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River Islands Surf & High School Soccer
The following is useful information pertaining to playing club soccer at river islands surf and high school soccer. Note, after November 15th official high school games commence which means that if a player plays club after this date they cannot play High School soccer. If an HS player has played an HS game and then decides to play in an 11 v 11 match (or more than a 5 v 5 in outside-non-hs competition) they can lose his/her soccer eligibility. This is a hs rule, not a club rule.
FAQs
Q: What does River Islands Surf think of my child playing High School soccer?
A: It’s a choice the player and family make, the age of the player, etc. Each school program varies in strength and quality of coaching and competition. Some younger high-level players who are good enough for varsity teams aren’t permitted to play on the Varsity team due to school rules and instead get placed on JV teams.
Q: Can I play both high school soccer and club soccer at the same time?
A: Clubs don’t place restrictions on players but High Schools do, specifically CIF. The short answer is ‘no’ (because of CIF/SJS rule 600 which prevents high school players from playing more than 5 v 5 competition) but you can train with the club as long as you are not playing more than 5 v 5. At Surf we offer small group training sessions several times per month during the High School season so this allows players to do both. These are light technical sessions and players can only participate if they are fit/able not risking injury.
Q: Do you suggest missing HS practice for River Islands Surf practice during the HS season?
A: We don’t allow players to miss their HS practices for River Islands Surf trainings unless HS practice is canceled and there is no direct conflict.
Q: So players can train outside of High School soccer?
A: Yes. But we always make sure it fits the micro/macro schedule. E.G. we won’t permit players to train the same day as a game they have played substantial time in and not before a game on the same day. If a player doesn’t get much time with Varsity (maybe a freshman who is on the squad but doesn’t get much time/training) then we permit participation because they clearly aren’t fatigued.
Q: Does playing HS soccer increase my child’s chance of playing college soccer?
A: High School soccer isn’t considered a recruiting platform for colleges. College coaches may occasionally see local games if they are convenient but you won’t find many colleges traveling to scout. Not playing HS soccer does not damage your chances of playing college soccer.
Q: Do players at River Islands Surf opt out of HS soccer?
A: Many do- every family is different. We have players declining to play HS soccer so we try to give them that option. It all depends on the player/family. Everyone is in a different situation so there is no simple answer.
This year, our older ECNL Boys teams are scheduled to participate in the Phoenix Nov 17-19 and Las Vegas Dec 15-17.Â
Q: What if my HS coach tells me that I can’t train outside of HS soccer?
A: High Schools aren’t permitted to prevent players from seeking additional training on their own time. They can ‘suggest’ this of course but not insist. Like club soccer, we can’t tell you not to do other sports or do your own training outside of club. It’s up to them and you what you feel is important/beneficial.
Coaches are certainly entitled to make sure you aren’t injured and at risk of injury from doing more training in the same way a club coach would. River Islands Surf supports HS coaches who don’t want their players training before games and we support them in requiring players to get adequate rest so they can perform to the best of their ability for their HS programs.
Q: My HS coach is asking me to tryout and wants me to do so in early November when I’m in the middle of the club season. I want to honor my commitments to club but how do I do both?
A: Older players who play at a high level of club soccer usually are required to show up to one HS practice a week as a courtesy. With freshman or sophomore players HS coaches should publish their tryout schedule to clubs so we can coordinate. It’s up to you/the family to get that information in advance so we can plan ahead. You should get these tryout dates by mid-October. Older River Islands Surf players typically play Surf College Cup / ECNL National Showcase / DPL Showcases in late November and fully commit to HS soccer after this event.
Q: I’m a freshman and my HS coach is telling me I need to be at every tryout. What should I do if these interfere with club practices?
A: Tell your HS coach that you have obligations to your club and that while you want to try out for HS soccer you are also wanting to honor your commitment to club soccer. HS coaches know that you are still in season with your club and that you are trying to juggle your club commitments. Ask your high school coaches to contact [email protected] if they have any scheduling questions. We will also send your HS coaches an email if you wish. We have not experienced High School coaches insisting players attend every tryout and miss club soccer. Many of our coaches have coached High School soccer and understand the conflicts. Schedule conflicts can easily be rectified with some simple communication.
Q: I’m afraid of missing club practice and losing playing time because River Islands Surf requires players to attend training sessions to get playing time. I’m also afraid of missing HS tryouts for the same reason. How do I work this out?
A: Most HS coaches are reasonable about this and we are too as long as you clearly communicate the schedule conflicts in advance.
Q: Will playing HS hurt my chances of playing club soccer with River Islands Surf?
A: No and Yes. It all depends on the program you play for and whether or not we see you on the practice field over the winter period. With older players who play on HS teams, we need to see you at our mandatory HSÂ training sessions over the Winter. Players who don’t engage with the club during this period lose touch with the coaches and the material so they are often behind when they return. On the other hand, we will look at players for the new season on a case-by-case basis upon registration time. In other words, we can’t promise a spot on the team in late November for a player we won’t see until late February. It’s no different for younger players. Our hs training/get-together over the winter is a commitment we require.
Q: Do you see any positive benefits to playing hs soccer?
A: If the coaching in HS is based on long-term development of the players then ‘yes’. If a JV player has the opportunity to be brought up to varsity and the coach wants to reward younger players then this is a good thing. There are some community benefits in terms of the social recognition of playing for your local school and the social aspects of playing hs soccer. Again, it all depends on who is coaching and what type of hs program you are playing at. Some HS coaches do a good job of trying to create a seamless environment where they also recognize that they are sending players back to the club healthy and better off than when they came into HS soccer. If players play HS soccer and come back better than when they leave us then we are happy of course!
If you have a question we can include in FAQ’s feel free to email [email protected]Â
