Blackwolf 2025 and 2026 teams

[Anonymous]

How do you know the younger teams aren't talented, they've been around for about a week total. If they even formed for all age groups.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you know the younger teams aren't talented, they've been around for about a week total. If they even formed for all age groups.

By younger teams I am referring to the 2022 and 2023 teams. They have a 2-3 top level players on the 22 team after that they have not attracted the same level of talent they did in the past. This is due to the rise of Next Level and DCE along with DC Dogs at the '23 level. These teams have a lot of IAC and WCAC players that used to go to Black Wolf. The current Blackwolf '22 and '23 teams are not getting these players. I think trying to get a '25 and '26 team was a result of knowing the talent in not heading to BW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know the younger teams aren't talented, they've been around for about a week total. If they even formed for all age groups.

By younger teams I am referring to the 2022 and 2023 teams. They have a 2-3 top level players on the 22 team after that they have not attracted the same level of talent they did in the past. This is due to the rise of Next Level and DCE along with DC Dogs at the '23 level. These teams have a lot of IAC and WCAC players that used to go to Black Wolf. The current Blackwolf '22 and '23 teams are not getting these players. I think trying to get a '25 and '26 team was a result of knowing the talent in not heading to BW.

That Next Level '22 team is losing kids by the year. It was bad this Summer and looks even worse now. DCE and MadLax seem to be dominating DC for '22s. Seems like a bunch of kids are forgoing club altogether too.

[Anonymous]

With rise of Next Level and DC Express high school programs, MadLax and Blackwolf teams (younger than '20) are not as strong. This summer, it looked like Blackwolf did not participate in high profile summer tournaments like Crabfeast or Naptown, they appear to only do Baltimore Summer Kickoff sessions.

[Anonymous]

Blackwolf even in its heyday never played in the high profile tourneys. Albeit, great college placement history...somehow with smoke and mirrors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know the younger teams aren't talented, they've been around for about a week total. If they even formed for all age groups.

By younger teams I am referring to the 2022 and 2023 teams. They have a 2-3 top level players on the 22 team after that they have not attracted the same level of talent they did in the past. This is due to the rise of Next Level and DCE along with DC Dogs at the '23 level. These teams have a lot of IAC and WCAC players that used to go to Black Wolf. The current Blackwolf '22 and '23 teams are not getting these players. I think trying to get a '25 and '26 team was a result of knowing the talent in not heading to BW.

That Next Level '22 team is losing kids by the year. It was bad this Summer and looks even worse now. DCE and MadLax seem to be dominating DC for '22s. Seems like a bunch of kids are forgoing club altogether too.

Are they still playing for their high schools and/or thinking about playing in college? When I look at our club's college placement lately I wonder if we shouldn't encourage DC (middle schooler) to pursue something else that will either help DC with college placement in a more general sense and/or be an actual useful skill for the future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With rise of Next Level and DC Express high school programs, MadLax and Blackwolf teams (younger than '20) are not as strong. This summer, it looked like Blackwolf did not participate in high profile summer tournaments like Crabfeast or Naptown, they appear to only do Baltimore Summer Kickoff sessions.

Madlax '23 team is very strong and the best in the DC area. Madlax '22 is also one of if not the best. Blackwolf is no longer in the conversation with Madlax as the teams are not in the same league. The rise of NL and DCE are the primary reason Blackwolf was not able to get the players they did in the past from the top HS programs.

[Anonymous]

I stand corrected, Madlax '23 team is very strong for sure.

[Anonymous]

Madlax 24 team is also top 3 in the nation maybe the best. To say that ML teams are weak after 2020 is way off. Blackwolf however clearly is not comparable to Madlax. The '22 team is not near what Blackwolf has had in the past and the '23 team is about on par from what I understand with other NOVA teams like Evergreen, Top Caliber, and Cavalier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know the younger teams aren't talented, they've been around for about a week total. If they even formed for all age groups.

By younger teams I am referring to the 2022 and 2023 teams. They have a 2-3 top level players on the 22 team after that they have not attracted the same level of talent they did in the past. This is due to the rise of Next Level and DCE along with DC Dogs at the '23 level. These teams have a lot of IAC and WCAC players that used to go to Black Wolf. The current Blackwolf '22 and '23 teams are not getting these players. I think trying to get a '25 and '26 team was a result of knowing the talent in not heading to BW.

That Next Level '22 team is losing kids by the year. It was bad this Summer and looks even worse now. DCE and MadLax seem to be dominating DC for '22s. Seems like a bunch of kids are forgoing club altogether too.

Are they still playing for their high schools and/or thinking about playing in college? When I look at our club's college placement lately I wonder if we shouldn't encourage DC (middle schooler) to pursue something else that will either help DC with college placement in a more general sense and/or be an actual useful skill for the future.

Kids are playing but focusing on their high school teams instead of club. Gonzaga and SJC play Summer and Fall tournaments and are pretty much year-round programs. I know some IAC kids play other sports and don't bother.

[Anonymous]

The later recruiting, and the rise of more national HS events does make this a good option for some. If you have a kids on a top HS team why play club?

[Anonymous]

Thank you. That is great info.

[Anonymous]

Younger age groups in NoVa just seem bad right now..especially in the 24-26 ages. I think it will take some time for VLC, MadLax, and Top Caliber families/kids to figure out if they are where they need to be.

The MadLax Capital team seems to be doing "ok"..the rest are pounding on each other and playing in "B" leagues to pad their wins..maybe normal, but I figure it just doesn't matter what these younger kids are doing until they hit middle school at least. Too bad a lot of folks are just flushing cash..

VLC is moving out to Loudoun County to be near their PVI connection so that might shift the NoVA landscape a bit for these programs and Top Caliber is alledgedly dancing with the St. James..a la STARS on the girls side...every year something different. The new Dominion offering looks intriguing for boys too. Almost wish there were less offerings and the top boys would all end up in the same places!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Younger age groups in NoVa just seem bad right now..especially in the 24-26 ages. I think it will take some time for VLC, MadLax, and Top Caliber families/kids to figure out if they are where they need to be.

The MadLax Capital team seems to be doing "ok"..the rest are pounding on each other and playing in "B" leagues to pad their wins..maybe normal, but I figure it just doesn't matter what these younger kids are doing until they hit middle school at least. Too bad a lot of folks are just flushing cash..

VLC is moving out to Loudoun County to be near their PVI connection so that might shift the NoVA landscape a bit for these programs and Top Caliber is alledgedly dancing with the St. James..a la STARS on the girls side...every year something different. The new Dominion offering looks intriguing for boys too. Almost wish there were less offerings and the top boys would all end up in the same places!

Not a single accurate statement in this post. Madlax teams especially 2024 are stronger than ever. VLC is not moving to Loudoun and what is the new Dominion offering?

[Anonymous]

VLC is practicing very, very far from Loudoun much to the chagrin of most of the families who live in Loudoun.