Again, I simply advocate a third "choice" (both) for those whom it may benefit.
What folks may not understand is, we already have a 10-month Academy schedule. Preseason begins in August, matches in September. Training and matches continue through early February. After a 3-month break, during which high school takes MOST of the time (but there are still some Academy training sessions and de facto tryouts), Academy resumes in late May and runs through playoffs in late June.
The envisioned exclusive 10-month Academy season essentially would substitute about 30 training sessions during the former high school period, and spread matches over the full 10 months, rather than concentrating most in the September-January window.
There are some clear benefits to this for many kids, and they arguably SHOULD have the 10-month choice. There are other kids for whom the benefits are not nearly so clear. I don't advocate AGAINST 10-month Academy. I advocate for an option.
I also will continue to point out that (at this point) it is not abundantly clear that any single option trumps the others. Clearly, CESA produces some very good players. Academy produces some very good players. There are many instances where high school soccer enhances players' abilities -- especially when you don't take a narrow "South Carolina only" perspective.
