Club vs. School Soccer

Over the years there has been great debate in regards the value or importance of club soccer vs. school soccer.  At times players and parents alike have been in a tug-of-war between high schools and elite clubs, who often urge their players to skip school ball.  To understand why such a request would be made by an elite coach I took it upon myself to get educated. 

Originally from England I never really felt “school spirit”.  Our school soccer games consisted of us hanging our own nets on the goals, wearing warn out school jersey’s, zero spectators and our gym teacher refereeing our games (stood in the middle of the field and blew his whistle every now and then).  We picked the team, set formation and managed the substitutions.  There is a great deal
to be said for this, as it made us an independent group which had to manage different personalities and overcome conflicts.  When I look back it taught me valuable life lessons.  However, most of us played on our club team together which helped greatly.  These two environments resulted in some positive results on the field.  As a youth player I was very proud to represent my soccer club (Wells City F.C.) and school soccer resulted in me being positioned with an elevated social status. 

As you can imagine when I arrived in the USA many moons ago I was surprised to see the level of commitment towards high school soccer programs.  Over the years I have immersed myself into American culture.  I now have a better understanding of what true “school spirit” is.  To be proud of the community you live in and the school you are representing means a great deal to the adults of a city and the children that pull on the school jersey.

I have been fortunate to visit 40+ states where I observed youth soccer at the national level to the U5 recreational level.  I have been a Director of Coaching for 10+ years, obtained USSF A license and played professionally.  Based on this I feel I have a really good understanding of club soccer. 

Over the years I have sat back, listened and observed high school soccer.  I came
away with negative opinions on what school soccer offered a player.  It wasn’t until I attended the NSCAA High School Diploma and gained much needed information that I found the value of high school soccer.  The instructors and
fellow class participants went into great detail in regards to the demands of a
high school coach and the challenges which the position held.

One of the biggest debates when we consider club vs. school is the level of play. 
From my observation the level of play is higher in club soccer.  Which is not too much of a surprise when we consider the high school coach has their players for 10-12 weeks?  How can they really imprint a style of play on a group of players, when they simply do not have the time to work with them?  This I feel is why we see a great deal of “direct” soccer being played at the high school level.  It is an easy way to instruct your players, find a formation and player personnel to execute such a style of play.  The teams that are more dynamic have their high school coaches involved in their main feeder club, take time to watch games and make much needed evaluations of players.  By gaining this information they are able to enter into the first week of practice with a clear understanding of what they plan to do and who to do it with.  However, most high school head coaches are also teachers and simply do not have the time to dedicate to such additional information gathering.  Moreover, most do not get compensated enough for their Fall season duties let alone taking the additional time to observe club games and practices during the Spring/Summer. 

When we look at the elite player, most will have ambition beyond club and school soccer.  The difficulty for players and parents is, when we look at the two programs, which one will give the player more exposure to collegiate coaches?  This is an easy answer, club soccer.  Why?  It is a simple logistical answer.  The school soccer season for boys and the girls is in the Fall.  It is the same for colleges.  How can the college coach be in two places at once?   Their recruiting
trips evolve around the Club Spring/Summer soccer season where there are many “College Showcase” tournaments.  This is a much better use of their time, as they get to see many elite players compete at a high level over 3-4 days.

However, any good recruiter will reach out to the high school coach to gain additional information such as, but not limited too; leadership qualities, ability (and willingness) to play different positions, commitment to the program and level of participation in school activities.  This information is invaluable to a college coach as they wish to recruit the complete player, who will not only perform for their program but represent the college appropriately.

If you ask most teenagers, “what is one of your goals in soccer?” they will answer “to play on varsity”.  This goal is tangible and achievable.  For me as a Director of Coaching I am excited to hear that players have such a goal.  However, over the years of sitting back and watching these players progress over the years, I noticed a startling sight.  When a player knew that varsity soccer was out of their reach, this player would quit playing and not return to club soccer.  There was so much focus on high school that they lost sight of what I feel really matters, the game itself.  For me, being a Director of Coaching, this was difficult for me to observe.  Since then, one of my goals has been to imprint the love of the game into players and educate them that soccer stays with them into adulthood. 

To conclude, for a player to develop to his/her fullest both programs suit the players needs and will help a player reach their goals.  Each program has their unique parameters that they have to work in.  With continued and open communication between the two entities I know will result in positive environment for the player to develop.

Cheers,

Roger Derham
Co-Owner and CSO
roger@mnsocceracademy.com
(612) 382 0518
www.facebook.com/MnSoccerAcademy
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