If we are speaking just in California's California Interscholastic Federation, there are close too 55,000 soccer players across 250 high schools participating in HS soccer, according to participation census from CIF. Compared to the Development Academy, there are around 8,000 players nationally. By sheer numbers alone, there seems to be some players that are slipping through the cracks from the USSF. One way to make HS soccer more developmental focus, revenue generating, and relevant is by extending the HS season as close as possible to the DA. The DA schedule is around 9-10 months, if somehow HS can be from Fall through Spring, ending with a State Championship here in California, this will create massive amounts of interest. Club soccer rivalries do not compare to HS rivalries, where some have years of community interest. The 3 month season can create health concerns for many HS soccer players, where some schools play up to 3-4 games a week, where as spreading the season out, schools can focus more on training. College Soccer is already thinking about this same concept with University of Maryland Coach Sasho Cirovski supporting the idea for the same reasons. Another interesting way would be if powerhouse private schools such as Jesuit High school (Carmichael, Ca), and St Benedicts Prep (Newark, NJ), actually joined the USSF Development Academy. This is not far off, school such as Shattuck St. Marys and Montverde Academy have already joined the DA. If more private and preparatory school engaged in this strategy, the high school soccer landscape can possibly improve.
Do kids going to those private schools not play club when the school season is over? If you extend the HS season, what happens to those club teams? And who do you want to make HS relevant to? College coaches? Don't think that will happen until you get the overall HS quality up. The players? They're already interested. The fans? They're already interested. Sounds like you have a "solution" in search of a problem.
Oh, I would a agree it’s a problem…soccer this country will never reach its full potential without becoming a fully integrated, populist, mainstream sport. That only happens, imo, if soccer mimics the path our other established, more beloved sports do.. If soccer wants to “complete” with likes for Football, Baseball, and Basketball, it need to find a way to make the HS/College path relevant… It’s a bit hard to get the overall quality up, when the national federation actively works to undermined that very goal…the DA system is complete overkill for what it actually does; which is really just send a bunch kids off to play college ball; we can send those same kids off, to the same colleges, for the same scholarships, with very little drop in talent going the HS/club or HS only (with major modifications) route…this would/could lead to real interest in the sport (domestic soccer)… It not a solution in search of a problem, so much as a solution to problem nobody wants or cares to admit…
No, it sounds like the OP wants these private schools to be able to join the DA. In order to push that agenda, he's trying to claim it would help make HS soccer relevant. A solution in search of a problem. I'm not saying there's not a problem with HS soccer. But being able to play in DA is not a cause or solution. BTW, don't DA clubs/teams play in specific age groups like everyone else? But HS Soccer can have an age range of 4-5 (Freshman to Senior) years (ie: a "young" 9th grader and an "old" 12th graders could be 5 years apart). So how do you settle that issue?
I disagree with the OP’s solution/agenda, not “problem” that HS soccer isn’t relevant… The DA is part of the problem regarding HS soccer's relevance…it completely under-minds its relevance; HS football, baseball, and basketball is full of kids will go on to play college and even the pros…they are relevant to their overall sports health and growth…soccer, not so much; HS soccer is not relevant to soccer in general… True, it is possible, and not even uncommon, but with most programs split into JV and varsity, I am not sure how it’s really an issue… JV and Varsity would approximate the DA’s U16/17 and U18/19 team split…
But having HS play in the DA doesn't change any of that. But JV and V aren't split by age, they're split by skill. Let's also remember that DA doesn't even cover 1/2(?) of the country. This particular "solution" (HS teams playing in the DA) is "fixing" something that doesn't need fixed. That's all I'm saying. Not that there's not problems with HS. Not that there's not problems with DA.
The DA has its problems as well, but I think its a good thing that USSF created this league. If only US Club Soccer, United States Youth Soccer Association and the DA joined togeter, or the very least had a playoff together. This would be really entertaining, fun and competitive. But if we are trying to bring passion into our American soccer Culture, replicating what high school football does with school spirit and rivalries could help a lot. Having state championships in California could eventually bring in some type of revenue. The DA will have its diamond players, high school will have the diamonds in the rough. HS will have players that for whatever reason cant play in The DA but are as talented to play in it. 15-17 years is the age scouts view for elite soccer players globally, but we need to create more pathways for the late bloomers. College soccer players are sometimes considered too old, but if they too extended the season, it will be a dominoe effect of positivity, This is just a suggestion based on the number of kids slipping through the cracks. How do we get our US Scouts to identify and develop our best youth soccer athletes? How do we find the talented athletes that may be in disadvantage areas and non DA clubs? And how do we develop those players once we identify them?
450,000 high school boys playing. (Assuming 90% of these kids dont play in the DA because of the rules) that means there are 400,000 kids not being evaluated. Not including 300,000 HS girls. Im sure you can find the top 11 high school kids that can compete at the highest levels.
My opinion... you set up a truly open tryout that has no cost in every state across the country. Have a number of trainings, then these teams/squads play teams from other states (like International Friendlies). At some point in the year set up a kind of "World Cup" with these 'State Teams'. These teams should be free to participate in. Any club/school/organization that doesn't allow their kids to participate should face sanctions. You should be able to get a lot of teams together in a weekend, presumably with the best players from each state. That gives US Scouts the ability to see to cream of the crop.
That’s just not really true… I said approximate, not duplicate… it is certainly allowable for underclassmen to “play up” on V, while upperclassmen are typically disallowed to playing down on JV (some exceptions may apply)…in practical terms, the JV is mostly made up of underclassmen and V mostly upperclassmen…its more a mix of age and skill, one that heavily takes age into account, but allow skill to be taken into account (mostly in one direction, up) Right, some might call such a system half-assed… I think you are missing my point/stance…I don’t want HS’s playing in the DA; I want to blow out the DA…[/QUOTE]
If history has taught us anything, it’s segregation does not work…separate, but equal doesn’t work; separate, but definitely not equal is doomed to failure…for both sides… Segregating soccer into the have’s (DA) and have nots (HS) is a recipe for forever dooming soccer in this country as second-class, an afterthought, an also ran, a sport that only drums of faux interest for a few weeks every four year, and only because its wrapped in the flag… We will never compete (well) internationally until we have a passion domestically…
The only reason I suggested private schools enter the DA is because technically they could. Theres already private schools in the DA. The solution to HS (and collegiate ) soccer being relevant is extending the season.
Bumping this thread... My 04 son playing h.s. this fall as our Chicago "big three" doesn't offer alternative program, nor does our last big blue club .. I think there was a trend starting ore covid and maybe accelerated by it, with even higher level kids looking to play h.s. Anyway, so far it's been a good experience for him. A 3 week training camp for 25 bucks, 2 hour sessions, and a friendly against arch rivals which ended up very civil. The quality of soccer is "select" level at best but both teams tried to build out consistently and attempted to play possession. The upper class men very supportive of my son and very supportive of the younger guys with very limited talent . Coaches are upbeat, we had both coaches at a local club several years back . Its amazing what a difference there is when there isn't alot of money involved! I don't know why there aren't more club players? Maybe be there's just more schools than I think thinning out the talent? I recognize some kids who have dropped out of club and it makes me a bit sad, we know what it's like not to be served well in a club... Anyway, bottom line, there should be some sort of effort to integrate h.s. soccer into the development pipeline. Whether it's under served club players or underprivileged kids... If I was a college coach I'd want to see how prospects interact with teammates on an h.s. squad versus club. I'd be going to regional and state tourneys as well. Wondering how much this happens currently? My comments here are strictly my opinion relating to boys soccer.... Anyone else think the time is ripe for h.s. ball? At least Midwest? Discuss...