First High School game for my daughter tonight. Excited to see it. Interesting journey to get there.

[OrangeCountyDad]

the sweeping generalizations of "more injuries" and "low skill level" is probably true if you have the misfortune of attending a school that doesn't have a strong program (or at least hasn't had competitive success) and is playing in the lower leagues. our varsity team has had YNT players and every year a handful NCAA-bound players. Compared to a school I heard about that had walk-ons for Varsity, or another school where all the Varsity players quit before their 2nd year because they got their letter and that's all they cared about.

 

[socalkdg]

I use the Nfhs and it's o.k...not great...no score or time on their digital scoreboard...so you really need to pay attention so not to miss anything...b.t.w...well playing you guys on Tuesday and I hope for a fun and safe game..

Thanks for the info. Tuesday? What High School?

 

[focomoso]

the sweeping generalizations of "more injuries" and "low skill level" is probably true if you have the misfortune of attending a school that doesn't have a strong program (or at least hasn't had competitive success) and is playing in the lower leagues. our varsity team has had YNT players and every year a handful NCAA-bound players. Compared to a school I heard about that had walk-ons for Varsity, or another school where all the Varsity players quit before their 2nd year because they got their letter and that's all they cared about.

Isn't everyone a walk-on in high school? What am I missing?

 

[socalkdg]

I'm thinking he is meaning that everyone made Varsity. No tryouts.

 

[youthsportsugghhh]

Prepare for lots of injuries and a lower level of competition across the board for every sport.

In our club game today against a highly thought of club we had 2 girls injured -- one tackled from behind had her ankle done in about 10 minutes into the game and then in the last 10 minutes a girl was fouled and had her shoulder dislocated. It was pretty rough in between as well -- HS age girls

No issues thus far in HS games -- fingers crossed and knocking on wood!

 

[Mile High Dad]

Fingers crossed out here in CO. My DD is so excited for HS. Quite a few girls from Real will make up her HS team BUT, we are moving back to remote learning and the season could be in jeopardy! Would really suck if it gets canceled again.

 

[Glitterhater]

Fingers crossed out here in CO. My DD is so excited for HS. Quite a few girls from Real will make up her HS team BUT, we are moving back to remote learning and the season could be in jeopardy! Would really suck if it gets canceled again.

Fingers crossed!

 

[TOSDCI]

Prepare for lots of injuries and a lower level of competition across the board for every sport.

I know high school can be brutal but I know two players that have torn their ACLs recently. Both were during a club game/practice prior to HS starting. Injuries can happen anytime and at any level.

 

[socalkdg]

I worry more this year because many of our players are doing both at the same time. The next 4 weeks I'll give my kid any day off she needs if she asks.

 

[outside!]

I worry more this year because many of our players are doing both at the same time. The next 4 weeks I'll give my kid any day off she needs if she asks.

You may want to suggest a some time off from practice. I would if my player were doing both.

 

[GeekKid]

You may want to suggest a some time off from practice. I would if my player were doing both.

We went through the same thing here in Texas just a couple of weeks ago with the Dallas Cup and High School playoffs. These girls are in shape but playing 8 games in 6 days is brutal on any high school kid. There has to be a balance. With the sub rules in ECNL and the ones constituted by Texas UIL, not sure what CIF does, there is no excuse for coaches for not giving athletes adequate rest.

 

[outside!]

We went through the same thing here in Texas just a couple of weeks ago with the Dallas Cup and High School playoffs. These girls are in shape but playing 8 games in 6 days is brutal on any high school kid. There has to be a balance. With the sub rules in ECNL and the ones constituted by Texas UIL, not sure what CIF does, there is no excuse for coaches for not giving athletes adequate rest.

Relying on a coach to remember who needs rest during a game is not a good idea. As a parent, talk to the coaches and tell them your player needs rest and will sit out some practices.

 

[MamaBear5]

Relying on a coach to remember who needs rest during a game is not a good idea. As a parent, talk to the coaches and tell them your player needs rest and will sit out some practices.

Talk to the coach...there is something to be said for team building but a good high school coach will accept if you need to miss for club practice. My kid misses high school to go to her private keeper training - benefits the team for her to have a higher level training and prevents her from having to add it as an extra as opposed to subbing one for another.

 

[full90]

I asked a college coach for his thoughts on club and high school at the same time and he said never two things in one day. And be mindful of game minutes...so if multiple hs games a week with lots of minutes then limit club game minutes on the weekend. There’s no recruiting happening now so showing well at club is moot. He told his 2021 class who are playing high school: no two in one day, be mindful of game minutes and have one complete day off a week.

 

[Eagle33]

I asked a college coach for his thoughts on club and high school at the same time and he said never two things in one day. And be mindful of game minutes...so if multiple hs games a week with lots of minutes then limit club game minutes on the weekend. There’s no recruiting happening now so showing well at club is moot. He told his 2021 class who are playing high school: no two in one day, be mindful of game minutes and have one complete day off a week.

There is something to be said about college coaches. Some of them are good and many are not. Just as an example, my kid played for D1 school in Big South where he would have training at 5 am daily and many times 3 times a day. Thanks God he transferred from there.

 

[crush]

Relying on a coach to remember who needs rest during a game is not a good idea. As a parent, talk to the coaches and tell them your player needs rest and will sit out some practices.

I have to jump in on this take Outside. I tell my dd to be true to herself and her body. It's her body and she needs to speak up and tell coach the truth. Trainer in HSS has a say too. Club, too much going on for a coach to have to monitor minutes. No one knows the body more then the player who has the body. Does that make sense? Why would a parent talk to a coach? Coaches dont like that either, trust me. Tell dd to speak up and all will go well

 

[crush]

There is something to be said about college coaches. Some of them are good and many are not. Just as an example, my kid played for D1 school in Big South where he would have training at 5 am daily and many times 3 times a day. Thanks God he transferred from there.

The Eagle has landed. War Eagle bro

 

[full90]

I’m not sure what you’re saying. Your sons college coach encouraged overtraining so therefore the coach I spoke with (who is encouraging load management and proper recovery) is also wrong?

I thought it was sound advice and puts the health and well being of my athlete at the forefront. And coming from someone who has more knowledge than me, I was appreciative of it. And who knows from the outside the futility of hs and club coaches pushing their own agenda with the welfare of the kids often times a distant second place.

not sure you’re point. Of course there are awful coaches. At every level. So therefore all advice is bad?

 

[Eagle33]

I’m not sure what you’re saying. Your sons college coach encouraged overtraining so therefore the coach I spoke with (who is encouraging load management and proper recovery) is also wrong?

I thought it was sound advice and puts the health and well being of my athlete at the forefront. And coming from someone who has more knowledge than me, I was appreciative of it. And who knows from the outside the futility of hs and club coaches pushing their own agenda with the welfare of the kids often times a distant second place.

not sure you’re point. Of course there are awful coaches. At every level. So therefore all advice is bad?

you reading into it too much, just enjoy your day and relax. It was nothing to do with your coaches advise.

 

[Mystery Train]

Naturally, your mileage will vary when it comes to the HS soccer experience... much more so than even club because (obviously) clubs are more able to group players and teams by comparable skill/talent levels. So HS is simply more of a wild card in terms of quality and consistency. Yes, I saw plenty of teams that were just unskilled bruisers, and it worried me when our school played them. I also saw some really great soccer. My kid personally had an up and down experience in HS mainly due to the coach, eventually opting to forego Senior year, which ended up being a non-issue with Covid anyway. On the other hand, she had friends on the team who absolutely loved their HS experience. I learned it's best not to make blanket statements on HS soccer.

One thing that does not vary is that year-round soccer with little to no break between club and HS will take its toll on a player after 4 years one way or another, either physically or mentally. If your kid plans to do 4 years of club and 4 years of varsity HS soccer and possibly another 4 of college, you might invest in a cryochamber. Or just insist that there be 3 "down" months per calendar year to let their bodies completely recover (especially keepers) between seasons. Trust me on this. Don't think your kid is a special physical specimen and can take the constant beating. It's different than it was when they were littles. I saw this happen to sooo many of my kid's peers. When a young kid loves the sport as an 6-12 year old, they can literally play every single day of the year and never get hurt. You get to thinking that's how it will always be; they seem indestructible to us parent at that age. As those bodies get heavier from 14-17, the physical forces at play more than double because both mass and velocity are increasing. Remember Newtonian physics? It's no joke, and wear and tear isn't obvious until it's too late.

That said, I'm super happy to read about everyone's kids getting back on the pitch. Embrace it and enjoy it because we all know now how suddenly it can all be taken away.