It’s no secret that club and high school sports are differentiated through competition, expectations, and level of play. Club sports have always provided intense skill development and had a high level of competition; high school sports help players grow and thrive as young athletes, which later can help them develop a lifelong love for their chosen sport.
Undoubtedly, club sports and high school sports have many similarities and differences. Aside from obvious cost differences, how do they each shape athletes into the competitors they dream of becoming?
Coaches have a major effect on what different teams strive for, however, some express that the coaching styles are very comparable between high school and club. “The coaching styles aren’t that different,” says soccer player Alexander McClatchey (‘28). “But I would say the coaches in high school are more focused on your cardio and physical aspect while club coaches are more focused on your technical.”
For off-season training, athletes are expected to do more training for club sports, as this goes along with the high intensity and competition where athletes’ skills need to be fresh. “For high school, during the season you practice a lot of the time, and train a lot but only for that little season,” said Anika Watters (‘28). “You don’t do as much when it’s off-season.”
On the other hand, some expressed individual off-season training to be very similar between the two. “After high school season is over, my club season starts,” says Maeve Kilbride (‘27). “I’m constantly working out and doing stick work year-round and doing something every day to benefit me.”
Some expressed training and development in high school to be more cardio and fitness based, However, lots of clubs do similar drills to what you do in high school, as your skills can benefit from all types of training. “In high school training we normally did 2v2s, ball work, conditioning, scrimmages, rondos, shooting and passing drills,” says soccer player Jacob Coultas (‘28). “For skill development over the summer we had NLT training which consisted of dribbling drills, passing, shooting, and some fitness.”
Club sports have always been known for having an expansive amount of players that most often come from all over the country, and this also heightens the intensity and level of play for most teams. “Club volleyball has players from all around the country, and in high school you’re playing teams that are only from your area,” says volleyball player Piper Ayotte (‘28). “But club, you’re playing everywhere and playing very high-level teams.”
