# Club soccer and High School sports.  CIF rules clarification.



## socalkdg (Aug 16, 2019)

Club soccer and High School sports.  CIF rules clarification.

Looking for clarification. I believe once you play your first soccer game for High School you can't continue practicing for club soccer until the season is over?   Any exceptions to that?  Can you train with a private trainer?   Can you train with an older team that you aren't rostered with?   Practice on a weekend with the team but not play any games?

What if you play a different sport.   Daughter may play basketball for the High School(chance at Varsity as a freshman, we shall see ) can she still practice with the club since it is a different sport than soccer?  I'm pretty sure a number of kids have ran cross country and still played soccer at the same time.

Any clarification is appreciated.  Like to get at least one day of keeper training done per week, either with a private trainer, or with the team.


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## outside! (Aug 16, 2019)

Different CIF sections have different rules. Where are you located? I would also take any advice you get here (or anywhere else) and verify it by reading the CIF rules for your section yourself.


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## espola (Aug 16, 2019)

...and your HS coach may have his own rules as well.


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## outside! (Aug 16, 2019)

espola said:


> ...and your HS coach may have his own rules as well.


Or a misguided application of the CIF rules.


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## mirage (Aug 16, 2019)

socalkdg said:


> .....I believe once you play your first soccer game for High School you can't continue practicing for club soccer until the season is over?......


All CIF sections publishes what constitutes a season for any given sports.  In the case of soccer, I believe, its early to mid November to end of the CIF tournament in March.  Outside of those times, it should not matter at all for soccer (does for some sports).

The other clarification point is that scrimmages without refs don't mean anything, as I understand it (from AD at HS).  The game has to be officiated to count as a game.


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## Simisoccerfan (Aug 16, 2019)

socalkdg said:


> Club soccer and High School sports.  CIF rules clarification.
> 
> Looking for clarification. I believe once you play your first soccer game for High School you can't continue practicing for club soccer until the season is over?   Any exceptions to that?  Can you train with a private trainer?   Can you train with an older team that you aren't rostered with?   Practice on a weekend with the team but not play any games?
> 
> ...


If your playing HS don't have your kid train with the club or an outside trainer.   The HS season is brutal enough.  Practice every day of the week.  Once games start you play at least twice a week and sometimes tournaments on the weekend.   HS age girls need time to recover.


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## socalkdg (Aug 16, 2019)

Simisoccerfan said:


> If your playing HS don't have your kid train with the club or an outside trainer.   The HS season is brutal enough.  Practice every day of the week.  Once games start you play at least twice a week and sometimes tournaments on the weekend.   HS age girls need time to recover.


Except she will be playing basketball.  I would agree about the soccer part if she was playing soccer.   I'm thinking one day a week for soccer during basketball should keep her from getting rusty as 3 months no soccer would be an issue.   She is a keeper.


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## jpeter (Aug 16, 2019)

Both my kids play(ed) mutiple HS sports (basketball, volleyball, track& field, and or soccer) along with club soccer (ECNL, DA) Southern section for most of their 4 years in HS.  

For us basketball was the toughest since it's a winter sport you have to choose between that and soccer in HS and the practice schedule in the fall is tough when you're playing fall club soccer.  Son did it freshman year only and thought it was too damanding on the body especially when your suppose to be practicing 4 days a week for DA.  Volleyball & track worked out better when co-existing with soccer for us.  

The general rule of thumb is no same sport playing once the first officiated scrimmage or game is played in HS until that season is over including the playoffs which can go through end of feb and even march if you go all the way.


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## espola (Aug 16, 2019)

CIF San Diego Section has had some interesting rulings over the years.  Aside from the court cases they have lost over eligibility rulings and subsequent disqualifications, they have made rulings now and then that show that while they are amateurs, they are definitely in charge.


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## Mic Nificent (Aug 16, 2019)

I agree the high school grind is over kill. My DD is thinking about not playing HS soccer this year (she played last year) and just working with a soccer and track trainer during HS season and she if benefits more from that. She also wants to see if her club provides training for those who do not want to play HS soccer


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## dk_b (Aug 16, 2019)

The statewide CIF bylaws are pretty clear (Bylaw 600 (https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/j/7/se3maufie3nzq9/600_Series.pdf)):

"C. Soccer In the sport of soccer, Bylaw 600 shall be in effect only during the winter high school soccer season. High school soccer programs that compete during the fall or spring season are not subject to Bylaw 600.  
NOTE: For purposes of this section, indoor soccer and futsal are not considered the same sport as soccer."

The penalty is 2x the games played (Bylaw 601(A)(1)):

"First Offense in High School Career in Any Sport The student becomes immediately ineligible for participation with his/her high school team for a number of contests equal to twice the number of contests of outside competition in which the student participated."

Second offense is suspension for 365 days.  Note (for anyone called into a YNT camp):  those scrimmages COUNT and if the camp is not listed on CIF's list of activities:  https://www.cifstate.org/governance/odp.  Of course, with fewer non-GDA kids being selected, this is less an issue.

Note:  the restrictions only apply to the SAME SPORT.  For the kid who wants to play basketball, that's fine (you own section rules might differ but I haven't see that)


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## ajaffe (Aug 17, 2019)

mirage said:


> All CIF sections publishes what constitutes a season for any given sports.  In the case of soccer, I believe, its early to mid November to end of the CIF tournament in March.  Outside of those times, it should not matter at all for soccer (does for some sports).
> 
> The other clarification point is that scrimmages without refs don't mean anything, as I understand it (from AD at HS).  The game has to be officiated to count as a game.


Any time you play another team, with referees or without, is counted as a game/point from what I’ve gathered.

Typical course of action I’ve seen around:
Some players play showcase/national events in early December. They train with high school 3-4x a week, do not play games, and train club the other 1-2 days. Once their last club game is over they play their first high school game. Of course, as stated, it depends on the coaches involved. 

I highly recommend NOT doubling up on training sessions. Most coaches plan their periodization on their own sessions, not their own plus so,done else’s. You run a high risk of overuse and elevate the risk of an injury by doing too much.


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## coachsamy (Aug 26, 2019)

socalkdg said:


> Except she will be playing basketball.  I would agree about the soccer part if she was playing soccer.   I'm thinking one day a week for soccer during basketball should keep her from getting rusty as 3 months no soccer would be an issue.   She is a keeper.


3 months without playing soccer will not get her rusty. After a good week of practice after HS season she will be right back on track.


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## Josep (Aug 26, 2019)

coachsamy said:


> 3 months without playing soccer will not get her rusty. After a good week of practice after HS season she will be right back on track.


Yet every club coach will claim that it takes months to reverse the bad habits of HS soccer.  I always found this funny as many of the HS coaches are club coaches.


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## coachsamy (Aug 27, 2019)

Josep said:


> Yet every club coach will claim that it takes months to reverse the bad habits of HS soccer.  I always found this funny as many of the HS coaches are club coaches.


My DD hasn't played club soccer in years.  Yes she does make a cameo appearance at National Cup, but beyond that nothing significant. By not playing club soccer, she's been able to have more time to enjoy her HS experience, her favorite hobbies, party with her friends, and many other things that club soccer would take away. 

What I find amusing from parents is that their loyalty is commonly geared towards the club (They are paying for it) experience vs. the school experience, however their end goal is a scholarship at some college. How a kid can have that loyalty for a school when throughout their childhood they were though to prioritize their club.


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## Fact (Aug 27, 2019)

socalkdg said:


> Club soccer and High School sports.  CIF rules clarification.
> 
> Looking for clarification. I believe once you play your first soccer game for High School you can't continue practicing for club soccer until the season is over?   Any exceptions to that?  Can you train with a private trainer?   Can you train with an older team that you aren't rostered with?   Practice on a weekend with the team but not play any games?


If you are on a DA team and attend Bishops in San Diego CIF, you can play HS and DA if you daddy is President of the club you play for.


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## Soccer Cat (Aug 27, 2019)

How about high school soccer and a futsal team?  Allowed?


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## dk_b (Aug 27, 2019)

Soccer Cat said:


> How about high school soccer and a futsal team?  Allowed?


Yes. Upthread I posted the CIF rules (not section-specific but for all sections). Futsal is permitted during the HS season.


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