Can anyone here offer a historical perspective on the number of teams participating at the 2028 level? As in, whether this is a record number of teams (elite down to A) wanting to participate. Just curious about the health of local youth lacrosse—and youth sports generally—in the DMV/Baltimore area.
There’s always more teams as you get towards middle school relative to elementary. Comparing sixth grade to previous sixth grade years numbers at HOCo likely to be pretty similar to the past. Maybe a few teams fewer than normal. The decline in numbers has occurred more at the rec level.
I've been tracking the issue for the last 3-4 years even before COVID (and coach two other sports) and I agree with this for 2027s and 2028s. 2029s and 2030s are weird. Very weird #s at tryouts, Crabs folding a team, T91 struggling to get numbers, no B Team for FCA, etc.
Some thoughts about 2028s:
1) The number of true elite players (basically, 1st line on the top 6-8 teams) is similar to past years of 6th grade. Very few will leave the sport by 9th grade.
2) The number of "good players" (2nd line Elite through AA starters) is similar to past years. Maybe a very slight decline. Few will leave the sport by 9th grade.
Those two things above mean that JV HS lacrosse will basically not be impacted at all........for the 2028s.
3) The number of "silent runner rec players" (A-ball club starters and rec kids we've all never seen play) seems very low from 2028 - 2030 vs the 2024-2027 group.
4) The number of "basic rec kids" is extremely low vs historical. Very small rosters including lots of kids who cannot catch and throw, poke check, or dodge without losing the ball. You have clubs like True Baltimore, Swarm, Zingoes etc who have actual decent teams at other age groups, putting kids on the field at HoCo A level who should NOT be playing competitive ball above B or C, if for no other reason than those kids don't like lax enough to practice outside of team practice, and the parents aren't prioritizing small group training (or clubs that offer it in-house).
Just a thought from a MS coach.
