward for his HS and maybe his club because you don't get 18 goals and 18 assists from CB unless you're Pele.
Brad Guzan played midfield for his high school team and moved to striker when pushing for a goal. Doesn't mean he should try the switch professionally.
This is a really stupid post. I severely doubt Brad Guzan won any awards for being a field player. How different are GK and CB????? Tell me?? I'm trying to say that this kid may(NOTE) have the ability to play several positions based on his award winning exploits in HS. I mean what was the point of your post? To say something quickly to try get an insult in? Just hugely retarded.
The point is that high school play means basically nothing. I also didn't insult anybody. I think maybe you need to calm down about something.
Sandon said he hoped this guy had either speed or ball skills to play Fullback or in Midfield. I suggested that his award winning HS record would suggest that he may have that ability since he obviously doesn't play CB there. Nothing crazy about that. Not to mention he probably wouldnt have made the DA Academy Finals Select team at Defense if he didn't show a good amount of ball skills and speed. ------------------------------- Posting snide off-topic remarks that don't make sense annoys me.
To go off statistics written on a page or if someone scores a goal is very limited in evaluating top talent. How many times have we seen posts after someone scores a goal in a tournament that no one saw writes. He seems to be a good player because he scored. I laugh everytime I read that. Scoring is a result of team composure, ball skill, positioning of the players on the field. I'd rather see that. I have seen him twice on TV and I am not UKScouts but I do not think he has Professional level midfield ball skills particularly for someone listed at 5-8. I did really like his ball skills, and passing for a Central Defender. And we all know about the number of 5-8 Central Defenders. Possibly a Wide Defender?
AHHHHHHH Jesus christ!!!!! I said he MAY. MAY MAY MAY MAY MAY As in its possible. MAY have the skills to play midfield or outside defender. But thank you for providing input because you have seen him play! It was productive and allowed us to understand the player more.
Wow you must be having a bad day. My post in no way contradicts yours, just trying to add substanative info on the topic.
Is he going pro because he cant cut it in college? He may have burned that bridge at the U18 camp....
I understand his position. The guy he was talking to came with an intentionally obtuse analogy that had no legit place in the conversation. That can be frustrating, I've been frustrated by it myself many times. We know that a whole lot of guys who score a whole lot of goals and assists in high school who get nowhere near it in the pros (heck, Jean Alexandre scored goals in buckets at a small college, and his only pro hope was at d-mid. Wasn't all that long ago that Chris Albright scored in buckets for a national powerhouse college and had to switch to wide back to keep his pro career going), and I'm sure USvsIRELAND didn't need to be told that. The question was whether a player that could move up into the midfield and get stats there might have more options than a player who couldn't do that. It was worth wondering about, for any player you haven't seen, because I'm guessing this marks you out as above average footskill for a CB. Now, as to how many 5-8 central defenders there are, I can think of one, who also had above average footskill, that the Revs would mind having back.
My point is that HS play means dick about a persons skills. You know how many people score 30+ goals in high school and aren't even close to good enough to play D1 soccer let alone pro? Guzan was all state as a midfielder and led his, mediocre at best, team to the state championship game. If Phelps had played midfield and sucked that would be a point against him, I just don't think excelling at a HS level can lead anybody to project about their future. The competition is just too bad, you might as well be talking about pick up games in the park.
The article about him being the Palm Beach area's POTY (http://www.palmbeachpost.com/highsc.../03/28/0328aabsoccerlg.html?cxntlid=inform_sr) suggested he was already conflicted about whether to go to college by the time he wrapped up his high school career. Maybe he's just focused on the pros, or maybe academics isn't for him. Don't know.
I couldnt agree more. To me H.S. is about athleticism and not skill. The only good thing I saw was that players were able to play positions they couldnt in club. Sure there are some good teams but I have seen way too many poor ones....The Shulz team was very athletic and if im correct won the sparqs testing the first season. Course it does help to play by the rules.....
Perhaps academics is not his thing and he certainly wouldnt be alone in that. Frankly the college route probably isnt the best to take if you want to go pro anyway. But the issue I have is that he was sent home from the U18 camp and this may have hurt his chances also......As they say character counts...
Yes, and the fact that he has motive force in all of his limbs may indicate that he's able to play professional soccer. I don't see anybody raving about his ability to walk. Being able to dominate at the high school level is a necessary condition, but it's so far from being sufficient that it's beneath mention. That's my point which you seem to still have not grasped.