US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM MD Girls 2028

Each of your daughters would be embarrassed by your behavior. I wish I could believe none of your daughters play on our team but unfortunately that is unlikely. Do better as humans.

I agree, lots of jealousy over 13 year olds playing a game. See it here and hear it from our parents during tournaments.

Besides defense and goalie, some coaches prefer girls with chips on their shoulders. During the final four, KAH said “I want to recruit girls who are hungry with something to prove. I often don’t like girls who have been on the #1 team team since they were in fifth grade and have spent the last six years listening to people tell them how good they are.”

Sounds like you are the first to run to the coach to complain about getting 2 minutes less playing time.

The level of energy that goes into questioning families decisions' on the best placement/team for their daughters is pretty extreme. When it's directed at talented players who joined Coppermine, it is openly jealous, in my view. There is a cottage industry trying to create anxiety in parents on their decision making.

The overconfident declarations of "this is what matters for recruiting" are funny too. Top 30 D1 coaches will find their talent where it is. If KAH doesn't recruit a top player from the best club team in the country, another coach will.

This conversation started based on a comment about whether Coppermine will remain the best, but has evolved past that to discuss how much it will even matter who's the "best" in recruiting years. And no where in this conversation did anyone mention "talented players who joined Coppermine".

It's sounds like you're annoyed people are downplaying being on the "best" team when they're simply having a conversation about what they think matters. If being on the best team is aligned with a person's values and goals then great, but they can't expect everyone else to place equal importance on it.

some thoughts on the Coppermine.

1) Yes, this should improve the team. Coppermine should be the preseason #1 team in the country

2) No, they won't go undefeated next year. I actually expect them to lose a few times in the fall as new parts try to gel together. If they lose fewer than 3 games, I would actually be quite surprised. There are lots of quality teams out there and ALL of the other top teams got better. Also, 20 minute playoff games can be a crapshoot

3A) Some girls will likely leave the team, potentially even mid-season. Not a bad thing on anyone's part, but the reality of high level club lacrosse. Some players and their families are comfortable with little to no playing time; others aren't

3B) The fall will be critical to determining who is actually in the rotation come spring and summer. I would expect everyone to play in the fall and their performances in fall tourneys will go a long way.

3C) In the past Coppermine, had lots of girls miss fall tourneys due to other sports, mostly soccer. With such a competitive roster, I will be curious how many girls skip fall tourneys.

4) Most importantly, having at least 3 outstanding Maryland teams at this age group is a VERY good thing. Folks should sit back and enjoy. The fact that the top teams may actually have more than one competitive NGLL game should make everyone better. In fact, this is something the last 3 classes haven't really had.

5) Hopefully, the Coppermine 25s get some decent D1 offers. Coppermine needs the 25s and 26s to get some good (not necessarily great) offers to help maintain their strong talent

All for dialogue about what factors matter the most in the recruiting years. This dialogue has become pretty specific on whether recruiting chances are diminished for players crowded on to a uniquely talented team.

Since you think I sound annoyed, I might note that you sound a bit defensive. To your "did anyone mention" question, a few posts ago, the commenter actually stated "If one of the top players [on Coppermine] were my daughters"... More broadly, the whole thrust of the argument is around how good Coppermine has been and will be now with the addition of very talented players at tryouts. Several posters, including you, appear to be suggesting that people on, or who have recently joined Coppermine, might have made a mistake vis a vis recruiting because there won't be enough playing time, or (absurdly) college coaches don't like number 1 teams, or they won't be happy with their roles, etc.

All I'm saying is that weeks after new rosters were set, before a single '23-'24 game has been played, it's a bit much to focus on one team, one group of players, and suggest that they might not be as well-positioned as they think for recruiting processes, and then to deny there was any focus on that team.

It's impossible to interpret any thread on this forum as a cohesive conversation between two people. There are a a lot of anonymous voices and agendas here. I am the person who authored the post you're responding to. But I did not post anywhere saying that the girls on Coppermine have made a mistake by being on that team. And I definitely would never suggest being on the #1 team is a bad thing. Anyone can look at the recruits from the #1 2024 team and see that is not the case. I'm just agreeing with the idea that being the #1 team matters far less in recruiting years than it does during the NGLL years when there isn't much more at stake than medals and bragging rights.

At the end of the day you can be on the #1 team or you can be on the #20 team, you will be seen regardless.

NAILED IT. If you are good, the coaches will find you.

However in both situations, in order for the coach to see you, you have to be in the field playing a significant amount of time. So regardless of the ranking find somewhere you can play and contribute

And the coaches will see fewer recruiting options on the #20 team than the #1 team

Most teams aren't going to get 2-3 kids from the same club team, they are looking for the one.

Nailed this as well. When teams don't sub at all, that doesn't help development or be seen in the recruiting time. Hopefully some teams realize this before its too late for the players sake.

My kid's club has a policy that its equal PT starting in HS, they actually did this through this summer

Which team is this?

How is equal playing time even possible. Yes, I'm sure (and would hope) all players would see the field but doubt it is equal playing.

It is a game based on minutes and halves. It is very much possible do divide both of those equally

Capital is the only club who claims equal playing time, but it is probably closer to 60/40. Also gets complicated when you have middies rotating through attack and D.

Most clubs will play their bench more during recruiting year. But will tend to play their high D1 players more early in the process (fall sophomore year, summer sophomore year) and their low D1/D3 players a bit more later in the process (fall junior year).

Agree, equal nearly impossible, but as equal as it can get, so maybe one middie is in 40% other 60%, goalies 50/50,

👆 this is how the top teams do it.

At this age and level there should no longer be the discrepancy of talent from top to bottom to warrant any player on the team getting little to no playing time. Regardless of whether or not you feel equal playing time is possible, if a coach does now see the player as one who can contribute on the field he or she should not take her on the team.

This does not reflect reality. Even at clubs like Heros or M&D, who probably have the deepest benches, there is a MAJOR difference between the top 5 players and bottom 5 players on every team.

Now to be fair, there is usually very little difference between the bottom 5 on the A team and top 5 on a B team, but that is a difference conversation entirely.

The top 5 on a B team would struggle to make an A team that is in the top 5. That’s the reality and why they are on the B team.

You both are right.

"there is usually very little difference between the bottom 5 on the A team and top 5 on a B team" is fairly accurate. Every year you see a handful of A players move down or to another club and a few B players move up, that speaks to this.

"The top 5 on a B team would struggle to make an A team that is in the top 5". Well, Top 5 is kinda arbitrary cutoff, but yes, it would depend on what team. If you look at say M&D 2024, about 40% of those kids weren't on that team before miiddle school and the ones who took their roster spots were on teams outside the top-20.

Just got an email about Maryland Select. Anyone have an opinion or experience with this team? Is this Maryland only or does it include out of state players.

Only Maryland players. Will be a B level team as it's a new club forming well after most girls are settled.

It's not a new club, it's a select team. If you look at the website you can see rosters from last year (26 &27), looks like all were from MD.

If I'm not mistaken, I think it's a lot of Renegades players. Top clubs aren't pushing this. Especially for 1 tournament at $500

Renegades and Rebels, presumably because those are the teams Thinklax owns, though I will say 26 team did have a number of Heros and M&D. Looks like last year 2027s got 2 tournaments, 2026s got 1. (This is all on their main page on website, I don't have personal experience).

Coppermine rosters are out and looks like they definitely trimmed their roster down. No surprise additions aside from the girl from California. Hope that everyone found a new home they are happy with.

Has anyone applied for and received an invite for Best in Class?

Yes.

Should be a team that never loses this season. How will they handle playing time though with just 1 ball.

Guess my daughter wasn't good enough or doesn't have the right connections. What was the selection criteria?

Did you apply? Presumably it's whatever you put on the application combined with a recommendation from your daughter's coach?

Process is similar to UA 150. I would love to know how they "chose" which applicants get picked. I know with UA 150, i was surprised by applicants that didn't get chose, or were put on a wait list.

No chance they lose a game. Even with soccer depleting the roster in the fall they have plenty waiting in the wings. Maybe a few closer than expected but no loses, and in the spring when they are full strength the margin of victory will be 10+ goals per game.

This has to be sarcasm.