Let's be real, these rankings are a marketing hammerhead. The only real rankings that matter for this tournament are after the tourney has been played. I stress they only matter for this tournament as the tournament format doesn't lend itself to how the clubs are put together....anywhere.....not one of the teams in that tournament is a team that plays as a primary club year round.
Absolutely the ALL-TIMEall dumbest post on this site. Ever! Everyone of those clubs are nationally known, primary clubs that have been playing together for five or more years. Stay off the site, imbecile!
Clearly you need this spelled out.
1) How many of these nationally known clubs have kids that don't meet the age requirement. Probably 90% 2) How many kids per team do you think don't make the age requirement. Probably 3-5 3) How many kids/team don't go because parents don't want to spend $3K-$5K on a lacrosse tournament?
Clubs will get stud players at key positions from teams that aren't participating. Tri-state runs a separate tryout for their WSYL team, many of the teams from the west are teams consisting of 1 or 2 strong programs. Team Israel is a bunch of kids from all over the U.S. and Israel that will have never played together before Denver.
Trust me if you don't have an elite FO guy and very good goalie you won't fair well.....a smart club would borrow one if they don't have one.
My original point was, these rankings only matter for this tournament and really only matter after the tournament has been played. Its a fun marketing thing for the kids/teams participating to get excited for...nothing else.
Now I'd appreciate an apology, you have hurt my feelings and I am a snowflake. [/quote]
I think what you are NOW trying to say (now that you have softened your stance, somewhat), in a very roundabout way, is all teams have guest players. Based on the rules of the tournament, that is supposedly not possible. I haven't experienced the tourney so I don't know how that is enforced, by the tourney committee. However, there are many inherent built in safe guards that prevent that from happening.
Many of these clubs know each other EXTREMELY well, especially the better teams. If there are guest players, everyone (coaches and parents) are going to know. Winning the championship is an extremely big prize for the club. Do you not think any coach/club would not blow the whistle immediately upon finding out about such a practice??? The penalty would be disqualification of the club. Is a club going to take that chance?? Can you imagine having all of your parents fly to Denver and then your club is disqualified because of shady behavior?? Such an outcome could easily destroy a team and possibly an entire organization.
Or, a disgruntled parent, due to their child being replaced by one of these guest players, spouts off and that eventually gets back to the committee? That could easily happen.
As a club, you have to consider these very real possibilities. Is the risk worth the reward? Is the risk too great?? Answer: It most definitely is!
And, not all teams have guest players. I'm not familiar with all of the clubs, obviously, but I'm very familiar with the Bandits team and they didn't have any guest players last year, and they won the whole thing.
And your 3-5 holdbacks isn't accurate either. This is obviously a mid-atlantic mind-set, where most of the better 2024 teams are 70%+ holdbacks. Express has three, so you are close there. But, Taz has one. WP has none. I'm sure there are others, just none from the mid-atlantic, obviously.
So your statement... "not one of the teams in that tournament is a team that plays as a primary club year round" is 100% false! Every team that I am aware of, and that is quite a few, "is a team that plays as a primary club year round."
