US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums NORTHEAST LACROSSE BOTC MAIN FORUM (LI, CT, WC) Boys 2018 Fall 2014/Summer 2015

91 2018 team selections posted

can some one post to 2019 what and when we should expect things to happen.

Who we should hear from or how we get our sons to attend the top Evaluations.

I hear about 3d, I hear about going to Florida, I hear about Jake Reed.

How do we start this process and who is out there to talk to. My son is on a top tier team and a focus player. I just want BOTC outline for this new landscape many of the 2019 parents and families will be entering

Don't waste your time and money going to Florida to qualify for Jake Reed. There are many better alternatives. If your son is a good player he will have opportunity to be evaluated through club play and prospect camps. Your club should be offering some showcase tournaments this coming summer. School will start to play a bigger roll too as you become a rising freshman. By the end of next summer Make sure you have advocates ( school coach, club coach) that can help get you in the individual Philly and maverick showcases. That,s what I see in my rear view mirror.

hard to know if there was movement from extreme and orange with their # system

Good advice in other response to your quesiton above. Showcases that matter: Philly Freshman Showcase - Fall of Freshman year, Maverik Showtime (best by far) in summer after freshman year, Adrenaline Black Card. Would punt on 3D Blue Chip (in winter to get to Jake Reed) and take your chances on a direct invite your son;s freshman year. JR is no longer what it once was. Would only go to prospect days where college coach spoke to your son's club coach or H.S. coach and told them they want your son there and is a school you/your son may be inertested in. Lastly, like the advice in another response, play for the best club team possible who goes to the best tournaments and have advocates who support your son. The best advice I have received is that there is only so much you can do to help support your child, ultimately it is up to them and how they play assuming they are at the better venues. Relax and enjoy, if your kid is good enough they will get noticed.

Thank you.

I am sure there may be a few more questions

Here is a BIG bit of advice, and it will sound crazy to some.

Go visit some colleges, maybe not the school you or your son is dying to play lacrosse at, but a variety of schools. Large, small, rural, urban, older newer, maybe a service academy. Talk to some players Your son might get an offer out of the blue and will want to move somewhat quickly. Getting your son to be familiar with the concept of a good academic and social fit is important. It really isn't all about lacrosse.

So what do people think about reclassified players and some that say they are reclassifying at a latter date so they can take a players spot. Example a player born in 1999 and in 10th grade says he's going to repeat Senior year so his grad year is now 2018 not 2017. This player now goes out for 2018 grade year teams and takes spot of player in that grade. This player has yet to reclassify. Is this fair and should it be allowed.

Who cares. It has been going on since fire and the wheel was invented. Do you really want to hear people whine. Apparently it works and advantages a player to fulfill his/her goal/dream of playing on a D1 team. So nothing that will change that and we shouldn't judge. And no I don't have a hold back.

What if the kid is still in 10th grade and plays on a 9th grade team. Didn't repeat 9th but planning on repeating 12th which he hasn't even reached yet. Rules people isnt this a violation.

First of all no player is reclassifying senior year, its either going to happen 8th into 9th or 9th into 10th. Also once the boys play Varsity lacrosse it doesn't matter what age you are, 8th-12th 13-19 year old will be on the field together so either get better, get bigger or go home, stop crying, my son is the youngest in his grade, he just has to work harder, that's it, can't go and complain. Man up already or play PAL!

the only rule is that there are no rules

I lived it when my son was asked to do a pg yr while he was being recruited the summer of his jr yr. he was offered a spot in the year younger class. This was his dream school and honestly was thrilled to accept coaches offer. His options were limited and wasn't interested in repeating a Hs year at that point. So he accepted the spot and the next summer, rising sr, he played with the grade he would be playing with after he pgs. He's young for his grade and taking the extra year can only prepare him for for the rigorous schedule of a D1 student athlete. This is one persons experience and we are not interested in anyone's opinion. Just thought we would share.

So it's perfectly legal? Your actually enrolled in 10th grade and playing in 9th grade.

What a skill - typing while pumping your chest like an ape. I’m impressed! The only thing that’s apparent from your diatribe is that you’re confusing local thinking with national thinking. It may interest you to know that reclassifying or whatever you want to call it, has nothing to do with hs varsity lacrosse. It’s all about the class you will be entering college. So a player could be the big star on his hs team but still play on his “future college entrance year” travel team. Why bother, you may ask, since he’s pging? Plus, that wouldn’t be fair you say. News flash, no one gives a rats [lacrosse] about what’s fair or what you think. It’s all about national rankings, higher exposure, elite showcase invitationals. perhaps getting the eye of a better college coach (hopefully you do know it’s about getting into a better school and not $$). You can whine all you want but the landscape of college lacrosse recruiting has changed forever. If you’re still confused, at least have an open mind. Speak to people you know with kids who have played D1, who are committed to D1 and who are being recruited by D1. Look at the new rankings that recently came out. Check the birth dates. Research D1 rosters, some have birth dates listed. I’m just saying before you bash the “new” system, educate yourself. It may be too late for your kid if he’s still counting on hs varsity lax exposure but just maybe someone will read this with an open mind and before running his mouth off will put forth the same effort to educate himself.

To original poster:
Don't flatter yourself when you say "reclassifying at a latter date so they can take a players spot". Most likely the last thing on his mind is your son and his so called spot. Your statement makes me laugh.

As what you say is very true doesn't make it right for some people. will most kids stand out if they reclassify, yes! Until it is the norm where it all balances again. Then what? Oh wait that is here the Hold backs in kindergarden to then the reclassify's.

Just because it is done doesn't make it right!!!! Just because it isn't illegal doesn't make it immoral.


We will all live and learn. Fortunate enough to have connections to steer me in a right direction "If that is what I want". I was lectured on doing what was best for my son's future (beyond college) and that is what it is about. I was also told If I did not choose the Reclassify path coaches understand this path is not on everyone's moral compass.

As what you say is very true doesn't make it right for some people. will most kids stand out if they reclassify, yes! Until it is the norm where it all balances again. Then what? Oh wait that is here the Hold backs in kindergarden to then the reclassify's.

Just because it is done doesn't make it right!!!! Just because it isn't illegal doesn't make it immoral.


We will all live and learn. Fortunate enough to have connections to steer me in a right direction "If that is what I want". I was lectured on doing what was best for my son's future (beyond college) and that is what it is about.

Good advice. I've heard from many DI athletes that they are unhappy and wish they hadn't committed. Make sure it is really what your KID wants and that they know what is involved.

Stay off the double shot of espresso latte. Was not pumping my chest. I was actually trying to educate myself by asking a question on a lacrosse board. I understand the reclassification approach and why people do it. Have a few friends who's children have. Their approach was different. This is just the first time I have heard of someone saying they will in the future and playing down. Usually a player repeats a year and even does a Post Graduate year which can and most often results in players getting into better schools. Which I know this is all about. So take a chill pill. Wasn't pointing fingers at anyone and didn't name anyone.

Educate yourself from this form? Um, ok, good luck. Lol

to reclass is to be a cheater. It is that simple. You are a cheater and worse yet, you have convinced your kid that it is ok to be a cheater.

he feels foolish at school and the other kids are talking behind his back just so you can tell your friends your boy plays D-1...Yes, super reclass dad, we are all talking about you behind your back too.

You (applies to all that do this reclass thing or argue its merits) are a small little sad person with a small little sad mind. Feel bad for you and your son.

I think the it is reasonable to come to this forum for education/feedback. How you use some of the "advice" is up to you.

Please entertain some questions. If your boy Johnny was born in March 2000, what decisions would you make as a parent?

It is the summer of 2005. You need to decide whether to enroll him in Kindergarten. Do you send him? Or keep him home (reclass to 2019)?
-what if he was struggling with Pre-K reading?
-what if he is physically immature?

It is January of 2014. Johnny is a 2nd line middie on a pretty good lax team but hasn’t reached puberty. Do you send him to a private school to repeat 8th grade?
-what if he was also struggling academically?
-what if he was a straight “A” student?
-what if w/o lax his middle school grades looked “Patriot” but with lax his grades were “Ivy”?

In the spring of 2015 he is playing varsity as a freshman and Maryland or Syracuse want to early verbal him. Does he agree?
-what if he was struggling in the classroom?
-what if he has “Ivy” grades and a decent PSAT under his belt already?

In the Summer of 2016 UNC approaches but tells him they are done with 2018s. Does he agree to post grad?

It is April 2018 he just received admission to Columbia to go Pre-Med. Wagner is rounding out their recruiting class and makes him an offer. Does he make a late switch for lacrosse?

Reclass, Repeat 8th grade, then PG. Be the most popular stud freshman on the lax team at Harvard and be able to buy beer for all the girls. Get into med school and become a doctor without the columbia pre med.

Destroy Wagner is a preseason game and LMAO.

I hear that 2018 Terps are not going to Philly Freshman?

Philly showcase is a two day event. Individuals showcase on saturday and team showcase on sunday. several 2018 terps will be there on saturday, but on sunday the team is playing in MD at an invite only team event. crabs and MD crowd that day.

My son just got invite last week- individual how important is it for him to go?(Philly Showcase)

What is the B team doing that day...

would make sense for the B team to play at Philly Freshman since the Express club was invited, after all, they are practicing.

It is the premier individual recruiting event for 2018's this fall. It might not be for everybody, and if you are planning on taking your time then you don't need to go but if you feel you child is going to be a D1 recruit and you want to be seen I would go.

I see @angrylax mom is posting to this board.

Maybe she is, maybe she isn't but the logic holds true. Reclass, holdback, all the same cheating 101...

Also a terps 2018 parent, and today my kid is a stud. But the truth is he may not be tomorrow. My kid's odd are better, if he performs well in his chances in front of d-1 coaches, great, if not, no d-1 for us.

for those on b or subpar A teams, your chances are far worse. there are only so many spots and college coaches just aren't going to watch the best B kid play agwinst other B players. it is simple math and while it sucks, it is the truth.

Do your family a favor and spend the 5K on tutors, you will be much better off. paying 91 or exrpess for the dream has worse odds than lotto...

really? worse then lotto? snywhere from 50 - 90% going D1 is a little better the lotto

You're beyond a [lacrosse]...

I have a child who reclassified and I think the repeated references to cheating is way off base. In my child's situation he was an incredibly late bloomer. His peers finished growing before he even started. Trust me, he took his lumps as the "small guy" in middle school sports. Reclassifying gave him an extra year to catch up from a growth perspective. His skills were always advanced for his age and he worked his butt off on the things he could control (lax IQ, fitness, stick skills). If coaches are going to look at kids in 8th grade which advantages the early bloomers, why shouldn't a child reclassify to remove the disadvantage of hitting puberty late? My experience has been that the parents who complain the loudest about reclassifying are the parents of the kids who started shaving in sixth grade. The kids I do feel bad for are the kids who are late bloomers and whose families do not have the flexibility (financial or otherwise) to reclassify them. I think most would agree that the current recruiting timeline leaves a lot to be desired. But I don't think it's fair or helpful to flame a parent or child for doing what benefits them in a flawed system.

I'm sorry but I find what you did to be a disgrace. You held your kid back for purely athletic reasons. What are the social implications your son is now faced with? Is it really worth it for a chance to play college lax? So now he's looked at in school as the kid left back so he can be better in lacrosse than the other kids. Great way to make new friends. I'm sorry but I disagree with all this reclassifying for athletics. Not the greatest lesson taught to children....if you can't make it against your peers---beat younger kids.

I get your frustration, but to then hold your kid back and have him essentially "bully" the younger kids once he did mature is an incredibly selfish act. Our son was always a big kid and matured on time. Instead of having him stay on age for some sick advantage, we always have him play up. JV as 7th grader, Varsity as a 9th grader. Its called doing the right thing or sportsmanship. What you're doing is the right thing for your kid at the "expense" of other kids in sport. That's why parents of the bigger more mature kids have such distain for your actions. We also think, my god if I did that with our kid he might really hurt someone. When your kid grows and he's now bigger than all the littler, younger kids, what then? Going to drop him back? No, because your a scumbag that was looking for a leg up or crutch for your kid. Sad. Here's a little something to chew on. Went to a recent College prospect day, they broke the kids up by AGE, oops there goes your advantage....

You're an embarrassment! Intentionally holding you kid back because he's a late bloomer with the hope of getting a few grand towards college is disgusting.

Ok, if you want to call me names because it makes you feel better, that is your right. But the truth is the truth and the chances of a kid playing d-1 coming from a B or C team in 9th grade are slim. Sure there will be exceptions and even though you are calling me names, I hope your kid is the exception and he gets that d-1 spot.

For the rest, open your eyes and understand that the odds are very small and the club programs are selling you a dream that will likely not pan out. So, stop complaining about what you don't get on the B or C teams. Clubs are a business and selling you hope but they can't deliver on that hope.

Even on the A teams like terps and extreme, there are plenty of kids that will not make d-1. Most of the kids on those A teams don't get invites to JR, Philly or Maverick, so how in the world will they get in front of a d-1 coach? With early recruiting, the top d-1 schools will have their rosters filled before a kid ever sets foot on a HS field. The coaches aren't watching JV games even at the best school programs and the school programs are not helping your 9th grader get noticed because they are trying to win.

If your kid is not invited JR, Philly or Maverick and is not going to start as a 9th grader on varsity, your best odds are going to prospect days at his school of choice and hopefully performing well in the few hours the coaches are watching.

Please don't spend another summer weekend stuck in traffic on the NJ turnpike heading to some meaningless tournament and please don't come here and complain that the B team pays the same but doesn't get the same. The B and C teams will never get the same treatment because the club owners need to bring the best kids to the best tournaments so they can put another "congratulations to xxx for being recruited to xxx school"

If you think this is the case, rather than hope someone else also thinks it is the case, pick up the phone and call the coach.