US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM Girls 2024 - 6th Grade Fall 2017/Summer 2018

While I agree it's not quite as cut and dry as the poster above says ... people wouldn't be going to so many tryouts if there wasn't such a risk of ending up without a team.

My thoughts go back to rec-style. We could have 10 good teams w/ the same girls together for 8 years like it use to be. They'd gel as a team and work as a unit. I know you can't go back but it seems like that would be a much gentler environment.

Now we have 3 super teams and everyone else holding on tight to make teams. And there's a possibility of roster changes every year. This is part of what is pushing girls in to year round lax.

It's just the way it is but it is a shame.

A team falling apart because the coach leaves is not a coach problem, it's a club problem. It is not the fault of the coach that his team dismantled. He got a better coaching opportunity at a more competitive club and he took his daughter with him. Who wouldn't. He is a good coach, and some of his players chose to follow him. Again, not the coach's fault. The RS club directors, not anyone else, need to look inward at what the problem is. Stop blaming the fact your teams keep folding on anyone else but yourselves.

What's odd about that situation though is that he was the Redshirts 2024 coach. He is now coaching the M&D 2023 team and his daughter is on the M&D 2025 team. So how does that explain all the 2024's leaving redshirts?

Yeah, not sure why he didn't get 25 black (or if he wanted it), but I know for a fact that last season's 23 Black coach (who is now an asst on the team) turned off a ton of the girls and parents. Bad coaching, poor communication skills, so they definitely needed someone to take over. Even with the switch, a handful of players left the club because they had enough. I think he ended up bringing at least 10-15 redshirt girls across multiple age groups. What happened there with redshirts? It can't simply be because of one coach can it?

Exactly.
The directors need to stop shifting blame to others. They are the problem. Take a look at their website. DK now coaching every single team in the club. What does that tell you?

I would recommend a strong push towards no club lacrosse until middle school at least. Then we arent just putting money into the pockets of club directors who also run their own tournaments with fees.

Back to youth rec sports. Support your community not these dishonest money hungry directors. Save your money for school and family.

Seeing 11 yo wonderful girls so stressed out is ridiculous and unfortunate. I am guilty of living thru my kids to get on the "cool" team. Not worth it at all.

amen to that!!!

I would agree with starting at middle school, but unfortunately club drained our local rec league. It became a situation where there was a HUGE skill gap between the handful of top players and the rest of the girls. You would have run and gun all day. Not because of ball hogs, but because their teammates couldn't catch so they got frustrated and just went to goal every time. You have to remember, rec is all parent volunteers. When club pulls kids so early from rec, this means the parents with the most lacrosse knowledge no longer volunteer for rec. Who is left to develop skills for rec girls? Our daughter and several of her friends decided to start lacrosse as 4th graders, a little late compared to their peers. They had an amazing coach and dominated the league. When he and the other top coaches went club the next year, we felt there was no choice but to follow suit. There weren't enough good coaches left to develop the remaining girls. Some of the girls who decided to go with the "No club until middle school " route tried out for clubs this year. Of the more than a dozen out there, only one made a second tier club. How can those other girls get a chance to catch up without coaching? We tried to support rec by playing both club and rec, but we had to stop for fear of burning out pour daughter to lacrosse all together. How can this be fixed? Sould they all go to low level club teams, only to switch when they get better because they get tired of losing? That seems to be a problem as well.

NO.

Don't support these club teams at all until middle school/high school. then the majority will fold and then the few that remain can exist and the ones that are actually good will remain. we can get rid of these money grab artists like m&d and aloha sports which also run money grab tournaments. Why can't girls learn from their middle school coaches and high school coaches? isn't that what sports is about. Watch the real sports hbo episode on travel sports. The juice is not worth the squeeze. ever!

Sorry Ruthie - you go and keep believing that. You and MYLA tried to stand up to the clubs, but would not give a weekend day like the boys did. Look what happened. The rec directors seem to forget that rec ends for the girls in 8th grade - the clubs are what gets the girls through their "final stretch". Yes, the dozen or so new clubs that sprout up every year are the money grabs - but, you specifically calling out MnD speaks volumes about where you are coming from. You lost, and there are no monuments going up for you.

Youre sad. And the problem

Sorry Ruthie - you go and keep believing that. You and MYLA tried to stand up to the clubs, but would not give a weekend day like the boys did. Look what happened. The rec directors seem to forget that rec ends for the girls in 8th grade - the clubs are what gets the girls through their "final stretch". Yes, the dozen or so new clubs that sprout up every year are the money grabs - but, you specifically calling out MnD speaks volumes about where you are coming from. You lost, and there are no monuments going up for you.


The childish name calling and I'm cooler than you as a parent since my daughter made the "best" team is apparent in your entire comment. Enjoy it. It has a typical bullying feel to it. Like ive always taught our children. Don't peak in middle/high school. I really hope for you and your childs success and happiness.

I am guessing your daughter was cut from M&D. It's funny how you call out one of the two most successful clubs in the state as money grabbers. You must be new to the game. Most clubs like M&D and Heros and Skywalkers, who have been around for more than a decade, have solid recruiting reputations, experienced coaches who know what they are doing (for most have actually played the game), and endless championships are not considered money grabs. The juice is very worth the squeeze. Girls don't have middle school teams unless they are in private school. And 90% of the girls who play club are there because they are too good for rec level with their volunteer parents who step in to coach knowing nothing about the game. So go ahead, you go back to rec. club doesn't want a parent mentality like yours.

That logic is totally hilarious - you're inferring that playing in rec will enable your player to peak at some point after high school when is realistically what should be happening for the top players. But, if you are anti-club and do not believe in it until high school - that means that your daughter is spending her summers hanging out at the pool and the beach. In the mean time - those club girls who's parents are being robbed are getting outstanding coaching and playing against the toughest competition in the country. I've seen it before - you are the parent who's kid is either cut or ends up in JV when they get to high school and are up against the club girls. You then complain about the politics involved with that school's lacrosse program because the coach is affiliated with a club and only picked her girls for the varsity squad. I'm not speaking up for the other club parents, but, my child's happiness and success is based on hard work and earning things in life. As opposed to the mommy coaching and favoritism rampant in rec programs.

You proved my point eloquently. Thank you. 10/11 year olds enjoying life what a shame. Yes my poor JV daughter will unfortunatley have to go to college on her academics/scholarship. Dont peak early.

They sound like mnd parents trying to get that spot at McD and then on to those "full ride" scholarships.

No, I am just a parent whose daughter loves the game and wants more than what Rec can offer. Your life must be full of lots of negativity.

Im sure she does. Its a parents job to guide an 11yo away from the allure of travel/club sports. We must unite against this billion dollar industry. Rec until high school them allow coaches to coach. It will work itself out. Prevent early burnout. Prevent one sport injuries. Allow multisport athletes. Encourage education over sports. Community growth vs isolation club politics.

Lets gooooooooo.

any of the redshirts girls stay with redshirts?

No. 2024 and 2023 folded. The only grad years left at Redshirts are the ones with the director's kids on the team, and he is head coach.

Not true.

have they posted rosters yet?

No

Redshirts is having a 24 team

Honest question? How is redshirts coaching? If you eliminate all of the other stuff that must people talk about off the field?

Well it's just one coach at this point. Great at teaching fundamentals at early age. After that they have no idea how to teach proper team offense or defense.

DK is a very good coach in my opinion. My kids have never played for the Redshirts, but one of my daughters had him as a field hockey coach for a season and he was great. I don't know how SB is a s a coach, but is a great guy.

I've had nothing but good experiences at Redshirts. Dave coached my daughter and his is very good about fundamentals. Ignore what other people say !!!

There's alot of ax-grinding on these boards

its time Dave

I can't believe practices start again next week.

Can we please give these girls a break

agree. So many clubs claim to support multi - sport athletes, but when soccer or field hockey have two practices and a game each week it sucks to lose their limited free time to lacrosse in the off season.

What are you agreeing with? And many clubs don't "claim", they do support multi sport athletes. Most lax coaches tell their players to put their fall sports first. Most teams only practice one day a week during fall because so many girls play other fall sports. And most teams don't play with full rosters at tournaments during the fall due to other fall sports taking precedence. If your daughter has such limited free time, then maybe you have her overbooked. Don't blame that on the clubs.

People are missing the point. There should be no fall lacrosse and no spring soccer

My lord

But then the fall tournament directors wouldnt make any money on. 4th thru 6th grafe lacrosse

Awwwwww

Are there any other club teams still looking for girls for 2024?

Redshirts, East Coast Select and Coppermine

I believe the Long Island Wave still has some openings for 2024 players. Go to Censored.

Coppermine is so far ahead of every other program in how to develop the girls lacrosse player as a person AND player. Impressive, responsible, class organization.

They get clobbered by most teams. They may develop the person but they are struggling developing the player.

You're right. 10-11 year old girls should be fully developed after one year. Your clueless if you think the other clubs develop players. They just obtain the top players and put them on the field. I will take positivity, class and leadership at all times. Good luck and we will have fun getting clobbered.