This article was originally posted by Shawn Mitchell (The Columbus Dispatch Friday November 9, 2012 4:36 AM)
Many of the nation’s top teenage players faced the toughest decision of their soccer careers this fall.
Among them were Olentangy Liberty forwards and Crew Soccer Academy members Jared Robinson and Taylor Scott, who — like hundreds of their peers — finally had to choose between continuing to play in the elite U.S. Soccer Development Academy league or continuing their high-school careers.
The U.S. Soccer Federation mandated a 10-month academy season for the first time this year, forcing academy players — most among the best of the best — to give up high-school soccer.
But Robinson and Scott stayed true to their school, and they couldn’t be happier. Liberty (21-1) will play in a second straight Division I championship game on Saturday at Crew Stadium.
“We’re just brothers,” said Robinson, a senior who scored the winner in Liberty’s 1-0 victory over Mason yesterday in a state semifinal. “We’re all so close. The level of training and exposure you get (from academy soccer) can’t be compared. But to get to play with all these guys again in a state final — I won’t have another chance at that.”
It was not an easy decision for either player. Two of their teammates from last year’s state runner-up team elected to remain with the Crew Academy. But a run that ended with a 4-2 loss to Cleveland St. Ignatius in last year’s championship game was an enticement to stick with Liberty, which will play Sylvania Southview (17-3-2) on Saturday.
“I don’t envy any of them having to make that decision,” Liberty coach Rick Collins said. “But we had enough guys coming back to know that this could be a special year. And the guys that went the academy route, they knew they were giving up something special but they did it for the chance at a better future in soccer. You see both sides.”
Robinson accepted a scholarship offer from Midwestern power Evansville before the season. When his future coach gave him his blessing to remain with his high-school team, he made his decision.
“That made the choice easier,” Robinson said.
Scott, a junior, also hopes to play college soccer. But another chance at a championship was too good to pass up.
“It was really about that,” Scott said. “I knew we would have a shot and I wanted to help us get back (to Crew Stadium).”
note:Olentangy Liberty 2, Sylvania Southview 0: Liberty achieves goal with Division I title 11/9/12
