You're right.
Competition is the reason. Any given HS season Irmo, Wando, Northwestern, Mauldin, Dorman, etc etc are all going to be very good. And the Riverside's and Cardinal Newman's and Bishop Englands are going to be arguing that they are at that level as well.
On the club side.....5 years ago in most age groups you had hardnosed competition between at least Bridge and CESA and usually there was also a Discoveries or Mount Pleasant or Columbia United team in the mix.
Now with Academy pulling most of the the best players from the lowerstate and Columbia area, that competition isn't really, honestly there in most age groups. At least on the boys end of things. Its CESA and whatever fringe team pops up, which varies age group to age group.
I have no idea whatsoever why virtually no one can compete with CESA on the girls end. When SC United gets as fired up about girls as they do Academy.....maybe they'l offer some serious competition. I'm sure they're trying.
So Jack, thats it in a nutshell. SC Club season is like being a Pittsburgh Pirates fan. May be hope every once in awhile but eventually it all boils down to another season with no chance to compete with the rat bastids from the other end of the state.
And HS soccer in SC.......is like the NFL in Pennsylvania. Where God takes all of the injustices from baseball and makes them right again. Halftime score last night, Steelers 21 Eagles zip.
