Kevin Wright, head coach of the two-time defending state champion West Jessamine High School girls’ soccer team, knows the value of club soccer as a coach and director of goalkeeping for the Central Kentucky Storm.
But …
“There is nothing like high school sports,” Wright said.
For Wright, recently honored as the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) for 2016-17, the year of the Colts’ first of its two state titles, nothing comes close to the feeling of community and camaraderie of the high school game. It’s a big part of his formula of success at West Jessamine.
“You can feel the energy from the student section, the unity. You aren’t going to get that out of club ball,” he said. “That’s your community, and you are going to do everything to win it for them,” said Wright.
Yes, the quality of club soccer is much higher overall, with club teams comprised essentially high school all-star teams or akin to summer AAU teams in basketball. And club provides a ready avenue to college, the goal of many high-level players.
College recruiters don’t have much time during the Kentucky high school soccer season because their own season is going at the same time. That’s why club soccer showcases have become such an important recruiting tool.
“Yeah, club is important,” Wright said. “It’s huge because you are going to get a lot more (college) looks since you are playing with more of all-stars, and that’s when college coaches can come out and look at you versus our season when they can’t.”
Wright builds West Jessamine’s sense of community with its works off the field, too.
“We go to the city of Wilmore and play board games with the Veterans at Thompson Hood, Sweet Blessings at the Presbyterian Church, and we help decorate cakes for a program who families who can’t afford birthdays for their kids,” Wright said. “They are a part of our community, and I feel that we should give back to them.”
Wright offered a list of things he loves about high school soccer.
- Community and school pride
- Reunions and celebrations
- Family traditions
- “Teammates for life” sharing special memories
- The team represents the whole student population
- Students represent the team and come out in big numbers
- Community, state and national press honors both teams and individuals
- Support from the stands can help team overcome adversity.
- There’s no greater feeling than wearing your schools uniform
- Pure pride and unity. Not about “I,” it’s about “us”
While club offers the stepping-stones for the future for top individual players, Wright compares high school the feeling of playing for your country on an international level like the professionals.
“When you watch an international game in the World Cup and they are singing their national anthem you can see the emotion in them,” Wright said. “The time it took you to reach that goal and all the memories you shared together is what builds the unity in the team.”
When his West Jessamine girls put on their powder blues or whites and stand in front of their student section just before kickoff, that’s what he wants them to think of. Being together six days out of the week, building a bond with each other and focusing on team rather than self.
“I love high school soccer so much because of the unity, the brotherhood or sisterhood, and memories you make together,” Wright said. “You are going to have those memories forever. And, when we won state–this team will have that bond forever.”
Twitter.com/WJColtsGirlsSoc/
