The Balancing Game

The explosion of club sports has left young athletes to prioritize between their club and high school teams as they figure out what's best for their future

Hallsie Pacheco had attained all she needed from her competitive soccer team, the Pleasanton Rage.

She'd already won a State Cup — the pinnacle achievement in club soccer — and her skill level was at an all-time high. Most importantly, she had already signed a letter of intent to play soccer for San Jose State, half a meal card short of a full-ride scholarship.

When the spring of 2006 rolled around, Pacheco said goodbye to club soccer and a chance to win another State Cup; she wanted to spend the final months of her Lodi High School career as a member of her high school team.

"My senior year, I said I'm playing high school and going to be dedicated to my high school team," Pacheco said. "It was more laid-back and I could have more fun with my friends from school."

In the past 15 years, clubs have exploded, moving their way into every sport, from the elite athletes to the beginners, and trickling down to younger and younger age groups.

With the club sports boom, Pacheco's situation has grown increasingly common as high school athletes face the dilemma of prioritizing between their club and high school teams. Pacheco was able to benefit from both opportunities, and she even found time to play four years of varsity basketball for Lodi, providing a refreshing break from soccer.

Many local athletes say they've found a balance between club and high school sports that allows them to maximize their athletic potential while still enjoying the high school experience.

But some coaches and administrators worry club sports are taking away from high school athletics as the value placed on team loyalty decreases and the multi-sport athlete dissolves with specialization, which can cause burn-out among athletes (and even coaches).

Some even wonder if there will be a day when school districts decide high school athletics are no longer worth funding because of how prominent club sports have become.

It's unlikely that day will ever arrive, considering that the pride and tradition athletes feel when playing for their school is something club sports can never replace. The cost to play on the average club team prices out many athletes, too, making high school sports their only option.

Conversely, some characteristics of club sports can never be fulfilled at the high school level, such as the exposure an athlete receives from college recruiters at major tournaments, or the year-round training that, by rule of the National Federation of State High School Associations, cannot be achieved through the high school team.

"For those kids that are scholarship-bound, (club sports) are great for them, but not for the rest of them," Sac-Joaquin Section commissioner Pete Saco said. "There are kids who are not good enough to play in college, but could benefit high school athletic programs in more than one sport."

Hallsie Pacheco

Whatever the viewpoint, both high school and club sports have their place in youth athletics, and in many instances, they can benefit each other.

A club for every athlete

In the 1970s, clubs were little more than an avenue for female athletes to play sports, such as softball, at a time when few high schools offered competitive programs for girls. Title IX has since changed the sporting landscape, clearing the way for various high school sports programs for both boys and girls.

In spite of that, club sports are more pervasive than ever and continue to grow. No matter the sport, athletes can find what they're looking for at the club level.

Katie Goldhahn

Goldhahn: Avoiding burnout

Katie Goldhahn is one of the best volleyball players to ever come out of Lodi. In 2001 and 2002, Goldhahn was a National Junior All-American. In 2004, she helped lead Stanford University to an NCAA championship.

During high school, she played for Richard Chan's Delta Valley club team, and she even played for the Junior National Team, missing a month-and-a-half of school to do so.

But instead of playing for the Tokay High volleyball team her junior and senior years — despite the fact that her club team was having its offseason — she was in the pool playing water polo.

She had nothing against the high school volleyball team. In fact, she was team captain her freshman and sophomore years. She was just afraid of getting burned out playing the sport she had loved since she was 5 years old.

"I didn't want to lose that love for volleyball. I was scared of that," said Goldhahn, who now works in the Stanford athletic department and also coaches club volleyball. "People associated with club volleyball say that a lot of girls start (playing) when they're in fourth grade or earlier, and by the time they go to college they're so sick of the sport they quit."

With a scholarship and bright college career on the horizon, that's the last thing she wanted.

Water polo was a refreshing escape. And with no background in swimming or water polo, Goldhahn saw the sport as an exciting, new challenge.

"It made me appreciate the skill you derive from practice and hard work," said Goldhahn, who mastered the challenge and was named to the all-league team both seasons. "It gave me a clear head about my goals and what I wanted to accomplish in volleyball and water polo."

Take volleyball, for instance. The Lodi-based Delta Valley club run by Richard Chan features top players, ages 12 to 18, from all over the Valley. For $2,600 a year, plus travel expenses, athletes can receive year-round, college-level training as well as exposure from college recruiters at some of the top tournaments in the nation as the club tries to qualify for the national championships, which it has for 15 years running.

But even most of the local high school players aren't talented enough to make it into this club. So if this is too advanced, or too big of a commitment, there's always Club Heat.

This local club, run by Lodi High volleyball coach Krista Brereton, is a bit more low-key. At $600 and with far less travel, the season runs from January to May as volleyball players compete in one-day tournaments every couple weeks, with two to four practices in between. Most of the Lodi High team plays for the club, and because of its casual set-up, the athletes are afforded the opportunity to play a high school sport, besides volleyball, at the same time.

"We encourage them to do as many sports as they're interested in," Brereton said. "I think cross-training is important as well."

And when it comes to the high school and club team, Brereton says, high school comes first. But is it a conflict of interest for Brereton to coach both club and high school, her athletes doomed not to make one team if they don't go out for the other?

"I've had girls that played club and didn't make the high school team, and vice versa," Brereton said. "It doesn't necessarily dictate. Some girls are just naturally gifted and athletic."

Conflicting paths

During her freshman and sophomore years, Pacheco played the balancing game. She'd leave early from practice at Lodi High so she could make it to Sacramento for the start of club practice.

But it wasn't perfect. Pacheco often had to choose one team over the other, and by her sophomore year, she lost her starting job on the club team because she was skipping practice to play games for Lodi.

The coaches of the San Juan club didn't have a problem with her playing for Lodi, Pacheco said. They were only reminding her where her priorities should lie.

"They just wanted me to be committed to their team," Pacheco said.

When Pacheco decided to play for the Pleasanton club her junior year, she knew she couldn't play for Lodi. Unlike San Juan, Pleasanton's tournament schedule directly coincided with Lodi's regular season. And with a three-hour round trip to and from practice, there was simply no way Lodi could fit into the picture.

Pacheco's junior year was about making the rounds, getting seen by as many college recruiters at as many tournaments as possible. No college coach was going to spot Pacheco at a Lodi game; they'd never attend one.

Why would a college coach go to a high school game to watch one recruit, when they could go to a single tournament and look at 100?

(With the exception of football, which doesn't have clubs at the high school level, this seems to be the philosophy in all sports. Even in basketball, college recruiters tend to find their players at AAU tournaments and summer camps far more often than they do watching high school games.)

And being that Pleasanton had won the previous two State Cups — a tournament attended by scouts from just about every college soccer team in the country — there was no better club for Pacheco.

Krisztian Kovacs

Kovacs: Clubs rule Europe

Krisztian Kovacs came over from Hungary to attend Tokay High his senior year. An average water polo player in his home country, Kovacs was instantly Tokay's most talented player.

In Hungary, he wasn't playing for his high school team; they didn't have one.

"We don't have high school sports, just club sports," said Kovacs, who played for one of Hungary's 15 club teams in his age group. "The high schools haven't got enough money for high school sports."

In Europe, it's rare to find a high school team anywhere, as sports are predominantly played at the club level.

With more than 30 professional men's and women's water polo teams, Hungary takes its water polo very seriously, and the main purpose of clubs is to groom players for the professional ranks.

For Kovacs, who never expected to play professionally, the pressure of playing for the Hungary club is a big reason why he enjoyed playing for Tokay.

"Usually in high school, everybody has got the same reason to play; just for fun," Kovacs said. "On club teams, if you're not very talented, coach will say thank you for coming but we don't have room. (This club is) only for professional training."

Kovacs now plays for the University of the Pacific club team, and says he'd like to play in college if he stays in the United States. As for playing at Tokay, he's glad he got the opportunity.

"High school sports are better for everybody," Kovacs said. "You can be healthy and strong and play with your friends. In European club sports, everything is for the honors and to make the best players. It's not for having fun and making a very good common sport, with everybody playing and enjoying the sport."

The result? Pleasanton won the State Cup and Pacheco had herself a college scholarship. Meanwhile, without its star player, Lodi High ended its season with a losing record and missed out on the playoffs after having reached the semifinals the year before.

Not that Lodi coach Tim Stutz blamed Pacheco for her decision.

"I always encourage girls, 'If you can play at a higher premier level, go do it,'" said Stutz, who's coached competitive soccer in the past. "Scouts aren't looking at the high school, they're looking at big competitive tournaments. I just want the best for them."

For better or worse

It's a pretty simple equation. The more you play a sport, the better you'll be. Your endurance and skill level will improve, and odds are, you'll have a better understanding of the game you're playing.

So naturally, athletes who play year-round, facing top-flight competition at the club level, are going to make their high school team that much better.

Tokay High water polo coach Jeff Chandler knows this and feels club sports are critical for his high school program.

"I wish I could require and demand it," Chandler said of his athletes playing club sports.

Chandler says club sports could help his program across the board, from his players' swimming ability to their development in more technical aspects of the game. The top high school programs in the section are loaded with club players, and Chandler feels it's important to follow suit in order to compete.

"Down south, people put club ahead of high school," Chandler said. "In Lodi, it's all about Tokay-Lodi. Try to get better at the club level and do well at the Junior Olympics, but the bottom line is making sections and winning sections."

Local water polo players have the option of playing club for former high school coach Courtney Porter, who runs the Lodi Water Polo Foundation. But while Porter is a highly regarded coach in the area, not all club coaches can match his knowledge or experience.

Tokay softball coach Rick Vollstedt thinks club sports can be a detriment to high school programs, as club teams outgrow the number of quality coaches.

"It's good that the kids are playing, but there's times when I'm teaching basic fundamentals like how to field a groundball," Vollstedt said. "One of the negatives is you get guys out there who don't know what the heck they're doing. It really has hurt the teachability for high school coaches because there's other ideas and views out there."

Tokay boys basketball coach Mack McDermott says many players fall into bad habits when they play AAU basketball, something he has tried to combat as an assistant coach for the Bay Area Hoosiers.

Profiling the Clubbers

Ralph Cesena Jr.

Ralph Cesena Jr.

Club team: Executive director of the Lodi Flying Tigers, an Amateur Athletic Union boys basketball club.

Background: Started coaching career in 1982 with Morada Little League and has also coached Pioneer Little League and tee-ball in Stockton. Since 1995, has coached flag football, baseball and basketball with the Lodi Parks and Recreation Department.

Started the Flying Tigers program in 2002 with a third grade team.

Day job: President of Internet 5 Technology, a software and database development company based in Lodi.

Accomplishments: Seventh-grade team qualified for California State Games in San Diego last year, finishing 16th out of 32 teams. Team also played at AAU qualifier in Reno.

Former club players: None of the players are old enough to be in college yet.

Philosophy/team mission: "We are a developmental competitive program, which means we are not an all-star team. We don't have cuts and don't only take the good players. We want to bring kids into the program who want to play basketball and develop their skills, instead of getting the best players and going out to win. Winning is just the icing on the cake."

Richard Chan

Richard Chan

Club team: Director of Delta Valley, an elite volleyball club based in Lodi.

Background: During the 1970s, Chan was involved with the NorCal Tremors competitive softball team. In 1984, started Stockton Volleyball Club, now called Club Stockton. In 1989, started Delta Valley and has run it ever since. Chan also coached two stints for the St. Mary's junior varsity volleyball team.

Day job: Retired.

Club accomplishments: Won three national championships. Since 1992, club has qualified for national championships at the highest level every year.

Former club players: Katie Goldhahn (Tokay High, Stanford); Mindy Jellin (Lincoln High, Harvard); Erica Selsor (Linden High, UCLA); Jacques Robinson (Florida); Allison Cecchini (Florida); Jennifer Wells (Lodi High, Texas A&M); Jennifer Keene (Lodi High, Florida); Angela Rosenquist (Pacific); Julie Magud (Bear Creek, Pacific); Krista Brenner (Elliot High, Tennessee).

Philosophy/team mission: "We want to teach our kids how to play volleyball in the context that they do well in school. We want them to get a good education and continue their volleyball career at as good a school as they can get into. And if we can get them a scholarship, great."

Rick Engelhardt

Rick Engelhardt

Club team: President of Lodi Crushers, a competitive girls and boys soccer club.

Background: Coached soccer for 14 years between parks and recreation and competitive leagues. Coached seven years for the Lodi City Swim Club and a couple years of softball for parks and rec. Has been president of Crushers for five years.

Day job: Training supervisor for Payless Shoe Source for 25 years.

Club accomplishments: Two boys teams won District 8 championship this year. Three years ago, girls team won nine out of 10 tournaments.

Former club players: Hallsie Pacheco (Lodi High, San Jose State); Krissy Synowicki (Lodi High, San Francisco State); Patrick Ianni (Lodi High, UCLA, Houston Dynamo); Dominik Jakubek (Lodi High, California Cougars); Stephanie Gillette (Lodi High, private college in Redding); Sarah Iverson (Lodi High, private college in Oregon).

Philosophy/team mission: "To have fun and develop players for their next step and success for life. It's not all about winning, but if you develop them for college and high school, that's a good mission. And good camaraderie, to make sure everyone gets along."

Roy Taylor

Roy Taylor

Club team: President of the California Grapettes, a competitive softball team based in Stockton.

Background: Four daughters played softball and wife coached. Ran NorCal Tremors competitive softball team in Lodi, which has since disbanded. Taylor is one of the founders of the Grapettes.

Day job: Former employee for Alpine Meat Co.

Club accomplishments: Gold Team recently finished fifth in nation. This year, sent four teams to nationals, and 18-and-under Gold team finished in the top 12.

Former club players: Kaila Shull (UCLA), Kelly Wilson (Pacific), Ashley Applegate (LSU), Juliana Santos (LSU), Brittany Johnson (Bakersfield).

Philosophy/team mission: "Teach the kids good sportsmanship and leadership. How to be fair in the common general public and how to prepare for life. We put them in situations they'll have to be dealing with for the rest of their life."

First published: Saturday, January 13, 2007

"(In AAU) there are a lot of big-time players out there showcasing their talents, so (the refs) let them get away with a lot of stuff," McDermott said. "When they come back to high school, we have to get them to break a lot of bad habits; high school refs are much tougher."

The downside

Administrators like Pete Saco and Tokay athletic director Jeff Johnston concede that club sports can be beneficial for elite athletes. But they also say some of the biggest challenges and problems they face are a direct result of such groups.

There's the athlete who's convinced he can't earn that college scholarship unless he plays club sports. The one that specializes in soccer before he hits high school, shutting himself off to other sporting opportunities.

"The pressure on the kids is, they have to specialize," Johnston said. "And that's not really true. Kids become better athletes and are healthier if they play a variety of sports, use different muscles for more dexterity. If you're overdeveloping one muscle group and not paying attention to other groups, you're more prone to injury."

Then there's the coaches who run both club and high school teams, recruiting athletes to transfer to their high school. Or the athlete who decides to "shop" for which school to attend.

"There's no loyalty anymore at high schools," Saco said.

Florida passed legislation declaring one year of ineligibility for athletes who transfer high schools to play for their club coach.

Saco says a similar idea has been discussed within the CIF, but nothing concrete is on the horizon.

Saco believes changes, whatever they may be, need to be made if high school sports are going to be preserved as they are today. He says there could be a day when school districts find themselves in a budget crunch and decide to let clubs handle the financial burden.

"It's probably not going to happen in my lifetime," Saco began, "but I could see the day when there's a big lawsuit or something comes unglued, and the superintendent is going to say, except for football, every sport has club activities. ... The superintendent says, 'We're out of it, folks. Let the clubs run, rent facilities back to the clubs.'"

A mother's support

Before she even reached high school, Pacheco was receiving letters from colleges. She'd been spotted playing soccer for the Olympic Development Program, and while NCAA rules wouldn't permit coaches to talk to her directly, it never hurt to plant the seed early.

An athletic scholarship seemed like a distant fantasy for the Pacheco family's eldest child, who'd played soccer since she was 5 years old, but the letters certainly got them thinking about college.

So when Pacheco decided to play for the Pleasanton club her junior year, both she and her parents figured this was her best platform for earning a scholarship.

"We thought there were more full scholarships given out," said Linda Pacheco, Hallsie's mother. "But the more and more we heard, 'oh, it's partial' or 'just books and tuition,' it was not as lucrative as we first thought."

While a full-ride scholarship was hardly guaranteed, Linda Pacheco picked up her daughter from school and drove her to Pleasanton, practice after practice. She could get her there "in an hour and twenty" and would have to hang around another two hours until practice ended.

"I learned where all the libraries were, all the stores," Pacheco said. "I'd do all my errands there, get on my phone, check my account, pay some bills, do my banking. Sometimes I'd sit and watch (practice) a little bit."

The ultimate soccer mom.

When it comes down to it, parents are the ones who keep club sports afloat, doling out registration fees and travel money — and in Linda Pacheco's case, playing chauffeur. Like most parents of club athletes, the Pachecos dedicated their time and money to club sports because they knew their daughter loved soccer and wanted the best opportunity to succeed. Fortunately for the Pachecos, their daughter's dream was more realistic than it is for other athletes, who often get lured into clubs with delusions of grandeur.

"No way I would have gone through that if she didn't want to do it," Linda Pacheco said. "The way she turned out, I wouldn't have it any other way."

So will she encourage her two young sons, who often did their homework in the car during those outings to Pleasanton, to follow in their big sister's footsteps?

"After going through all of that, I don't think I would totally discourage our other two kids from putting so much into one sport," she said. "But I'm definitely not a cheerleader for it, either."

First published: Saturday, January 13, 2007