How necessary is having four varsity soccer letters?

Wilshere9 · August 9, 2011, 2:47pm

I'm an incoming sophomore and I'm wondering how important is having four varsity soccer letters. I play soccer both in and out of school, and my club team plays at a national level while my high school team is weak. I had a starting varsity spot freshman year but now I feel that playing high school is inhibiting my club soccer. Since I have a better chance of getting noticed from my club team than my high school team, does it still make sense to play varsity? I'm aiming for Ivy level schools and really highlighting my soccer when I apply.

Thanks in advance.

ATPmolecule · August 9, 2011, 3:05pm

Hi, I'm sort of in the same boat, my club team is amazing while my school team is poor. But, I don't know how a bad school team should inhibit you, I've been told a story real or fake I don't know, but it taught me a very valuable lesson. Someone told me there was a basketball player that whenever he played in the streets, he picked the worst team, forcing him to be better to make up for their mistakes. School gets me better because I have to work harder to make up for their mistakes. Maybe you should consider this, because ditching your high school team may not change your acceptance rate, but are you really so passionate about the game as you think? Or do you just enjoy the title of being on the national level.

Wilshere9 · August 9, 2011, 3:36pm

Hello, and thanks for the reply. My real problem with high school soccer is not that I think I am too good for my team, but that it takes up a lot of time without giving much back. I spend many hours a day at high school practices that in my opinion are not making me a better player. If I wasn't committed to these practices, I would be doing other training that would benefit me more. That's the only reason why I am considering not playing school soccer this year. My ego has nothing to do with it, I simply want to become a better player without hurting my college acceptance chances.

ATPmolecule · August 9, 2011, 3:48pm

Oh I see your point, does your school play the same time your club does? Maybe try what I have done, I worked out a system with my coach where I would go to school practices a lot but if I needed a break or I had a more I,portent practice I would go to that.

evertonnut · August 9, 2011, 6:19pm

High school soccer can be a great experience for some, not so much for others. Either way, at least at the D1 level, the coaches will evaluate you based on your national level club team performances, not on high school soccer (particularly if your high school team is weak).

So, choose whichever path is best for you socially, academically and athletically. For many, whether to play for the high school soccer team is a very difficult choice. Looks like an easy choice in your case.

moonman676 · August 9, 2011, 7:09pm

I don't think varsity letters are a big deal, especially if you're at a very good club as you say and you're a high level player on said team.

Good luck.

momof2010 · August 10, 2011, 9:29pm

My son does not play soccer but he is a D1 athlete in another sport, he chose to not play for his team his senior year so he could attend an academy (on scholarship) where he could train at a high level everyday. NO REGRETS!!! High school team would have done nothing for him but his training was a vital part in getting him ready for his freshman year of college.

LSU8888 · August 11, 2011, 12:01am

If a coach needs to evaluate a player based on "on paper credentials" rather than his/her own eye, then he/she probably is not a very good coach.

sherpa · August 11, 2011, 2:02am

Soccer is a sport where most recruiting is based on club rather than HS performance. College coaches will be watching ODP athletes, not high school league matches.

In the sport I'm most familiar with, the skill level at the club level is so much higher than at the HS level, that there is essentially no HS recruiting at all. In this sport, the idea of an athlete skipping a regional qualifying event, not to mention a national event, in favor of a high school championship event would laughable.

If you're getting exposure on a high level, nationally competitive club, there is no reason to worry about your HS team. HS letters don't mean much in recruiting.

Good luck.

AmicaMom · August 11, 2011, 9:56pm

In our area, some, but not all, high level club team coaches don't LET their players join their high school teams! For fear that they will be injured, made more likely because the other players on school team and on the opposing team are less skilled. Most of the recruiting seems to go on at (club) tournaments and showcases, and isn't related at all to the high school success or participation of the players.

FauxNom · August 12, 2011, 1:38pm

I agree that recruiting is based on club team performance. However, I want to add that admissions offices are believed to value experience as a team captain on a school team. So to the extent that you don't get in based on athletic prowess alone, you might be missing an opportunity to develop some good leadership credentials.

rhandco · August 16, 2011, 5:33pm

The best person to ask is a recruiter from your college(s) of interest.

Varsity letters helped me get into the Ivy of my choice. But times are different now.

I think Ivies would be more interested in HS sports than other top D1 schools, because they know it shows determination to participate in HS sports when you are on a top club team.

You should also look at your position on the club team - will you be one of the top ones recruited, or just one of a top team? Being captain of the varsity team junior year might be a much better plum than being a top sub on a club team.

That being said, if you are on the BNT for your birth year, it's all moot. Any college will jump at national team players, no matter what choices they make in terms of HS or club.