SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Girls Varsity Soccer Girls enjoy HS soccer more than club

There are so many more opportunities to travel and play higher level teams from other states with club. Think of the Region III tourneys. Those are great venues.

People enjoy action movies more than romance films. I do, and I know at least one other guy who does, so it must be true.

Asked my daughter last night and to my amazement she chose high school over club..This is a girl that has been to Sweden to play and has played some of the best competition out there..When asked why.. she said that high school was tougher for her..She attends a new school and this is their first year with all four grades playing 4A with 1500 students..She's been apart of building a new program and I think she's enjoyed helping with that..In her words...Club is more competitive but high school is tougher and she enjoys the people more..

I have asked both of my daughters who have played Club (and at the highest levels for one of top Clubs in SC) and both said High School.

Without question, playing before their high school classmates, in front of (at times) pretty big crowds, Club does not compare.

Yes, the Club travel was fun, but going to some of the same places year after year, it lost its luster.

And with both being fortunate enough to be on HS State Championship teams, was "icing on the cake".

I don't have to ask my daughter. I can just tell by her reactions to club and high school games. She's been extremely lucky to play in the state HS state championship game her freshman, sophmore and junior years. In those games a high school player is going to play in front of many more people, there going to get more press even tv coverage that a club game or club championship game will ever get, it's much different atmosphere playing in front of mom and dad sitting in folding chairs at a club game and playing in front of a few thousand fans that include your student body. I know she had severe burnout with club, we could see between u16 - u17 that she was not in love with playing club soccer anymore.

I played for the same high level club and high level high school as Adidas Kitten just a few years before her time. I thoroughly enjoyed club more. No question.

Boys, too.

Generally, less pressure and travel, more "fans," more recognition by non-soccer-playing high school peers of both genders, etc.
Elite club and academy soccer is consistently "better" from a competitive perspective. But it's also much more work and commitment.

Agree about the competitive part..Work and commitment I'm not so sure..High schoolers practice everyday of the week except if they have games that could be an hour and a half away so we have players getting home late and having to keep a certain grade point average all year..We have girls doing homework during JV games because it's late when they get home..Miss a practice..run laps and don't start or play the next game..I find this rule to be more laxed in club ball..If you're good you can miss a practice and the coach looks the other way..High school captains are responsible for their teams while captains in club ball are more of just a reward to a player..So let's say I find the commitment or priorities different in school ball..Let's not forget the one or two club players on a high school team and the rest have little experience at soccer..Are those two working hard? I would believe so..
While some of my statements might be debatable..This has been our experiences with club and high school and I'm sure other's have had different experiences..