How would a U-15 national team do in a full season at the high school level

U-15 team would wreck shop. I played at a school that was very competitive in the state playoffs, and players who were not quite at the National team level in the US were awesome from day 1.

They'd do work. By that age, these kids are legitimately skilled.

I couldn't make it this week, but I had some buddies playing a pick up game get asked to scrimmage this team of kids around 14-15. They got wrecked. Mind you, half of the guys that were playing have only played for weeks at the most, but it was really funny to hear them talk about how physical this match between a bunch of 20-somethings and teenagers got. My favorite quote was: "They just fricking run forever. They never stopped to catch their breath once, and they were already better than us by a long shot without that." Now, the older guys really didn't want to be too physical with them in general so that allowed the team they scrimmaged to keep possession for long periods. They just worked the pickup squad down and exploited their weaknesses on the backline and inexperience to embarrass them. Those were just some kids playing around Lafayette. The level that the kids on U-15 squads play at is on another level.

That said, it's incredible to see these kids who are coming up in a more pro-soccer America develop in comparison to what it was like when I was growing up. I have a cousin who's maybe 11 or 12 and plays with a decent little travel club, and I'm always blown away by the vision and balance he has at that age.

After watching some u15 highlights, the game seems much faster than what I saw from my high school team. These kids are pretty legit.

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They would frick up Montverde Academy. Those u15 MNT players are playing up in their own Academies either at the 16 ir 18 level as it is...

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i dont think they would. i just watched a couple highlight videos which doesnt mean too much but there are a lot of high school teams with pretty much only academy level players. then you get a 3 year age boost and you are good to go. those kids are small and undeveloped at the u-15 level.

i do think they'd have a really good season and be competitive against almost every team, but i dont think theyd frick up the best of the best.

Depends on the region/state

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then you get a 3 year age boost and you are good to go

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Again, this means nothing because u15 MNT players are already playing up in a more physical and skillful academy environment.

Not to mention the coaching/ideas/tactical awareness will be better from both their academy and federation experience.

My bad I honestly forgot about that dumb fricking academy/high school soccer thing because it was created two years after I graduated.

My point still stands though. A team full of 18 year olds that play RPL and are good enough to play high level college soccer are going to be able to play well against 14 and 15 year olds. the age gap definitely matters even if all the kids play up. I also doubt they okay three age groups up.

let's go down a bit... U-12 vs. Louisiana Division I. Would they make the state playoffs? If so, how far do they go?

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Also depends. We talking US youths or Another countries youth?

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Does it though? 12 year olds and 17-18 year olds is a huuuge difference in size and athleticism. Maybe little Thiago can pirouette around John, but then John will just catch him and boss him off the ball.

As evidenced by our success in the young age groups, we aren't far behind the rest of the world there.