ECNL rockstar & Rutgers commit Emily Mason is the 2020 2019-20 Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year

In its 35th year of honoring the nation’s most elite high school athletes, The Gatorade Company today announced Emily Mason of Hunterdon Central Regional High School in Flemington, N.J. is the 2019-20 Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year. Mason won the prestigious award for her accomplishments on and off the field, joining an impressive group […]
Liberty University Commit Jony Munoz Named 2019-20 Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year

Olathe, Kan. [June 18, 2020] – In its 35th year of honoring the nation’s most elite high school athletes, The Gatorade Company today announced Jony Munoz of Olathe West High School in Olathe, Kan. is the 2019-20 Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year. Munoz won the prestigious award for his accomplishments on and off the […]
It’s CIF Playoff Time in San Diego, and RSF Attack has 36 players in Open Division Semis

It’s time again for high school soccer playoffs in Southern California. Tonight, the CIF Open Division semifinals will feature four local teams: Torrey Pines HS, Canyon Crest Academy, Cathedral Catholic High School, and Del Norte High School. Rancho Santa Fe Attack Soccer Club doesn’t have a Development Academy program. They don’t send dozens and dozens […]
Advice for high school soccer tryouts

In SoCal, high school is a winter sport, and tryouts are happening now. Here’s how to shine. It’s time for high school soccer tryouts for teens all over Southern California who aren’t playing in the Development Academy. If you are trying out for your high school team, read to learn how to stand out. TIP […]
Abby Wambach on the Importance of High School Soccer

Abby Wambach is a soccer legend. Olympic Gold Medalist. World Cup Champion. NCAA D1 Champion. And, back in the day, she got to play soccer for her high school. Today’s soccer players have a new and difficult choice to make. Like most of her soccer peers, and the “99ers” who paved the way, she played […]
American Soccer: Using Our Strengths and Addressing Our Challenges (Part 1)

A conversation with the Director of Talent Identification for US Soccer, Mirelle van Rijbroek The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup has kicked off in France. Leading up to this Women’s World Cup, I asked van Rijbroek the hard question: Who does she think will win the championship? She answered, “Well, I hope we do, of […]
Surf Soccer Club Sends Seniors off in Style

High school athletes in America love “Senior Day.” It is a cherished tradition. For soccer players who have chosen to play in the Development Academy, however, “Senior Day” is one item in the long list of sacrifices made to purse the highest levels of their sport. The “High School vs DA” debate marches on, and […]
High School Soccer Shines During Playoffs

Were there college scouts watching the game?Maybe. The soccer was definitely good enough.But there wasn’t a line of college scouts in their folding chairs sitting behind a “Players and Coaches Only” barrier on the sideline. Parents filled the stands, but they were nearly (or maybe completely) outnumbered by the players’ peers and classmates. If parents […]
The DA debate continues: “It wasn’t the best fit.” -Slammers FC

Slammers FC was one of the most dominant girls’ clubs during the Girls Development Academy’s inaugural year. Surprisingly to many, Slammers FC then left the DA and returned to the ECNL (Elite Clubs National League). Why? I recently spoke with Christen Press’s Slammers FC coach, Ziad Khoury about Christen’s years of youth soccer. Neither ECNL nor the DA […]
Why does the Development Academy Bar Players from High School Soccer?

US Soccer Director of Talent Identification explains why DA players can not play for their high schools. The Boys’ Development Academy started in 2007, and the Girls’ Development Academy started in 2017. Since then, many families strongly disagree with US Soccer’s directive that DA players are not permitted to play for their high school teams […]