BOTC Anonymous Official 2019 Pre-Season 2022 Top 10 1 - 91 Smash - if Jr. is playing 2 - Express Chan - consistent and deep group. 3 - Hawks - Best talent in the age group, just can't put it together consistently. 4 - 91 Maryland - Solid defense. will this team drop if #9 plays 2023? 5 - FCA Blue - Improved over team that was hitting stride at end of summer. 6 - Prime Time - Size and athletes. Always competitive. 7 - Crabs - Added solid talent and always in the mix at the HS years. 8 - Roughriders - Won Crab Feast and beat Hawks last 2 times out, but not eye-popping. 9 - Madlax - Undersized but talented. Can steal games. 10 - Edge - Unpredictable, but dangerous.
As the boys mature, coaching will matter more. Look for the teams coached by experienced and successful high school and former collegiate coaches (there are plenty of re-tread mediocre coaches out there) to excel while others regress. Talent can only get a team so far. Implementing the proper schemes for the personnel you have and developing both the individuals and units in all phases of the game are paramount to continued success of a club team.
But will these new schemes help your son get recruited? A college coach wants to see kids run plays and know lacrosse (Have a Lacrosse IQ) But what he really wants to see is what kind of athlete he is. Can he beat a guy one on one. Can he shoot/catch in traffic. If your team is over coaching, playing Zone on D it will help you win games but when you are in high school it should be way more about the guys with the clip boards not he moms and dads.
Doesn't hurt if your coach and directors are well connected either. Love them or hate them, guys like Millon, McClarnen, Kelly, Reese, Buggs and co. have a lot of connections in the college coaching ranks.
Recommendations from a few of the coaches you mentioned above would almost be a disadvantage to your player trying to get into certain colleges. One of the biggest problems with lacrosse parents who try to keep up with the fashionable stuff is that they believe(even pay for) the hype and B.S. some of these guy are dishing out. (Millon, McClarnen and Buggs to be specific)
They are all well connected to the college recruiting process. Even Buggs who was a stud at MD and played at every level with many of the current college coaches from D1-D3. However I do not think they give out recommendations unless asked by the school and at that point I do not see how their option could hurt a kid just because its them giving the opinion. Sure many of these guys may not like each other on a personal level and many parents dislike them but if your son is playing for them you will have an advantage come recruiting time. If certain college coaches make a decision on a player because of the club coach instead of all the other stuff that comes along with it then that would be just sad and I can't believe that ever happens. If a player shows interest in a school and school to the player the negatives and positives will fall into place. Not a fan of this guy but if a college coach gets an opinion from one of the greatest attackman EVER who happens to have been teaching youth lacrosse for 25 years or so , my bet is they listen. Even if they don't like the guy.
