Retired Club Parent Observations (Boys)
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Anonymous
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My youngest kid ended his final club season last weekend. All of my kids will end up playing in college (last one being a 26). Fortunately or unfortunately, I have dealt directly with NL, ML, and DCE over the years. Here are my thoughts, mainly talking bout the HS years. Take'em or leave'em.
1. No club is perfect. They are run by average operators and thought leaders, so lower expectations when it comes to dealing with the club leadership. 2. Best result I saw was the Dad coach, who played in college and also knew how good or bad his own son was. Daddy ball is no good; but if they are clear eyed about their kid, this is the best chance. The Dad/coach is on the inside and can influence roster (poaching, recruiting, cuts), schedule, practice location, system and culture. Plus, the Dad cares and really wants for a positive experience for his son and his son's friends. When done right, they win a lot and get kids recruited. 3. Winning matters. The clubs that say it doesn't, don't win. Playoff Sunday games are better, and college coaches migrate to those. 4. Equal play time is only good if the rosters are 24 and under and everyone can play at a pretty high to high level. Anything above 24 is a drain on the team and takes away from winning. 5. Roster inflation is a major issue. In particular w DCE and NL (ML rosters are smaller generally cause the HS aged kid seems to move away from ML and all the CM stuff if they have better options). Clubs are taking the profits with the extra kids, but it hurts the elite player, both in exposure and development, and lowers your team's chance to win. The bottom 4-6 kids on an inflated roster are generally not quite on the level of the other kids, which drives the whole issue. 6. Follow the goalie and the fogo. If you have elite in either or both, you have a shot. If you don't, you are screwed. If your son is one of those, you have major leverage. 7. If a club has a third middle line, a 6th attack or d-pole and more than 2 d mids and 2 lsm's, it is too many. 8. If your son is one of the above, you should find a club that he is not one of the above, and get more minutes to develop and have fun. 9. The better your son is, the more leverage you have. Get with the other better players and a really good goalie and you can dictate a lot to the club (roster size, schedule, coach) 10. Holding back your son works, or people wouldn't do it. The advantage is goes away once you get to college, but for the recruiting summer year, it is a definite advantage (for the record, none of my boys needed to do it, which I am thankful for). Be honest in evaluation whether your son needs it or not to get recruited. Most hold backs probably wouldn't be going to the schools they are w/o the extra year ie it works. I said most, not all, for all you over sensitive types. 11. Yes it is too expensive, but find me a better way to get mass exposure to college coaches in lacrosse. Sadly, the club owners know this hence they get away being average operators and charging whatever they want. |
Anonymous
| Great post!! Remarkable all the learning that went into those observations and one reason why this board is so useful. Imagine if you are a 4th grade parent and new to the game of lacrosse. It would take you 5 years to learn just a few of those lessons and the OP just offered it up gratis. Great lesson in life here too -- consult those who walked before you -- it will make your path much easier/faster! |
Anonymous
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Thanks, good thread, better than most of the drivel on here.
I'd counter imo: You're doing ok with a good h.s. coach, and maybe even better a h.s./dad. They're used to dealing with kids that age, being organized enough, have systems and practice setups and having the control on how to handle players. One real difference in club vs school ball (and college) is the lack of middie specialization vis-a-vis ssdms and 2 ways. Doesn't have to be that way, it's just what hasn't evolved. probably will, as there's a market for it. if you're doing it right (drilling it and organized) it creates advantages to the winning, etc. that's 3 ssdms/wings and your number goes to 25 (of course you could trim att or d to 4, but not for a full season). Don't know about #9, yeesh. Any good coach isn't signing up for that. If a good coach isn't in place anyway, maybe? Not seeing it as too expensive. I mean, is it pricing people out and a detriment to the game? Sure, but for those willing to pay, it's flourishing and nobody's upsetting that apple cart anytime soon. Prices would have to be higher to attract better operators. |
Anonymous
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Yes - this totally aligns with my experience as well.
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Anonymous
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club lacrosse has priced out several families in the past few years.
there is a reason now many NOVA and MOCO public school teams hardly field JV teams anymore. heck even in the IAC, JV programs appear to be fizzling out. Lacrosse has reached its plateau in terms of growth and the US Lacrosse numbers indicate this. |
Anonymous
| Its only plateaued bc the college opportunities are fairly limited on the boys side. This is mainly due to football sucking up all the revenue and scholarships which is likely going to get worse! |
Anonymous
It started declining around here in the mid 2010's. That was the peak. Not coincidentally, that's when club enroached on the spring (~2 years earlier). So it wasn't the pricing per se, it's that they killed rec in the process. And it was always inevitable after that. At some point it might all rebound, tough to know what the catalyst will be. Because every time some young kid gets good/better, he heads off to club instead of getting 3-5 friends to come play with him in rec. |
Anonymous
| As a parent with a 26 son, the roster inflation in HS was real, and a problem. Too many kids hurt our team. I get the clubs don’t really care, but it should be addressed. And with no tryouts in HS, the additions are just placed on the team, which drive me crazy. |
Anonymous
| I have a 2026 as well. If you've got a younger kid starting out in club, save this guy's post. Minor disagreements on the margins but overall he knows what he's talking about. |
Anonymous
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What do the USA lacrosse numbers say?
Follow the goalie and fogo is great advice. Getting to Sundays as well. These are somewhat connected |
Anonymous
| Participation numbers have plateaued in the traditional hotbeds, but the game is still growing across the country. The clubs will milk the south, Midwest and west and long as parents will pay - and they will keep paying. Even with twice as many kids in the lax system as there are now, it’s still the easiest path to collegiate athletics (and a likely step up in academics) - especially for upper-middle and upper class kids. |
Anonymous
The total numbers have flatlined since 2018 for the boys and that's because the outlying areas' growth has offset the major declines in traditional hotbeds. NVYLL as an example is off 40+ -50% from peak numbers in 2014 - 2015. Some of those kids are playing exclusively club, but that barely makes a dent in the huge dropoff. Will lacrosse grow again as a sport? Probably. But getting those mid to high single digit growth numbers again every year will be more than difficult. |
Anonymous
| Kids don’t play multiple sports anymore, that’s a big drag on participation numbers for what for most kids was always a secondary sport. |
Anonymous
| For all you 2029, 2030 and 2031 parents of sons playing in the area. Take note of the OP comments and take it seriously as your son and family will be better off for it! I would agree it is the best post I have seen to date and spot on. |
Anonymous
| Sorry, what is fogo? |