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The Curious Dynamic of HS soccer in Arkansas

Started by beeroe, March 08, 2018, 08:07:54 am

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beeroe

I was just looking at the Max Preps Soccer page Spring Rankings.

http://www.maxpreps.com/rankings/soccer-spring-17/1/national.htm

Arkansas has four HS boys teams ranked in the top 50 in the nation. (all of them in Northwest Arkansas)

Compare that to the club rankings Arkansas has one team, a u15 boys team (Comets) in the top 50 (27th) in our nation. Every other team is 95 and above. 

ArkansasSportsFan

Could be a couple of things.

1. Soccer is spread into 3 different seasons across the US depending on the location, some states do Fall, some do Winter, some do Spring, meaning the rankings get split into 3 different ranking systems.

2. Maxpreps rankings are usually pretty trash anyway, it's all computer based and you don't really get an accurate ranking because an undefeated team could just be in a horrifically weak conference and plays a weak nonconference schedule and get a decent ranking because they don't play anybody. There's no such thing as an eye test at all but it would be pretty clear to see that many teams don't truly deserve their ranking.

3. There are plenty of top tier US soccer players in high school that will focus solely on club soccer so there are some high school teams that take a dip because their best players might not even play for them.

Ladyfan


beeroe

Quote from: ArkansasSportsFan on March 08, 2018, 08:16:06 am
2. Maxpreps rankings are usually pretty trash anyway, it's all computer based and you don't really get an accurate ranking because an undefeated team could just be in a horrifically weak conference and plays a weak nonconference schedule and get a decent ranking because they don't play anybody. There's no such thing as an eye test at all but it would be pretty clear to see that many teams don't truly deserve their ranking.

From the Max Preps page...

We do not poll coaches, sportswriters, or fans. Nor does our staff make any judgments on the merits of any individual team. Prior season history, school size, and comments on message boards are not considered in the MaxPreps Computer Rankings.

The system utilizes the huge number of game results stored in the MaxPreps database. Generally, the more a team wins the higher the ranking, but the system takes into account quality wins (against other highly ranked opponents) and strength of schedule.

For example, a team's ranking is hurt more by losing to a team that is ranked below them verses a team ranked ahead.

Other factors that will affect the rankings are times when MaxPreps has incomplete or inaccurate information. We will correct errors when they are reported to us. If we are missing a score, report it to us on the team's MaxPreps page. If we are missing a game on the schedule, send us a correction request.

Playoff wins are weighed higher compared to a regular season game.

Movement indicates the up or down movement within the rankings when compared to our previously published rankings.

ARSoccer25

Max Preps is a joke when it comes to rankings like another poster stated. Pretty simple.

NWAguy

Max preps rankings are no good. Topdrawersoccer and NSCAA rankings are where it's at. Other than that I would look at the pay to play system. In NWA there are a lot of good players who only play High School and Men's league because of the low cost. This has been a complaint we keep hearing after the US national team's failure to qualify for the WC. If this scenario plays out in some fashion nation wide we have to ask if we are really moving the best players up through the system or just the ones with the means to travel and pay.   

RazorDad

March 08, 2018, 07:45:04 pm #6 Last Edit: March 08, 2018, 08:17:23 pm by RazorDad
Quote from: beeroe on March 08, 2018, 08:07:54 am
I was just looking at the Max Preps Soccer page Spring Rankings.

http://www.maxpreps.com/rankings/soccer-spring-17/1/national.htm

Arkansas has four HS boys teams ranked in the top 50 in the nation. (all of them in Northwest Arkansas)

Compare that to the club rankings Arkansas has one team, a u15 boys team (Comets) in the top 50 (27th) in our nation. Every other team is 95 and above.

Like the others have said, MaxPreps rankings are garbage.  And on the club side, GotSoccer rankings are garbage as well.  It's real easy to cherry pick tournaments to gain "points" to pad your ranking.

Oh, and the Comets 03 boys are ranked 27th in Region III, not in the nation.  Looking down the Region III 03B list, I see hundreds of teams that would smoke any Arkansas team.  Just keeping it real.

RazorDad

Quote from: NWAguy on March 08, 2018, 12:49:21 pm
Max preps rankings are no good. Topdrawersoccer and NSCAA rankings are where it's at. Other than that I would look at the pay to play system. In NWA there are a lot of good players who only play High School and Men's league because of the low cost. This has been a complaint we keep hearing after the US national team's failure to qualify for the WC. If this scenario plays out in some fashion nation wide we have to ask if we are really moving the best players up through the system or just the ones with the means to travel and pay.

Amen.  I wish USSF/USYSA would promote and support high school soccer as much as club soccer.

arsoccer

Quote from: RazorDad on March 08, 2018, 08:28:03 pm
Amen.  I wish USSF/USYSA would promote and support high school soccer as much as club soccer.

Meaning??

NWAguy

Quote from: beeroe on March 08, 2018, 08:07:54 am
I was just looking at the Max Preps Soccer page Spring Rankings.

http://www.maxpreps.com/rankings/soccer-spring-17/1/national.htm

Arkansas has four HS boys teams ranked in the top 50 in the nation. (all of them in Northwest Arkansas)

Compare that to the club rankings Arkansas has one team, a u15 boys team (Comets) in the top 50 (27th) in our nation. Every other team is 95 and above.


Looking at this these rankings are from last year.

Fox 16 Arkansas Fox 24 Arkansas