Originally Posted by Anonymous
It is funny that you say that. When we were looking at teams for my daughter this year we had heard about this issue with the parents/coaches and had actually seen some of it first hand at a tournament last year. When we thought about having her tryout for TG she herself (an 11 year old) said she didnt want to go because of the feeling she got from them last year. They lost to one of the teams and beat the other team at their Hofstra tournament and my daughter said the parents were yelling at the kids when they were losing and that the kids themselves did not display "good sportmanship" when they were losing and when they lost. While we did see some of this as well it was overly apparent to an 11 year old girl - wheich really says it all. And you are right, it all starts at the top with the people running the program, the coaches and the parents. Learning the game is important - but what is more important is what you learn around the game (teamwork, sportsmanship, unity, etc.) and these are the values you will take with you way beyond your lacrosse career which will end at age 21. The lack of all these values are clearly displayed on this website everyday by TG parents - calling out kids and coaches and teammates and complaining about the program directors and clinics, etc. There are other clubs out there that teach far more than just lacrosse and I am glad that we have found one.


As a TG parent, I am sorry you and your daughter had such a negative experience with the organization. Unfortunately, being a "good sport" can be challenging for us all and is often dependent on the circumstances.

For example, lets assume your team takes a comfortable 8-2 lead, relaxes and gives its opponent an opportunity to pull out a last minute victory. I will guarantee that the players from the losing team will have difficulty being gracious in the post-game handshake. Their parents, in turn, are likely to be disgusted by the deterioration of their daughters' level of play.

In the ideal world, players and parents alike would take a step back and congratulate the opponent for their effort / resilience. In the real world, emotions tend to dictate behavior, which can sometimes get ugly, especially if its the players/parents first experience in "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory."

Learning "how to lose gracefully" is not easy.

I guarantee that whatever club you have chosen, there will be parents whose actions make you roll your eyes. While far from perfect, our TG experience has been overwhelmingly positive for both daughter and parent alike. I hope your experience with your new club is just as good.