Originally Posted by Anonymous
Originally Posted by Anonymous
Originally Posted by Anonymous
I coach PAL and have spoken at with other coaches. Proper team size is 23:
2 lines for Attack
2 lines for Defense
3 lines for Middy (they run more)
2 goalies

Add 1 or 2 extra kids in case school sports, family activities, injuries, kids's quit or just life in general and you have the ideal # of kids on a team.

The backup goalie and 3rd Midfield line may not get any play, but that is what you sign up for when you play travel lax.


The only way you last sentence could be acceptable is if there were more transparency to the try-out/ roster-building process. As it is parents are asked to write a check and take their chances as to where their kid falls.

If the kid is not able to make one of the top 2 mid-lines then they should be able to get all/some money back rather than waste an entire year on a team in which they cannot possibly develop as players.

If your child is on the last line that doesn't mean they are last line for the whole season. At means they are practicing with better players, which will make him a better player and make him WANT to move up to the first line. The season isn't set. Lines change. You need that many players. It's better to be on a team with more talented kids to challenge your son than being the best player on the team. Always pros and cons. This link seems to have all the glass 1/2 empty people.


Good points but it also depends on the age. If your son is trying to get noticed or seen by college coaches, and he's the 7th-9th middie on a team that mostly runs 6 middies, he's better off on a lesser team, where he gets more playing time, and has a better chance of standing out. It's hard for most people to find the perfect fit, so we just have to do the best we can, be proactive with the college coaches, and hope for the best!