United States Soccer Dilemma: Academy or High School Soccer?
By Robert Moore | Apr 18, 2014
Jorge Rodriguez remembers walking through the halls of East Hartford High School to a standing ovation. He had just notched the game-winning goal for his high school soccer team and was later named a 2008 All-New England selection.
While Rodriguez reveled in the high school glory and camaraderie between teammates, in Glastonbury, CT members of the Oakwood Soccer Academy had no time for celebrations. It's all work, all business and a 10-month long training regiment to produce the future United States soccer stars.
Since the Academy’s inception in 2008, Connecticut soccer clubs like Oakwood and South Central Premier in Bridgeport have adopted the United States’ training protocol focusing on long-term development of soccer players. Academies throughout the United States are soccer clubs, which are adopted into the program.
Participants in the Academy program continue their high school education at their local high schools, but play their soccer at nearby Academies.
The Academy program serves as a partnership between the top soccer organizations in the United States and creates a competitive environment to produce next generation National Team members.
The Academy also works as a vehicle to direct player development. According to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy origins overview, the Academy programs across the United States will look to impact the “growth level” of development in order to “impact thousands of players.”
There is one draw-back – should a high school soccer player choose to play in the Academy program, he would no longer be allowed to play for his high school.
Over a two-month span in high school soccer, 16 games are played.
The Academy program has 30 games over 10-months.
Despite the United States’ efforts to catch up to soccer powerhouses like Brazil, England, Argentina and Italy by implementing the Academy program, high school soccer coach Dan Woog, of Staples High School in Westport, CT believe students who attend the Academy miss the vital high school experience.
An Academy task force concludes United States soccer players are falling behind technically, physically and tactically.Furthermore, high school soccer does not offer enough quality competition with only 12-16 games per calendar year on average, the task force said.
“Kids miss the huge social element – there is something to be said about the importance to play with friends and for the community,” said Woog.
Woog, the National High School Coach of the Year in 1991, believes soccer in America should provide an equal opportunity for all to be involved and to succeed.
“Academy sees them as soccer players and work to provide them a path to the National Team,” continued Woog, pointing out its limitations.
“High school soccer serves as a vehicle to develop a whole person, through sportsmanship and camaraderie and ultimately give back to your community,” continued Woog.
While high school soccer offers a vehicle for its players to develop into well-rounded individuals, there are plenty of benefits of Academy programs.
Benefits of attending an Academy program are its players receive direct feedback from the U.S. National Team Staff at least 10 times each year and being given hydration level qualifications, which are managed by Gatorade, according to U.S. Soccer.
In the 2008-09 season, Youth National Team or National Staff Coaches scouted 60 percent of Academy matches.
us national team
Players in an Academy program must start a minimum of 25 percent of the games, which means each player will begin an average of eight matches.
The Academy program focuses on three levels: Level 1 (base, ages 6-12), Level 2 (growth, ages 13-18) and Level 3 (elite, ages about 18).
But, the Academy is not an overnight solution; rather it's a long-term process.
Rick Derella, owner and operator of Oakwood Academy, said in an email his program better prepares the athletes for collegiate competition.
“As individuals, being part of a special program has fostered great spirit amongst the team. Their Academy team is their community,” added Derella.
The disparity between high school and collegiate soccer is quite wide, according to Derella.
“High school plays with its own set of rules, not the world’s game. The difference between high school and Academy soccer is immense,” said Derella.
The training regiment is quite similar to professional soccer. When a player is subbed off in the Academy program, he is no longer able to step back onto the field for that match and yellow card accumulation is similar to that of the professional ranks.
Derella also said he does not fear players will burn out.
“Burn out is not a factor because we spread the matches out to once a week as opposed to high school soccer where they might play three games in a week where the players are at risk to injury,” said Derella.
The Academy focuses primarily on junior and senior high school students aged 17 and up. They are more knowledgeable about injuries and recovery time, he said.
Derella said the team morale is high at their matches.
“The team spirit in the Oakwood Academy is fantastic as is the support from their friends who come to watch our Academy games,” said Derella.
Proponents of high school soccer are concerned about “burn-out” over the 10-month span, but collegiate soccer coaches such as Eastern Connecticut State University’s Greg Devito admire the rigor and accountability of the Academy programs.
“I do feel the academy players are getting better training because they are held accountable, meaning there are no excuses for missing training. They train at least three times per week and most are at every training session or they will not be allowed to continue on,” said Devito.
However, Devito adds a high school athlete has just as good a chance of being on a collegiate soccer team than an Academy player.
“Our preference is to find the best players that are well-trained, coachable, honest and hard-working, whether they come from Academy teams, premier teams or high school teams,” said Devito.
Academy soccer has grown in status throughout the United States as athlete and their families continue to drive far and wide to gain more exposure.
Since Fall of 2008, from over 72 Academy clubs in the United States, there have been over 2,000 instances where a player has been called into Youth and Senior National Team events, according to U.S. Soccer.
But, travel can be a haul the players and their families.
At Staples, for examples, one student travels 80-miles to play for the New York Red Bulls Academy Program, seven nights a week. He's become out of sync with his friends and even gave up his music, according to Woog.
Multiple sport athletes, who choose to play with the Academy, must give up other teams.
Jorge Rodriguez, a 4 year varsity soccer starter at East Hartford High School, was a three-time Connecticut All-State selection and two-time All-New England selection. While Rodriguez enjoyed a successful high school career, in 2008 when the Academy program first developed, he was in the inaugural Under-18 class.
During 2008, athletes were able to compete in both high school soccer and the Academy program, which he did for Oakwood Soccer Club in Glastonbury, CT.
Rodriguez also represented the U15 and U17 United States National Team, before his college career at the University of Hartford.
Jorge Rodriguez in action for Hartford.
“I do not think high school soccer played any part in my development as a player," he said.
"Growing up playing for Oakwood since I was 12-years-old, allowed me to be a great high school and college player,” said Rodriguez.
He also said high school soccer player no part in his college recruitment.
The Academy gets top players because of their exposure to collegiate and professional coaches.
“The simple fact is as I played for the top club in the state, we received the best coaching staff, facilities and top players from within the state,” said Rodriguez.
He praised the Academy as "the best thing that has ever happened to youth soccer in the USA. Hopefully one day, we will be able to compete with academies from Spain and England,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez has had other successes. He made his international soccer debut for Puerto Rico in 2011 and appeared in their FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.
But, Rodriguez has since stepped aside from the Puerto Rican team because of long-standing injuries from high school soccer.
“I know that after my four years of high school ball, I was definitely burnt out. My body couldn’t take the beating anymore. When I went through the professional level, I tore my hamstring and was never able to recover," said Rodriguez.
Even professional soccer players are avid proponents of the Academy style and season. Danny Karbassiyoon, the only American to ever play for Arsenal Football Club in the Barclays Premier League (2003-05) in the United Kingdom, supports the Academy program.
"I played high school soccer my freshman year and my sophomore year, but stopped there," said Karbassiyoon.
"Our club’s executive director actually advised against it, which made a lot of sense. High school soccer isn’t particularly a vehicle for getting noticed by colleges, scouts, etc., but kids still clearly enjoy playing high school sports because students are given the chance to play in front of their friends and community,” said Karbassiyoon.
Karbassiyoon said high school soccer has few advantages.
Karbassiyoon celebrates a goal on his debut against Manchester City with Robin van Persie, Cesc Fabregas, Johan Djourou, Justin Hoyte and Sebastian Larsson.
"I suppose one good thing of being a freshman and playing varsity was that I was much smaller than the upper classmen and had to learn how to deal with faster, stronger kids,” said Karbassiyoon.
Now retired, Karbassiyoon aids as a scout for Arsenal. The co-founder of soccer website, Soccer Without Limits, indicates scouts tend to look more into the Academy program than high schools.
“Clubs act as a filter for high schools in an area. Many club teams will generally have the best kids from those areas all playing on them anyway,” said Karbassiyoon.
“In a country as big as ours, any type of filter helps when trying to identify talent. The high school hero mantra, unfortunately doesn’t work with soccer in our country,” he continued.
It’s a choice between longtime friends and becoming a part of history versus becoming a member of a professional environment. At 17 and 18-years old, those dreams may be hard to sift through.
Read more at
http://swol.co/united-states-soccer-dilemma-academy-or-high-school-soccer/33981#QhjCTusd21rya7So.99