From the standard of your NCAA's (compared to the British BUCS system at least) and high school meets it sounds like the American system isn't in too bad a shape. REAL provision at high school for track and xc is something I would love to have had, except for private fee-paying specialist schools 99% here don't have any track/field coaches.
The club system is a good alternative, however there is an annual subscription which I imagine you don't have to pay to attend high school training...fine if you have the money or your parents are happy to fund the beginnings of your most likely mediocre athletic career, not so good if not. Also as you get good and bad high school coaches you get good and bad club coaches. heck some clubs (mostly of the road running variety) don't even HAVE coaches. You hear a lot about the success of Mick Woods at AFD, the Alan Storeys and Bud Baldaros but there are so many more of varying standards. Also at least a high school coach will care about you becuase they need the TEAM to do well...some club coaches will ignore all except their star athletes and leave the rest by the wayside off doing 200m reps in midwinter or something.
Even clubs vary in their specialities too, mine has a good reputation but even then predominantly for hurdles, throws and combined events, not long distance and xc. My coach is friendly, knowldegable and one of the best there, but was lucky to be assigned to him randomly rather than the one I was with a couple of years ago at the same club who was awful. Whereas my 2nd claim club at university is predominantly road running and xc, they have a couple of vet and kid sprinters but they never get anywhere in meets.