SI.com: Eastern Christian Academy is high school football's first virtual powerhouse
Lee Jenkins explores the merits of Eastern Christian Academy, the football team for which recent Michigan football commits Freddy Canteen and Brandon Watson play.
I do believe that you will see club football supplant high school football in very much the same way club sports have supplanted basketball, volleyball and soccer, among some others.
The top soccer clubs in the state of Michigan with "Academy" programs now forbid their academy kids from even playing high school soccer.
The best example of this so far was last year's De La Salle team who lost maybe 9 starters to Michigan academy programs ..... and still competed at a high level on the strength of a team full of solid second tier club kids.
With very few exceptions, Michigan high school soccer is a joke compared to even middle of the road club soccer. The only high school teams that can play a little feature kids whose parents can afford the clubs. Very few could even hang against most club teams.
College coaches care little about a kid's high school numbers and almost never see a high school game, but they pack the high divisions of the spring club showcase tournaments.
Great read. I know many people have concerns about this "school" and after some issues during the RR era I can see being a little apprehensive. For my part though, I just don't get it. I suppose government departments are like most people and many times will reject change just because it's change, but this really seems to be the way of the future and it would be wise for the Department of Education to get onside with these things and try to get out in front a little bit so they can develop the criterea they want to see met by these types of institutions.
Interesting stuff.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that you will see club football supplant high school football in very much the same way club sports have supplanted basketball, volleyball and soccer, among some others.
The top soccer clubs in the state of Michigan with "Academy" programs now forbid their academy kids from even playing high school soccer.
The best example of this so far was last year's De La Salle team who lost maybe 9 starters to Michigan academy programs ..... and still competed at a high level on the strength of a team full of solid second tier club kids.
With very few exceptions, Michigan high school soccer is a joke compared to even middle of the road club soccer. The only high school teams that can play a little feature kids whose parents can afford the clubs. Very few could even hang against most club teams.
College coaches care little about a kid's high school numbers and almost never see a high school game, but they pack the high divisions of the spring club showcase tournaments.
Great read. I know many people have concerns about this "school" and after some issues during the RR era I can see being a little apprehensive. For my part though, I just don't get it. I suppose government departments are like most people and many times will reject change just because it's change, but this really seems to be the way of the future and it would be wise for the Department of Education to get onside with these things and try to get out in front a little bit so they can develop the criterea they want to see met by these types of institutions.
ReplyDelete