SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP Score At The Shore

gfcpop,
When the discussion first started in this forum about some eastside players attending Score, I posted that it is an opportunity which cannot be missed, especially if the guys plan to play some college ball.
My post:
2004striker
Registered Member
Member # 2433
posted January 13, 2005 02:24PM
Its a no-brainer! Score at the Shore is one of highest profile tournaments in nation with lots of college coaches and high caliber competition. Ya gotta go with the club team. College coaches don't attend high school games. Its the first game of the year, and will not count against you Eastside, in the 3A standings. Plus if Eastside is as good as everyone here says, they will be focused on winning a state championship, not just winning a single game against a team in a higher classification. If they beat Irmo, who will really care; as long as they win that state championship? You can never pass on an opportunity to play in such a high level tournament. The high level of competition at Score will also help make the guys, who have the privilege to participate, even better players. But.....the HS coach may not see it that way and punish those who go. Hopefully, Eastside has a coach who does care about the boys and their big opportunity at Score.

Then the Eastside coach commented:
dcsoccer
Registered Member
Member # 96
posted January 13, 2005 10:20 PM
My take on the situation: You are correct in your labeling of the Irmo Soccer Program. You have failed to look beyond what is right in front of you though. Check 2004striker's comment. One of the elite club tournaments in the nation with ample college coaches attending. It's a situation that I cannot prevent my players from being exposed to...
dcraig@greenville.k12.sc.us
[URL=http://www.geocities.com/eastsidehighsoccer/soccer1.html

Other club teams should consider more high level tournament play, even during the high school season. There is no comparison between club tournament competition v. any high school competition in SC. Congrats to all the CESA guys who worked their butts off for the championship!

Shearer, I've been traveling on business, so I didn't see your post.

It's a numbers game. There are many more High School teams than Club teams playing at the Challenge level. Therefore each team often only has a few players of that level, which means they have to include younger players of ability and others who are not quite as skilled. It just stands to reason that these teams are not quite as good.

I'm a referee too and therefore my comments on referees comes from experience. Two man systems, (where you have to cover offsides) keep you too distant from the action.

As for your kind words on my Son. Robert had 11 (9 D1's)offers, only four in State, and the most money was actually offered by an out of State program. However. after being away in Florida he wanted to play College in South Carolina, and he really likes the Coach and Furman set up. On the second point, yes Robert was on the bench at Furman this Fall. However, it's still not bad for a Kid who's still only 17 and was pretty advisable seeing as he had a broken leg. He started playing again at Christmas and had his first College game last weekend at Mercer. We'll see if he has the ability to play and make an impact in College over the next few years.

It's a shame that some of the South Carolina soccer community shows such a negative attitude to the things teams like CESA U17s do. I say well done and good luck to each of those Guys.

Ultimately, college coaches are looking for how players handle upper level 90 min soccer games, not 80 min of "see how many goals you can score against a team who fields nothing but football players"...upper level soccer lacks in SC when it comes to HS soccer(yes, i understand there are a few exceptions, but how many times do we see irmo travel to greenville or spartanburg to play Dorman, Riverside, Eastside, etc...very little, exactly)...Big-time college coaches aren't "chomping at the bit" to go to these tiny HS tournaments in SC when they can travel a couple states over and watch OPD Regionals or a High Class club tournament...I'm sure if you asked Tomek(sp??) he probably wasn't recruited to play at Duke from his high school play, he more than likely got recruited from his club play...Basically, college coaches aren't going to travel hundreds of miles to see a high school soccer game, but they will travel to watch a club tournament, and if you're really serious about playing college soccer then talk with the coach, most are willing to invite you to come practice for a day or two(and that's the true test).

just a note on what beechsccr said.the trainer for my daughters team is a head coach at the local university.she does go to high school games if it is a player she is already recruiting and the game is close by.to find players and do the hard recruiting she goes to all the big club tournaments.

Not negative about what CESA does....I have always said that the top kids should play at the highest levels. I was negative about your attitude towards HS soccer....maybe I took your tone wrong but it sure sounded like the HS game in SC wasn't good enough for you or your son. I do apologize about the broken leg stuff hope he gets his chance at FU.....but you did have an "I am too goo for this" attitude in your first post. Just didn't like the outlook towards HS soccer.,....esp since your son made his name scoring goals as a soph and freshman in HS then moved on.

40,

At what tournament did she find those two girls from Australia?

3 and 1 from japan.i think the story goes she had no signees.the girls were looking for full rides and she had it to give so she got them.

to answer a little better.i think they had sent tapes out.