06/04/2013
Interesting read from the website of a travel club out of Atlanta (which when checking resources, was copied and pasted from a travel ball club in California):
High School vs. Club Soccer: Maximize Your Collegiate Opportunities
There comes a time in every player’s soccer career when he or she needs to decide how seriously they want to pursue soccer. At some point, every youth soccer player will be asked the question: do you want to play soccer in college? If being a collegiate student-athlete is something that a youth player wants to pursue, then sacrifices may have to be made, and starting early in the recruiting process is the key.
Pressures to get discovered typically mount as players get older and begin high school soccer in the ninth grade. The trade-off is usually between club soccer and relying strictly on the high school soccer program. What is going to get you noticed? While the cost of choosing club soccer over high school sports can be tough, if playing soccer at the collegiate level is your ultimate goal, then it is a sacrifice that will have to be considered.
There are several reasons why club soccer is so important if you want to play college soccer. First, as a rule, club soccer is more competitive than high school soccer, and consequently, athletes who play club soccer are generally more committed players than those who do not. Second, college coaches do most of their recruiting from tournaments which club soccer teams attend. If you are not competing at those tournaments, then it is difficult for a coach to see you play and ultimately recruit you. Lastly, the experience gained from playing soccer at a competitive level will help mold you into a more desirable college prospect. The earlier you start, the better it is for coaches to see you at tournaments and showcases throughout your high school career.
Playing college soccer is not for everyone, but if your goal is to play college soccer at a D1, D2, D3 or NAIA, then you need to start early to help make sure that you are maximizing all of your opportunities and getting the most out of every club season.