US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums NEW JERSEY LACROSSE NEW JERSEY FORUM Top Boy's Club Teams in New Jersey

Hey take it easy. No need to be so angry. USCL is at least keeping lax scene interesting. So fine, you don't believe it its ranking. Now we're back to having all these club play each other to find out. I'm with the other guy, it's chances of happening is very slim. But you never know.

The rankings are a ridiculous, especially this year, and for what it's worth, I believe that USCL is loosely associated with DSM (Team 91), not Mad Dog. For the most part, the fact that the top teams in NJ do not play each other is unfortunate, it would be fun for the boys who have many friends on other clubs. Truth is, the players all know who the best teams/players are in each age group, and there is a lot of respect between these kids in that regard. If you really want to know who the best team is in NJ, take the top 2 or 3 kids from each of these clubs.

so you are saying there is massive dilution of talent in NJ?

USCL host a NJ only tournment and invite all the NJ clubs? He has the forum to get parents to apply pussure to the clubs.

I think that goes without saying...

everybody gets a trophy! everybody makes the team. that's what you get now days. bleeding hearts and club directors laughing all the way to the bank to deposit your check for lil ricky!

Dear USCL owner, If you're reading this, can you put out a feeler to all NJ clubs directors for a 'NJ Club Championship' tournament presented by USCL , hosted in NJ (Central?). I think this will be fun tourney. Plus no need to quarantine after and better yet no travel/hotel.

It would be fun! The ‘21 would be the most well rounded in my opinion With 3-4 teams in competitive games, ‘22 LE and Tri State would be competitive both beat really good teams this summer, no 5 star players on either team according to IL. ‘23 LE and Tri State clear top 2, I think Tri State added a couple of good players, I’m sure LE did too. ‘24 is where the fun starts have no idea who went where during tryouts, but there are always lots of changes going into 9th. LE certainly turns over going into 9th just not sure where they are coming from this year, heard BBL. Don’t follow ‘25 and below so I have no idea.

Awesome post. 24s being a transition year will be most interesting. 25's and 26's too since they are WSYL years (let's hope It doesn't get cancelled due to covid). Hope this happens somehow.

2023 would probably be the most interesting age group, and not sure that LE and Tri-State are the "clear" top 2. You could make the argument for LE, they didn't win a lot of games, but they did play very good teams, so hard to get a handle on that team, Tri-State did not have any quality wins. That being said, tri-state may see some improvement with the SHP kids moving in, but that will not be a good sign for the current tri-state kids.

How about a darft for the Mad Dog National NJ kids!

I wouldn't sleep on SHP this year. This will definitely funnel good players to Tristate.

I wouldn't sleep on SHP parents, he could be out in two years.

Maybe I was a little unclear, I think that the SHP kids will definitely help tri-state, I was simply responding to the suggestion that up until this point, they were the "clear" top 2...my other point was, and this goes back a bit in this forum, that some current tri-state kids may be seeing a lot of the sidelines as the SHP kids roll in, and perhaps be shown the door down the road. Obviously, club coaches have an incentive to get their kids recruited, good for the club...now mix that with a club director that has a vested interest in keeping his day job (i.e. getting kids recruited is good for SHP)..not suggesting that the club director would do this, but it could create an issue with the non-SHP parents.

I say definitely put Maddog National.. they are mostly NJ kids so their team as it stands should be there.

My son tried out tristate and actually loved the tryout.Coaching at the tryout.

True. Good perspective.

Glad it worked out for you, best way to feel out whether a program is a good fit.

Not accouding to their website 11 CA/TX kids to 2 NJ committed

Agreed. 2023 is an interesting group in NJ.

LE 2023 is not an elite team. They have 1-2 kids that are elite but they do not play well together. It's a team of individuals and they won't ever do well in the NLF. Very low IQ. Stock is a sell.

Tri-State 2023 plays well together and will continue given the SHP connection. Expect them to rise. Stock is a buy.

Blue Star is solid, under the radar. Not the best athletes but team is full of lacrosse players with IQ. Not elite but very good - another buy.

BBL is decent- hold.

Riot is a work in progress. South shore too. Too soon to call.

Overall, 2023 NJ club lax has the most parity.

2025 USCL rankings have 2 NJ teams in the top 20. I know this will trigger some of you but having 2 jersey teams up there is good for NJ lax. Im surprised Express CoachC is not #1. That team is probably the best team I've seen play at that age group. Their brand of lax, the way they move the ball, is amazing.

Yes, def good for NJ lax to have two top 20 squads regardless of ranking validity. Even those who cry and complain about these rankings are obviously looking a them.

This is actually pretty well thought out. I would also add that each team probably has at least 2 elite players, too bad they couldn't get them all on the UA team, would have been fun to watch.

Have u watched a game of lacrosse this summer? The kids who don’t make leading edge go to tri state. It’s just funny how they’ve beat prime time, triple H, Laxachusets black, and 1 goal games to igloo, shore to shore, and hawks. If tri state took a break from playing no name teams and played these teams it’d be sad. I don’t know where you’re getting this info.

detest to burst your bubble, but kids really do not flock to LE like they used to...and as far as watching a game of lacrosse this summer, saw plenty of LE at NAL.

Can you say Blue Star RFH Daddy!

Watched 4 games of LE '23, my son's friend is on the team. They have great athletes, but I did see them throw the ball all over the field and the games I watched the other teams were better (they lost all 4). The best player is a SHP kid at LSM/D. Have good size at D, small on O. No NJ teams at this age group are close to the best LI and MD teams, but should be better than the PA an CT teams in my opinion.

No connection to Bluestar or RFH, and sorry that reality hurts, but stop coming on here pumping your chest about LE, they are a good team, but will continue struggle against the competition they are playing. There is not going to be some miracle player that will come along and make the team exponentially better. Sure they may add a kid here or there, but so will their competition. I agree with the poster above that the team seems to lack chemistry and it shows on the field, and it is glaring when you watch them play a team like Igloo or Hawks. If you would just come on here with a little modesty and acknowledge that there is room for improvement on the team, you definitely would not get the same reaction, unfortunately, all we get is LE is the best, we can beat anyone in NJ...

Dude, the 1 goal game argument is lame. Losing is losing. You can't pick and choose your moral victories. And yes, saw them play. Not a good team. Big? Yes, they have that advantage. Good at lacrosse? No, and they are likely not going to improve much. Kids have peaked.

Dude, the 1 goal game argument is lame. Losing is losing. You can't pick and choose your moral victories. And yes, saw them play. Not a good team. Big? Yes, they have that advantage. Good at lacrosse? No, and they are likely not going to improve much. Kids have peaked.

So the LE debate is pretty tired at this point.

Honest question here. Which is more important? The High School team or the Club team? Leaving parameters vague to invite discussion.

Club is important for recruiting but in the long run, HS is where they develop and it will be what they remember.

Club for college, many ‘22s are getting offers without playing much varsity lacrosse. HS is fun, more about the team and wining games.

I think a lot of it depends on the high school. Schools like Delbarton and SHP do play out of state against some of the top teams in the country, so there is probably a certain level of added exposure, but for the typical high school program, I would agree with the above. Of course other schools that have good track records probably get attention, i.e. Westfield, Ridgewood, Summit, etc.

Who are the 2026 Towermen? Is this a new NJ club? Saw they are highly ranked and they have a kid on their team that looks like he could play on a 2024 team and looks like he is still going to grow.

Re Towermen

A couple of parents/kids left Dark Knights (based out of Clark) and have pulled together a lot of talented kids from round the state to form the team.

That is not wholly accurate. Towermen was born out of Ridgewood and has accrued boys from all over. Highlands Mahwah Mountain Lakes Strong/balanced team

They have kids from all over north jersey including Summit, Maplewood, Clark, Mtn Lakes, Ridgewood.

Teams vs Programs. In a few years we will see what happens when the top kids try out for Leading Edge (or another big team) knowing it’s their best path to college lax.

Cream always rises. Clubs aren’t the holy grail. The best kids in the state will always be found.