US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums NORTHEAST LACROSSE BOTC MAIN FORUM (LI, CT, WC) Conflicts! When HS Coaches Incorporate Summer Tournament Teams in Town

Getting back to the original concept of this thread, HS summer teams should be optional and or in addition to travel teams. Many HS teams in Western Suffolk play weekly in a local league. Thus, "keeping the boys together". The play and practice with the school duringthe week, and the do their recruiting tournaments and travel clubs on the weekend.
This seems to be a good complimentary situation.
In no way should a HS coach make his team play for him all summer. It all comes down to control and financial gain, wether actual or perceived. Having one man in control of your son's potential lacrosse aspirations is not what you want. The people who should be driving the recruiting process are the parents and the player. The HS coach should only be there to help the process along, not control it. Having the HS coach control what recruiting camps your son will go to or how much playing time he'll get over the summer in front of key coaches, is not a good situation. This is especially true for the average prospective college player, good enough for the next level, but maybe not a D1 kid. For the superstar it doesn't matter, the top schools will find him.
With regard to the financial piece: Any time a coach is making kids play for a team he runs and you pay for, always creates an underlying sentiment that there's a profit motive. Wether the coaches motives are pure or not this situation always wreaks of financial impropriety.
Let the kids and parents make their decisions for summer ball, and let the HS coaches worry about the spring. Very simple.