Sounds like a lot of 7th and 8th grade parents are drinking the Ryan McClernan brewed and spiked Kool Aid. If you think some college coach watching a 20 minute running half of middle school club lacrosse at an NLF or Crabs or an NXT event is a game changer, you are mistaken. Approximately 100% of colleges attending these kiddiepalooza lacrosse tournaments are there for two reasons: 1. to sign in to say "Joe was here!", and 2. do #1 in order to get from Ryan McClernan and other tournament directors your email addresses from the tournament registry. This creates a cross reliance between NCAA coaches ad club coaches with your credit cards in the middle, and that is exactly where Ryan McClernan wants you for 2,3 or 4 years of pony rides and lacrosse merry go rounds.
With your email addresses, those nice "we noticed you at Crab Fiesta" emails come inviting you to expensive college camps and prospect days. The term in the trade is to help you gather "the illusion of being recruited" so you will stay on the juice for a few years going to all these events. Somehow in all this mess Ryan, Cabell, Trig, Langley, etc etc decided already which players he will steer to colleges first and attend to that. Here's some free financial advice to you folks if you haven't purchased or bargained the club people's focus and advocacy before these stupid tournaments get going then be reflective about the fact you are only a paid participant and hopefully your son is enjoying it along the way. The sooner you understand that being a good lacrosse player on a top team has little to nothing to do with being a recruit, the more informed and better off you will be. | 
