SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Girls Varsity Soccer HS vs Club coach?

Stop making excuses for losing!!!!!!! The poorest area in SC produce winning records and competes for Lower state championships every year. Whats your point? I know in those poor areas they can't afford to pay $1,100 to get sub training from a super club!!!!! So whats your point? I mean get me up to speed. High school is all about tradition unless Jesus Christ bless you one year where you get blessed with a lucky hand!!!!

I think what often gets lost in this dichotomy (club v. high school) is that PLAYERS benefit from playing at a high level of soccer year-round, which at the HS level in SC means club in the fall.

Year-round soccer by the players is crucial for success. Less so at A, more so at AAAA.

But to win the state, or compete for the state, those year-round players need a high quality coach and a school committed to a PROGRAM.

I began coaching high school soccer because I felt the players deserved something better than having a coach forced to coach them, or having a coach be there simply to fulfill his coaching obligations. The school wanted the same. I never played soccer and did intensive on-the-job training. But both the boys and girls teams at that high school have done better since the players have committed to year-round soccer and the school has secured a high-quality soccer coach (not me).

What I see is programs that never get better..Schools offer soccer to girls but they do not offer a committment to build a good program.
So year in and year out these teams get pounded..Why did they do it in the first place? I am not talking about winning every game..I am talking about gradually getting better.If the girls are willing to come out don't we owe them the chance to be competitive over time? These coaches know who they are..Get off the bench and stand on that sideline and coach your team..Or get out of the way and give someone a chance that truly wants to build a program.

While I am on a roll..I know that some coaches hands are tied with what they can do..I don't put all of the blame solely on the shoulders of the coach..I find it funny that ADs looking to hire a football coach will travel across the state to find a coach but will look only down the hall to hire a girls soccer coach..Where's the emphasis from anyone?

It takes a village to raise a soccer player. The teams that I've seen get on top and stay and top do so with a soccer community. I know coaches at Summerville and Wando at the youth level that feel plugged in to the system. I know coaches at Goose Creek and Moncks Corner that don't feel or don't want to be plugged in. Compare our records.
Coach Chass gave me a chance to assist him at Berkeley a few years ago. It use to be brand new players each year with no carry over. Now we are getting players that have skills and conditioning and actually know the sport very well.
In order to get better we split forces and made a JV team. This was a small step back to go forward. I still coach with the youth teams in fall, the biggest challenge for me has been playing ambassador between HS and youth. I like being on the field and sharpening the skills not trying to convience a first year U12 Boom Ball expert that just because you win a game or two....well you get the picture.
As a model program in 4 A we are not it, are we a model for teams without a progam and wishing to get better? Yes, we are getting more right now than wrong. We can do better and that is our ultimate goal as I am sure is everyones.
I was lucky to have been on a team that won a state championship. I remember the feeling the hard work the dedication. I dream of seeing my girls get that chance.

That's what I am talking about..Programs do not get built over night but you have to measure your success year in and year out..Is our program stronger than it was last year? Not measured solely on wins but are players coming back..do they truly have a sense of what's going on when they play.
Do you develop smarter players..These are measuring tools..We can't go on scores or close games alone because how do you know when some team might be laying back or are they starting their first team..Everyone has to be committed to building a program..It starts with administration..If you do not have their support how effective are you going to be? I have just seen to many programs flounder and just provide a team and they players deserve better or at least a chance...We had one game called twenty minutes early because the coach said the players were tired...PLEASE!! Expect more from your players and you might get something from them..
It's easy to point a finger because of my location and my child plays for a stronger program but guess what folks..My child is moving to the new school next year..Yeah!! that's right..a new program at AA and playing varsity with ninth and tenth graders. A challenge? YES!!And over time I expect everyone to step up and build a successful program..I would expect nothing less

Yes Cane Bay will be interesting to watch as they build. I expect big things from them. I am sending one that I have coached 4 years and 7 seasons. I have a rising 8th grader on my JV squad that will be a great player when she gets there.
Yeah using scores isn't much an indicator of match to match compare/contrast. Ball possession and how the teams handle "the Moment" they are in is my barometer.
You are correct on admin, sorta the chicken and the egg. Players have gotta play, coaches need to coach,supporters support admin has to admins. We all share the vision and utilize the gameplan.
Good Luck with your daughter's new school. The challenge will give her that chance to shine.

It will not happen over night but my hope is that when she graduates the program will be three years in and well on their way and I hope she plays a role in making that happen.
Good luck at my old almer mater..Keep the ball rolling

Tim & cht,

I noticed that Cane Bay is starting out as a 2A school in the 2008-2010 alignment.

How big will their enrollment be? Will the oldest class in 08-09 be the junior class? How quickly do you think enrollment will grow? Will CB be 3A or 4A in the next few years?

Both Cane Bay and Ashley Ridge will start AA with just two grades.Depends over the next two years when they have all four grades at these schools as to where they will be size wise..Development of the area and how many move in..Personally..I think that AR will be AA for the first two years and the third year at AAA..AR will be pulling kids from Summerville ans Fort Dorchester while Cane Bay will be pulling kids from Berkeley ans Stratford..I see both schools reaching AAAA over the next four or five years..