US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM Girls High School

They probably had about 100 girls come out today so I guess there are worse ways to go about things.

Not all of them have gotten invites. Funny how girls are training with him now and still not gettin invites.

Must not be at spsg.

Nailed it.

How does the league finish this year?
Thoughts/predictions? Any surprises?

I heard the turnout was 65-75. Still a great turnout. They have an uphill battle competing against SPGS and McD.

McDonough lost a lot of talent didn't they? Maryvale really hitting the club teams to get talent, obviously Hero's connection there.

Over 140. Had 8 groups of 20 there. Pretty smart of them. Spsg hits the club teams. Mcdonogh has the best reputation for lax. What are the other IAam schools doing?

SPSG has talent from each year. McD cannot say the same. Lost 16 seniors last year and have three or four really good girls left. Cannot win games with and handful, need a team.

I think having NGLL games at these schools is the best exposure they can get. Def would have never seen their campuses if not NGLL.

I’m still trying to figure out what getting “recruited” by HS means exactly. My kid is not yet in HS, do schools actually offer $$ to go? Paying full price at some might as well be college

Yes. High school coaches attend club games and recruit middle school players. Yes money is offered towards tuition, but some schools will only offer money if you have filled out financial aid forms(need based athletic money).

Do the coaches contact the club coaches or the players?

Contact the schools. Coaches then come watch.

Depends on relationship between coaches. And a lot of prospective players reach out to the high school coach first, especially if interested and may need financial help so they can figure things out earlier.

Maryvale will pick up the girls who won't get much playing time at SPSG and can't even get into McD.

Academically, what are the top IAAM schools?

Daughter is going through the process. Here is Niche's ranking (Private Maryland HS) of each school by IAAM Division. Haven't gone through their rankings formula in great detail but it's the most comprehensive list out there.

A
Bryn Mawr 2
McDonogh 9
Garrison Forest 16
Glenelg Country 19
Severn 20
Roland Park 22
Notre Dame Prep 36
SPSG 44
Gerstell 45
Spalding 51
Maryvale Prep 56
St. Mary's 64
John Carroll 66
Mt. de Sales 72
Mercy 81

B
Park School 12
Friends 15
Beth Tfiloh 27
Indian Creek 37
St. John's Catholic 54
AACS 60

C
Key School 8
St. Timothy's 10
Oldfields 26
Chapelgate Christian Academy 48
Pallotti 80
Catholic High 87
Concordia Prep 97
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel 120

Niche relies way too heavily on user-reported and school-reported data to be of value as anything other than a sort-of master list of private schools. Over 60% of their weighting is based on self-reported data, and another 17% is based on data that only some of the private schools share. I would consider the rankings unreliable.

The ratings can be (and are) gamed to push a school upward by the staff/parents (or downward by competitors).

If you are considering a private school for your child, my advice (as a private school parent and board member) is to focus on finding the best fit for your child and family, paying particular attention to the year group (graduation class year) your child will join. Experiences vary greatly within schools due to having a good (or not so good) year group. Our family is fortunate to have good experiences with this, but some friends with kids in other grades at our school are not as happy with how things are going.

Best of luck!

"Maryvale will pick up the girls who won't get much playing time at SPSG and can't even get into McD.[/quote]

Very funny and probably true. That is why they brought a college coach to help with recruiting.

People on this board aren’t picking by academic ranking. They are picking by lax ranking. Where there kids can go and play quality sports with coaches that help get them to next level.

If you are playing for the right club, the high school recruiting becomes secondary.

This isnt about recruiting for college. This is talk about what lax school to join to win more games.

Will the coaches attend the NGLL games to watch and find potential recruits or only watch the games when players' parents have reached out to them?

Coaches will come to NGLL games for sure. Based on what I see, its very regional based, which makes sense. The John Carroll coach looks at NEMS kids more, etc.The St Marys coach looks at MDU, etc. SPSG and with Maryvale being attached to Hero's, they scout and recruit those kids.


Obviously the coaches can help get a lax kid into the school, but do they actually have ability to help with costs, if household income is the same?

Sure hope the new John Carrol coach tries to lure back all the middle School talent that play for teams other than NEMS. Their middle school teams are struggling to retain talent and are B caliber at this point. Unfortunately, not sure this will happen as I believe she is still associated with the NEMS program​ as Director of Marketing & Communications!

Inquire on a schools website. They will be able to answer better than here. Lots of Balt area privates look at the top 3 in the area and now into Coppermine. If a coach knows you are interested they will def come watch regardless of club.

"Sure hope the new John Carrol coach tries to lure back all the middle School talent that play for teams other than NEMS. Their middle school teams are struggling to retain talent and are B caliber at this point. Unfortunately, not sure this will happen as I believe she is still associated with the NEMS program​ as Director of Marketing & Communications!"

Lots of Harford County middle school players drive 45-60 minutes to play for clubs other than NEMS. Makes you wonder if they would be willing to play for a coach who still has ties to the NEMS program.

if they are going to watch players who have reached out, I guarantee there are also watching the team as a whole, so yes they will come to also find potential recruits.

She’s a great coach.

She has the chance to prove that this spring for sure.

Interesting hire. Kids that like to compete seek out and want to play for good coaches. Looking at NEMS commitments they seemed to not be where they used to be. Kids have options with club and if a good option (coaching) is close to home they will stay as they did in past. Same with HS. Except with HS you have good public options with good coaches who have developed kids to play at some great schools. Families will either travel to balt. for private or stay public and play for good proven coaches. Second option kids can take college courses starting JR year as well as save close to 50k to go to same colleges in the end. Look at local CMW coach option vs JC hire...... Former d1 player and coach vs Churchville rec commissioner/NEMS

I wouldn't put Harford public county lacrosse in the same category as IAAM A, which is a big reason why parents/kids choose to go private.

2024 NEMS did just fine with commitments. Though I'm sure you already know that.

The JC coach hire will have every chance to prove her coaching abilities as was mentioned above. I have to believe she doesn't care which club girls play for. The whole issue of a school being tied to a club is overblown and really only lives in places like this board and on the sidelines among parent chatter. For example, plenty of M&D girls don't go to McDonogh and vice versa. Same with all other clubs and schools. They don't really care that much. The HS coaches just want to win.

Nems won’t save them. 24 team had 1 Maryland kid and a bunch of mid to lower commits. Lots to a start up that needed players. 23 team is bad as is 25-27 now. She will have to convince top club kids to go to school in harford county. Good luck with that !

The JC coach hire will have every chance to prove her coaching abilities as was mentioned above. I have to believe she doesn't care which club girls play for. The whole issue of a school being tied to a club is overblown and really only lives in places like this board and on the sidelines among parent chatter. For example, plenty of M&D girls don't go to McDonogh and vice versa. Same with all other clubs and schools. They don't really care that much. The HS coaches just want to win.



Well, TC has only recruited from M&D the last few years. So she definitely cares about her club ties.

Lots of talent coming from Skywalkers and Coppermine in middle school. Which HS coaches have affiliations with those clubs?

I’m sure they will all find a home. Have to disagree though. Sw is the weakest in 28 -30 groups. Schools will hit M&D , Heros and Coppermine for sure.

more players combined from other clubs in the 2026 class than there are M&D girls.

Only two players were recruited from the 2026 class and they were both playing for M&D when recruited……others may be now going to McD but they were not recruited……..

I believe MCD lax coaches get 2 “free rides “ a year. .