North Jersey soccer coaches are calling on the NJSIAA to extend the season. Here's why

Aidan McCluskey feels like his schedule is working against him.

And the Ridgewood boys soccer coach believes it is watering down the competition.

The Maroons routinely play three games each week in response to the condensed fall high school sports season in New Jersey. That leaves three practice days in between, which often go to video and walk-throughs rather than intense training.

McCluskey wants to ensure that his players get enough rest after seeing more injuries last year than ever before.

"High school sports are about the kids having a great experience in hopefully a good program, which we think we are," McCluskey said.

"What's happening is kids are getting injuries and they're exhausted. It's fatigue. They're completely fatigued. They can't recover. Professionals don't play three games in six days. So why are they asking high school boys to do it, who are not even mature enough to do it? It's crazy."

New proposal being considered

Relief could be on the way for McCluskey and his soccer counterparts across the state.

The NJSIAA is considering a proposal that would extend the regular season and give teams a chance to start earlier. If passed, the new rules would go into effect next fall.

"It does appear that the state (tournament) start date is going to be back to where it's been in the past, which is more like the Halloween week as opposed to the middle of this week," Westwood athletic director and Big North scheduler Dan Vivino said.

"I think the most unique part of the proposal is they're not going to put a start date on anymore. They're going to say once you get your six practices and a day's rest, you're eligible for competition. It is pretty much what other states do."

Prior to last season, the state soccer finals were traditionally held in the third weekend of November, right before the Thanksgiving break. This year's championships are scheduled for a week earlier – with Nov. 12 as the last day on the soccer calendar.

The scrimmage period was also condensed over the last two seasons with preseason matches starting on the final Monday of August.

Vivino said the new plan would allow teams to use Labor Day weekend for a game down the shore or out of state.

"I expect next month to have a proposal to the Executive Committee," NJSIAA executive director Colleen Maguire said. "It's really geared on what I am learning on how other states operate. I am learning we have an outdated, maybe archaic, approach to how we schedule our seasons. I have learned a lot, especially from our neighboring states; I think [we have] a good direction to go in.

"It will provide a lot of flexibility."

To rest or not to rest

Rest is the big question for coaches on match days and the ones in between. Independent games are often a chance to spread out the minutes and lighten the load on star players. There, the stakes are lower than a division or county match. But peeling back can still come at a cost.

"You do the best that you can," Northern Highlands girls soccer coach Tara Madigan said. "But I think everybody wants to win games and you're also dealing with power points for the state tournament. So you don't want to throw games by resting players. So it's hard. I feel like a lot of coaches are stuck between a rock and a hard place in making those decisions."

Ramapo girls soccer coach Maddie Gibbs is sympathetic of the physical and mental toll placed on her team, but doesn't see a lot of opportunity to change the lineup.

Soccer is a sport built on chemistry, timing and moving as a unit. A game where one bounce will often decide a match – or a season. There's a fine line between keeping everyone fresh and tinkering too much.

"I like to put my players out there and I like them to get comfortable and get used to playing with each other," Gibbs said early this month. "We're starting to get to that point right now, so I don't want to rock that boat."

Then comes the decision of what to do during those precious off days. Some teams opt for shorter practices, since players often run between five and seven miles in a match.

Lyndhurst girls soccer coach Kimberly Hykey started a new tradition this year, doing "pool recovery" to help revitalize tired legs. As a track coach, Hykey is a big believer that sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all.

"There's so many things that I want to do but there's really not time to do it all," Hykey said. "So our games are becoming like practices. We have to work on things in games that I would rather work on when we're training."

Challenges behind the scenes

Players aren't the only ones affected by the calendar crunch. Squeezing in 18 games in a short period can be a logistical challenge for athletic directors and administrators around the region.

Midland Park athletic director Pat Clark said he's fired off "no less than 50 emails" this year to his conference assignor, Keith Breznovits, while trying to jam in postponed matches. Open days can be hard to come by since teams aren't able to play three days in a row.

"The assignors have been unbelievable," Clark said. "That's an understatement. We've always gotten officials. However, there have been a couple emails that have been sent out this year not to schedule certain games on certain days because there's a shortage. As long as you avoid those days, you're usually pretty good."

The scheduling matrix is especially tricky for a school like Midland Park. The Panthers don't have stadium lights at Sonny Santorine Field, taking out the possibility of 7 p.m. matches. Playing on natural grass has also forced Clark to call off more games than his colleagues at Waldwick, about a mile away.

"With a natural grass surface, (completing the schedule) is borderline impossible," Clark said. "Especially with the weather we've had. I think it would be pretty hard even on a good year."

What adds more uncertainty is the presence of county tournaments, where matches can be added onto the docket on short notice.

One idea being kicked around by the Bergen County Coaches Association is to pause the league schedule for about a week to hold the first three rounds of the county tournament. For now, the BCCA is waiting to see what the NJSIAA calendar looks like before moving forward.

Coaches across North Jersey will be just as eager to find out what lies ahead in 2024.

"It's one of the only professions where people are willing to work more for the same amount of money," Ramapo boys soccer coach Evan Baumgarten said. "Because we know what's best for kids."

Darren Cooper contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ soccer coaches calling for a longer season. Here's why