[quote=America's Game]I am curious to see if the players will be selected based on individual performance of just by team association. The top players are and always will stand out in team and individual situations. I do understand team play is important but on some of these good teams its like plug and play and an average player can succeed. Once these players do play in individual showcases they can be exposed.
How are you defining a good player?
I have seen many very good athletes who can beat their man one on one but have no idea how to play the game.
I have also seen very good athletes on the defensive side of the ball look great in one on one situations but are lost off ball.
College coaches love stud athletes but if the athlete can not grasp certain team concepts he will never see the field at a high level program.
Mental mistakes more than anything else will keep a player off the field.
Smart players are in the right place at the right time all the time. Smart players make good decisions and rarely make mental mistakes. The higher the level of competition the more cerebral the player must be. Intellect is critical to a players success on both sides of the ball. Understanding team concepts and schemes are a huge part of being successful at the highest level of competition.
College coaches recruit from the top clubs because they get to see kids play against the best competition possible. They want to see the kids play against the best in a team setting. The top club teams play in the best tournaments against one another and the top college coaches are all over the sideline.
You can't plug and play a low IQ player into a good team regardless of the players individual skill. Wrong place wrong time, poor shot selection, shoot when you should pass, dodge when you should pass, get in your teammates way, poor spacing, not clearing space, holding the ball too long, ball watching, not understand when or where to slide, not understanding team concepts, not understanding off ball play etc... the list goes on and on.
In big games against top competition a player needs to understand the teams system and be able to play smart and fast. The player needs to know where to be and when to be there and the player must make good decisions.
A great athlete against weak competition can simply use his athleticism to stand out.
Best case is: Great athlete, great skill and high lacrosse IQ.
A great showcase player does not always translate to a good player on a good team. However, a kid who can contribute on a top team will more than likely be able to play at the next level even if they do not stand out at a showcase. [/quote
Completely agree with this
