Hurst: Agreed on your basic statement of Academy being a "pro" prep. Then again, there's practical reality. Look at the 2011-12 SCUBDA U17-18 roster, and see how many are going pro out of high school vs. attending college.
While I don't endorse Academy as a cost-effective vehicle for pursuing a college grant-in-aid, it does effectively showcase kids (to college coaches) in high-quality training and competitive environments.
By the way, so does high-level club soccer, such as CESA.
High school soccer ... not so much. I mean, just how relevant or telling is a 5-assist or 3-goal "outburst" in many high school games? How often have folks here debated the merits/cruelty of 18-0 thrashings in high school? (Answer: Often enough for all of us to recognize they happen WAY TOO OFTEN.)
High school soccer merely confirms what most coaches have learned in camp, club, Academy or ODP settings.
Moreover, the endless comparison between CESA and Academy in this state is largely pointless. My guess is, the reason MANY kids (and their parents) choose one or the other is geographical convenience. CESA is more convenient for many upstate kids; Academy for many Lowcountry and Horry/PeeDee kids.
In the case of the player in the article cited early in this thread, I feel certain he weighed what he saw as the relative merits of high school and Academy soccer, then (with no small regret) chose the latter.
That adults on BOTH sides of the high school/Academy issue couldn't find common ground and, at least, grandfather previously dual-affiliated kids through ...
I'll leave it there.
