From what I understand in Soccer these days, the trend is for the best players to bypass your school teams in favor of your club team. I guess the thinking is playing with the best players and having more productive training will improve accelerate a players development and thus increase their opportunities to play in the future. Will lacrosse go in this direction? As anyone who's child plays on a competitive club team can attest. Going from club back to middle school sure seems like a waste of time for the best kids. These middle school coaches are trying to teach 35-40 kids, which creates a tremendous amount of standing around, not to mention districts and the state being more interested in participation % than competition. If some of these club teams or private coaches had a quality team 4-5x a week for 1.5- 2 hours can you imagine how fast they would progress? I'm sure this has been discussed within the community and I am now starting to wonder if club/ private lacrosse would be more productive than the public schools programs.
From what I understand in Soccer these days, the trend is for the best players to bypass your school teams in favor of your club team. I guess the thinking is playing with the best players and having more productive training will improve accelerate a players development and thus increase their opportunities to play in the future. Will lacrosse go in this direction? As anyone who's child plays on a competitive club team can attest. Going from club back to middle school sure seems like a waste of time for the best kids. These middle school coaches are trying to teach 35-40 kids, which creates a tremendous amount of standing around, not to mention districts and the state being more interested in participation % than competition. If some of these club teams or private coaches had a quality team 4-5x a week for 1.5- 2 hours can you imagine how fast they would progress? I'm sure this has been discussed within the community and I am now starting to wonder if club/ private lacrosse would be more productive than the public schools programs.
Interesting observation. In our town the Middle Schhol program is the same as PAL. No cut and equal playing time. At what point do you cull the herd. I'm all for kumbaya but at some point if little Johnny can't play it's time to give up the sport. Our high school program suffers because of this system.
From what I understand in Soccer these days, the trend is for the best players to bypass your school teams in favor of your club team. I guess the thinking is playing with the best players and having more productive training will improve accelerate a players development and thus increase their opportunities to play in the future. Will lacrosse go in this direction? As anyone who's child plays on a competitive club team can attest. Going from club back to middle school sure seems like a waste of time for the best kids. These middle school coaches are trying to teach 35-40 kids, which creates a tremendous amount of standing around, not to mention districts and the state being more interested in participation % than competition. If some of these club teams or private coaches had a quality team 4-5x a week for 1.5- 2 hours can you imagine how fast they would progress? I'm sure this has been discussed within the community and I am now starting to wonder if club/ private lacrosse would be more productive than the public schools programs.
Absolutely agree. Same for most JV and High Schools too! The problem is who would the clubs play? there just arent that many that would have the critical mass of kids so that you could have a 14 game schedule comparable to what the schools have.
From what I understand in Soccer these days, the trend is for the best players to bypass your school teams in favor of your club team. I guess the thinking is playing with the best players and having more productive training will improve accelerate a players development and thus increase their opportunities to play in the future. Will lacrosse go in this direction? As anyone who's child plays on a competitive club team can attest. Going from club back to middle school sure seems like a waste of time for the best kids. These middle school coaches are trying to teach 35-40 kids, which creates a tremendous amount of standing around, not to mention districts and the state being more interested in participation % than competition. If some of these club teams or private coaches had a quality team 4-5x a week for 1.5- 2 hours can you imagine how fast they would progress? I'm sure this has been discussed within the community and I am now starting to wonder if club/ private lacrosse would be more productive than the public schools programs.
I know on Long Island many school districts pull up their best middle school players to jv/varsity for that very reason. If your school does not maybe you should look into it. It is a tremendous advantage, but keep in mind there is a rigourous NYS physical test that they must pass before tryouts. Best of luck.
From what I understand in Soccer these days, the trend is for the best players to bypass your school teams in favor of your club team. I guess the thinking is playing with the best players and having more productive training will improve accelerate a players development and thus increase their opportunities to play in the future. Will lacrosse go in this direction? As anyone who's child plays on a competitive club team can attest. Going from club back to middle school sure seems like a waste of time for the best kids. These middle school coaches are trying to teach 35-40 kids, which creates a tremendous amount of standing around, not to mention districts and the state being more interested in participation % than competition. If some of these club teams or private coaches had a quality team 4-5x a week for 1.5- 2 hours can you imagine how fast they would progress? I'm sure this has been discussed within the community and I am now starting to wonder if club/ private lacrosse would be more productive than the public schools programs.
They're already doing it in Maryland, the clubs have a spring season. Players are permitted to play both rec/travel and club but when conflict arise, clubs take priority. Look at a club like M&D on the girl's side, already a pretty tough club. The elementary and MS teams now practice and play together year round. Looking at likely 60 practices and 60 games/year. Imagine how well the kids will play together, and look, when they hit recruiting years
If the current trend continues, it seems likely that the best players will forgo middle schools teams for club teams. Perhaps it will even extend to high school teams. My kid plays for a good club team and I think this trend is really unfortunate. High school lacrosse were some of my best memories. I really wish everyone would step back and let the kids be kids and enjoy their middle school and high school teams playing alongside their friends from their towns in front of local student. Don't mean to get on a soapbox. These are just my humble opinions.
great thread. Glad that others see this through similar eyes
I am positive that Playing "down" with the jr high team is very frustrating for my son after coming in from year long practices and games with his club to be with kids who cannot throw or catch very well at all.
If the current trend continues, it seems likely that the best players will forgo middle schools teams for club teams. Perhaps it will even extend to high school teams. My kid plays for a good club team and I think this trend is really unfortunate. High school lacrosse were some of my best memories. I really wish everyone would step back and let the kids be kids and enjoy their middle school and high school teams playing alongside their friends from their towns in front of local student. Don't mean to get on a soapbox. These are just my humble opinions.
I think 99% if parents who played school sports loved the experience and cherish the memories. A distinct memory I have is that the best kids played and most others watched, the 5th qtr was for developing kids. These days the game is for everyone and the 5th qtr is for the more competitive kids. It's just not the experience it was.
I suppose there are very weak school teams out there, but where I live there is a select team for 7th and a select team for 8th, and then a combined 7/8th team for the next players down. Anyone taking their son off the select grade team -- with 4 or 5 practices a week + games, all of which are already paid for by your taxes -- just to play with maybe one or two "better" players on a club and pay out the nose for that privilege -- would be viewed as insane.
And considering the middle school program is the pipeline to the high school team, pulling him could have a negative impact on his future prospects within that system.
I also believe the club programs will lose ground even for the summer ... each year another group of school district coaches form "school"/town summer programs, and there has been movement off the club teams on to those town select squads. Parents are tiring of the high club fees, and the summer programs being run by the local school coaches are generally cheaper (not always, but far from the most expensive). This trend will continue as local coaches will continue jumping on the summer fees bandwagon, and parents will want to make those connections.
I don't know that most school districts pull up from the middle school teams. I know it happens, but I think that it is more the exception than the rule. I have seen an exceptional 8th grader start, and do well, but it is rarely on a really competitive team (ie: Farmingdale or Garden City... just to name a few). I have also seen that same girl play age appropriate club and not score a goal. My daughters school dist does not allow 8th grader to play up in the High School unless that sport is not offered in the middle school.
I don't know that most school districts pull up from the middle school teams. I know it happens, but I think that it is more the exception than the rule. I have seen an exceptional 8th grader start, and do well, but it is rarely on a really competitive team (ie: Farmingdale or Garden City... just to name a few). I have also seen that same girl play age appropriate club and not score a goal. My daughters school dist does not allow 8th grader to play up in the High School unless that sport is not offered in the middle school.
I think 8th graders who get pulled up to varsity are truly few and far between, and having coached h.s. for quite a few years I can tell you in my experience they should be. They are the elite athletes, often in many sports.
Thats s slippery slope. DOes the Varsity coach play the better player of the kid who paid him over the summer
Originally Posted by ProtonPower
I suppose there are very weak school teams out there, but where I live there is a select team for 7th and a select team for 8th, and then a combined 7/8th team for the next players down. Anyone taking their son off the select grade team -- with 4 or 5 practices a week + games, all of which are already paid for by your taxes -- just to play with maybe one or two "better" players on a club and pay out the nose for that privilege -- would be viewed as insane.
And considering the middle school program is the pipeline to the high school team, pulling him could have a negative impact on his future prospects within that system.
I also believe the club programs will lose ground even for the summer ... each year another group of school district coaches form "school"/town summer programs, and there has been movement off the club teams on to those town select squads. Parents are tiring of the high club fees, and the summer programs being run by the local school coaches are generally cheaper (not always, but far from the most expensive). This trend will continue as local coaches will continue jumping on the summer fees bandwagon, and parents will want to make those connections.
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