The all-Japan high school soccer tournament is underway and my son (current 2nd year JHS) has been watching it keenly and is now interested in playing high school soccer.
Has anyone here had a child (or themselves) play high school soccer at a powerhouse school – Premier/Prince League or top 4 prefecture (potential zenkoku qualification)?
What was your experience like?
He’s currently at a J League academy (junior youth) and will need to make a decision soon on whether to go up to youth (if offered) or go to high school.
For my son, who loves playing soccer itself, but also hanging out with teammates, it looks very appealing. I hear it’s quite tough but I do think he’d enjoy the high school environment.
He’s saying he wants to go to a strong high school and board there so he can focus on soccer.
He’s no Lamine Yamal, but he is decent and is dreaming of becoming a pro, though of course we are both aware the chances are still very slim. But I’m happy to support his dreams.
My main concerns, if he does board, are a drop in English level living away from home, and also the risk of choosing the wrong high school in terms of suiting him as a player and his personality. Whereas the academy is a known quantity. On the other hand, at the academy high school life won’t be as fun, and there’s a chance he’ll miss out on that and still not make it as a pro.
What are other upsides and downsides that maybe we haven’t considered?
by Massive_Tutor_8814