It’s no secret that club sports are a huge investment for families. A study conducted by TD Ameritrade found that children who participated in highly competitive club sports were spending on average $100 to $500 per month on each child for club sports. In turn 85 percent of college coaches say they recruit at the club level rather than the high school level. So, which one is better?

Students at Norwin High School ask the question of club OR high school team, as many students tend to do both. For some it may be an easy decision on which they like more, or which benefits your athletic career more. On the other hand, prioritizing club or school sports can be a very stressful topic for athletes  looking for the best options for recruiting and personal satisfaction.

The recent growth of club sports has come about because it is now seen as a more severe environment to practice sports. Due to increased competition for college scholarships, parents have sought to give their kids every advantage they can. The same can be said at Norwin. Many student athletes have participated in club sports such as AAU basketball, club volleyball and club soccer.

According to a study published by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), players who played for clubs during high school make up a higher percentage of college athletes in most sports.

By playing for a club team rather than high school team, it is statistically proven that the players will be exposed to college scouts more. Club teams have year-round seasons unlike most high school sports, which means players need to commit more time to their team’s sport. This can cause stress on student athletes and their families by not only having to pay for these teams, but also having to choose whether to miss team workouts for high school due to traveling for tournaments. 

“When playing a club sport you will often have better competition because teams are usually from all over,“said one high school senior. “But when you play high school you are kind of contained to play the teams just from around your area.”

It’s a tough decision to be made on whether or not one is ready and willing to commit to a club team as it does have its pros and cons.

High school sports has its pros and cons. Some pros would be seeing your friends and peers come out to watch you and congratulate you on a huge win vs a rival. Having that team with all of your friends and the community rallying behind you in a WPIAL championship game, along with countless other things that you cannot get when playing club sports.

“High school games just are just more meaningful and bigger, seeing all of your friends/classmates come out to watch you play a rival school just doesn’t hit the same as a club game,“said senior goalie Owen Burmeister.

 High school sports offer core values such as teamwork. More often than not, club sports are more to get singular players exposure rather than a high school soccer team making a run to the WPIAL championship. High school is the best way to keep values such as dedication and the fun atmosphere of the sport that brought you to it in the first place. High school still plays an important role in the recruiting process as it allows for students to manage academics along with sports, similar to the college athletic experience.  So, which do Norwin students think is more important?

A poll done by the Knight Krier confirmed 51 percent of students think it is more beneficial to play Club sports. 49 percent feel it is more beneficial to play High School sports. A pretty even split between the two.

Another key factor of choosing which to commit to is which does the athlete enjoy more?

The poll above shows that in comparison to just club and high school, students at Norwin feel that club is more enjoyable.  While 40% of students enjoy both and just love the sport they play no matter what team it is for.

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Recruiting for athlete is a main priority if an athlete is trying to play at the next level. Is club a necessity to play at the next level, or can you be recruited just off of high school sports?

According to Norwin students, 61 percent emphasized that athletes did not need to play club to get recruited while 39 percent said otherwise. It is proven that more scouts will be at club events, but if you are the star of the show at a high school event does that mean you will go unnoticed ? I highly doubt it.

With the ongoing debate, the right answer is hard to find. Both club and high school have their pros and cons and everyone has their own opinions, including Norwin students. At the end of the day, if an athlete truly enjoys the sport they play, they will enjoy it as long as they play and will get noticed wherever as well.