US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM Greater Howard Club Lacrosse Conference (HoCo)

That's funny. That email is a fabrication.

The Director of HOCO has done no such thing.

yes he did. i emailed and got a response that it is authentic. seems like ryan is out trolling this site.

It doesn't beg any question. The league has grade based divisions, just like almost every single tournament the kids play in. USL provides guidelines, which up til recently, still suggested the U-9, U-11, U-13 model. The fact is, they are just recommendations. No one has ever said that USL is ahead of the curve when it comes to actually governing the sport of lacrosse.

The fact is, grade based teams are here to stay. All the crying and whining that is done here will not change anything. Emailing the Director of HOCO won't accomplish anything. All clubs are built this way now. The only one's bitching are the parents. Ask your club owner what their policy is on holdbacks. I defy anyone here to find a club owner that would tell you they would force an older kid to play down a grade level with kids his age.

People complain about it because Crabs has more holdbacks than everyone else. But they all have holdbacks, so like the saying goes, YOU CAN'T BE A LITTLE BIT PREGNANT.

Yes but I bet the majority of teams can still field a strong 8th grade (2020) team if their "holdbacks" can't play. Can Crabs?

And I bet you that if the rules changed next year and that holdbacks were forced to play with their age, Crabs would still have the best teams. The best players from the other teams would show up to Crabs tryouts just like the 200 kids that show up for 8th grade every year.

Don't act like Crabs didn't dominate when everything was age based. The rules don't matter. Whatever they are, Crabs will always get the best kids in accordance with the rules.

Saw the Crabs 2020 team today at BL. Players mingling with Hawks and 91 players. It is laughable to see the age/maturity/facial hair of the Crabs players vs. the other 2020 players. Briefly spoke to Crabs parent about their line up. He had no qualms at telling me the majority of the starting line up are reclassed.

Saw the Crabs 2020 team today at BL. Players mingling with Hawks and 91 players. It is laughable to see the age/maturity/facial hair of the Crabs players vs. the other 2020 players. Briefly spoke to Crabs parent about their line up. He had no qualms at telling me the majority of the starting line up are reclassed.

You'll never see a Loonies kid at Crabs tryout. Loonies FOGO came up from FL and tried out for 3 teams...didn't tryout for Crabs. He is considered by many the best FOGO in country and beats Crabs at face off 70% of time. FCA Kelly's never tried out for Crabs. They are some of best attackman and middies in state consistently. List goes on and on. Actually many of Crabs players have been cherry picked from other programs because they r asked to repeat 8th grade. Like I said...another brainwashed, clueless Crab parent who thinks they are the only game in town....NOT.

Funny there were so many orange helmets at Crabs tryouts this year.


And FCAs best 2019 defenseman moved to Crabs this year. Really not sure what your point was, but you are completely wrong. I guess I'm clueless though.

I'm not sure why you'd let your kid play for the Crabs unless they are held back a year or two. First, if they are playing in the younger youth teams they will probably get cut and replaced by holdbacks come 7/8th gr. Second, once the holdbacks come, they take the starting line up spots, leaving on age kids at a deficit until they hit puberty a yr or two later. I still can't get over some of the cuts that took place after the WSYL game. I don't know the kids personally, but had seen the kids play many times on tournaments. Seems like such a slap in the face. Isn't that a huge red flag for parents? Many clubs have strong ties to colleges and are far more respected. If your kid is talented and plays for a good club, he will get recruited. Crabs don't have a magical formula, they just play younger kids so they stand out. So, yes, I do wonder why families woukd chose a club that doesn't have kids' best interest at heart.

Maybe because my son loves his teammates and really has fun playing for Crabs? Is that not a good enough reason? He's the one busting his [lacrosse] to be on the team and get PT, not me. Seems to me that everyone on here is much more concerned with themselves than their children. To each his own, but at the end of the day, my son is playing where he wants to play and the fact that he may have to work harder as an on age player is a challenge he relishes.