High school soccer offers unique benefits

As we close the high school soccer season in this area, I want to reflect on just what happened roughly 20-25 times at each school this spring.

On each of those occasions, a group of young women got themselves outfitted in their school's colors. Socks, shorts, shirts, all had a very school-related purpose.

Then they went out as representatives of that school and competed against a group of young women who came from a different locale.

And on each of those afternoons or evenings -- or at 9 a.m. as was the case when St. Charles North met Wheaton Warrenville South -- the result was something special.

When I asked area Tri-Cities All-Area girls soccer captain Caitlin Winkelman what was the best thing about high school soccer -- do you think she said it was scoring goals or winning 80 percent of her varsity matches this year?

No.

"The best part is playing for your school and representing your school and the community and playing with some of your best friends," Winkelman said.

I say this as a way of entering into the never-ending discussion of club soccer vs. high school soccer.

I'd like to say club and high school -- but people keep putting that darned vs. into the equation.

By way of disclaimers, I don't bear any grudges against any clubs. Those who know me even slightly know how I love the game. I have spent many hours talking with area club coaches, and none ever seemed ready to tell me to get lost.

But I do believe both have a place in a young athlete's life. Thankfully, so do a lot of players. So too, you might be pleased to know, do some club coaches. St. Charles East girls soccer coach Pat Feulner is also the head of the Strikers F.V. club, and that club's players adorn numerous rosters not only in this area but all over Chicagoland.

I was sent a link to the Chicago Magic Web site recently. This is a club for young men that states as its No. 1 goal it is "solely focused on developing young players to the best of their abilities."

The Magic's success in achieving that goal is everywhere in professional and collegiate soccer. To pick out just three notables: Lincoln-Way Central grad Ned Grabavoy plies his trade in Major League Soccer.

Providence Catholic grad and goalkeeper Brad Guzan is another MLS starter who made his sixth appearance for the U.S. national team Wednesday against England.

St. Charles North grad Alex Russell plays for Coastal Carolina.

Yet on the club's Web site, there is a section called "Total Player Development." It is a six-paragraph description of why high school soccer has an important place in the development of a player, including the third paragraph, which states: "There are aspects of high school sports that cannot be duplicated by any club system."

Two of the three photos accompanying "Total Player Development" involve crowd scenes. Anyone who attended Monday's St. Charles North-Waubonsie Valley supersectional match knows how large and enthusiastic a high school crowd can get.

But even a typical midweek nonconference match draws more than a handful of fans.

In those crowds are friends, family, teachers, parents and relatives of graduated players -- and sometimes interested community members who just want to see how the local team is doing.

Does this matter?

I think it does. If players compete in college, they do so for a student body, alums, professors and superfans who will do anything to put on their school's sweatshirt and listen to the school fight song.

There isn't a women's professional league in the U.S. yet, but professional men's soccer players learn very quickly that the fans are a part of the atmosphere.

Every MLS team has its section of diehard fans, and players often make a point of saluting those fans after goals or victories.

In March, I watched as Illinois native Michael Bradley scored twice as Heerenveen recovered from a 3-1 deficit to win a match 4-3. After he scored the second of these, which put Heerenveen ahead for good, Bradley faced the fans and celebrated with them, then got the congratulatory hugs from teammates. Meanwhile, 25,600 went nuts.

Bradley, I should point out, did not play traditional high school soccer. He went to the U.S. Residency Program, a sort of soccer academy in Florida. But he certainly understands the importance of the relationship of teams and the community.

"As a player," Bradley said, "you want the people around you to respect you -- your teammates, your opponents and the fans. The fans give everything to support the club. You want to be able to give everything to show that it means everything to you as well."

Bradley is going to hit the financial jackpot this summer when he likely leaves Heerenveen in a large-money transfer. English club Everton are rumored to be interested.

The important thing about this is that the club's largest transfers include players such as Alfonso Alves (Middlesborough), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Ajax) and Ruud van Nistelrooy (PSV Eindhoven and later to Manchester United and Real Madrid.)

In playing and in moving on, Bradley becomes part of the team's heritage. Those who were there that night will long remember Bradley's 2-goal effort.

I spoke with Alex Messacar's father following the North Stars' loss to Waubonsie Valley.

I mentioned how I thought I'd spoken to Alex's older sister Sam for the final time as a high school player near the scoreboard at North Central College, and I remarked at how close Alex and her teammates seemed to replicating that success.

Sam, by the way, was at that game cheering on her sister with the other North Stars faithful.

That bond between school and community is unique and happens in this country most frequently in high school.

For the players, there is something more: the chance to bond with other people from your school in a special way.

As the Magic Web site says: "You play with athletes who are more talented and with kids who just want to be a part of something at school."

The talented players, the Web site reads, get a chance to teach and to "understand that you have gifts that others would love to have and that it's best not to squander that opportunity."

Geneva boys and girls soccer coach Ryan Estabrook told me this week, "As players move from one level to the next, a high school superstar could find he or she's a role player on their college team. A college All-American could be a bench player at the MLS level if he's lucky to even get that chance."

This brings us back full circle to Caitlin Winkelman, playing for her school, her city, her classmates and with a group of "best friends" -- and loving it. There is no other place where an athlete can get such a combination.