Age plays a major factor in development. Get to a player too late, and their substantive growth period might’ve already passed them by. Some of that has to do with simple talent identification, but a majority of it has to do with substantive competition at younger ages. The Development Academy only instituted its U14 division last year, and the U12 division is slated to start soon. The ECNL is in similar straits.

But what can high schools do about it? By the time a player gets to the ninth grade, which is the youngest age group available to many players, they’re already 14. They’ve had to turn to club systems in lieu of anything school sponsored, and in the off chance there is middle school soccer, it often isn’t competitive.

This column has covered Coppell High School in the Dallas area before precisely because the program is on the cutting edge of high school soccer in America. It’s looking into possibly starting its own academy offshoot, and its facilities outpace many of those owned by Development Academy sides. So it’s no surprise that Coppell is looking to extend its reach to the middle school realm for the first time. Coppell is currently No. 4 in the TopDrawerSoccer.com winter FAB 50 rankings.

Coppell routinely produces top players who, like cousins at St. Benedict’s in New Jersey and Jesuit in California, opt for a high school program over an academy program simply because of the high level on offer. But what high schools appear to be doing is creating their own DA-like developmental hierarchy in search of younger and younger development. There are a few ISDs in Coppell’s area that sponsor middle school soccer, but it’s important to note that in the hands of Coppell the system would have a backer with the ability to stimulate major developmental growth from a young age.

Getting to players younger and instilling them with the right principles on how to play the game has become the next hill to climb for American soccer. In a few key circles, it appears high school soccer is happy to follow suit.

Cathedral making moves out west

Southern California’s soccer season is mostly encased in the winter, and it’s annually one of the most anticipated moments for high school soccer. Some of the nation’s best untapped talent plays in obscurity in lower leagues in SoCal, only to be unearthed (or not) just in time for a college call-up. And there are two sides to that coin. While players like Cristian Roldan find outlets to top DI schools, other players like Miguel Ibarra aren’t identified and are forced into a meandering path in search of recognition.

Still, that tension provides one heck of a spectacle every winter, and Cathedral is usually in the middle of the fray. That hasn’t changed this year, as the Phantoms are 3-0-1 so far and moved up a spot to No. 5 on the TopDrawerSoccer.com winter FAB 50 this week. Cathedral is having to deal with some losses, notably electric midfielder Axel Mendez, who was named the Big West Conference’s Freshman of the Year earlier this fall after a productive first season with UC Santa Barbara.

Cathedral is getting it done with a committee approach and plenty of defense so far this year. The Phantoms shut out all three of their opponents last week, and 10 players have combined to score 17 of their goals so far. Notably, look out for Cathedral at the always intriguing MAST Tournament hosted by Montverde in Florida in January. In the recently released bracket, Cathedral faces Miami’s Gulliver Prep in the first round, and it wouldn’t have to see Montverde until the title game.

Montverde’s winning streak piles on 

As if it’s any surprise, Montverde is still No. 1 in the FAB 50 rankings this week. The Eagles are a massive 17-0-0 so far, which runs its unbeaten streak to an incredible 113 games. They only have one more game left this season before taking a break to prepare for the season-ending MAST Tournament, which typically provides the closest thing to a potential loss each season. Montverde faces Elsik in the first round and will face either Auburndale or Hamilton in the semifinals should they reach that stage. 

One thing to keep an eye on is whether the Eagles can run the table. They’ve been undeniably dominant since Mike Potempa took over in 2010, but they’ve never marked up a perfect season. They’ve gone 26-0-1, 23-0-4, 25-0-1 and 23-0-1 last year, but never have they avoided a draw in a season. With just a handful of games left in the season, could that be in the cards for the Orlando area powerhouse?

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