Great PAL posts. I saw it yesterday as well. My sons game is compromised because of not enough help around him. He tries to do too much on his own to make up for this and either gets double or tripled teamed because no one helps or worse starts to question his own ability in these cases. In the end, community or not the concern is keeping my kid interested in the game he loves. If at one point he hangs up the stick on his own that's fine, but not because he thinks he doesn't have what it takes to carry a team of disinterested boys. Time to focus on Travel, it is the future of where this sport is going on the youth level. If you don't think so, read the new rules. The recruitment rules just blew up the whole scenario. Cant do it to early, but no rule about talking to Travel programs and coaches about their boys they coach. Adapt or become extinct
The grades where this is the biggest problem problem are 5th and 6th (and maybe even 4th) - once they get to 7th, they have MS ball to really focus on besides travel. If they play PAL in 7th and 8th (my older son does), it's a distant third, and just more touches for he and the boys that do decide to play I guess if your school's lax program is really poor, then this may not play out that way for these older boys, but I can't speak to that since ours is solid.
I see this too. Was wondering if any town teams out there require their players to meet simple requirements such as running 20 yards cradling the ball with out dropping it, simple accuracy passes, catching a thrown ball 5/8 times, whatever. If so, what tests do you use?
PAL is a learning environment designed to keep kids off the street, not foster a parents need to win through his child.
