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The affects on the new developmental academy on HS soccer

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    The affects on the new developmental academy on HS soccer

    An interesting article in the Chicago Sun Time: http://www.suntimes.com/sports/preps/51 ... 20.article

    This is probably more of an issue in Illinois since they have 3 clubs who will be part of the acdemy system, while Mass. only one at the present time, but that could change and also include girls at some future date.

    IHSA has some Academic issues

    August 20, 2007
    BY JOE TROST
    For years, many purists have said the Illinois High School Association's inability to adjust to changing times eventually would turn high school soccer into a recreational sport.
    While it hasn't quite reached that point, there's little doubt next year will be interesting for high school soccer and its decision-makers within the IHSA membership.

    U.S. Soccer has officially announced the calendar for the nationwide Development Academy, which features 64 clubs throughout the country taking part in a revolutionary new program. The 64 teams will be divided into eight conferences, each made up of eight teams based largely on geographic proximity.

    Teams will play approximately 30 games during an eight-month season, with the winner of each conference playing in the Academy finals at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

    The Development Academy kicks off in September with a two-day orientation in Chicago. The first games of the inaugural season will begin during the first week of October. Teams will compete in three types of game weekends -- individual conference games, travel-partner weekends and showcase weekends -- to provide players with the optimum balance of playing rhythm, economy of travel and exposure to scouts.

    ''The Development Academy has been implemented to shift the focus of the young elite player toward a meaningful training and competition model, with the U.S. Soccer Federation taking the initiative to extend its national-team program into the daily environment of the elite player,'' U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati said. ''The response thus far has been unprecedented for a youth initiative.''

    Unlike other states, the IHSA prohibits players from competing with their club teams during the high school season. The area's two top clubs -- the Chicago Magic and Sockers FC -- and the Chicago Fire PDA are three of the programs in the Mid-America Conference, which also features teams from Wisconsin, Indiana and Missouri and one of the U.S. men's national teams.

    The Magic, Sockers FC and Fire will send teams made up of under-15/16 and under-17/18 players. The Magic, however, is the only program covering all costs for its players.

    In total, more than 2,000 players nationwide are expected to take part in the Development Academy beginning later this fall.

    ''It is highly unlikely our membership would be supportive of our student-athletes playing with club and high school teams at the same time,'' IHSA executive director Marty Hickman said. ''It's too bad for those kids that aren't going to get a chance to play high school soccer.

    ''This new program is going to set expectations for these kids that they're not going to be able to meet. These kids in the program are going to start to believe they're going to be future Division I or professional players. Clearly this is their business, and we're not going to get involved in it. I do know we're going to have plenty of kids who have fun playing high school soccer. We'd love to have every student play high school, but that's up to them.''
    Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment.

    #2
    According to the US Soccer web site, high school soccer is ok.

    Do the MIAA rules prevent playing an Academy game on a weekend so long as you do not miss a high school practice or game?

    Also, the initial information was that the seasons would be organized around the high school schedules for each Region. Has that changed?

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Anonymous
      According to the US Soccer web site, high school soccer is ok.

      Do the MIAA rules prevent playing an Academy game on a weekend so long as you do not miss a high school practice or game?

      Also, the initial information was that the seasons would be organized around the high school schedules for each Region. Has that changed?
      Unless those HS coaches call for a meeting or practice over the weekend. It's been done before and stopped kids from doing things with their club teams.

      Comment


        #4
        I have also seen it done the other way where a coach will make a practice optional to prevent an MIAA violation by one of their players

        Comment


          #5
          I think the statement that removing the top 40 or so players from the HS scene will turn HS into a recreational sport is a gross insult to the scores of fine players that compete at the HS level in every state. Some of the top players will choose to play HS - others will forego the experience in pursuit of something greater in the future. There is a price to paid for reaching the highest level of play and achievement. Ricky DiPietro of the NY Islanders is a great example. He never played HS in Winthrop, never played in Hockey East, and left youth hockey at 13 for a hockey academy in Michigan. It worked out great for him. He is a millionaire and one of the premier goalies in the world. He is also a stranger in his hometown. For every DiPietro there are another 20 goalies who make the same sacrifice but never make it. The Globe ran an article about one such player several weeks ago who was in his late 20's and still struggling in the lower minors. While it is great to go for the brass ring it is important to realize that there is a price that comes with it.

          Comment


            #6
            Cujo - I don't disagree with your point, but DiPietro played at BU.

            Very much like the basketball players who go for one year.


            Collegiate career
            DiPietro played one season (1999-2000) with Boston University in the NCAA's Hockey East. In that one year, DiPietro was named to the All-Rookie Team, named Second Team All-Hockey East, awarded the team's Co-MVP and was named Hockey East's Rookie of the Year. In addition, Dipetro nearly set the NCAA record for most saves in a game when he stopped 77 out of 80 shots in a 3-2 quadruple overtime loss to St. Lawrence during the NCAA regional final (record is 78 and held by D. Greenlaw). In his one and only Beanpot Tournament, DiPietro was named MVP and won the Eberly Trophy awarded to the tournament's top goaltender.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Blue Devil
              I have also seen it done the other way where a coach will make a practice optional to prevent an MIAA violation by one of their players
              That's worth highlighting, because there are a number of coaches who have gone the extra mile to help students work around the MIAA. While the few that use the MIAA to control players for their own entertainment are still there, their numbers are fewer each year.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Anonymous
                According to the US Soccer web site, high school soccer is ok.

                Do the MIAA rules prevent playing an Academy game on a weekend so long as you do not miss a high school practice or game?
                I believe they do or at least did. There was the case of a nationally ranked swimmer attending an Olympic qualifying meet. Because it was an Olympic qualifier, under MIAA rules, she could go, but she had to request a waiver from HS events 1 month in advance. Originally there was no conflict between the meet and the HS schedule; however, due to bad weather a HS meet was rescheduled and then rescheduled again which did cause a conflict. If she went to the qualifier then she would not have been able to go to the State meet because she had not applied for a waiver in advance as required. Initially MIAA told the swimmer "Too bad", but her parents sued MIAA and the judge basically said to the MIAA "What wrong with you people?" There may have been some changes to the rule as a result of this case, but I can't say what they may have been.

                I am still under the impression that the MIAA thinks the HS team comes first and would be unlikely to agree to a player missing a HS event for the academy. I definitely know that in Illinois there is a rule that does not allow HS players to play club in any way, shape or form during the HS season. Some of the clubs already had in place an alternative to high school program, so I haven't heard how big an impact the academies will have.

                Originally posted by Anonymous
                Also, the initial information was that the seasons would be organized around the high school schedules for each Region. Has that changed?
                The big problem is that different states have different high school seasons. Some play in the fall, some in the winter and some in the spring. Although it shouldn't be a problem for New England and New York, I haven't heard how the academies are going to resolve this issue in other parts of the country.
                Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Blue Devil
                  I have also seen it done the other way where a coach will make a practice optional to prevent an MIAA violation by one of their players
                  Just because a coach makes a practice "optional" can still be determined to be in violation of the bona fide team rule. The bona fide team rule is considered to be very strict and if violators are caught (coaches and/ or players) the consequences can be extremely punitive. I know of a runner from Ludlow High School who ws given permission by her coach to leave early from a track meet (her three events were completed) so she could attend her club team's state qualifier. She was reported to the MIAA and was banned from competing for the remainder of the high school season. This young lady was a very gifted runner who early on had many college prospects. She ended up at a school with a decent track program, but struggled with the recruiting process because of her lack of high school performance times and the imposed sanctioning by the MIAA. I highly doubt that MIAA is going to be any less lenient to Academy particpants.

                  Another concern I had raised in the past is the response towards those players who attend private schools. Many of them have classes on Saturdays, as well as after school obligations. Will the Academy be problematic for those particpants?

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by MASoccer
                    Originally posted by Blue Devil
                    I have also seen it done the other way where a coach will make a practice optional to prevent an MIAA violation by one of their players
                    Just because a coach makes a practice "optional" can still be determined to be in violation of the bona fide team rule. The bona fide team rule is considered to be very strict and if violators are caught (coaches and/ or players) the consequences can be extremely punitive. I know of a runner from Ludlow High School who ws given permission by her coach to leave early from a track meet (her three events were completed) so she could attend her club team's state qualifier. She was reported to the MIAA and was banned from competing for the remainder of the high school season. This young lady was a very gifted runner who early on had many college prospects. She ended up at a school with a decent track program, but struggled with the recruiting process because of her lack of high school performance times and the imposed sanctioning by the MIAA. I highly doubt that MIAA is going to be any less lenient to Academy particpants.

                    Another concern I had raised in the past is the response towards those players who attend private schools. Many of them have classes on Saturdays, as well as after school obligations. Will the Academy be problematic for those particpants?
                    Is the MIAA really that unreasonable? The person who decided to report the violation must be a very evil person.

                    From a previous thread, a poster once asked if the MIAA has rules against a parent coaching a Varsity team with his/her son/daughter on the team. Does the MIAA forbid it since it does not allow coaching/contact with a player during the offseason. It is pretty hard to avoid that if it's your own child. My fear is that based upon the above, I can see the MIAA enforcing that as well. It sounds like there is some common sense lacking in that org.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Anonymous

                      Is the MIAA really that unreasonable? The person who decided to report the violation must be a very evil person.

                      From a previous thread, a poster once asked if the MIAA has rules against a parent coaching a Varsity team with his/her son/daughter on the team. Does the MIAA forbid it since it does not allow coaching/contact with a player during the offseason. It is pretty hard to avoid that if it's your own child. My fear is that based upon the above, I can see the MIAA enforcing that as well. It sounds like there is some common sense lacking in that org.
                      I believe Cujo responded to this in another thread since he has been living this scenario. It is my understanding that unless you are coaching more than 50% of the high school team in the off season, you are not in violation. There are many parents that coach their children in high school and club. As long as they are not coaching the majority of their high school team players it is fine.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Anonymous

                        Is the MIAA really that unreasonable? The person who decided to report the violation must be a very evil person.
                        I believe they are. The Ludlow girl I had commented about could have had her entire world crash around her because of the rigidity of their rules. As far as who reported it, many rumors were circulated but nothing was substantiated.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by MASoccer
                          Originally posted by Blue Devil
                          I have also seen it done the other way where a coach will make a practice optional to prevent an MIAA violation by one of their players
                          Just because a coach makes a practice "optional" can still be determined to be in violation of the bona fide team rule. The bona fide team rule is considered to be very strict and if violators are caught (coaches and/ or players) the consequences can be extremely punitive. I know of a runner from Ludlow High School who ws given permission by her coach to leave early from a track meet (her three events were completed) so she could attend her club team's state qualifier. She was reported to the MIAA and was banned from competing for the remainder of the high school season. This young lady was a very gifted runner who early on had many college prospects. She ended up at a school with a decent track program, but struggled with the recruiting process because of her lack of high school performance times and the imposed sanctioning by the MIAA. I highly doubt that MIAA is going to be any less lenient to Academy particpants.

                          Another concern I had raised in the past is the response towards those players who attend private schools. Many of them have classes on Saturdays, as well as after school obligations. Will the Academy be problematic for those particpants?
                          MA Soccer the punishment for violating the Bona Fide rule is a 2 game/match/meet etc. suspension and inability to participate in the state tournament or championship. If she was banned for the season it must have been at the end of the season when the violation occurred.

                          I agree with you that coaches and ADs cannot randomly turn a blind eye. For instance they can't turn a regularly scheduled Tuesday afternoon practice into an optional practice just to get around the rule. But for example over the easter break when you have a lot of spring sports/club soccer tournament conflicts the coaches have more leeway on optional stuff.

                          The point I am making is that most HS coaches are not looking to make kids lives miserable over the Bona Fide rule and if they can avoid a conflict easily and ethically they usually do.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Blue Devil

                            MA Soccer the punishment for violating the Bona Fide rule is a 2 game/match/meet etc. suspension and inability to participate in the state tournament or championship. If she was banned for the season it must have been at the end of the season when the violation occurred.

                            I agree with you that coaches and ADs cannot randomly turn a blind eye. For instance they can't turn a regularly scheduled Tuesday afternoon practice into an optional practice just to get around the rule. But for example over the easter break when you have a lot of spring sports/club soccer tournament conflicts the coaches have more leeway on optional stuff.

                            The point I am making is that most HS coaches are not looking to make kids lives miserable over the Bona Fide rule and if they can avoid a conflict easily and ethically they usually do.
                            My blame is not with the coaches, I believe for the most part coaches try to work with their players. Unfortunately, this cooperation can have inadvertant negative results.

                            As for the girl who was suspended. It was at the end of the season. I believe she was unable to participate in the final two weeks and even though she had already qualified for the state competition, she was unable to perform. Track and field is different from other high school sports. Participants can qualify for states based on any single performance during the regular season. Unfortunately for her she had remained untested at the state level, and it left a question mark about her performance capability under these highly competitive circumstances. Since she could not particpate in the state meet, she could not continue on to the New England championships, something she was hopeful to qualify for. This inability to compete was also brought into question how serious she was about her running future. Unfortunate situation for any young athlete to be tested in.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by MASoccer
                              Originally posted by Blue Devil
                              I have also seen it done the other way where a coach will make a practice optional to prevent an MIAA violation by one of their players
                              Just because a coach makes a practice "optional" can still be determined to be in violation of the bona fide team rule. The bona fide team rule is considered to be very strict and if violators are caught (coaches and/ or players) the consequences can be extremely punitive. I know of a runner from Ludlow High School who ws given permission by her coach to leave early from a track meet (her three events were completed) so she could attend her club team's state qualifier. She was reported to the MIAA and was banned from competing for the remainder of the high school season. This young lady was a very gifted runner who early on had many college prospects. She ended up at a school with a decent track program, but struggled with the recruiting process because of her lack of high school performance times and the imposed sanctioning by the MIAA. I highly doubt that MIAA is going to be any less lenient to Academy particpants.

                              Another concern I had raised in the past is the response towards those players who attend private schools. Many of them have classes on Saturdays, as well as after school obligations. Will the Academy be problematic for those particpants?
                              Only a few have Saturday classes. Some have just a few Saturdays each academic year.

                              But I'm curious: Why are you concerned with how private school students will deal with the Academy?

                              Comment

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