High School Soccer - Coaching and programs

[geoff9559]

Just wondering outside of Gleeson (private college in the North East), Underdale and Henley Highs (public high schools)....which other (High) schools or colleges have good soccer programs or coaches/ing in their curriculum and staff?
I am more for looking in the Western Suburbs but from my searches couldnt see much being offered.....nor listing who the coach is and their credentials for developing players. My son wants to go to a high school with a good soccer program being offered.

Hope to hear from people with their opinion.

Cheers

Geoff9559

[POLONIAROCS]

Just wondering outside of Gleeson (private college in the North East), Underdale and Henley Highs (public high schools)....which other (High) schools or colleges have good soccer programs or coaches/ing in their curriculum and staff?
I am more for looking in the Western Suburbs but from my searches couldnt see much being offered.....nor listing who the coach is and their credentials for developing players. My son wants to go to a high school with a good soccer program being offered.

Hope to hear from people with their opinion.

Cheers

Geoff9559

Check out Blackfriars. They have info on their website.

Ernie Luongo is pretty god.

[ThundaChucka]

Roma Mitchell tomorrow are having Trials for soccer.

Link below regarding specialised sports
http://rmsc.sa.edu.au/wp-content/upload ... Fdoc_2.pdf


Found this on the FFSA Facebook page too.
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc_pag ... D=43489511

[magnet]

It sounds like a great way to get out of classes to me.

Underdale have a great program but they could be poor academically. The football would be the last thing on the list when choosing a school.

Lots of choice about though

[geoff9559]

Roma Mitchell tomorrow are having Trials for soccer.

Link below regarding specialised sports
http://rmsc.sa.edu.au/wp-content/upload ... Fdoc_2.pdf


Found this on the FFSA Facebook page too.
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc_pag ... D=43489511

Thundachucka - thanks I did see this one however whilst it states 'B licenced' coaches / Teachers doesnt name who they are or outlines much of the curriculum....

cheers

Geoff9559

[geoff9559]

Just wondering outside of Gleeson (private college in the North East), Underdale and Henley Highs (public high schools)....which other (High) schools or colleges have good soccer programs or coaches/ing in their curriculum and staff?
I am more for looking in the Western Suburbs but from my searches couldnt see much being offered.....nor listing who the coach is and their credentials for developing players. My son wants to go to a high school with a good soccer program being offered.

Hope to hear from people with their opinion.

Cheers

Geoff9559

Check out Blackfriars. They have info on their website.

Ernie Luongo is pretty god.

Polonia....ta for the info I have seen results of Blackfriars last year as they had some players from Para Hills that I was aware of. Outside of that I didnt know much more so will look into it. cheers Geoff9559

[ThundaChucka]

The fella running the programme is the Comets 1st team coach!

[geoff9559]

It sounds like a great way to get out of classes to me.

Underdale have a great program but they could be poor academically. The football would be the last thing on the list when choosing a school.

Lots of choice about though

Magnet - yep Underdale has a good STEM program shares stuff with Henley in mechanics etc and have an overall good series of courses plus Rod Del Nido runs the Academy and he's the Technical Director for Metrostars......sounds brilliant however I was wondering what else is out there......I dont see much 'choice' when it comes to effective schooling plus specialised soccer programs run by a school. Le Fevre and Seaton state they have a 'soccer program' with the FFSA and local clubs ie here's Le Fevre - http://www.lefevrehs.sa.edu.au/soccer-a ... gh-school/ .... and the school website lacks the information to give a parent an informed opinion of whether the program is of worth. Yep it's new and therefore results are light on but who are the teachers/coaches......a lot of places seem to be skimping on the information about who they have and what they really can provide. In a way it is similar to some Academies in Adelaide......many do name the coaches and their history/reputation but others seem to avoid that info....yes starting another tangent / thread to draw comment.

THere is nothing that I can see which is available to 'rank' a school or even an Academy.....it is all hearsay or by word of mouth and then you have to know people to get the inside goss/information. Yet you can see in a quick google search the best Academies in Europe, UK etc. OMG am starting to sound like Johndedes!!!! But seriously it might be something for another thread as which is the best school soccer program in Adelaide and which is the perceived Best Soccer ACademy in Adelaide (listing pros and cons) to assist people in determining where it might be best for their child to develop and learn.

For us we have been advised that Henley has the rigor required for our son (academic and soccer), however I want to look at other options and therefore the question placed on Football News about what else is out there - not locking him into something that might not have been as good as something else. More specific than 'lots of choices' would help as we are needing information to assist in making a decision that could impact on the child......not that they are going to be a soccer hero, just they love soccer and want to go somewhere where it is decent in the school's overall curriculum and yet the school still gives them a decent chance to learn and become part of the community with whichever career they eventually choose.

cheers

Geoff9559

[geoff9559]

The fella running the programme is the Comets 1st team coach!

thanks for that info....makes a difference.

cheers

Geoff9559

[fball12]

Just beware that some of these academies/soccer schools openly poach players from other clubs.

[deckard]

Trinity College also offers a football (soccer) programme

The football programme runs throughout the academic year (40 weeks). Trainings occur from 6:30am until 8:00am every Monday and Wednesday morning.

Facilities consist x 2 football pitches ( one floodlit)
Indoor Astro turf
Gymnasium
Swimming pool
Fully equiped modern gym
Changing /shower room
Lecture theatre

Coaches
Head Coach -Marc Thomas UEFA B/ASIA B
Assistant Coach - Matt Gaston ASIA C

Players have to trial to access the programme. Currently 20 players are on the programme ranging from Y8 to Y11.

[geoff9559]

Deckard - thanks for that...Trinity sounds quite amazing with it's facilities and am pretty sure I've heard of Matt Gaston somewhere in my mind / history. 6.30am is very early - but I guess it does create the rigor for the program. Will say that Gawler is a distance from us however will be putting it to the family to investigate further.

cheers

Geoff9559

[geoff9559]

Inacio,

Thanks for the info and confirmation of Henley's credentials, yes he has applied for Henley and has attended the trials for soccer this year. It seems that only 6 players were accepted last year and this year the numbers have increased trying to get in...so it's going to be hard.
That's why I'm looking at other options as whilst he's a good player in his position as Centreback, Left or Right Back ....selection just seems to be more orientated towards midfielders or ones who (in my opinion) hog the ball or do 'tricks'......they get the eye of the selectors whether it be STIC, SAP and possibly now school program....even though it's supposed to be a selection process based on 'potential'. But hey that is my own personal opinion and observation of the selection processes I've seen over the years in SA. We've even had him work with someone (over the last two terms) to improve his skills at trials to get the eye of the selectors.....so he's not making proper position (in a small sided game), is hogging the ball and doing tricks.....goes totally against his grain but he was willing to work on this if it meant an improved possibility of getting into Henley High.

And then there's the whole issue of following rules......he attended a few clubs trials this season and made sure that he got us to get him to all the trials of the teams he was interested in as some had the rule that you would not be considered (at all) if you didnt attend all trial dates and yet others turn up on the last day and waltz into the team as they were brilliant hogs on the day.
We saw one player attend the Henley High trials and they hadnt even submitted the paperwork which had a closing date of Early April 2016!!!!!.....they were just told to turn up (name penciled in at the bottom of the sheet) and yet another player we are aware of (who is very good and lots of potential) was advised that the applications had closed and there was nothing they could do as they had missed the submission date!!!

So am not holding my breath with Henley (would be excellent if he did get in and would make his day if not year!) as it seems the rules can change and therefore we are looking at if there are other options which have a soccer component at a decent level within the school. Yes the academic side is very important and yet the majority of (public) schools have similar scores or averages as they (teachers) are all taught the same systems bar the Catholic Teachers who have a slightly different curriculum......all other teachers come from the same University courses, attend similar professional development - whether private or public and it's then down to infrastructure and ancillary programs such as a soccer or sports program which offers some change to the child's development and assists in ensuring that they make good decisions during their teens.

cheers

Geoff9559

[Inacio23]

If Henley High School is one of the options you are considering, here is a bit in information which might be relevant;

> Henley is a Sport Specialist school, the only one of its kind in SA in that it has programs in multiple sports - 10 in all, with Soccer being one of these.

>There are around 200 students from years 8-12 involved across all these 10 programs. While the year 8's have traditionally had very limited involvement in SSP, I believe from 2017 this may be changing so that all year levels are "full-time" - 200 minutes per week of SSP.

> SSP students are subject to a probation process. All athletes need to meet standards relating to their academic progress and behavioural conduct across all aspects of the school, and their progression within the SSP program itself. Student athletes can be placed on probation and subsequently removed from the programs if improvements are not made within a set timeframe.

> Cristiano dos Santos from FFSA runs the practical sessions assisted by Filipe Nogueira who is the school's Program Manager (involved with FFSA Girls Skilleroos Teams)

> As with all of the school programs which are endorsed by the FFSA, these focus largely on the FFA National Curriculum. The practical program also includes Futsal and incorporates boys and girls. The athletes also complete several theory tasks throughout the year focussing on Exercise Physiology, Game Analysis, and Technical Analysis.

> SSP students can access an Athlete Preparation Program each morning before school which includes strength and conditioning, yoga, pilates etc. depending on the day - this program is optional and conducted by qualified trainers

> SSP athletes have also had access to a rehab facility during their SSP lessons under the supervision of a qualified fitness trainer.

> SASI talent ID testing is conducted annually

> Physio screenings are organised several times a year by the school which appointments can be made for.

> Seminars are held during the year by experts in the fields of Sports Psychology, Nutrition, Injury Management and Goal-Setting and these are linked to theory tasks also. I guess these are some of the opportunities that can be provided because of the larger Specialist Sport School status which may not be available to single-sport program schools potentially??

> Facilities include an outdoor grass pitch, 2 indoor gyms for Futsal, and a Strength and Conditioning/Rehab Gym. I believe that from 2016 the school uses the artificial pitch at the Shores Complex for some SSP practical sessions as well as all of its home matches in SSSSA interschool competitions.

> While Henley may be better known for the large number of AFL players it has produced, its past SSP students include Olympians and junior/senior World Champions and National Reps in many different sports. From a Soccer perspective, some notable recent students include Stefan Mauk and Ben Garuccio as well as a couple of Lady Reds- not that I'm saying the program alone played a major part in their rise to professionals.

> Having been to last year's academic presentation night at Henley, it was interesting to see that a large number of students who achieved highly academically were SSP students. Not a surprise really because many traits of a successful athlete also bring success in many other areas. Coincidentally, the highest Year 12 scores achieved last year by a male and female student at the school were both SSP Soccer students (high 90's ATAR).

While I cant speak specifically of the programs at other schools, I do believe that all programs attempt to improve the abilities of the students as players in their own way and each has its pros and cons. As was mentioned by someone earlier, I certainly wouldn't be choosing a school based on its Soccer program alone because education is the primary objective of schooling. I think a bit of time on the Henley website should give you a better idea of what the school offers across the board.

I'm pretty sure trials for Year 7's seeking entry to programs as Year 8's in 2017 has already been conducted for Henley so hopefully you are planning a few years in advance for your child. The school's website has more information on processes/dates FYI.

[Inacio23]

Inacio,

Thanks for the info and confirmation of Henley's credentials, yes he has applied for Henley and has attended the trials for soccer this year. It seems that only 6 players were accepted last year and this year the numbers have increased trying to get in...so it's going to be hard.
That's why I'm looking at other options as whilst he's a good player in his position as Centreback, Left or Right Back ....selection just seems to be more orientated towards midfielders or ones who (in my opinion) hog the ball or do 'tricks'......they get the eye of the selectors whether it be STIC, SAP and possibly now school program....even though it's supposed to be a selection process based on 'potential'. But hey that is my own personal opinion and observation of the selection processes I've seen over the years in SA. We've even had him work with someone (over the last two terms) to improve his skills at trials to get the eye of the selectors.....so he's not making proper position (in a small sided game), is hogging the ball and doing tricks.....goes totally against his grain but he was willing to work on this if it meant an improved possibility of getting into Henley High.

And then there's the whole issue of following rules......he attended a few clubs trials this season and made sure that he got us to get him to all the trials of the teams he was interested in as some had the rule that you would not be considered (at all) if you didnt attend all trial dates and yet others turn up on the last day and waltz into the team as they were brilliant hogs on the day.
We saw one player attend the Henley High trials and they hadnt even submitted the paperwork which had a closing date of Early April 2016!!!!!.....they were just told to turn up (name penciled in at the bottom of the sheet) and yet another player we are aware of (who is very good and lots of potential) was advised that the applications had closed and there was nothing they could do as they had missed the submission date!!!

So am not holding my breath with Henley (would be excellent if he did get in and would make his day if not year!) as it seems the rules can change and therefore we are looking at if there are other options which have a soccer component at a decent level within the school. Yes the academic side is very important and yet the majority of (public) schools have similar scores or averages as they (teachers) are all taught the same systems bar the Catholic Teachers who have a slightly different curriculum......all other teachers come from the same University courses, attend similar professional development - whether private or public and it's then down to infrastructure and ancillary programs such as a soccer or sports program which offers some change to the child's development and assists in ensuring that they make good decisions during their teens.

cheers

Geoff9559

Good luck with the application then. I know for a fact that they offer no flexibility with cut-off dates. I suspect the boy who did not apply but just "showed up" would not be given any consideration and was probably just offered an opportunity to participate because he had already made the effort to attend. Last year, a VERY talented player was not accepted into the program because he missed the cut-off in submitting application by a few days - no concessions were made and I'm guessing this is to ensure equality and integrity in the process - like you say, there is a lot of competition to get in to the school and the process has to be equal to all.

As far as the position your son plays being a factor, to a certain extent I agree that "flashy" players tend to stand out more and catch the eye. True, a defender may not need 1v1 skills as much as a flashy forward, but in most of the trials I have conducted/seen, a good coach should be able to spot talent/potential in a player in a number of aspects which apply to all positions on the park - passing, 1st touch, defending, decision-making, movements, dribbling, physical attributes, attitude and the list goes on.

At the same time, my mail is that the make-up of the current cohort of 40-odd students in the soccer program has 4 keepers and then a fairly equal spread of D,M,F.

Just as an aside, i'm not sure if you are in the Henley High "zone", but if you are and your son enters the school but is not in the SSP program, the school allows students to apply/trial each year to enter the program once they are already students there - might be an option.

Good luck with it all, you seem to have your priorities right - lucky boy!!

[geoff9559]

we're not in the Zone which makes it a tad hard but have noticed you can apply in subsequent years so there is always next year.......

I did some work with Justice Youth Reform awhile ago and created the manual for the Aboriginal Power Cup....I was of the opinion that young kids transitioning from Year 7 to High School needed to be in teams and to have good role models to ensure they made future decisions correctly plus being in a team had some peer group pressure to perform not go down the wrong path of 'stuff' as they have a focus within the team to train etc etc - spare time wasnt doing the wrong thing. But the powers that be were adamant that the Power Cup had to be for Years 11 and 12 which for me is too late and they have made wrong decisions which will affect their future and dont seem to have had the focus of team prior and therefore it is very late to learn this.

And this is why the seeking of a program within a school that has some meaning, rigor etc etc to hopefully assist in providing role models etc for which a child can follow that doesnt end them up in all sorts of strife and provides the 'team' that Clubs can also add to - is something that we are looking for. Academically I feel the schools with these programs have undertaken a bit of research and as pointed out kids in sports programs do seem to have good scores. I guess that's why Adelaide Uni, UniSA, Oxford, Cambridge etc all have 'Blues' Awards for students who have good academic scores and have competed at a high level at the same time in sport......I managed to get one from UniSA quite awhile ago.

Cheers

Geoff9559

[geoff9559]

Just advising that we heard that whilst he met the selection criteria for Henley High he did not win one of the spots and is on the waiting list in case someone pulls out. At least he didnt bomb out totally!!!!! It seems they have only 80 students as the intake for ALL the specialist program sports and therefore soccer was like last year and only 6 selected from what we can ascertain.
So now back to the drawing board and to look at alternatives ...... so will be looking up what everyone has advised.

cheers

Geoff9559

[geoff9559]

OMG - adding insult to injury we found out that friends' daughter managed to get in through athletics....only 4 girls turned up to trials and all in!! 30 to 40 boys for soccer and only 6 spots........hmmmmm doesnt add up considering the differing numbers, however hope that Henley realise there's an inequity between sports and might make changes in the future.

cheers
Geoff9559

[God is an Englishman]

Are you really choosing your sons school based on how good at football they are?

Telling him to concentrate on proper academic subjects and play football for a club side.

[geoff9559]

GIAE,

Read above as to the reasoning....you will see that we are looking for a school with sports programs that are decent so that he can be in a team through his teens at school and hopefully develop good sensibilities and decision making which comes from peers - if all his peers are in the team then they most probably will be similarly focussed - ie not looking at rec drugs etc and loving their sport. The same goes for outside the school and he is already in Club (with good team mates who are pretty switched on) and has a NAPLAN that is exceedingly high ....so no probs there academic wise as he is looking at STEM subjects. So the school might be not have the sporting results, we are looking for the sports program which provides the additional rigor that a teenager really needs to be able to develop good personal abilities from. Seeing that quite a large amount of time is at high school we are looking for good role models at the school - and they do seem to be revolving around specialist sports programs (yes there is the odd Academic person who provides an insight to a child potential career - but they dont often provide the role model that we wish for), yes he is already training 12 to 15 hours per week in soccer as he loves it, plus is doing his second year of Spanish now that he's completed 4 years of French outside of school hours so its only logical to look for a school that has a sports program that is integrated to the school's curriculum and provides the stuff that he is looking for.

So in summation....no we are not looking for a school based on how good they are at football, we are looking for a school with good sporting programs that will assist our son in continuing to develop into a decent person in the future.

Cheers
Geoff9559