“US Soccer Federation deemphasized high school soccer in order to prioritize club soccer. That was a mistake. Our best young players now have no idea what pressure is.” -
@EricWynalda
calls BS on club ⚽️ system using taxpayer-funded fields for exclusion/personal enrichment
Neill Collins - the best manager in the USL - has been appointed as the new
@BarnsleyFC
boss. Another great new chapter to begin. Barnsley has landed a gem
Outstanding, accurate analysis-pros and cons. Notts County have signed a special player that’ll play at a higher level, will bring a profit. Since debut for Celtic at age 17 in Europa Cup, it’s been a question of getting with the right team, system, coach. Notts is it
Why the High School Champions League movement?
1. It’s free to participants. This means EVERYONE can earn their way in, not just those with $$$
2. It’s merit-based. No protected corridor for the favored ones.
3. It requires Coach collaboration, not cutthroat recruiting methods
This should be a major eye-opener. Our betters in Academy Soccer have built an entire lucrative industry on “showcases”, “your future”, “high school soccer sucks”, flying/driving all over for what exactly? I’ll bet when asking for more money they leave out details like this:
This is massive!
@Biggamebobby
Prime Time Preps and Bob Putnam are joining forces with Florida Sports Stream, the Tampa Bay Sports Connection, and Mike Rickord. Bob and Mike are two of the best there is on the Prep Sports beat, and great friends of
@TampaBayTopTen
End of an era. It was a
@neillycollins3
love fest at Al Lang last night. Rowdies 3, Oakland 0. Felt like a Final. Team tossing the big man in the air. Fans showing love. Beautiful highlight video of Neill’s career.
@dougokane88
@BarnsleyFC
he’s all yours now. Buckle up…
One of the leading grassroots voices in American soccer today is St. Dominic (St. Louis) High School boys and girls Head Coach Greg Koeller…
Proud to stand with Greg and tell the truth about HS Soccer
Simply the truth:
USWNT and WC Team phenom forward Alyssa Thompson played high school soccer.
So did Alex Morgan; Rose Lavelle; and our own Becky Sauerbrunn among countless others of such world class acclaim!
There is a super interesting HS soccer story developing in St. Louis at the moment. It’s playoff time, and Ladue HS and their Coach - Dave Aronberg - are experiencing a season loaded with life lessons, ups and downs, and lessons for a lifetime.
The Ladue story continues. Congratulations Ladue and Coach Dave Aronberg. They’ve made it through to the state tournament after beating Fort Zumwalt South. Stunning.
@LadueSoccer
Had a super fun chat with David Ambush. David teaches PE at High Point Elementary School in Pinellas County, Florida. He is conducting interviews for his online PE. David is one of the most fascinating people I've ever met:
The amazing Select Sports America has recognized the HS Champions League movement as a winner. Tampa Bay has received its shipment of 100+ customized CL balls + ball bags. Coaches thrilled! A local high school tournament is getting ready to place a huge Select order
The 7th Loci Capital Champions League Draw is tomorrow with Perry Van Der Beck at
@FergsSportsBar
1320 Central Ave, St. Pete at 3:30pm.
Throwback: 2022 draw at Al Lang Stadium starring
@neillycollins3
and
@Luckynumber17_
-5th Boys TBT10 CL Draw
The beautiful home of the Loci Capital Champions League Final… the future home (every other year) of the I-75 SuperCup?
@TampaBayTopTen
@STLchampsleague
Good call Dr. Martin.
Life skills? Yes. Important.
More important - a way of thinking about life based on principles. Privilege not a part of it. Sport can teach it.
@NooraRonkainen
"How can Life Skills be brought somewhere where it can make a meaningful difference for all youth and not only those in privileged positions?"
New
#meaningfulsport
episode with
@martin_camire
now out via
@PA_Researcher
STL HS soccer has meant so much to US Soccer. Players, Programs, Coaches, Crowds, History-Now this! Hard to think of many more hard-earned boys titles in US Soccer than “St. Louis HS Champions League Champion”. (Well, maybe one)
@soccermadeinstl
@SoccerDadPod
@scuffedpod
@kbpwil
Today’s youth soccer landscape is scam after scam dressed up as “pathway”, “development”, “elite”, “premier”, “academy”. It is stunning how successful these marketing gambits are. The HS Champions League movement stands in contrast to this. Free, merit-based.
Coach Randy Irick and 5 members of the Palm Harbor University Lady Canes, the current Loci Capital Champions League holders, appeared live with host Mike Rickord on Tampa Bay radio today from Ferg’s Sports Bar.
@kbpwil
@TampaBayTopTen
Massive HS Soccer weekend in Tampa Bay…
Tonight: Girls State semis
7A: Boca Raton at Palm Harbor
6A: Sunlake at Miami Lourdes Academy
5A: Cypress Creek at Plantation American Heritage
2A: Shorecrest at Lakeland Christian
Tomorrow: Boys Semis/Champions League draw at Ferg’s
East Lake High Schhol wins the first ever TBT10 Champions League and the right to host the Final Four next season. They will keep the Jim Harte Trophy for the next year until it is up for grabs again next season. Congratulations
Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Boys and Girls HS Champions League
Champions!
St Louis HS Champions League is next on the ledger in the Fall 2024/Spring 2025!
@Msccamp
@STLchampsleague
🧵
The story of
@CBC_Soccer
head coach Terry Michler is inspiring. Terry has coached CBC Cadets for 52 years! He leads USA with over 1000 wins and over 1400 games coached.
Terry is a prime mover of the STL HS champions league movement.
@STLchampsleague
@TampaBayTopTen
@kbpwil
The most inspirational story of the day:
Check out the “high school” section:
Maria: we’d love to have you join Perry Van Der Beck in the HS Champions League movement. We are here for Players like you.
@Maria17_7
@TampaBayTopTen
Two weeks away from the Loci Capital Final Champions League Final 4 and Final:
-Saturday January 13
-Semi-Finals @ 9:00 and 11:00 am
-Boys semis @ Jesuit, Girls @ PHUHS
-Finals @ Al Lang Stadium
-Boys @ 6:00pm
-Girls @ 8:00pm
@Biggamebobby
@TampaBayTopTen
@STLchampsleague
@tomhwilliams23
Outstanding, accurate analysis-pros and cons. Notts County have signed a player that’ll play at a higher level and will bring a profit. Since debut for Celtic at age 17 in Europa Cup, it’s been a question of getting with the right team, system, coach. This is a special player
Thread:
1. What is the HS Champions League?
-An in-season series of games built into the regular season schedules of HS soccer teams that THE PREVIOUS SEASON were “Champions” within the early stages of the state tournament.
It’s metro-based and includes schools of all sizes
Great episode of The Soccer Dad podcast-Larry Hulcer from an era in STL soccer that brought Frank Longo-Jack Mackenzie-Quincy College dynasty, also Perry VanDerBeck-all part of HS Champions League root system
@STLchampsleague
@TampaBayTopTen
@SoccerDadPod
1/ Jesuit soccer hosts Northeast at Corral Memorial Stadium.
Prior to kickoff, at 6:50pm, coach Dunnigan will be presented the National Assistant Coach of the Year award by
@UnitedCoaches
. Come out to celebrate coach Dunnigans' achievement and cheer on the Tigers! …
High school soccer in Tampa Bay begins tonight. Like/follow the TBT10 Facebook page that covers high school soccer in Tampa Bay. TBT10 ranks the top 10 boys soccer teams in the 3-county Tampa Bay Area (Pinellas, Pasco, Hillsborough) and it sponsors the TBT10 Champions League.
Congratulations to the
@TampaBayRowdies
and the USL’s best coach -
@neillycollins3
- on a comprehensive lockdown of a dangerous Miami FC team in the first round of the playoffs. Fantastic feature article on Neill’s coaching journey in the Tampa Bay Times
Cool moment for the
@TampaBayRowdies
President Ryan Helfrick is gonna be an awesome new chapter in history of a great organization.
Connecting Leo to Keith Savage to Mike Connell with hooped sleeves as common denominator… Genius.
@TBRowdiesNorway
Kevin Whalen-a new leaf: HS soccer players in their own words! Great stuff. Ft. Zumwalt South girls/coach…
@STLchampsleague
@TampaBayTopTen
“So that you know that I know that you know…”
- Kevin Whalen, Whales Certified Podcast
Club coaches that hate HS soccer cover your eyes… Matt Turner didn’t play soccer until freshman year at HS, where he jumped in goal during tryouts when another kid got hurt…but the Intelligentsia wants you to skip HS soccer, it might…what…damage you? .
Think how crazy the Intelligentsia can sometimes be:
Intelligentsia-“You are not allowed to play with your current school”.
Player-“Sure Coach. Why?”
Intelligentsia-“So that we can get you ready to play for your next school”
What?
Bravo college coaches that support HS soccer
The nationwide HS Champions League movement has no better friend than
@TampaBayRowdies
Entire organization is independent and forward-looking-not afraid to embrace/support HS soccer-always on lookout for young talent
@TampaBayTopTen
@STLchampsleague
STUNNER!
In girls Class 6A district 9 Final:
Eastlake HS girls 3, Sunlake 2!
Eastlake automatically qualifies for next year’s champions league. The defending Loci Capital Champions League champions Sunlake must hope to get an at-large bid to have the chance to defend their title
Love to see that Lucky Mkosana has begun the transition to the next part of his football life - coaching. .
Read his newsletter - Learn with Lucky, study his story, watch this man.
Girls Loci Capital Champions League 2024-25
1Berkeley Prep
2East Lake
3Cypress Creek
4Holy Names
5Sickles
6Seminole
7Sunlake
8Palm Harbor
9Newsome
10Calvary Christian
11Durant
12Mitchell
13Alonso
14Carrollwood
15Shorecrest Prep
16Land O Lakes
The 7th Loci Capital Champions League Draw is tomorrow with Perry Van Der Beck at
@FergsSportsBar
1320 Central Ave, St. Pete at 3:30pm.
Throwback: 2022 draw at Al Lang Stadium starring
@neillycollins3
and
@Luckynumber17_
-5th Boys TBT10 CL Draw
Congratulations to
@SDsoccerFC
and
@STLchampsleague
for hosting college Coach forum.
Katie Shields-St. Louis U
Eric Delabar-Maryville
Jim Conlon-Wash U
Tim Strange-McKendree
Tyler Tomlinson-Culver Stockton
Luke Schlicting-Jeff. Co. CC
All recommended HS soccer
@TampaBayTopTen
46 years ago today
@SDsoccerFC
Head Girls/Boys soccer coach Greg Koeller was breaking down barriers as he ran out with first ever USA U15 team in Paris, France
46 years later Greg is still breaking down barriers as he and others lead the
@STLchampsleague
@TampaBayTopTen
@kbpwil
Loci Capital Champion’s League draw
@FergsSportsBar
Seated in front:
-Perry Van Der Beck
-Craig Fossett
Back from left:
-John Mayer
-Tim Cooper
-Patrick Dominique
-Jim Harte
-Dave Wilson
-Mike McHugh
-Randy Irick
-Vicky King
-The Concha Kings
-Jim DiNobile
Plus-the new groups
Loci Capital Champions League weather update:
We are carefully watching the weather for this weekend. We will make an announcement by noon on Friday regarding the semi-finals at Palm Harbor and Jesuit and the Finals at Al Lang.
@TampaBayTopTen
@DanWetzel
This post is about having a “big guy/girl”. High school soccer is a part of the process for developing this type of player, a player with natural ability to take over a game. To put the team on their back when the game is tied late and come up with a way to unlock the game.
1. 2023-24 Tampa Bay Top Ten Champions League Draw will be a live event
@FergsSportsBar
(upstairs). 1320 Central Ave, St Pete. Date: February 18. Time: 4:00. The public is welcome!
Neill Collins, Lucky Mkosana, and Perry VanDerBeck will execute the boys and girls draw.
Tomorrow-Tampa Bay Inv. HS tournament begins-3 8-team flights:
Showcase-St. Ignatius-St. Xavier. Teams from all over Florida, 1 from California, 1 from Puerto Rico. Showcase has 3 of the 4 Loci Capital CL Final 4 teams
@Biggamebobby
@scuffedpod
@SoccerDadPod
@mofutbolstl
The Tigers tied San Ignacio 1-1 today in a tune-up for the Tampa Bay Invitational, with Alejandro Vargas scoring the 2nd half equalizer for Jesuit.
The TBI starts tomorrow/Thursday! Jesuit will play Palm Harbor at JC Handly Park in Brandon, Field 6 at 7:00pm.
#AMDG
#GoTigers
📣 Milestone reached!!
A great start in our initiative to support HS soccer players in creating opportunities to connect profiles to College coaches across 🇺🇸 through their HS coach.
Credibility through Coach-to-Coach recommendations!!
Link in profile to learn more.
⚽️🔥🤝
Stunning, not surprising to read this. HS soccer will damage the “development” of kids? HS Champions League movement:
1. Free to player/school
2. No one making $$
3. HS coaching rivals working collaboratively to improve the product.
@SoccerCats85
@kif_soccer
@nebraska_talk
A must read: Youth Soccer Turf War 🚨
By
@HenryBushnell
@YahooSports
Topics:
-DA vs ECNL
-DA Folding
-GA vs ECNL
-Club Politics
-Cost $ /Elite families $
-Branding/Marketing
-Exposure
-Player and Soccer Turf War
-USA Soccer Development
“Ultimately,” Robertson concludes, “and