Field hockey clubs feedback
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Anonymous
They purposely don't take committed players to Shooting Star, so they are playing a few strong juniors who haven't quite figured it out yet, but otherwise are taking sophomores playing up or juniors who are looking to play D3. Almost never seniors and, as I said, almost never any D1 commits. They do not care about winning Shooting Star, since it has nothing to do with USA rankings, and use it instead to get the players who need more exposure that chance. They dominate RCCs and have come in 3rd at NCCs for years. They lost to WC in the semi-finals this year by 1 goal--not sure when a team last came that close to WC, then easily won the game to take 3rd again. They won the top pool at Sunshine Showcase last January, which is a USA event to where all clubs send their best players. That and NCCS are where the best teams are determined. You really have to play at those top levels to see what level of play these top 3-4 teams play at. It is a whole different game. We notice all the time how strongly my DD's former club team would beat the D1 team she plays on now. |
Anonymous
I'm curious, do you actually know anything about club field hockey? Almost no single club sends their best players to Shooting Star Thanksgiving or Festival. Those are for uncommitted players, which means, in the fall, juniors who weren't yet recruited or sophomores playing up. Every college recruiting coach knows these top teams. They couldn't care less about wins or losses, or even goals, at the recruiting showcases. They are just there to look for individual players who may not yet have committed. Committed D1 players from the top clubs are rarely there. Top players from the weaker clubs will still go, to give uncommitted players some action, but Freedom, WC, AGH, none of those clubs send top committed players to these showcases, especially in the fall. You should stop coming here disparaging people when you really don't know what you're talking about. And nobody bashed Gateway that I could see. They just expressed surprise that with all the strong clubs, you chose that one. Why is it so hard for you? |
Anonymous
It’s not just NL trying to skirt the rules. Wolves does it too bringing in ringers (sorry guest players) to play in NITQs and NITs to supplement (aka replace) their players to win or double rostering players from lower age group even though they have plenty players in current age group. It’s a win at no costs mentality yet they fail to succeed majority of the time. As for the fall tournaments like SS, both NL and Wolves bring their top teams to compete. This year Wolves and NL had all their D1 commits and still couldn’t win one game. Coaches at theses clubs have the mentality to win st no costs and think they can compete with the best of the best which isn’t possible. Their teams don’t play as a team. It’s individuals playing for their own glory and it shows. The coaching focuses on specific individuals to carry the play causing them to lose against stronger teams that play together. Freedom on the other hand plays as a team. Watch the ball movement, field coverage, zone playing. These teams can’t compete with this caliber of play. It’s all due to coaching or the lack there of. |
Anonymous
Reading this I just can’t agree with you at all. I know people at Wolves and NL and they don’t share your perspective. In fact a family I know at NL has complained they don’t play to win enough. I’ve watched Wolves and NL, and everyone plays, including the weaker players. Both coaches are actively coaching and encourage ball movement, covering your space, and off ball movement. Wolves is a smaller club and they don’t have the numbers like Freedom. I think NL is larger than Wolves, but not as big as Freedom. Typically the larger a club the larger the talent pool, so it stands to reason the larger club will be more competitive. Wolves U19 played in the A pool at this past SS. It was a very competitive pool and being in the A pool they had lots of coaches watching their players still looking to commit. Freedom is a good club and I’m not going to bash them. In this area, Freedom and Warhawks are the top two teams. However, neither is perfect, even according to parents with players on their top teams. |
Anonymous
This response is extremely insulting to every college coach that attended Shooting Star Thanksgiving. There were an insane amount of coaches there this year including UNC’s Erin Matson, many many Top D1 program coaches including Duke and just about every D3 coach there to watch games and recruit players. Freedom might not care about representing their club with their best players (committed or not) or play to win, but I promise you every other team came to play, represent and try to win in front of over a hundred college coaches. Not every club has seniors and juniors already committed like Freedom so getting that exposure was huge for them at every level - D1, D2, D3. You talk about Freedom winning Sunshine Showcase. Congrats, that’s great but is Sunshine Showcase the better recruiting tournament because Freedom won? Rhetorical question because I don’t need or want a response. You have already insulted every college coach and youth player who attended Shoooting Star Thanksgiving |
Anonymous
SS great for sophomores and juniors for recruiting that’s why you see so many coaches at u16 games (playing up in u19 now isn’t ideal like it use to be). It’s a waste for u19 at SS because those top teams bring uncommitted players which means they aren’t good enough for the D1s or top D3 programs - the top D1 coaches you see on the sideline their checking out their committed players if they are playing but mostly lower tiered D3s. Some clubs still believe it’s beneficial to have players play up at SS at u19. That’s no longer a good idea and actually hinders players that could be playing u16 where coaches are actively evaluating and recruiting. Easter showcase is for lower end D1 and mid to lower end D3 (Hail Mary) for a junior. Winter escape and Sunshine showcase is the last shot for Juniors for any remaining D3s (non NESCAC) and juniors who are already on the top tier list for NESCAC and top D3s (if you aren’t already on their list it’s not gonna happen) and great for sophomores for D1 and top D3. |
Anonymous
You seem to be overly sensitive, and sadly misinformed. Most of the best clubs, not just Freedom, had their uncommitted or younger players represent them in Richmond. Nothing wrong with that and no insult to college coaches. College coaches want to see how players play on water based turf which is why NCC and Nexus in VAB are really the only tournaments that count. I played hockey in college and one of my former teammates was an assistant coach at a very respectable D1 program. I can guarantee you she is not insulted by not seeing clubs rostering only their best players. |
Anonymous
This seems to be a U19 vs U16 thread. Both make valid points but I won’t be too surprised how quickly the U16 parent changes their tune after their DD ages up to U19. |
Anonymous
If you want to play in college and aren’t recruited for a decent D1 by Dec of Junior year or top D3 by summer before senior year, you should accept your senior year as u19 is just for fun. Also, if by fall of junior year coaches from colleges you are interested don’t make it clear their interest in you (this includes NESCAC) via phone calls, texts, head coach directly communicating (if they are interested they make it known), you are wasting money going to showcases and recruiting events. Accept the fact that recruiting for the schools you are interested will not happen and continue with the sport if you still enjoy it otherwise save the money. |
Anonymous
This is generally true, but I can tell you from experience that it's not 100% accurate. My DD had the offer she wanted at the beginning of junior year, but then started having second thoughts. She played at SS and a couple of D1 programs (more academic, lower ranked for FH), reached out to her afterward. She was playing U19 (she was technically still a U16) for Freedom, so there were lots of coaches watching other players. It was surprising, but it does happen. And the NESCACS--even the top ones--will recruit juniors all the way until the end of their junior year. Again, I know this from my DD's experience a few years ago. |
Anonymous
Haha. I love when arrogant know-it-alls post on here. Keep ‘em coming! |
Anonymous
Husel had a player commit to D1 Fairfield in the spring of their senior year. |
Anonymous
As a walk on after they got into the school themselves. Different than being recruited and committing prior to the application process. No offense, it’s Fairfield…not a challenging school to get into |
Anonymous
This has been true the last few years, I agree. But doesn’t seem to be the case this year and, it’s my understanding, recruiting is running a bit long this year even for D1. Not the gigantic programs, sure. But there are plenty of D1s that still have not committed players. I was told -by people who know way more about this than I do- that late winter/spring is probably the outer limits and that seems to be what I’m seeing. Lots of D1 able players -from good clubs- are still not committed. |
Anonymous
Offense taken. I don’t see a lot of other players from the DMV committing to Fairfield. So many husel haters…. |