I will reiterate my "shades of gray" argument. While I see your point, allow me to say that many Academy kids aren't cutthroat or "elite." They're normal kids, who love representing their schools as part of a virtual year-round schedule that includes BOTH high school and Academy soccer. There's nothing inherently good or bad about EITHER level of competition, and the BLEND does many kids a world of good.
Indeed, though many Academy gurus look down on high school soccer, they might do better to assure the cleanliness of their own houses first. Over the last few years, I've had the opportunity to observe Academy "done right" and "done wrong" by dozens of programs at venues across the country. Not all Academy soccer is great, or elite, or even particularly good.
At the same time, I have seen top-level high-school sides that would be competitive versus Academy sides, and, at the other end of the spectrum, some brutally bad high school sides, loosely "coached" by football assistants looking for nothing more than an out-of-season coaching stipend. THAT'S the strongest case for Academy exclusivity, and I can't deny it happens.
For the most part though, Academy kids in this state come from competitive high school programs, and I don't think that's a coincidence. You can argue the chicken-and-egg of it, but I suspect that's MOSTLY because strong high school sides have broader access to kids who have been raised in the game from a fairly young age. BEFORE Academy, that is. The Academy tends to recruit more-or-less "made" players. I have not seen our Academy identify a pure athlete and attempt to "coach" him into soccer. Nor am I totally convinced that all Academy sides even attempt to fulfill the "development" mandate. In some instances, Academy soccer bears a depressing resemblance to AAU basketball, where kids (and coaches) are essentially showcasing themselves to college programs.
So, Coach, in response to your question, you (and your Academy counterparts) SHOULD have the kids' best interests at heart. I believe you do. I hope you do. I can't say the same for everyone in the ongoing discussion, many of whom have a financial interest in the outcome.
