SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP Are any DA players quitting to play HS?

Does anyone know of any Development Academy players that are quitting to play high school soccer this spring?

I take it that no one quit DA this year since there was no reply. What is the cost to play DA? I heard it's close to $3,500 per year! How many players that cannot afford that are on scholarship?

Let's see 88 DA programs with 25 man rosters at $3,500 per year = $7.7 million!!! GEEESHHHH!

Not sure about DA, but In Raleigh, if you live here you'll know which one I am referring to, the youth soccer leagues are telling their better athletes, they can't play for their High School teams or play other sports. My daughter has lettered in 4 sports this year, but in order to play on the "elite" team in the local soccer league, she wouldn't been allowed to participate in school. Have we forgotten what sports are about?

Re: Warrior. First, many Academy teams are fully funded, no cost to players. Second, others are partially funded, to reduce costs to players/parents. The model SHOULD be to eliminate pay-to-play whenever possible, thereby offering opportunities to low-income participants.

I really wish the HS and academies could work together for what is best for the kids. I do see both sides of the argument. The academies don't want kids to get hurt as there is some questionable physical play in HS due to a lot of inexperience on the rosters and at a few schools some coaches who are not experienced soccer coaches. The schools are worried that the academies only care about wins and selling parents on scholarships to help their club grow. It is a shame that not just in soccer but basketball and football the clubs and schools can't or won't work with each other so that a kid can proudly represent their HS and participate in something like club, AAU or 7 on7 without being told that they are wrong

I know ODP players with CESA Boys 98's were told they could not play high school this year.

We've met Academy players from LA who don't pay a dime to play and they aren't with the big clubs, either.

I think a more interesting question would be which players aren't even trying out for Academy due to the high school rule or just accepting a DA spot to still be able to play hs? In the Midlands, there are so many good high school soccer teams. In 4-A there are four Midlands teams in the top 15. In 3-A there are six Midlands teams in the top 15, with four teams from conference IV alone!

I believe the Battery Academy teams train 4 nights a week so if that is what they choose to do, they wouldn't be able to play high school.
The Academy's philosophy is that they will become better players in training with them instead of playing high school games.
For example, Wando won our region, we finished 2nd. They beat us twice by a combined score of 13-1. Did they get any better playing us? They do play the top teams in the state, Magnet, JL Mann, Irmo but out of the 25 or so games they won, how many were competitive?
I love high school soccer, that's why I coach, but I don't blame a kid if they want to go the route of playing academy. I also don't blame kids for wanting to play under the lights for their school.
It's a person preference. I have known kids that have never played academy that went a played big time college soccer and I know academy kids that didn't play college soccer at all.
Just my point of view, for what it's worth.