SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Girls Varsity Soccer TL Hanna and South Aiken - Similar Paths to Power

Before I digress, the question I want to pose here is what mix of ingredients has led TL Hanna and South Aiken to their current lofty rankings? With insider knowledge about both programs, I still think putting a finger on one reason is a difficult task.

TL Hanna and South Aiken are currently ranked #1 and #2 in AAAA girls soccer. Consider for a moment that both schools share some eerie similarities, for example: both have had 3 head coaches in the past 3 seasons, both are located in smaller metropolitan areas (if Aiken and Anderson can even be referred to as such), both schools have a mix of players that play for different clubs (there is no all CESA presence on either team, though TL Hanna would be more CESA this year than in years past), both schools have had more success in the past 5 years than in any previous five year span in their history.

Differences, on the boys side South Aiken has been far more successful in the past 10 years than TL Hanna; South Aiken's 2 strongest seasons prior to 2012 were when they were a AAA school; South Aiken is generally faced with a far more difficult region schedule (though TL Hanna has no control over this, and will face a much tougher Region I-AAAA next year with the addition of JL Mann and Hillcrest).

So why the success?

SA's best men's team was a AAAA State Champion I believe. The team that had all the Aiken Fire guys. jamal and goose and tice etc.

Will, I agree with you about SA's strongest boys team being the one that won a AAAA title. I was referring to the 2 strongest girls teams being the 2009 and 2010 squads that played for the AAA state title in back to back seasons.

Hobo, I apologize. Had I checked the eurosport scoreboard or attended a TL Hanna match this year, I would have realized that whoever told me that TL Hanna had a new coach was wrong. Thanks for pointing that out.

You underestimate X's and O's. Sure, the team with CLEARLY better players SHOULD win MOST of the time. That said, a good coach and plan can make the presumed "lesser" team competitive. And, more importantly, a lousy coach (and preparation/strategy) can drag a good team down.
These things happen all the time in soccer AT ALL LEVELS. How often does the presumed inferior side batten down the hatches, get a break of two, and win 1-0? Or draw, then win on PKs?

shut^&play,

Never coached either team, but I found it uniquely interesting that both are very similar in some facets and have had success in recent years. Neither comes from a large city, though one could argue both schools are close enough to a metropolitan area to reap the benefits.

They definitely aren't "underdogs" as both schools have plenty of girls that can afford to play at top clubs, but neither are they traditional soccer powers.

Ok? And this guys original question was about why are SA and Hanna girl's ranked so high in 4A given their geographic location...

Anyone can beat anyone on a given day...rarely do overachievers win Titles...

Save for Batesburg Leesvilles 2 years ago.

Congrats on your token completely irrelevant reply Backscreen

Anywho Ram, I understand what you're saying but Aiken has kind of been one of the soccer hubs for SC along with the coast, Cola and gVegas and sparkle city for a while now. Any place where you have an oppurtunity for kids to play year round at competitive levels whether it be GA-SC Bulls, Aiken Soccer Assoc, Cesa or CASA (all have been around for quite some time) you have the opportunity to be good given the right group. It happens all the time. Public HS's don't recruit. They deal with the hand dealt them. Some places get handed the silver spoon, some work for their dinner, and some starve