The U.S. soccer landscape is going through one of its most important and intriguing time periods in its history. With the men’s national team failing to quality for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, questions were asked, concerns shared and a possible complete overhaul of the United States Soccer Federation was mooted. With every facet of the game here in the States coming under scrutiny and discussion, the question about the importance of high school soccer is one that I want to tackle this month.
As a high school coach and the owner of a local soccer club, I find that there are significant areas of positivity in the high school game that support the overall pursuit here in the States. High school soccer has its own niche. In our region, that niche serves our overall players and coaches well. While each school situation is unique, I believe that the opportunity to play at the high school level only supports those players who find themselves trying out and joining teams each fall and here is why.
Excitement and enjoyment I have stood on countless touchlines at the club and high school levels, and the club game rarely gets the attention that the high school game receives. From fan attendance to press to the overall buzz in a local community, high school soccer has it all. While not every high school is public and made up of students from the same town, the large majority of schools fall into that category.
