Feedback on VLC Club Lacrosse?

[Anonymous]

Attention all! Supplemental tryouts for almost all VLC teams. That shows the true insight into a Club that has fallen off a cliff.

[Anonymous]

There’s not enough interest in lacrosse to support this many teams. A lot of the lesser public schools (in lacrosse terms) are having trouble getting enough players to field a varsity and JV team. On the private side a lot of the players would be cut from popular sports like basketball based on athleticism. Part of the draw of lacrosse is that it is a fringe sport that a hardworking moderately athletic kid can successfully play. As opposed to say soccer or basketball where you have to be pretty athletic to even make the team

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There’s not enough interest in lacrosse to support this many teams. A lot of the lesser public schools (in lacrosse terms) are having trouble getting enough players to field a varsity and JV team. On the private side a lot of the players would be cut from popular sports like basketball based on athleticism. Part of the draw of lacrosse is that it is a fringe sport that a hardworking moderately athletic kid can successfully play. As opposed to say soccer or basketball where you have to be pretty athletic to even make the team

Wow! If ever there was a misinformed opinion about lacrosse, this is it. The athleticism required to play lacrosse is significant. Can a moderately athletic kid successfully play? Yes. But that kid can also play soccer and basketball. The successful lacrosse players are just as athletic as the successful soccer, basketball, and football players.

VLC having problems fielding youth teams isn't a function of not enough interest. Admittedly, there is talent dilution in Northern Virginia. But VLC's problem really came about by not understanding the evolving marketplace and resting on their previous excellent reputation. They wanted everyone to "trust the process" and weren't responsive to parent (consumer) concerns. And groups of parents had unrealistic expectations regarding performance as well. Had VLC been proactive in addressing reasonable parent concerns and adapted, they would have been able to field highly successful and athletic teams at the youth age groups. It remains to be seen if they can recover.

But the draw of lacrosse isn't that it is a fringe sport. Check out ESPN, the PLL, and the college game broadcasts. It is very much mainstream. Not nearly the numbers of soccer. But easily on par with hockey.

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP. comparing sports is silly. There are big time football players who also play lacrosse. As far as not making the team at a top private school? Show me one soccer or baseball player making the basketball team at PVI Saint John’s or Dematha. It is not because they are not as “athletic”.

[Anonymous]

The point I was trying to make is that lacrosse participation is much smaller than most of the other highschool sports. NVYLL has two-year age groups because there’s not enough kids in a single year to field teams consistently. More kids at Marshall, Madison and Oakton come out for freshman football than try out for both JV and varsity lacrosse every year.

Therefore, it’s going to be tough for Northern Virginia to support five or six clubs, especially if most of them aspire to having two teams per grade year. Right now we have Madlax(2 team), True (two teams), TC, Hammers and VLC. That would be seven teams per grade level and that doesn’t take into account the kids who cross the river to play BLC & NL. It also doesn’t take into account marginal clubs like Blackwolf and ST James.

I MHO NOVA can’t support more than 4 clubs (70-120 kids per grade level) and even then there will be problems fielding competitive teams.

[Anonymous]

I just saw on Facebook that they threw out a Supplemental Try Out for the following:

2033-32
2030-29
2027 (Face Off Only)
2026-25

I guess its official that they do not have a 2028. Also, I am guessing they are low on players..

[Anonymous]

True is eating VLC’s lunch

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:True is eating VLC’s lunch

???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:True is eating VLC’s lunch

They've definitely upset any model/hold they thought they had that's for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:True is eating VLC’s lunch

They've definitely upset any model/hold they thought they had that's for sure.

They need better marketing reach. They do not have the Loudoun kids like they thought they always would..

[Anonymous]

I'd be concerned that 2025 was having a tryout? expect a bunch of those players to get phone calls in a couple weeks?!?!

They have been a stronger offering at VLC last few years? (Pre-Cavs merger)

[Anonymous]

Is VLC charging for the extra tryout?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd be concerned that 2025 was having a tryout? expect a bunch of those players to get phone calls in a couple weeks?!?!

They have been a stronger offering at VLC last few years? (Pre-Cavs merger)

That is very interesting... I also thought 2026 was ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just saw on Facebook that they threw out a Supplemental Try Out for the following:

2033-32
2030-29
2027 (Face Off Only)
2026-25

I guess its official that they do not have a 2028. Also, I am guessing they are low on players..

They had 2 28 teams so they had enough for at least 1 (which is why there are no supplemental tryouts for this age group just like 2031s).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just saw on Facebook that they threw out a Supplemental Try Out for the following:

2033-32
2030-29
2027 (Face Off Only)
2026-25

I guess its official that they do not have a 2028. Also, I am guessing they are low on players..

They had 2 28 teams so they had enough for at least 1 (which is why there are no supplemental tryouts for this age group just like 2031s).

I am pretty sure they do not have a 2028 team at all. Just like they did not have a 2027 team last year.