Those town teams to which you refer include cold spring harbor and garden city. I'm not sure but i think manhasset and three villages share the same philosophy. They mix the kids and the result can be seen in their successful varsity programs and amount of kids who play in college. Some join clubs later to supplement their experience but that is not a requirement for ability. Either way, there is not a kid on any of those teams that cannot use lacrosse as a facilitator for college entrance. Many of those kids may have been deemed non-athletic on this thread. I have kids on both ends of that spectrum and it has worked for all of them to varying degrees. Socially, it is far better to keep them with town teams. After all, what is the end game with lacrosse? It is a non-revenue game even at the highest collegiate levels. Keep it in perspective, stay at home if your town enjoys a good program.