Blog: The Timbers Academy didn’t end high school soccer in Oregon

A few years ago when the Portland Timbers Academy was formed, there were dire predictions about how high school boys soccer in Oregon would crumble.

You see, the difference between the Timbers Academy teams and other club teams is that when players went off to play for the Timbers Academy they couldn’t play that season for their high school team.

Of course a lot of the top players in the state tried out and made the team and thus essentially stopped playing high school soccer.

But games are still being played.

Teams like Central Catholic, Jesuit and South Salem are still good.

And teams still win state championships.

The biggest difference I’ve seen is a few players who otherwise wouldn’t get much varsity playing time get more varsity playing time.

From talking to players, they say the reason they want to play for the Timbers Academy is exposure to colleges.

Sure enough, local players like Reid Baez, Nicholas Ballenger, John Chambers and Edson Martinez went to the Academy and now are playing college soccer.

Boys soccer is not the only sport in the state where some of the top players don’t participate for their high school teams – it happens all the time in swimming.

Has the Timbers Academy been a good thing?

Probably.