Knoxville Area Preseason rankings

[easttnref]

Hard for me to believe they are missing developmental time when highschool practices more than club. The clubs are losing money while the girls are playing highschool. All the while the college coaches are coaching not to much recruiting but they still do. If the kid is quality enough, doesn't matter who they play for the college coaches will find them.

[Canesoverhere]

Agreed, but that's not exactly the point. By not playing club in the fall, players are missing out on development time that players are in other states are getting. Do I understand that you think that the rule does not affect college opportunities for our players?

 

Can't agree with you on that. By not playing High School, they are missing out on the mental development they will need to play at the next level. THis has been discussed every year at least once, but for consistency sake...

 

Playing in high school develops a player:

(1) despite starting on their club team, they may just find out that's the only place they will start

(2) there are less talented, but certainly larger and more fit players that will equalize their skill

(3) they will learn that competition just doesn't exist on match day and learn the stress of being challenged everyday

(4) they will learn the pecking orders of

* seniors-junior-sophomores-freshman

* varsity & JV

* starters and non-starters

4) they may learn that the jerks they compete against in club from the "other" team may turn out to be pretty cool people, frankly cooler than their own team

5) they will learn to play for pride for their school and actually be on the topic of their classmates.

6) Finally, if they don't get their way and start, it is much harder to change schools than to change teams and they may just learn a great life lesson in that...sometimes you just have to suck it up ...real life has begun

Edited August 11, 2011 by Canesoverhere

[Rabble Rouser]

Hard for me to believe they are missing developmental time when highschool practices more than club. The clubs are losing money while the girls are playing highschool. All the while the college coaches are coaching not to much recruiting but they still do. If the kid is quality enough, doesn't matter who they play for the college coaches will find them.

If the kid is quality enough, doesn't matter who they play for the college coaches will find them.

*********winner winner winner********

 

Can I get an amen?

[ChattanoogaCannon]

Can't agree with you on that. By not playing High School, they are missing out on the mental development they will need to play at the next level. THis has been discussed every year at least once, but for consistency sake...

 

Playing in high school develops a player:

(1) despite starting on their club team, they may just find out that's the only place they will start

(2) there are less talented, but certainly larger and more fit players that will equalize their skill

(3) they will learn that competition just doesn't exist on match day and learn the stress of being challenged everyday

(4) they will learn the pecking orders of

* seniors-junior-sophomores-freshman

* varsity & JV

* starters and non-starters

4) they may learn that the jerks they compete against in club from the "other" team may turn out to be pretty cool people, frankly cooler than their own team

5) they will learn to play for pride for their school and actually be on the topic of their classmates.

6) Finally, if they don't get their way and start, it is much harder to change schools than to change teams and they may just learn a great life lesson in that...sometimes you just have to suck it up ...real life has begun

 

I agree with you again. Players should be allowed to play both as they can in other states, which is my point. They should not be put in a position to choose one or the other as both have positives.

 

As far as coaches finding quality players wherever they are, this may be true for the truly elite Division 1 prospect. Hard to prove a negative on that one. I don't think its true at all for the majority of prospects that don't fit into that category. I also look it at from a player development standpoint, though. A lot can change for a player in the 14 - 16 year old range. I think it hurts the development of a Tennessee soccer player because of our system. Banning middle school players from club is the real killer. Fortunately in Chattanooga, probably more than half our middle school players go to private schools and are not subject to the rule. When was the last time a Tennessee player made the national pool at any age? Has it ever happened? I'm not talking about ODP but the pool from which national team players are chosen.

[Canesoverhere]

I agree with you again. Players should be allowed to play both as they can in other states, which is my point. They should not be put in a position to choose one or the other as both have positives.

 

As far as coaches finding quality players wherever they are, this may be true for the truly elite Division 1 prospect. Hard to prove a negative on that one. I don't think its true at all for the majority of prospects that don't fit into that category. I also look it at from a player development standpoint, though. A lot can change for a player in the 14 - 16 year old range. I think it hurts the development of a Tennessee soccer player because of our system. Banning middle school players from club is the real killer. Fortunately in Chattanooga, probably more than half our middle school players go to private schools and are not subject to the rule. When was the last time a Tennessee player made the national pool at any age? Has it ever happened? I'm not talking about ODP but the pool from which national team players are chosen.

 

McKensie Bricker - Collierville - 95 Lobos - ....TBD

Susannah Dennis - Houston - 90 Fury BGA - Real Madrid 90 .....Univ of Georgia

Cindy Parlow - Germantown High Fury ....UNC

Edited August 11, 2011 by Canesoverhere

[ChattanoogaCannon]

Susannah Dennis

Cindy Parlow

 

 

Impressive. Three players in 20 years, one player on the national team. I guess that's the best we can expect from our state. Any others? (Coy Craft has played for the U14 National team and plays for a club in NE Tennessee, but he lives in Virginia.)

Edited August 11, 2011 by ChattanoogaCannon

[Canesoverhere]

Impressive. Three players in 20 years, one player on the national team. I guess that's the best we can expect from our state. Any others? (Coy Craft has played for the U14 National team and plays for a club in NE Tennessee, but he lives in Virginia.)

 

Unfortunately, it's not about math, its about talent and commitment

[Canesoverhere]

I think it hurts the development of a Tennessee soccer player because of our system. Banning middle school players from club is the real killer. Fortunately in Chattanooga, probably more than half our middle school players go to private schools and are not subject to the rule.

 

 

Cannon. there is one simple solution and we personally considered it. Move to another state. Before you do, you really need to ask yourself, is that going to make the difference...odds are....no.

[BigG]

G,

 

All that recruiting is paying off. Boys recruiting sure has went down since you left.

 

This is where you respond that you all do not recruit; and you do not tell the whole truth.

Think what you want. No matter what I say, you will argue with it.

[AAASOCCER]

I agree Highschool practices more, and if they play good teams or tougher schedules and the highschool coachs (we actually have more coachs and trainers per person in highschool than our D1 team) are real coachs they should be working on nearly the same thing. ALSO, every child can work on their own daily outside of club or highschool to improve. I personally think that all kids should enjoy the journey and sometimes they need a break from the "machine" to play with their friends and get a little reward for their hard work among their peers. Highschool sports will never be D1 but it has many other benefits that D1 and no club can mimic or replace. But thats an opinion.

 

 

 

Hard for me to believe they are missing developmental time when highschool practices more than club. The clubs are losing money while the girls are playing highschool. All the while the college coaches are coaching not to much recruiting but they still do. If the kid is quality enough, doesn't matter who they play for the college coaches will find them.

[FutbalFan]

There are many good points on both sides of this issue. Here's my take.

 

My spouse and I are the parents and we will look out for the best OVERALL interest of our daughter period. Not just her soccer interest, not just her education interest. Note that I am trying to downplay whatever personal interest we may have. This OVERALL interest is a function of the child and each child is different. Therefore, there is no one right or best answer to the question at hand in this thread. And while I love to have the USA as a soccer power to cheer for, we are not going to make decisions along with my daughter for the development of the sport. That is not in her best interest.

 

There are only a few who have the physical talent, innate thinking, and desire to compete at the level neccesary to make a national team. For them, I think the answer is clear ... forget school ball, or at least make it just a hobby or mental/social release if able to. The reality is that with the direction US Youth Soccer and ECNL are taking things, school ball will eventually not be an option for those desiring to play at the highest levels of youth soccer. The rest of the world does not develop players through school systems, it's through clubs. Not saying it's right or wrong, that's just the way it is.

 

My daughter will compete at the next level but is no where near a national player. Could she be? She's fast, intelligent, hard working, competitive .... but the simple thing is she doesn't really want to do what it takes to be a national or even regional player. Don't take this as laziness, not that at all, it just her desire to do other things, and do them well, makes it impossible. That's her decision and I will support her as such as being in her best overall interest.

 

I shall stop now at the risk of rambling on and losing my overall point. It's up to us parents to determine what is in the best overall interest of our daughters, and to guide and advise them towards that end. Soccer is like all other aspects of life; there are many directions to take and many decisions to be made. While it's hard, at least our daughters have options, unlike many in the rest of the world. I believe I know what outcome is best for my daughter (keeping both school ball and club ball in separate seasons) but I also know that may not be best for someone else's daughter.