Langston Fabiyi is a sophomore who plays for the D.C United Academy. As a result, he is prohibited from playing for the school to avoid the risk of injury and fatigue. However, Fabiyi continues to wonder what he is missing out on. Is school soccer something that all students need, or is he better off sticking to club sports?
Student-athletes like Fabiyi are now asking the question of whether it is more valuable for students to play club or school sports and what the benefits are of each of them.
When comparing school and club sports, one cannot ignore the possible benefits of playing for the school. One of these benefits is the community that is created by the team, and the strong relationships you can build when playing together. “The unique benefits of school sports are that you create a lot of new friends and being able to represent your school,” freshman Prayag Upadhyay said.
Another relevant aspect when comparing school and club sports is the skill level at which the teams play since most athletes would like to play at the highest level they are capable of. The skill levels of club and school sports can vary, but students seem to believe that club sports tend to play at a higher level than high school sports do. “Club skill level is better than school skill level because there’s a bigger player pool so you might find more talented players, whereas for school sports the players are limited to the people that go to the school,” Fabiyi said.
Another aspect to consider when deciding whether club or school sports are more valuable is the facilities and coaching staff provided. These can improve the sport experience greatly, and also help a player better their skillset. “The facilities at club are better than the ones at school because there’s more staff and more resources for the players. There’s coaches to help you with your specific position for club and schools don’t always have that,” Fabiyi said.
For a select few athletes, sports present an opportunity to play in college or even become a professional. While there are students who believe that club sports provide the best opportunities to make it to the next level, others prefer school sports for this reason. “More college coaches and scouts come to club games than high school games so for my career it’s better to play club,” Fabiyi said.
The rigor of school sports in comparison to club sports has also caused students to prefer club sports. Most school sports practice at least five times per week with at least one competition or match. “Club sports are better since the people who play are better at the game and less injuries occur when games happen,” junior Max Podlesny said.
All in all, there is no clear option when comparing school and club sports, as they both have unique benefits. The preferability of each of the two options will ultimately be decided by what students value the most and what kind of environment they are looking for in a team.
