It's the start of the Fall 2016/Spring 2017 season. Use this thread for your posts regarding this age group

Any teams expecting big changes this year?

12 days and counting until tryouts. The big question is who shows up trying to crash the party and join a top tier team.

The bigger question is who doesn't show up!

I thought YJ was the only top tier team? What tryouts are you talking about? Isn't every othe club just a B team?

Yes. Compared to YJ, M&D, Skywalkers, Heros, Stars, etc

Will YJ B actually be a stronger team next summer with all the demoted A players or will they just leave like years past?

From a Maryland parent. Tryouts this year will be very telling. Lots of pressure already on these girls vying for spots on the tip teams.

Do you really think there will be a lot of movement on the tope teams? Skywalkers had a small roster, so they have room to grow. Having seen all these teams, you really think there will be players expecting to move to M&D or Heros at this point?

Hero's had 20 field players. M&D more. Sky Walkers 15. Each of those teams have 5 or 6 studs headed to big-time D1 schools, 5 or 6 with super potential, and the balance with decent skills that compliment the standouts. Those complimentary players can all be replaced by movement of A players from other clubs. I just don't see a lot of loyalty to players, just loyalty to program reputation. I hope I am proven wrong.

Exactly. But how many of those top players on the teams are going to move? M&D isn't going to replace the bottom 5 kids on the team with bottom 5 kids from another team. None of the top teams would do that at risk of messing with team chemistry.

On LI nearly all the top players among all the clubs are trying to get on the top YJ team. Never see top players flow the other way. I see M&D as about the ultimate landing spot in MD, but you also have much better second and third options.

For the most part, once girls are on M&D, Heros and Skywalkers they don't move unless they feel there is a better opportunity to play or they get cut. The top girls don't go from Skywalkers and Hero's to M&D. This is why there are so many good teams in MD as opposed to the way it is in LI where they all gravitate to one place.

If you think M &D isn't capable or willing to replace their bottom 5 with new girls as a result of team chemistry, I got some unfortunate news for you. These clubs have very little loyalty towards previous years rosters, nor should they. My guess is there will be a half dozen girls from different clubs that stand out and M&D (or any of the top clubs for that matter) will snatch them up hoping to catch lightning in a bottle. Happens every year. If your daughter finds herself at the lower end of the roster, I hope you have registered her for at least one other club tryout or are prepared to play on the B team.

Agree 100%. Unless your kid is a "can't miss" prospect, no roster slot is guaranteed.