New Girls High School Lacrosse Club

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a question. My DD is in middle school. I have been told by people from other parts of the country at lacrosse tournaments and camps that Capital Lacrosse Club has a reputation for entitled, rude families and extreme backroom politics. I have heard it from more than a handful of people (basically strangers or new friends, all unrelated, so no agenda). It comes up when they ask where my DD will play club in high school. Not everyone but enough say it that I am concerned. These people say we should go to a Baltimore club for high school because the entitled/snobby rep is known to college coaches too. That would be a big move though and hard for us to do. We are trying to decide what to do for next year. We don't have relationships with high school coaches here as my family doesn't go to a big lacrosse school.

Has anyone heard what people are saying about this new club in other parts of the country? Did they make a good impression on other teams this fall? Will they be able to get colleges to watch the girls in the next few years? Have they generated any buzz? Will the name change help or hurt them? Has anyone heard if people think this high school club going to succeed and grow?

There are many clubs in Northern Virginia that are well run, good families, and top players go on to play college lacrosse. Cardinal put players as schools like Duke, FL, and Penn. Depending on where you live driving to Baltimore would be a crazy family sacrifice to make just to play on a club. In the end, it is what the player does not the club. Pick a team you will enjoy. I would also not assume that Capital is bad based on reputation. Find out for yourself. Your daughter will be playing with the other players and not the parents.

[Anonymous]

High School is too late, the very good clubs don’t have tryouts after 8th grade, it’s by invitation only, so most of the top clubs in Baltimore aren’t options.

Capital still has tryouts though, so that’s an option as is MC Elite. Not sure about Panthera

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:High School is too late, the very good clubs don’t have tryouts after 8th grade, it’s by invitation only, so most of the top clubs in Baltimore aren’t options.

Capital still has tryouts though, so that’s an option as is MC Elite. Not sure about Panthera

Not accurate. All the Baltimore teams have tryouts for 9th. And several also for 10th.

[Anonymous]

Two questions:

- Why do the DC-area clubs only practice once a week? Seems unsurprising that if the Baltimore clubs practice more, they are better.
- Is Florida Select really that good, and if so, any specific reasons why? Lax is not brand new in FL, but very few now-adults who grew up there played. That said, the state is full of good athletes, growing quickly, and you can practice outside year round.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:High School is too late, the very good clubs don’t have tryouts after 8th grade, it’s by invitation only, so most of the top clubs in Baltimore aren’t options.

Capital still has tryouts though, so that’s an option as is MC Elite. Not sure about Panthera

Not accurate. All the Baltimore teams have tryouts for 9th. And several also for 10th.

Nope, this is incorrect. TLC holds it last open tryout the summer before eighth grade, M and D the summer before 9th and I believe that is the last year for Coppermine and others as well. Only Skywalkers continues to hold open tryouts throughout high school, perhaps to the previously mentioned attrition issues.

[Anonymous]

Correct^^^^

[Anonymous]

M&D dad here, there are no tryouts in high school, they might add a superstar by invitation, but that’s it. Most of Baltimore operate this way.

The options that are local aren’t even in the same league, Capital, MC, Rebels, Madlax(lol), Panthera might be interesting in a few years, but the disparity is massive. And they have tryouts in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two questions:

- Why do the DC-area clubs only practice once a week? Seems unsurprising that if the Baltimore clubs practice more, they are better.
- Is Florida Select really that good, and if so, any specific reasons why? Lax is not brand new in FL, but very few now-adults who grew up there played. That said, the state is full of good athletes, growing quickly, and you can practice outside year round.

Wish I knew the answer to your first question and wish my DD's team practiced twice a week.

As far as the second question, my DD has played Florida Select a couple times and they are extremely physical and aggressive when faced with a team that challenged them, willing to risk numerous yellow cards and injuring opposing players. I heard they all play for the same HS and that the HS coach is the club coach but I have no idea if that is actually true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two questions:

- Why do the DC-area clubs only practice once a week? Seems unsurprising that if the Baltimore clubs practice more, they are better.
- Is Florida Select really that good, and if so, any specific reasons why? Lax is not brand new in FL, but very few now-adults who grew up there played. That said, the state is full of good athletes, growing quickly, and you can practice outside year round.

Wish I knew the answer to your first question and wish my DD's team practiced twice a week.

As far as the second question, my DD has played Florida Select a couple times and they are extremely physical and aggressive when faced with a team that challenged them, willing to risk numerous yellow cards and injuring opposing players. I heard they all play for the same HS and that the HS coach is the club coach but I have no idea if that is actually true.

Girls lax teams from this area (DMV) play a very non-aggressive form of lax. It’s old fashioned and not terribly competitive. They need to step into the current decade and learn some toughness, grit and not to be so afraid of physical contact. Largely the fault of local coaches and clubs. Every time the local clubs go against top clubs from any where else (MD, NJ, LINY, FL, PA) they get killed because they have no real physical strength or aggression. This is well known by college coaches. BI players seem to be only ones locally who play the more current, physical game. It’s why they win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two questions:

- Why do the DC-area clubs only practice once a week? Seems unsurprising that if the Baltimore clubs practice more, they are better.
- Is Florida Select really that good, and if so, any specific reasons why? Lax is not brand new in FL, but very few now-adults who grew up there played. That said, the state is full of good athletes, growing quickly, and you can practice outside year round.

Wish I knew the answer to your first question and wish my DD's team practiced twice a week.

As far as the second question, my DD has played Florida Select a couple times and they are extremely physical and aggressive when faced with a team that challenged them, willing to risk numerous yellow cards and injuring opposing players. I heard they all play for the same HS and that the HS coach is the club coach but I have no idea if that is actually true.

Girls lax teams from this area (DMV) play a very non-aggressive form of lax. It’s old fashioned and not terribly competitive. They need to step into the current decade and learn some toughness, grit and not to be so afraid of physical contact. Largely the fault of local coaches and clubs. Every time the local clubs go against top clubs from any where else (MD, NJ, LINY, FL, PA) they get killed because they have no real physical strength or aggression. This is well known by college coaches. BI players seem to be only ones locally who play the more current, physical game. It’s why they win.

I agree teams from VA tend not to be as aggressive as some teams from the areas mentioned. With this said I want to make sure an attacking style of play is balanced with playing fairly and within the rules. And coached this way. My daughter has played top competition from all of the areas mentioned. Most of these teams play aggressive, but also fair. It's a fun style of lacrosse to watch.

However, there have been some teams (no names) from these areas who consistently take aggressive play to another level. Their style of play is so consistent from tournament to tournament you almost know beforehand there will be injuries. My daughter has received two concussions and a bloody nose in the last year as a direct result of playing some of these teams. One team in particular. It's not that she isn't tough or she's afraid of physical contact, but she also is not accustom to girls double and tripling-teaming her while one player bodies up and the other wildly swings at her head. This is not the aggressive style of play anyone wants and unfortunately is not being controlled enough by refs. And corrected by coaches.

Again, I appreciate watching an attacking style of play. But when we talk about being aggressive we need to make sure it's within the rules of the game and not reckless uncontrolled aggression.

[Anonymous]

It's an anonymous forum. Name the teams playing outside of the rules so they can be pressured into following the rules. You aren't naming the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two questions:

- Why do the DC-area clubs only practice once a week? Seems unsurprising that if the Baltimore clubs practice more, they are better.
- Is Florida Select really that good, and if so, any specific reasons why? Lax is not brand new in FL, but very few now-adults who grew up there played. That said, the state is full of good athletes, growing quickly, and you can practice outside year round.

Wish I knew the answer to your first question and wish my DD's team practiced twice a week.

As far as the second question, my DD has played Florida Select a couple times and they are extremely physical and aggressive when faced with a team that challenged them, willing to risk numerous yellow cards and injuring opposing players. I heard they all play for the same HS and that the HS coach is the club coach but I have no idea if that is actually true.

Girls lax teams from this area (DMV) play a very non-aggressive form of lax. It’s old fashioned and not terribly competitive. They need to step into the current decade and learn some toughness, grit and not to be so afraid of physical contact. Largely the fault of local coaches and clubs. Every time the local clubs go against top clubs from any where else (MD, NJ, LINY, FL, PA) they get killed because they have no real physical strength or aggression. This is well known by college coaches. BI players seem to be only ones locally who play the more current, physical game. It’s why they win.

I agree teams from VA tend not to be as aggressive as some teams from the areas mentioned. With this said I want to make sure an attacking style of play is balanced with playing fairly and within the rules. And coached this way. My daughter has played top competition from all of the areas mentioned. Most of these teams play aggressive, but also fair. It's a fun style of lacrosse to watch.

However, there have been some teams (no names) from these areas who consistently take aggressive play to another level. Their style of play is so consistent from tournament to tournament you almost know beforehand there will be injuries. My daughter has received two concussions and a bloody nose in the last year as a direct result of playing some of these teams. One team in particular. It's not that she isn't tough or she's afraid of physical contact, but she also is not accustom to girls double and tripling-teaming her while one player bodies up and the other wildly swings at her head. This is not the aggressive style of play anyone wants and unfortunately is not being controlled enough by refs. And corrected by coaches.

Again, I appreciate watching an attacking style of play. But when we talk about being aggressive we need to make sure it's within the rules of the game and not reckless uncontrolled aggression.

x1000 We may have been at some of the same games and tournaments. There are a few teams that are playing well over the line of fair play. Until now the results have been limited (if you can call a concussion limited) but at some point a girl will be paralyzed or dead if it doesn't get checked now. Refs and coaches need to work together to ensure the safety of the girls.

[Anonymous]

I know which teams you all are referring to and I think there is a fair bit of hyperbole in the descriptions here. Yes, a few teams seem to have girls who occaisionally play outside the rules, but its unusual and very limited. Most penalties are for accidental incidents. The refs always call what they see. They cant see everything. Lets not be snowflakes (DMV teams have a bad enough reputation as it is). This goes on in all sports at all levels. If the DMV girls teams were a bit tougher and bigger, it wouldn't happen. Other teams know and take advantage. The coaches need to tech our girls to be more aggressive and physical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know which teams you all are referring to and I think there is a fair bit of hyperbole in the descriptions here. Yes, a few teams seem to have girls who occaisionally play outside the rules, but its unusual and very limited. Most penalties are for accidental incidents. The refs always call what they see. They cant see everything. Lets not be snowflakes (DMV teams have a bad enough reputation as it is). This goes on in all sports at all levels. If the DMV girls teams were a bit tougher and bigger, it wouldn't happen. Other teams know and take advantage. The coaches need to tech our girls to be more aggressive and physical.

I would not categorize the play as exaggeration and occasional when teams consistently display the same behavior over and over. Referring to snowflakes these same teams dishing it out are the very ones who can't take it. They are the first to complain. They can't have it both ways. And lastly, the issue isn't a need to be tougher and bigger. There are plenty of DMV teams with girls who are tall, tough, and very athletic. The issue is about playing aggressive while also playing in a controlled manner within the rules. When you play teams that push the boundaries of the rules it's like sending players into games with one arm tied behind their backs when refs don't control the game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know which teams you all are referring to and I think there is a fair bit of hyperbole in the descriptions here. Yes, a few teams seem to have girls who occaisionally play outside the rules, but its unusual and very limited. Most penalties are for accidental incidents. The refs always call what they see. They cant see everything. Lets not be snowflakes (DMV teams have a bad enough reputation as it is). This goes on in all sports at all levels. If the DMV girls teams were a bit tougher and bigger, it wouldn't happen. Other teams know and take advantage. The coaches need to tech our girls to be more aggressive and physical.

I would not categorize the play as exaggeration and occasional when teams consistently display the same behavior over and over. Referring to snowflakes these same teams dishing it out are the very ones who can't take it. They are the first to complain. They can't have it both ways. And lastly, the issue isn't a need to be tougher and bigger. There are plenty of DMV teams with girls who are tall, tough, and very athletic. The issue is about playing aggressive while also playing in a controlled manner within the rules. When you play teams that push the boundaries of the rules it's like sending players into games with one arm tied behind their backs when refs don't control the game.

Well said.