I am a former VLC U-13 parent and a current 3D U-15 Virginia parent. I concur that fl$ in 3D was a parking mess, and that is something for them to correct next year. I don't have kids in high school, but at the youth ages the caliber of play is very good at 3D tournaments in Maryland, Colorado and California. Before Crabs took over VLC there were two teams from U-15 down to U-11. Crabs took over and had one U-11 team, cut many VLC returning kids at tryouts and then had the team coached by a volunteer parent the first season. After the first season VLC quit fielding U-11 teams. My son was on the U-13 "B" team which had tryouts and then parents paid up for uniforms, etc. and VLC changed its mind and said no "B" team but we will refund your money and let your kid practice with the "A" team this year. This came months after Summer tryouts for all the DMV area clubs. Our son spent a year not playing in a club lacrosse game because Crabs owner changed his mind too late.

Before Crabs VLC used to cost $550 in the Fall and $800 in the Summer. We are not the family that complains about costs. Our son also plays ice hockey. But I am particular about a value for the program and it used to be good. Starting when Crabs took over the teams practiced very little and most of their time on the field was at the most expensive tournaments that were also owned and controlled by Crabs owner's for profit company. VLC went up to about $1000 in Fall and about $1500 in Summer. In our last season with VLC, before my son was cut again at U-15 and went off to Fuze, the "A" team practiced a total of 5 times and went to 3 Crabs tournaments for $1500. That is a rip off even by ice hockey standards. A lot of those U-15 parents were frustrated at the volume of Crabs prospect camps, clinics and showcase events owned by Crabs to position their kids to get recruiting attention and to get nominated to Jake Reed camp -- which 3D owns. I think some of this is the parent fault for signing up for things as a recruiting strategy with kids that are not outstanding enough. But the pay for play was encouraged and promoted by Crabs just like at other club franchises.

3D is running a business no doubt, but I am not complaining about the value since 3D bought Fuze. 3D is about $600-700 in Fall, and is about $1200 in Summer and there is a lot of practice and instructional time in the season. I also have my son at 3D instruction camps, which run $250-350 for four half days. I am no expert, but I see a lot of value in it since there are professional coaches and MLL players out there coaching the kids as opposed to college kids home for Summer. I have found these day camps to be plenty worth the money even if my son is never going to be a recruited lacrosse player. I also noticed a lot of VLC Crabs kids at the 3D day camp at PVI this week, so I am not alone.

We have been to one tournament at 3D with a parking lot nightmare. The teams there were decent, but maybe not as great as the two other tournaments we went to this Summer. We have not been pressured by 3D to buy any merchandise aside from a uniform and optional helmet stickers. Everyone gets invited to camps and events, but there is no pressure to sign up for anything.

Our experience at VLC might have been better if our son was a high school aged team D1 recruit. Basically the club is run in a way where what they are selling you is play for VLC Crabs and someday we will get you committed to Hopkins. Their high school teams have had a lot of success, but at the youth levels people are turning away in droves. As one parent told me, maybe 3D will become the new Madlax at the youth level and VLC will become the new Blackwolf at the high school level and eventually just quit fielding youth teams. Since VLC quit on U-11, quit on doing a U-13 second team to develop players instead of cutting them and gets most of their U-15 players from Madlax who want to be recruited it has come to that anyways now. VLC does have great high school showcase teams with D1 commits. It is a good investment for the kids who want that and a good strategy for VLC to advertise it to get the best high schoolers, but I believe it is a mistake to confuse that with a club that puts the effort into a youth program to develop players.