Soccer players' dilemma: Play for academy or HS team (Albertson: sales, school)

[mongoose65]

Originally Posted by twingles

They can't play any other sports, though. You're fully committed to soccer....if you played any other sports you're S.O.L. too. All for the chance to maybe be the one or two kids who get a full ride to Duke.

Why can't they play other sports? I know kids who do academy or specialized camps and still play multiple school sports based on the season. Some get college rides based on multiple sports. Soccer or lacrosse in fall, baseball in spring, basketball, swimming, indoor track in winter. I'm confused by your post, Twing.

[S.I.B.]

I don't have a problem with this. Nobody is forcing anyone to play for Albertson. There are plenty of other ways to attract attention from colleges without this level of commitment.

Besides, this has been going on in other sports for years. Pretty sure Pete Sampras didn't play for his H.S. tennis team.

[kmrlongisland]

Originally Posted by Goodnight

I don't disagree that there is a good deal of spoiled kids out there, but a soccer company forcing them to make a decision is rather extreme. Speaking of spoiled, these soccer academies don't come for free, if they are working at the local supermarket to pay for the extra training, good for them but I have a feeling that is not the case. Their decision to train with a private company, their decision to work to pay the bill, but I have a feeling that is not the case.

I have seen many soccer academies selling parents of the next budding superstar a bill of goods for the the full scholarship, spend a few thousand with us and you will get the full ride to college.

Good points. These "sports academies" are businesses first and foremost and this encroachment on HS sports, with it's concomitant increase in academy fees, is one more lever to increase their revenue.

[mongoose65]

Originally Posted by kmrlongisland

Good points. These "sports academies" are businesses first and foremost and this encroachment on HS sports, with it's concomitant increase in academy fees, is one more lever to increase their revenue.

I'm not sure I agree off hand that providing a service and "increasing revenue" is in and of itself a bad thing. If they are providing a service the HS can't provide, why is that inherently bad? Should tutoring companies not be "businesses" either? Competition for grades, sports, whatever. I don't begrudge a company for providing a niche service parents WANT to pay for. No one is twisting their arms and the academy rises or falls based on their success. What's wrong with that? Is it worth not paying for strength training to work with the HS wrestling coach (great guy though he may be) or pay to work with a guy who works with pro athletes and olympians and charges accordingly. That's a personal decision based on income, desire, committment, and opportunity.

[kmrlongisland]

Originally Posted by mongoose65

I'm not sure I agree off hand that providing a service and "increasing revenue" is in and of itself a bad thing. If they are providing a service the HS can't provide, why is that inherently bad? Should tutoring companies not be "businesses" either? Competition for grades, sports, whatever. I don't begrudge a company for providing a niche service parents WANT to pay for. No one is twisting their arms and the academy rises or falls based on their success. What's wrong with that? Is it worth not paying for strength training to work with the HS wrestling coach (great guy though he may be) or pay to work with a guy who works with pro athletes and olympians and charges accordingly. That's a personal decision based on income, desire, committment, and opportunity.

I didn't say it was bad nor do i think it is, just pointing out they do not have the best interests of the child first.

[mongoose65]

Originally Posted by kmrlongisland

I didn't say it was bad nor do i think it is, just pointing out they do not have the best interests of the child first.

Again, a negative conotation. You don't have to say "it's bad" to be negative. They do have the "best interests" of the child... realtive to their specialty. That's what they're being paid to do. They are being paid to make the child better at a specific activity, how to avoid injury, train more effectively, rise above the current level of competition, etc. Is the soccer academy supposed to bolster their algebra skills, too? Besides, it's the parent's job to determine what's in the "best interest" of the child, not the school OR the private academy.

The OP's premise is that it's a "distrubing trend" and the families have "no choice." However, I don't feel the problem is the service providers, they are just filling a business niche and have the kid's best interests at heart just as much as any other professional trainer or educator. The "disturbing trend" is the insanely escalating costs of college, the money thrown at athletes (amateur's for college costs and pros to the moon and beyond) and the fierce competition that starts at the grade school level.

This isn't just sports, it's academics too.

[S.I.B.]

Originally Posted by kmrlongisland

I didn't say it was bad nor do i think it is, just pointing out they do not have the best interests of the child first.

how could that be anything other than "bad"?

[Galicia#1]

Originally Posted by mongoose65

Again, a negative conotation. You don't have to say "it's bad" to be negative. They do have the "best interests" of the child... realtive to their specialty. That's what they're being paid to do. They are being paid to make the child better at a specific activity, how to avoid injury, train more effectively, rise above the current level of competition, etc. Is the soccer academy supposed to bolster their algebra skills, too? Besides, it's the parent's job to determine what's in the "best interest" of the child, not the school OR the private academy.

The OP's premise is that it's a "distrubing trend" and the families have "no choice." However, I don't feel the problem is the service providers, they are just filling a business niche and have the kid's best interests at heart just as much as any other professional trainer or educator. The "disturbing trend" is the insanely escalating costs of college, the money thrown at athletes (amateur's for college costs and pros to the moon and beyond) and the fierce competition that starts at the grade school level.

This isn't just sports, it's academics too.

I agree with your statements wholeheartily. The thing that gets me is the people who can afford it will spend whatever it takes to give there kid a chance even if they are average or above average when only the truly exceptional will make it.

[rh71]

if they are serious about it, you take the route that leads you to the pros. The only people affected by this are the ones who put too much emphasis on the high school program. Kids are not there for the hs program's success.

[Forest_Hills_Daddy]

Average kids, even those with the money to pay for the fees, will likely not pursue this path because of the tremendous amount of commitment and discipline it requires. Even if they persevere, they will likely get pruned once they get to the elite level of competitions/selection. More likely, they will stay within the boundaries of their high school and dabble in different activities.