9/7/2012 - Academies Not The Right Way To Go
When it comes to soccer coaches, it is very rare when you can get all of them to agree on something.
Selecting all-league teams, calls on the field and the general approach to the game can sometimes be contentious.
The Mugs Media area has been blessed to have some of the top coaches in the state, including John Ryan of Vernon, Andrew Lowery of Sparta, Pat Brennan of Newton, and in a short time, Brad Cameron of Pope John.
But there is one issue that all the local coaches can agree upon: The U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy’s edict that forces top-notch boys soccer players to make the decision whether to play for an academy team or for their high school team is wrong.
The ruling went onto effect this season and several players from the area were approached by academy teams with Andy Weber, the Mugs Media Player of the Year last fall along with Eric Lagg, choosing to play for Brennan and the Braves this season.
Bravo, Andy.
No matter how you slice it, the policy stinks and has been handed down as a result of Jurgen Klinsmann, who had great success as a player and coach in Germany, taking over the U.S. men’s national team.
It is based on the European model that puts year-round emphasis on the game. It also puts money in the pockets of the people who run the academies as most players will have to pay for the right to play.
In these tough economic times how are parents supposed to come up with anywhere from $10,000-$15,000 per year for these academies? There are 78 sanctioned academies which feature an 18-player roster which plays year round.
On the surface, it sounds good. Let’s get the best players early and mold them into a powerhouse, but at what cost? The U.S. is already a top 10-15 ranked nation under the old system, and in my opinion, we are not that far away from closing the gap on world powers Brazil, Spain, Germany and Italy.
The U.S. women have had no problems on the international stage despite the fact that the rest of the world is catching up. This ruling does not affect female players.
And here is another issue. Players who attend private schools can receive a waiver to play for their high schools because they pay to go to school. How is that for reasoning?
So in New Jersey, for example, kids that play at say Pingry, Delbarton or even Pope John can do both if they get a waiver. How fair is that?
There is already a deep divide between the public and non-public schools in the state and this is just going to make it worse.
And getting back to the fact you have to pay to go to the academy. Longtime girls soccer coach Jeff Yearing of Ridgewood sent out an email earlier in the year to coaches throughout the state about the issue and he made an excellent point.
Yearing asked what about players from low-income areas? How can they afford to go? As he said, the great Pele grew up playing with a ball of cloth in Brazil. Under this system there is a great possibility of some players being passed over.
Plus this could severely damage high school soccer in New Jersey, a state steeped in tradition. Think of all the great players from New Jersey who never would have stepped on a high school pitch.
On the local level, think of all the great players Vernon, Sparta and Newton have produced over the years. They never would have played.
The Vernon dynasties of the 1980s and early 1990s and the great Sparta run in the 2000s would have never happened if the kids were forced to choose.
It would be like NCAA basketball where after a year or two the stud players leave.
I know coaches can’t force parents to make their kids stay at home. I even asked Steve Timko, the executive director of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, what the association’s stand is and he said it is dead-set against it, but there is nothing he can do at this time.
Scary.
Hopefully this issue can be addressed with more high school coaches getting involved with the national organization and making their feelings heard. If not, the landscape of boys soccer will change forever.
That’s it for now, see you on the sidelines.
(BELOW IS AN ARTICLE WRITTEN BY A FORMER HIGH SCHOOL COACH THAT DELVES DEEPER INTO THE ISSUE)
By Mike Barr
The U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy league will soon be telling its players to not play high school soccer or any other high school sports. Most parents of these elite players will buy into the decision, much in the same way they believe it costs thousands of dollars to assure their child becomes a strong player and receives that $2,000 partial scholarship. Not surprisingly, the developmental academies will now be forced to charge more for training and travel.
It seems within youth soccer ideas are implemented with little thought, time, trials or research. We have become a soccer country that relies on the innovations of other countries without coming up with ideas of our own that reflect our society and culture.
The claims that high school soccer is detrimental to development seem to resonate from coaches and administrators who are involved with the Academy programs at the national level. In my opinion high school soccer should remain an important part of our youth sports landscape and parents should examine the pros and cons before making such a decision that could impact their child’s future. I will attempt to unravel the facts for parents:
1) Playing with the academy team and with elite players will enhance my son’s soccer skills.
Yes, and could possibly inhibit his growth, if he is now a substitute or locked into a position that limits touches on the ball and erodes at confidence. He could go from the player to play through or target in high school, to relinquishing roles on the field because the strength of other players on his academy team are seen to be stronger.
2) The quality of coaching at the Academy level is stronger than at the high school level.
This may be the case in some instances but there are many high school coaches who are more capable and more qualified than many academy coaches and many high school coaches have a vast amount of experience at club and ODP.
3) Quality of competition is stronger at the academy level.
Again, it may be the case in some matches but many high school games are much more competitive than Academy play, especially when teams are competing for a league, district or state title.
4). He will enjoy Academy play more.
Talk to almost any elite or high level player within the last fifteen years and almost every player will tell you that playing for their high school team was more enjoyable than club or their college playing experience. High School soccer still replicates the neighborhood club teams of years ago and the entire community still identifies with high school soccer as their own. Playing with your close peers and representing your community is something special.
Attendance at high school soccer matches always attracts more fans than any academy matches, because a community cannot get behind a program that has kids from up to 50 miles away associated with a team.
5) Playing high school will impede development.
An elite high school player begins play against players who may be four years older who are faster and stronger. Young players are forced to develop fast and develop a strong first touch. As they move into their junior and senior years they assume a role as leader and carry more responsibility to their team and themselves. Playing within the academy structure very few players assume or are introduced to the role of leader.
6) Playing Academy will provide up to four nights of training and matches on the weekend for 10 months.
Try to imagine the difficulty of maintaining quality grades if every day you are in a car for two hours, in addition to training for two hours. When will a player be able to experience the after school experiences we all enjoyed as high school students?
There will be little or no time to attend social functions, participate in music or theatre, clubs and play other sports. During the college interview many colleges and universities are looking for a well-rounded student. Will playing in the Academy actually hurt my chances to get your child in the school of his choice?
Since we have adopted the academy philosophy of European clubs; possibly U.S. Soccer should replicate these programs and have only developmental academies directed by each MLS Club. All training, travel and expenses would be covered by the club. Each player brought into an MLS academy would realize they have the potential to play professionally.
There still is something special to playing with friends in front of parents and peers and experiencing the thrill and social aspects of high school sports. Quite possibly we could see a resurgence of players staying with their own local clubs and make soccer a reasonably priced sport to play once again.
(Mike Barr is the Director of Coaching of the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association. He coached the boys team at Strath Haven High School in 1984-2005, winning five PIAA state titles, six PIAA District One titles and 16 Central League titles.)
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