.[/quote]
I think that most agree on this forum that through 2022, LE has a great teams, it's the following classes that have seen the drop in performance., but what you are failing to recognize is that kids from Tri State, BBL, Riot, Bluestar, etc. are getting recruited by the same schools. I assure you, whether your kids makes LE or not, when your kid gets to high school, you will understand that LE is not the holy grail of NJ lacrosse. I would also encourage you to find out how many kids on the LE teams have reclassed, and wait until to you see how they treat the on-age kids when a reclass comes along at the same position (even those 2024/2025 studs that they added this year).[/quote]
I do see what your saying, but also think that it is unfair to act like they treat their players poorly. That is just simply not true.[/quote]
Agreed, if you are one of their top players, but I know quite a few kids that have lost their spots to reclasses leaving them in a jam trying to find a new club in high school. That being said, and in all fairness, the real difference is that the other NJ clubs listed can at least put a kid on their "B" team, which for some, is the equivalent of getting cut from the club. Either way, any of the top kids that come from LE, Tri State, BBL, Riot or Bluestar are going to get recruited by good schools, they all play in tournaments that offer exposure to college coaches, Bottom line, LE has a very good track record, but there is a lot more to a club than a list of recruits, if the club is not making you a better player year-after-year, then it seems like a lost opportunity. It's easy for a team to get better by adding and subtracting players, it is a much greater accomplishment for a club to develop a kid and get him recruited.[/quote]
Unfortunately, this argument is based around the assumption that all kids start at the same level and can be developed with limitless potential. In reality, the highest level a player reaches is more dependent on their natural abilities, work ethic, and athleticism than what happens at club practice.
Given identical players at the youth level, would any of these clubs really outshine the others down the road? Maybe a little bit but not drastically. heck if someone has twins, try it out and let us know! /s
What actually happens is clubs attract the top talent at different points in their careers. For whatever reason, BBL and Tri State attract talent at much earlier ages. Maybe its the culture, or WSYL participation, or parents wanting to stay close to home, or where their friends are playing. LE tends to attract the talent later on. Failing to bring kids in at younger ages makes this a self-fulfilling prophecy. They cut lesser players to make room for more talented ones. Thats the reality of life and college sports.
Do clubs aid in the player development process? Yes. Is there some magic formula that makes one method superior to all others? No. Don’t fall into the trap of using a club as a scapegoat for a lack of individual responsibility. | 
