RE G8: Because that's the way the Directors of the G8 Tournament, Carol Rose (YJ) and Tracy Weiner (YJ), the Schoulbergs and Walsh (NJ Steps) want it.
They create a tournament and ban their LI and NJ competition from it, it is called a Monopoly …. the YJ and Steps clubs don't want their competitors to have a chance to attract their players.
Let's face it, the other teams (M&D, Heros, TLC, Skywalkers) might be better in the end of the tournament than the YJ and the Steps teams (at least at the A level), but you are not going to travel to MD to switch to a better team.
If another LI or NJ team were there a parent might realize that their marginal YJ player might just tip the scales on another team… and switch!
It's the Don Starsia methodology… recruit as many of the top players as you can get… you don't need them all of course, and they can't all play (especially the amount of minutes they want to play), but at least your competitors won't get them!
There is no team in NJ that can compete with STEPs I assure you and Charlie is not worried about that. He and the LI Express coaches want only the best club teams there and if you have paid any attention to the results so far this year at Champions Cup and Lax for the Cure, that is exactly what they have. Stop whining, this is the future of lax tournaments, just like on the boys side, where the handful of best teams in the country play each other without 100 other teams, and the college coaches come flocking.
Completely agree that this is the future of recruiting events. Very similar to the McDonough Mid Atlantic tournament. Same exact concept. Invite only the very best teams, make it easy for the college coaches. Seriously most of these summer tournaments the competition is pitiful. All the top teams are walking away from the money grab tournaments and going to these value tournaments. Select, elite, invite only, whatever you want to call it, I love it.
