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

He’s a little secret, 2-3 elite players can elevate a team into the top-10, a few more and you are an elite team. Doesn’t mean 1-21 on roster are because of it and certainly doesn’t mean they are see same recruiting success. If you play D, you better be able to take the clear and get it out either by speed or smart passing catching

Here's a secret too. The top players on M&D hero and skywalkers go to highly ranked lax teams but the rest of the roster goes to the schools people are calling low D1

What are you saying in this post? It appears that you are suggesting that Coppermine has only 2-3 elite players and that's it; and, moreover, that they have trouble clearing the ball.

For anyone that has seen them play or competed against them, both suggestions are manifestly ridiculous. They have depth in every line, and two full outstanding middie shifts. 55-3 last year. 15-1 this year. Give me a break.

I would say they do not have depth at “every” line and even go as far to say they don’t run these so called “lines” you mention. As a parent I would say they only have one “line” at midfield and defense. They do have “lines” at attack but I don’t know where the depth starts or ends at that position.

This is not a take on Coppermine, just in general. I will say though, yes if you take away the top 2-3 kids on Coppermine (or any team) there's going to be a big drop off, and I'm not sure most parents realize this.

There is truth in both these posts. However it's more a mix of both.

Coppermine does have depth at all positions. yes, they have talented stars in the midfield line but they also have very good players at all positions and depth at each. However, they don't sub and as the 2nd poster pointed out, they only run 1 line at each with occasional subbing at attack and sometimes middie. Disagree that if you take away 2 of their players, they still would be one of the top 3 teams.

I would agree with that assessment. Players want to join winners, and winning will overcome a lot of obstacles. Being the best team in the country will draw a LOT of attention from coaches. I feel the Coppermine lacrosse program owner understands their recruiting is not as mature as the big-3, but I think they went out of their way to bring in Coach Tucker, former Hopkins head coach to build their recruiting arm. I also saw somewhere that they brought in Maryvalle's head coach as well. Coppermine as a whole has really strong financial and real estate assets to grow its sports program to an elite level. I do believe their brand name is behind the big-3, but in all honesty, Coppermine should replace Skywalker in that list or at least join that list.

With regard to their younger teams, I think the pecking order in central Baltimore County goes like this, all the top girls want to join M&D, and they're obviously the first destination for top elite players, with the exception of 2028. Some parents would also take their kids to Heroes as well if they're willing to drive. They'll most likely also go to Skywalker and Coppermine tryouts since they're close together if the schedule permits. A very small amount of players will make it to the A team, several will be offered a spot on the B team, which they'll decline and most of them will choose Skywalker over Coppermine for the sheer brand recognition, which I think is unfortunate. For example, the Coppermine 2031 and 2032 teams are head and shoulder above the respective Skywalker team. The 2031 Skywalker team was still playing in the B division for the MidAtlantic Showcase tournament and went 1-3. I think Skywalker will grow through sheer attrition of M&D and other programs, but at the current pace, they are just not competitive at all.

Having said all that, I think we should all come together and cheer for the teams. Maryland is the mecca of lacrosse, we need to continue to lead.

Best of luck to all the girls pouring their heart and soul out there! Stay safe and stay healthy!

Assistant coach, not head coach, because M&D wouldn't pay him what he wanted.

I think this post does a good job in clarifying the points made by several posters above. As the PP who was not as precise as I could have been on the use of the word "lines", which could have been misconstrued as more of a hockey reference, I will augment. I think the immediate post above says what I meant, more accurately--Coppermine "have talented stars in the midfield line but they also have very good players at all positions and depth at each".

On the midfield point, it is true that Coppermine does not sub as much as the rest of the top 15. I would suggest, however, that they have at least 5-6 outstanding middies at this point, and could run "lines" like most of their competitors do, if they chose to. Without their top 2-3, they would have more close games and would certainly lose more to the rest of the top teams, but they would still be top 5 in my view.

“Having said all that” line is classic

You just got done trashing a top program in the country for your own selfish and petty gain. Grow up

I was thinking the same thing. [Censored] Skywalkers. Yet tell everyone to "come together". What a hammerhead

Was he trashing SW or just giving facts, or least realistic perceptions? I don’t see anything they said I firmly can deny.

He’s trashing elementary school athletes who are learning the game! Seriously who heck cares about 4th and 5th grade (insert club here) teams

Not one of the prior posters.

Agree there is no need to criticize a club's younger team's, but it is a little rich to have Sky Walkers folks suggest that the long post above was out of bounds compared with the constant attacks on Coppermine, especially from Sky Walkers guy who constantly suggests that top players from Coppermine, MDU, and Crush will go to Sky Walkers in high school for recruiting if they want to have any chance of getting any offers.

Look, what's happening here is a normal process. It is natural for new entrants to rise and overtake existing leaders in any industry, with a good strategy, enhanced resources, access to fields and prime locations, etc. It isn't personal, it's healthy innovation and competition.

And agree with the long poster that Baltimore/MD lacrosse leadership is important. Rooting for other MD clubs to be strong compared to other regions makes a ton of sense. Like wanting the SEC or Big Ten champ to win the national title to show you play in the best league.

I am just always surprised how much Coppermine parents care about wins and losses of elementary and middle school teams.

CLUB SPORTS ARE NOT ABOUT WINNING AND LOSING! IT IS ABOUT PLAYER DEVELOPMENT AND GETTING KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY IN GAME SITUATIONS AND EVENTUALLY GET RECRUITED.

Coppermine 28 which is great team didn't play several players a few weekends ago over several games. For that coach it is about winning at all cost and not player development. Mind numbing in 8th grade.

There coach is something else…scouting teams and win at all costs! The “supporting cast” pays $3k to sit the bench! Very sad, but the parents don’t seem to mind because they keep paying!

Never understood why a coach would take a player to the team, knowing they never plan to have the player play or minimal minutes when game outcomes are decided. Coppermine seems to be the worst at subbing and like others have said, they seem to have players sit the bench for whole games just to get a win. They are not the only club though that limits playing time so hard to bash 1 particular club or coach here.

A good part of it is taking the top players from other teams to weaken opponents.

Confirmed! Probably the first of many.

The second time HE switched teams after the Fall season! First time was NEMS to Coppermine because “she wasn’t happy”!

Imo it’s about money and horsing talent, definitely not what is best for the girls. I’d be really upset if I was a parent or player

I'm simply pointing out the current state of affairs with Skywalker. If you can't see the same I'm seeing, then you're blinded by their "we don't care about win/loss, we're here to develop our players" BS. The ONLY reason they are competitive at the higher level is due to their recruiting prowess and getting good players from Crush, Integrity, Limelight, NEMS, and other regional or national girls at the high school level. And guess what happens to those players they've been "developing" for the past 4-5 years? They'll get dropped like a rock. As unfortunate as it is, that's just part of how everyone operates.

If you want to stay on top, continue to improve. That's the hard truth.

No, if I was trashing Skywalkers, I would say "F Skywalker, they [Censored]", but I was just simply looking at the current state of affairs across the younger brackets. I can tell where your girl plays, keeps on developing, and drinks their coolaid. One day you'll wake up and your daughter gets cut because she hasn't "developed" enough compared to someone who came from Integrity or NEMs or Colorado Academy. Best of luck. I'll still root for her.

Quick update. Hero's wins another top pool. Solid Tier 1.

YJ Maget looks solid in tier 2 with a 1 goal loss to Hero's and a 1 goal win over MDU.

Can add Monsters Elite to Tier 3, and Urban Elite to Tier 4. Steps Elite Blue looks like they are in the right tier (3) for now. And HHH to Tier 4.

Rumor has it, all the Heros and a M&D parents are running to the recruiter coach at Coppermine to get ready for the upcoming season, everyone wants to be at Coppermine and never touch the ball.

Actually had one of the "recruiters" approach us during a game against asking about our daughter.

Getting players from Crush?! Outside the 28 who exactly are they getting? Nems?! Seriously?

Not even going to address limelight comment

Just stop. have your daughter play elsewhere and stop obsessing over coppermine

How can MDU be Tier 2? Didn't they lose to Aces & Skywalkers? Lacrosse math doesn’t compute.

You could make the argument to blend tier 2 and 3. Both MDU and Crush have stumbled in some games this Fall.

I agree - I'm not understanding the obsession over Coppermine - if your daughter doesn't play for them, don't worry about them.

This is a skywalkers trick !!

Again, why are so many obsessed with how Coppermine runs their sidelines? I'm assuming if M&D was number #1, you would be one here stating the same things since M&D is KNOWN for not playing all their players (or if they play it's maybe a few minutes) for years! You all are so up in arms about Coppermine - worry about who YOUR daughter plays for instead of a team she obviously doesn't play for.

I agree, talking about Coppermine is boring. Just be glad your DD's team doesn't run things that way and keep it moving.

Just don't know when to stop - but that's OK - that's your issue, not mine

Hearing a top player on Coppermine left for M&D. They told her not to shoot and just clear out of the way and let the midfielders shoot

What are you talking about? I wasn't OP and was agreeing with you (not about the M&D stuff, that was totally random). If you don't like how another team runs things, just be glad it's not your problem. Isn't that basically what you were saying?

You all are so funny acting like you know so much about other teams. Talking about subs for other teams and what coaches are doing on teams you have no busy with. This forum should be a place to share positivity for our girls lacrosse but instead it’s a big rumor mill with nothing to back 90% of what people post. Hopefully whatever team your daughter is on is the best fit for her. Knowing certain facts about some issues discussed on here and how far off people are at times is comical.

I can’t imagine they would actually say that to their attackers but I am not surprised their attackers feel that way. And let’s not forget they have another top middie that didn’t play all fall so it will only get harder for others to get minutes. On the other side now an M&D player or two will be losing minutes which can’t make them happy.