Competitive teams, great training, flexibility on when to start, reasonable travel and cost, and the help to reach your post-HS goals. That’s what our Cincy SC High School program is about.
We know that some HS-age players want to jump back in to club soccer as soon as their HS season ends and continue to train through the winter months. So we offer training for those players. Others are playing other sports or just want a break, and that’s ok too. In our past experience, it was often difficult to get enough players from one team to training during the offseason, and that negatively impacted the training environment.
However, if we instead focus on the player, and on each player’s development, the solution is easier.
High School Player Pool (HSPP) training starting in Nov
Why have HSPP training? To ensure we have a productive training environment in the fall and winter, even if several players have conflicts or are choosing to wait until later to start training and playing with Cincy SC. It also provides flexibility for our athletes, who have different desired participation levels and levels of play.
In general, it just means that during the late fall and winter we often schedule training for the larger group rather than individual teams and split up into smaller groups at training if need be.
HS age group design (’09-’05 birth years for 2023-24):
Training offered for HS players:
- Nov-Jan 2x/week training, possible tourney or showcase
- Feb-May for spring season (3x/week training, 3 tourneys, 1 league)
- Calendars: HS Boys | HS Girls
Projected teams:*
- HS-U19 – primarily ’05-’06 players, but younger players are eligible
- HS-U17 Premier & Elite – primarily ’07 players, but younger players are eligible
- HS-U16 Premier & Elite – primarily ’08 players, but younger players are eligible
- HS-U15 Premier & Elite – primarily ’09 players in HS, but 8th graders are eligible
- *the number of teams the club enters into leagues and tourneys could flex up or down based on the number of players available
Projected coaches:*
- Kasey, Chris, Anthony, Kevin, Sami, Rudy, Nick and others for the girls
- Sam, Avery, Ziad, Bob and others for the boys
- *coaching assignments are subject to change
A comment: team is dynamic
We sometimes talk about our “team” like it’s always been the same players. But in reality, the “team” is always changing. At the HS and college level, seniors graduate and new players are promoted onto the team or into new roles. In the pros, the selection of a starting eleven and choice of subs varies from game to game. On adult teams, the manager is happy when at least 11 of the 20-30 players on the squad show up. And throughout the course of a youth club soccer season, absences, injuries, guest players, and late additions mean that the concept of team is dynamic here, too. Developing team chemistry is great, but players also need to be trained to be adaptable and comfortable playing many different roles with many different teammates. As the player develops and improves in skill, understanding of the game, physicality, and mentality, the team’s results should reflect that improvement. (Read more: Club > Team.)