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Post being replied to

Schools are part of the problem by Irishlawyer

It is the Illinois High School Athletic Association that bans kids from playing both club and high school during the high school season. ECNL allows kids to play high school.

My own experience with my older boy is that high school soccer is a mix of the following:

1. Politics of playing seniors over better freshmen and sophomores
2. 5 day a week 2 hour practices (which is absolute lunacy)
3. Coaches who also happen to be the [insert class here] (usually the math teacher)
4. Coaches who bristle at the concept that a club coach might be smarter than them
5. Games against players of varying ability including some who are unskilled and are out there to intentionally injure because it is "fun" and "funny" to do so.

High school soccer may be free but in my opinion, it is soccer below the rec level. I would NEVER put a high end (ECNL, MLS, GAL) player on a high school pitch. Never.