Originally Posted by tennesseejed
The lacrosse that is played today is so different from the game we played when we were young. The sticks hold the ball better. The mesh pockets break in easier and more consistently. Conditioning and coaching are much better then in the past. The club scene and D1 scholarship situation has made lacrosse into junior hockey or AAU basketball. I don't think we will see the kid that starts playing in 6th or 7th grade and becomes a starter in HS anymore. All sports have become specialized. There is a lot of money to be made coaching and running these club programs. I was a three sport athlete in HS and played 4 years of football and lacrosse at the DIII level. I don't think DIII coaches would allow a starter to play football anymore.

But, us lacrosse geeks are from the no. 1 hotbed of the sport. Therefore, we are lucky. We should embrace the madness. As long as we keep everything in perspective, our children will gain a lot from playing lacrosse at high levels. They learn discipline and teamwork. They learn how to win and how to lose. They will make lifelong friends and will be exposed to a ton of nut jobs. And, if we as parents take the right attitude, and don't push our little Johnnies too hard, then our boys will love each of us for what we are doing for them. Club lacrosse should be fun and educational. Smart people will know when the game becomes "too much" for our kids. As long as we don't go overboard, both you and your kids will learn a lot from these experiences.


Well said!!!