I will be answering my own question here, but invite different perspectives. This is for girls. Boys looks different to my eye but any input is welcome for boys, too.
In general, the answer is no. It depends on how robust and competitive the program is, but even the more competitive HS programs have Frosh Soph teams (with juniors and seniors apparently allowed). To play frosh/soph consistent rec-level play and general athleticism is sufficient to make the team. Very rarely, but I have seen at least one HS where F/S was competitive to the point where club was required. To play JV at 95% of the teams it looks to me that a "signature" level is enough to make the team. At least lower level club will help, Silver/Flt 2 or below, for the more competitive JV teams. Anything higher than that is overkill. At 80% of HS programs somewhere between Signature and Flt 2 looks to be good enough to make varsity at some point in HS.
For my kid, the social and personal benefits of playing high school soccer would be there regardless of whether it was F/S or Varsity. The difference is that F/S may be something like this
but Varsity looks more like this
.
In general, the answer is no. It depends on how robust and competitive the program is, but even the more competitive HS programs have Frosh Soph teams (with juniors and seniors apparently allowed). To play frosh/soph consistent rec-level play and general athleticism is sufficient to make the team. Very rarely, but I have seen at least one HS where F/S was competitive to the point where club was required. To play JV at 95% of the teams it looks to me that a "signature" level is enough to make the team. At least lower level club will help, Silver/Flt 2 or below, for the more competitive JV teams. Anything higher than that is overkill. At 80% of HS programs somewhere between Signature and Flt 2 looks to be good enough to make varsity at some point in HS.
For my kid, the social and personal benefits of playing high school soccer would be there regardless of whether it was F/S or Varsity. The difference is that F/S may be something like this