Listen, like almost all other youth lacrosse clubs, Dukes Nationals has its pros and cons. I echo the concerns about using a "Depth Chart" to evaluate very young boys whose sell esteem should be lifted not beaten down by the opinion of one or two coaches in a three hour evaluation once a month. Agree that guest players are being invited to take spots and playing time which is a direct contradiction to the stated ethos of DN. Agree that it does look like a thought out money grab by putting kids on the roster (and sometimes the depth chart to ensure the parents will sign up), get their money and then push them off the depth chart once they have it. Agree that several boys on the depth chart continue to stay on it even if they miss mini camps (another contribution to the DN pitch from G ), in fact I have seen boys that have not shown up to camps or tournaments go up on the depth chart proving that ii is a meaningless barometer for evaluating a boys progress as a lacrosse player. My suggestion is accept it that G will decide who will be on the depth chart based on who he likes, who he is friends with, who's parents kiss his [lacrosse] or who lives close to his home. It is a joke. But because many of the games and tournaments conflict with club travel lacrosse, who cares if you are invited to play in a tournament that you have to pay another $175?

On the positive side, I have not seen a clinic that can compare to the DN mini camps. The energy, the positive energy the boys have by being part of something different, the gear making them all look like they are in the same organization, the coaching, the coaching, the coaching! So what that they are all on the same field and it is somewhat crowded sometimes. I don't send my kid so he can do full field scrimmages but to work with and listing to the coaches to take his game to the next level. Finally, the friendships formed by the boys should outweigh all the negativity parents are feeling.

I do believe the leadership is not worthy of the Dukes brand and would welcome a change at the top. In the meantime I will suck it up for my son