High School, Club Coaches Question U.S. Soccer Decision

High school and club soccer coaches are still reeling from United States Soccer’s decision to force athletes to decide between playing for their high schools and the U.S. Soccer Development Academy (USDA).

U.S. Soccer announced Feb. 10 it was going to adopt a 10-month season running from September to July starting this fall.

High school athletes cannot play on two teams at the same time, forcing players to choose between high school and academy teams.

The Scott Gallagher Metro Program is the only USDA program in the St. Louis area with four teams for boys ages 15 to 18. The team’s purpose is to develop the nation’s top players to improve the country’s professional team.

Earlier this month, with local coaches and representatives from U.S. Soccer.

Neil Buethe, a spokesperson for U.S. Soccer, said the academy accounted for 1 percent of high school players. They moved to the 10-month season for those players focused on moving to professional or college soccer.

Youth scouting advisor for U.S. Soccer Tim Regan said in most cases, only one or two players from a team will be affected.

Many players at Mehlville and Oakville play for club soccer teams, but only one athlete from the schools will have to face the decision.

Oakville coach Dave Robben said the decision won’t impact his team, but could have some negative effects for private powerhouses.

“When you have a program, there’s always somebody in the wings that we can develop,” he said. “There would be a couple of guys we could put into that position.”

Both non-academy club and high school coaches cited the importance of playing in high school.

“You’re getting pats on the back from students at the game—those kinds of things that are the social interaction as part of a high school experience. How do you evaluate or measure that? You can’t really but it has to do something for a kid’s worth and self esteem,” Robben said.

Joe Miskovic, an Oakville soccer parent and a 7-year club coach, said the idea behind the change is understandable, but the ramifications of the decision will impact far more kids than those who will make it at the professional level.

"I totally understand where they're coming from,” Miskovic said. “For me it was just the scope, the number of players that it's involving, for the four or five that might get picked from that age group for the national level team, you're going to disqualify 3,000 or 4,000 kids nationwide from playing for their high schools? That's really hard to swallow because of the camaraderie and the community they have with their schools and the friendships they develop with those players."

Miskovic is a girls coach at Kolping Kicks Soccer Club, and has a senior at Oakville High School.

"I know she's always going to treasure those memories and the bonds that she's created—there's nine seniors that are graduating together this year on the soccer team, she loves those girls," he said.

Where the school team has social advantages, the club side is more likely to give athletes the exposure for a college scholarship.

Seven out of 10 seniors on Miskovic’s Kolping team received scholarships from tournaments and team showcases with the club.

“By the time I’m contacted, they want to know what type of student and citizen they are, they know what kind of soccer player he is from watching them on the club team,” Robben said.

When college scouts recruit from a high school team, they may travel for hours to see just a few players, where club teams compete at showcases. At a showcase involving several club teams, a recruiter can see an unlimited number of possible athletes.

Another Kolping girls coach, Tony Schmitt, said athletes develop better in a club environment, but it was also about the kids.

Schmitt has coached club soccer for 10 years and competed with his team all over the country, but said athletes should be given the choice to play with their high schools.

One year, he gave his girls team the opportunity play year-round to increase their chances of a scholarship. If a player chose to play high school, they still had a spot on the team when the season was over and the coach and player relationship did not chance, Schmitt said.

"I see no problem with them having a choice, because that's really what life's about is choices. Mandating? I don't agree with it,” he said. “It’s maybe appropriate for the top 70 players in our country, but for the top 70 teams?"

While he said he respected the work done at the Gallagher program, he hoped parents don't feel like their kids have to play in the academy to have a future in soccer.