Here are the facts about Madlax DC. They are based in DC. All of their players are from DC. DC public schools are poor. All players go to DC private schools, as a result. DC private schools start kindergarteners at age 6, not age 5, like basically all other schools. So, from the get go, Madlax players are automatically one year older. 8th grade is typically when the reclass starts, although it can start earlier. This is when the double holdbacks begin, although they have to be cognizant ofbtheir birthday,, so they don’t age out senior year in HS. But still very doable for many, many players. There you have it. While all top MD teams are predominately holdbacks, 80% is a very real average, DC teams like Madlax capital have a very unique situation, where upwards of 95% of the team are holdbacks. Now, personally I have no problem with my kids LI team playing up a year, for the experience because it’s just going to make he and his teammates better players. It does make me wonder, though. Why aren’t the MD teams better? Especially Madlax DC? These games shouldn’t even be competitive. But they always are. Think about it. If one of the top 2024 LI teams played a top 2025 team? , What would the outcome be?? It would be a total blowout. But, of.course, a top 2024 LI team would never play down. Never. If anything, our teams play up. MD teams do the opposite. They never play up and always play down. It makes absolutely no sense. We spend boat loads of money on club lacrosse to develop our children for someday when it actually matters. But again the MD and DC teams don’t do that. They horde holdbacks to “win now”. But “now” doesn’t matter. Nobody cares who wins a lacrosse game when you were in the 6th or 7th grade. Absolutely nothing in MD club lacrosse makes any sense. In the end, one thing is clear. The true 2024’s that competed against the 2023 holdback teams will be the true benefactors.
