Bedes have been better this year; Shirley have been worse. STAC and Christs appear to be getting better.
The real measure is not whether they get play in a tournament for 15 years or not; it’s 1) the quality of players when they finish school; 2) whether they continue to play the game.
A good 16-17 yo will play PDL at club level - training with older, more experienced and better players; whereas the same kid in the school system will play with younger and less skillful players. Which do you think is better for that kid’s football development? At club level there are many more resources to turn to in terms of players and coaches who have been there/done that.
How many players playing 1st XI in 2013 would make their club PDL or MPL team? Not many. Off the top of my head, only the following:
Christs - Tom R
SBHS - Connor L, Ryan S
Bedes - Jo B
Boys High - Tom P, Zac G, Jayden B, Sean Z, Mitch H
STAC - Henry F, Tom M
But if all those 1st XIs had developed in the club system since they were 14 I bet there would be more who are able to play PDL/MPL club footy.
MPL/PDL coaches who get involved at junior level:
NO: Cashmere, Bays
YES: Coastal, FC20
Not sure: Halswell, Nomads, Western
What’s your point? All those clubs (well not Bays or Western because they don’t have any teams) have junior coaches at 14, 15, 17 and 18th grades - who all learn from other senior coaches around the club - formally and informally.
Oh, and by the way Scottie, the only Chch kid who made 2013 NZ secondary schools is a club player - Hamish Cadigan who has played at Nomads, Mainland School of Football and Western.
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Christs - Tom R (pdl)
Stac Henry F (pdl)
Christchurch Boys - Jayden B (mpl), Tom F (mpl/pdl), Mitch H (mpl), Abdul K (already playing mpl), Tom P (mpl)
Shirley - Zac G (Yes he goes to shirley-pdl), Connor L (mpl), Ryan S (pdl)
Bedes - Joe B (pdl)
I read somewhere that Jayden Booth and Tom Fitall (midfielder and goalkeeper) were named in the tournament team alongside players like Clayton Lewis, Zac Speedy and Nick Forrester. So i'd give my congratulations to them
If you're going to make an argument slating schools football, make sure you actually know something