Black Ops for WSYL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If my son is on a B team at one of the Black Ops clubs, does he have shot at making the team? He should have made the A team last summer but in a crazy year was placed on B team after tryouts, He's hoping to move after this year but Black ops sounds like a good option to develop as a player if they have good coaching!

Often when a talented player who belongs on an A team is not picked, there is a reason. The reason could be hustle, coachability, commitment, relationships with teammates, sportsmanship, and believe it or not, how much respect the players’s parents show toward the coaches and the team. So if your son was not put on an A team where be belongs talent-wise, instead of chalking it up to a crazy year, you should talk honestly to your son, and maybe the coaches, to find out why. The coaches at both BLC and NextLevel are the kind of guys who would be happy to give honest feedback why your son was not picked. That discussion might help him if he does try out for Black Ops or whatever new club. Good luck!

No, Next Level will not give honest feedback. They are on a quest to have nationally-ranked 25 and 24 teams and beat Madlax. All decisions were made based on that....but they won't say it. It's their business, so of course they can run it as they want, but let's not pretend NL is any different from any other youth sports organization.

Can you elaborate on what you mean? The objective of all competitive programs is to select the best team they can. If a team measures its goals in terms of national rankings and surpassing its top competitor that sounds reasonable and normal to me. But obviously you are trying to say something more about NextLevel, so please share what it is.

Not the previous poster, but a long term NL parent and I think what drives this kinds of comments is somewhat of a shift in the way the NL teams are run. If you go back a few years, NL teams grew up together more and there was maybe more focus on internal improvement of the teams. Now as NL has gotten more successful, there is much more roster turnover especially in the middle school years as the teams add new talent. From a competitiveness stand-point, this has been extremely successful. Same from a business perspective if you look at roster sizes. But it has shifted the feel of the program some. This is especially pronounced in the 23 to 25 teams where there was a lot of overhaul to build teams that can compete and win against the top HoCO and national teams. For these teams, there is sense among some that the programs highlights the very top stars to the exclusion of some very good, but not top end players a little down the roster. I imagine the feeling of a “fair” tryout for outside players has also changed as NL looks more for athletes than finished products which often leads to a less skilled but better athlete making a top team over a more skilled but more limited athlete.

NL runs a good program. Logistics side is really good in my opinion and they are a top team in a lot of age groups now. Dave/Boh/Heeter are all good people. But NL can’t be all things to all people and some kids get lost in the churn of building strong teams. But that’s what the market wants. Teams that don’t win lose players and customers. My guess is DCE and to a lesser extent VLC (which has a different model) would voice similar issues.

[Anonymous]

Well said. Not a NL parent, but this is an accurate assessment of the marketplace and business model of first tier programs, of which there are four in the DMV (VLC, MadLax, NextLevel, BLC). Every year, in each of those four programs, hard-working good kids who love lacrosse and have been in the program for several years, and formed bonds with teammates and coaches, are cut in favor of more athletic kids. This happens most heavily in grades 6 and 7. Of course it happens most often in MadLax, but definitely happens in the other three programs too, and I think all four programs would openly admit that. It is actually the sign of a strong program to upgrade talent in these grades. Nobody is hiding the ball on this. The good news is that there are options. Some of these kids catch on with one of the other three first tier programs, where maybe they meet a position need, and some move to a second tier program, of which there are many good ones. But the process is gut wrenching when kids this age are cut from teams, no doubt about that.

The post that started this discussion was asking whether a player who did not make the A team on NextLevel or BLC has a chance to make Black Ops. Do the math. Black Ops will be picking 25 players from the combined rosters of three teams, plus possibly some outsiders. Those three rosters have 20-25 players each, and on average, 18-20 probably are age eligible, so that makes 54-60 boys eligible for 25 spots. Not all of those 54-60 will try out, but there will likely be players from MadLax and others who do come out, so the pool will be somewhere between 50-60 players for 25 spots on the team. So if a player could did not make the roster of his home club, the odds are against making this team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well said. Not a NL parent, but this is an accurate assessment of the marketplace and business model of first tier programs, of which there are four in the DMV (VLC, MadLax, NextLevel, BLC). Every year, in each of those four programs, hard-working good kids who love lacrosse and have been in the program for several years, and formed bonds with teammates and coaches, are cut in favor of more athletic kids. This happens most heavily in grades 6 and 7. Of course it happens most often in MadLax, but definitely happens in the other three programs too, and I think all four programs would openly admit that. It is actually the sign of a strong program to upgrade talent in these grades. Nobody is hiding the ball on this. The good news is that there are options. Some of these kids catch on with one of the other three first tier programs, where maybe they meet a position need, and some move to a second tier program, of which there are many good ones. But the process is gut wrenching when kids this age are cut from teams, no doubt about that.

The post that started this discussion was asking whether a player who did not make the A team on NextLevel or BLC has a chance to make Black Ops. Do the math. Black Ops will be picking 25 players from the combined rosters of three teams, plus possibly some outsiders. Those three rosters have 20-25 players each, and on average, 18-20 probably are age eligible, so that makes 54-60 boys eligible for 25 spots. Not all of those 54-60 will try out, but there will likely be players from MadLax and others who do come out, so the pool will be somewhere between 50-60 players for 25 spots on the team. So if a player could did not make the roster of his home club, the odds are against making this team.

Currently nobody is making the team because nobody knows where and when the tryouts are.

[Anonymous]

I'd imagine they are having trouble finding a jurisdiction that would allow 50+ kids on the field at a time, let alone coaches and the parents that will inevitably stay to watch.

[Anonymous]

The lack of tryout info is probably because the overall plan for the team is still in the works. Combining the three teams is a cool idea, but think about the details. For example, on which nights will Black Ops hold their February and March practices? They will need to de-conflict with all three teams and those teams probably do not even know their spring schedules.

And if the three programs are smart, they are negotiating a no-poaching policy for Black Ops players, and trying to figure our how they will enforce it with their own families, without pushing players out.

They also need a plan on how to handle players from MadLax who want to try out. The top MadLax players are probably realizing about now that an all star team of three programs has a better chance of advancing to the ESPN round than an "all star" team from just one program. So Monument may prove to be nothing more than a very expensive opportunity for another beat-down from the Hawks, and probably a worse beating than usual, since the older MadLax kids cannot play. So MadLax was smart to get the $75 up front, but they will have a hard time getting their best players to pay thousands once they see the roster and consider how far the team is likely to advance.

So Black Ops needs to figure out if it wants those MadLax players, and assuming it does, how to explain their inclusion to families in the original three clubs.

It is possible that the silence on tryout teams means that Black Ops has been aborted, but not likely. Anybody who wants to be included had better hold the entire weekend free, and wait for a last minute announcement on when and where to try out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd imagine they are having trouble finding a jurisdiction that would allow 50+ kids on the field at a time, let alone coaches and the parents that will inevitably stay to watch.

Ha! That is the smartest thing I have heard on this topic in a long time. Anybody wondering why they have not been told the time and place for tryouts, there is your answer.

[Anonymous]

Tryouts are on for Saturday, probably in NoVa as their laws are a lot less strict then MDs. BlackOps leadership has confirmed they will push this information out Tuesday afternoon or no later than Wednesday. I also asked the leaders of this if outsiders from other clubs are considered to which they responded, yes but if they are on a rival DC area club, they are going to be heavily pushed to one of these 3 clubs before being admitted. So, if you play for Team MD, MadLax, etc. you should contact the BlackOps program you’d like to join as that could way heavily on making a team or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tryouts are on for Saturday, probably in NoVa as their laws are a lot less strict then MDs. BlackOps leadership has confirmed they will push this information out Tuesday afternoon or no later than Wednesday. I also asked the leaders of this if outsiders from other clubs are considered to which they responded, yes but if they are on a rival DC area club, they are going to be heavily pushed to one of these 3 clubs before being admitted. So, if you play for Team MD, MadLax, etc. you should contact the BlackOps program you’d like to join as that could way heavily on making a team or not.

Are you a coach or organize because why say they are on and then say "probably" and then refer to BlackOps in the 3rd person. If you don't know, don't respond at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tryouts are on for Saturday, probably in NoVa as their laws are a lot less strict then MDs. BlackOps leadership has confirmed they will push this information out Tuesday afternoon or no later than Wednesday. I also asked the leaders of this if outsiders from other clubs are considered to which they responded, yes but if they are on a rival DC area club, they are going to be heavily pushed to one of these 3 clubs before being admitted. So, if you play for Team MD, MadLax, etc. you should contact the BlackOps program you’d like to join as that could way heavily on making a team or not.

"Heavily pushed" is very different than "required to join before being allowed to register for Black Ops." The poster who said that they are working through a bunch of issues was spot on. Be patient, this will play out fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tryouts are on for Saturday, probably in NoVa as their laws are a lot less strict then MDs. BlackOps leadership has confirmed they will push this information out Tuesday afternoon or no later than Wednesday. I also asked the leaders of this if outsiders from other clubs are considered to which they responded, yes but if they are on a rival DC area club, they are going to be heavily pushed to one of these 3 clubs before being admitted. So, if you play for Team MD, MadLax, etc. you should contact the BlackOps program you’d like to join as that could way heavily on making a team or not.

"Heavily pushed" is very different than "required to join before being allowed to register for Black Ops." The poster who said that they are working through a bunch of issues was spot on. Be patient, this will play out fine.

My son is on one of the three teams. I haven’t heard anything about tryouts nor who is allowed to show up or if you can be from another team. All of these posters are providing opinion not facts. They don’t know more than anyone else.

[Anonymous]

New website: https://www.blackopslc.com/ confirms PP's comment about Saturday tryouts. Still no location given.

Intake form still includes "Other" for Club so you should probably assume they will create the team with the highest probability of success.

[Anonymous]

You realize that the amount of time you people are spending on this dwarfs the time for planning the Bin Laden mission.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You realize that the amount of time you people are spending on this dwarfs the time for planning the Bin Laden mission.....

I see what you did there...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If Black Ops and Monument combined, and they put in serious practice time as a team, they would have a team as good or better than Hawks and Tigers.

Who are the Tiger?

NL and Madlax at the younger ages could beat the Hawks Straight up. Don’t know why people think the B-More Teams or the LI teams are better than DMV.

20’s Next Level #2 in country
21’s DC Express #1 in country
22’s Madlax #1 in Country
23’s Madlax #1 in Country & NL in the top 5
24’s Next Level and Madlax are top 5
25’s Madlax Dominant
27’s and below; Next Level might be #1 in the country at all ages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If my son is on a B team at one of the Black Ops clubs, does he have shot at making the team? He should have made the A team last summer but in a crazy year was placed on B team after tryouts, He's hoping to move after this year but Black ops sounds like a good option to develop as a player if they have good coaching!

Often when a talented player who belongs on an A team is not picked, there is a reason. The reason could be hustle, coachability, commitment, relationships with teammates, sportsmanship, and believe it or not, how much respect the players’s parents show toward the coaches and the team. So if your son was not put on an A team where be belongs talent-wise, instead of chalking it up to a crazy year, you should talk honestly to your son, and maybe the coaches, to find out why. The coaches at both BLC and NextLevel are the kind of guys who would be happy to give honest feedback why your son was not picked. That discussion might help him if he does try out for Black Ops or whatever new club. Good luck!

No, Next Level will not give honest feedback. They are on a quest to have nationally-ranked 25 and 24 teams and beat Madlax. All decisions were made based on that....but they won't say it. It's their business, so of course they can run it as they want, but let's not pretend NL is any different from any other youth sports organization.

NL is ran by much better coaches than any program in our area and it’s not even close. I have had sons at Next Level, MadLax, VLC, DCE/BLC, and Team 91 MD.

The head guys all care about developing players at all skill levels. One of my sons spent a year on the “B” team, and Coach Dave would come to most practices and a few tournaments to help out even though he wasn’t the coach.

DCE is about having the coaches son get recruited, MadLax is about assaulting and abusing players, Blackwolf is probably about the children for the Registered Pedophile Head- Coach Trig. VLC is decent, but certainly not as concerned with all there players like NL.