Why would high school teams do that? They loved using the best kids. It's the elite teams that changed up.
I'm really trying to figure out if you're countering what I'm saying. The US National teams have just recently instituted these academies. It's a totally brand new set-up.
No...I haven't discussed the national academies...They are a development beyond the older system that was in place when we were competing.
My son was selected for a development academy years ago. The scene back then started with state players being picked for a two day try (invitation), regional players then were picked in another two day try (invitation) from the various states for a regional development academy (we were southeast). From that, were winnowed out kids for the national...my son did not go further than the southeastern.
The high school teams and the elite teams in Florida had conflicts.... in schedules, the high school teams had their own camp in summer, etc. And there were conflicts between HS coaching staffs and Team coaching staffs re recruitment of players. As the elite teams grew in strength, they competed directly with high school soccer and were more prestigious to play for. The high schools tried to attenuate club tournaments during school months (before and during the HS season). Labor Day was, way back, traditionally the closing of the club soccer season. Then the clubs just broke away and kids either played HS or for the club.
The elite teams built an interlocking system...building travel teams at U11 and then carefully nurturing talent as kids moved up through U13 and up. By the time kids got to high school, the best soccer players had a long relationship with a club. Wearing certain club jersies to school was a status symbol.
Kids ending up having to make a choice.
Now, this was only true in the areas where they have really elite teams, Dade, Tampa Bay, Tallahassee (included North Florida), and a few other locales. The level of club soccer I am discussing did not exist in many counties.