There just isn't enough talent in D1. The top teams regardless of their record are miles ahead of teams in the middle and teams down around #70 to 110 have no business being in D1.
The sport needs to expand their pool of champions so the sport expands competitively
I believe the only way that was that will happen is to find a better way to disperse the top talent. By sending the same 10 teams into tournament every year you get a log jam of talent to those schools. There are girls sitting on the bench for up to 2 to 3 years that could make the mid to lower range teams much better, if they thought that a team like Winthrop could get a chance to go to tournament don't you think? But with the pressure to win tomorrow, and mommy and daddy wanting bragging rights about their kid playing for the best team, kids are running to these schools to sit on the bench, when they could be going to a different school and playing right away. If you think about it it's a total waste of talent. Good players only being used for practice that maybe get to see 100 minuets a year instead of playing 900 minuets. All so that we as parents can brag about The name on top of a degree, that quite frankly, after you get your first job, means much less.
Wow, talk about having a weird sense of priorities. You would like kids who have the opportunity to attend prestigious private schools like Duke, Northwestern, ND, the Ivies,etc., all elite academic institutions,..... or schools such as Maryland, Penn State, UNC, UVa, top state schools, who take no back seat when it comes to academics or alumni networks. to pass on those to attend Winthrop, or High Point, or Rutgers, or name any other D-I school with an above average lacrosse program. And the reason is they might get more playing time? I have news for you, the name on the degree does matter. It will help you get that first job, and that first job will be a better one because of that degree. And the alumni network will always be larger and more influential at those schools.
I'll tell you a story. I know a family who's oldest daughter went to an elite academic school, with an struggling lax program. She started all four years, loved her teammates and the school. Loved that she made an impact and the program returned to top 20. Her sister was better, could have gone almost anywhere. She went to Maryland. Barely saw the field for two years. I asked her dad how was she handling the lack of PT? He said she is loving the team, loving the competition, loves being on the best team in the Nation and wouldn't change a thing. I asked her sister why she didn't follow in her footsteps and take what she had started up a notch? She said that her sister always wanted to play with the great teams at Maryland, and have an opportunity to win a National title. She was comfortable competing for time, and knew that the coaches would play the best players. If that was her great, if she was a sub she was fine with that also.
Yeah, would it be nice if great players didn't all go to the best schools with the best programs, sure. But there are plenty of reasons beyond playing time that should determine their choices. And the one that should not be a factor is that their Mom and Dad will struggle with the notion their little superstar is on the sideline, when they're used to seeing her on the field.
