I have a D-1 recruited daughter who also plays club. She gets world-class competition at the club level on the good side. She had one great coach and one average coach on the neutral side. The great coach (Chris Nichols, Christ Church/CESA) helped her immeasureably through skill improvement, (real) confidence building, and by being the perfect role model for a young lady.
Then, she played high school for two coaches. The first ran a muffler shop in town and coached for a few years. Most games they won was 6, and they didn't really have that much fun. Second coach is an old guy who is retired and just giving back. She gets a lot of "feel goods" from high school soccer. It is never bad to be the best when you walk on the field, and she has learned humility by the way she acts towards everyone which I really love. Most importantly, she has a blast. When she missed a year with a torn ACL, her comment to the doctor about the worst thing about it was: "I don't get to have fun anymore."
She wins and has fun with class and respect playing club, and she wins and has fun with class and respect playing high school soccer. That's the kind of kid she is, and the kind of kid that proper soccer programs and processes encourage.
Both were great.
