Feedback on VLC Club Lacrosse?

[Anonymous]

They had tryouts for 2025 last August, but never formed a team.

Yeah? My kid was on that team all year. Practiced last Fall and this summer. No hoco, because Covid, but five tournaments this summer. Struggled at Young Gunz but went 11-2 after that. Your opinions are ignorant and invalid.

[Anonymous]

Four tournaments, not five, sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is VLC 2026? Are they any good?

Really, really good.

High AAA, low-end Elite if you're going by Hoco divisions.

HOCO league competition committee made up of MD club directors will push back against letting VLC in elite. The 2023 team was not let in despite winning Every AAA game by more than five. This summer they faced four teams from HOCO elite lost to the top two teams by two and three goals in competitive games and beat the lower elite teams by wide margins. I think 2026 will be similiar in regards to HOCO league

Did 2026 play any teams from the 2019 Hoco Elite Division this summer?

Yes, VLC beat BLC this summer in a close game that could have gone either way. They beat Crabs and Looney's last summer and fall, also in close games. This summer VLC beat NextLevel, the best team in AAA, by 5. VLC lost to Hawks twice (both by 6) which is about the same margin that other Hoco Elite division teams typically lose to Hawks. For example, in the same tournament where VLC played Hawks, the Hawks beat BLC also by 6.

Based on their resume, I would say that VLC is on par with all the Hoco Elite teams, except for the Hawks, and pretty far ahead of any AAA team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2026 is a weird year. All the DC based teams are weaker than normal. For example, 2026 is probably NL’s weakest team at any age level and same for Madlax. Annapolis Hawks dominate this age group and the Baltimore teams are, on balance, better than the DC teams, which is actually unusual for the younger ages in recent years. (Baltimore teams catch up later typically.) VLC 2026 probably about even with BLC 2026 and Madlax 2026 for the best in the the immediate DC area, but a major down year for DC in general in this age group for whatever reason.

The 2019 HoCo scores and 2020 summer scores do NOT support the hypothesis that the 2026 Baltimore teams are stronger than the DC/Virginia teams. Nice try, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2026 is a weird year. All the DC based teams are weaker than normal. For example, 2026 is probably NL’s weakest team at any age level and same for Madlax. Annapolis Hawks dominate this age group and the Baltimore teams are, on balance, better than the DC teams, which is actually unusual for the younger ages in recent years. (Baltimore teams catch up later typically.) VLC 2026 probably about even with BLC 2026 and Madlax 2026 for the best in the the immediate DC area, but a major down year for DC in general in this age group for whatever reason.

The 2019 HoCo scores and 2020 summer scores do NOT support the hypothesis that the 2026 Baltimore teams are stronger than the DC/Virginia teams. Nice try, though.

Who are the other Baltimore teams other than Crabs?

[Anonymous]

Looneys, FCA, and Team 91 come to mind; maybe 1-2 others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is VLC 2026? Are they any good?

Really, really good.

High AAA, low-end Elite if you're going by Hoco divisions.

HOCO league competition committee made up of MD club directors will push back against letting VLC in elite. The 2023 team was not let in despite winning Every AAA game by more than five. This summer they faced four teams from HOCO elite lost to the top two teams by two and three goals in competitive games and beat the lower elite teams by wide margins. I think 2026 will be similiar in regards to HOCO league

I have heard the same thing. Any idea why HoCo resits putting VLC in Elite - isn't the objective to put all teams in divisions for the right competition level?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is VLC 2026? Are they any good?

Really, really good.

High AAA, low-end Elite if you're going by Hoco divisions.

HOCO league competition committee made up of MD club directors will push back against letting VLC in elite. The 2023 team was not let in despite winning Every AAA game by more than five. This summer they faced four teams from HOCO elite lost to the top two teams by two and three goals in competitive games and beat the lower elite teams by wide margins. I think 2026 will be similiar in regards to HOCO league

I have heard the same thing. Any idea why HoCo resits putting VLC in Elite - isn't the objective to put all teams in divisions for the right competition level?

Not sure about the 2023 issue, if that's true then they should be promoted. The 2026 team finished second in AAA in Spring 2019 and lost in the championship to Next Level, so I'm thinking Hoco might weight that more than summer 2020 results. First place team in AAA Spring 2019 was AYLC but apparently they've disintegrated. Maybe not totally fair to VLC but you gotta take care of business in the playoffs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is VLC 2026? Are they any good?

Really, really good.

High AAA, low-end Elite if you're going by Hoco divisions.

HOCO league competition committee made up of MD club directors will push back against letting VLC in elite. The 2023 team was not let in despite winning Every AAA game by more than five. This summer they faced four teams from HOCO elite lost to the top two teams by two and three goals in competitive games and beat the lower elite teams by wide margins. I think 2026 will be similiar in regards to HOCO league

I have heard the same thing. Any idea why HoCo resits putting VLC in Elite - isn't the objective to put all teams in divisions for the right competition level?

Not sure about the 2023 issue, if that's true then they should be promoted. The 2026 team finished second in AAA in Spring 2019 and lost in the championship to Next Level, so I'm thinking Hoco might weight that more than summer 2020 results. First place team in AAA Spring 2019 was AYLC but apparently they've disintegrated. Maybe not totally fair to VLC but you gotta take care of business in the playoffs.

PP here, sorry let me amend that, Next Level defeated AYLC in the 2026 AAA championship, VLC lost in the first playoff round to NL. No disrespect, I've seen VLC this summer and they're pretty good and could likely hang in the Elite division.

[Anonymous]

HoCo placement mostly depends on what the team requests. Based on what I’ve heard from reliable sources, the only time the competition committee comes into play is where an odd number of teams would be in a given division (which causes scheduling difficulties) or a team is way off in terms of what they request or there are an unusual number of teams in a given division. It’s not like there is a conspiracy to keep certain clubs out. If there are an odd number of teams, then the clubs that typically play in the top division usually are put there. But it’s not like anyone actually analyzes the prior season or tournament records like people are doing here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:HoCo placement mostly depends on what the team requests. Based on what I’ve heard from reliable sources, the only time the competition committee comes into play is where an odd number of teams would be in a given division (which causes scheduling difficulties) or a team is way off in terms of what they request or there are an unusual number of teams in a given division. It’s not like there is a conspiracy to keep certain clubs out. If there are an odd number of teams, then the clubs that typically play in the top division usually are put there. But it’s not like anyone actually analyzes the prior season or tournament records like people are doing here.

That is true for the other four HOCO divisions but elite is different. It is a big deal for the top clubs.

[Anonymous]

One thing I haven’t figured out about VLC is why the connection with crabs? What is the benefit to Virginia kids to be associated with crabs? Do the VLC teams get to play in better tournaments or get recruitment support or special clinics/camps etc? I would assume the answer is yes but the shared website rarely has info on VLC even though there is a separate tab. I dont see roster info or how many kids each team carries. Is there another public website with more detailed info about VLC. I do follow VLC posts on IG and twitter but I dont see much connection to crabs. I moved to NOVA several years ago and once heard VLC was a different club years ago but I dont know. My son knows kids on VLC and other clubs. We are thinking about moving to club lax now that my son wants to play more. Blackwolf seems the same with very little online presence about its teams.

[Anonymous]

VLC was created as an alternative to Madlax in DC area around 2009 and has always been owned by Crabs. VLC participates in high level tourney's held or attended by Crabs - Crab Feast, Young Gunz, etc. They used to publish their rosters, maybe that will start again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One thing I haven’t figured out about VLC is why the connection with crabs? What is the benefit to Virginia kids to be associated with crabs? Do the VLC teams get to play in better tournaments or get recruitment support or special clinics/camps etc? I would assume the answer is yes but the shared website rarely has info on VLC even though there is a separate tab. I dont see roster info or how many kids each team carries. Is there another public website with more detailed info about VLC. I do follow VLC posts on IG and twitter but I dont see much connection to crabs. I moved to NOVA several years ago and once heard VLC was a different club years ago but I dont know. My son knows kids on VLC and other clubs. We are thinking about moving to club lax now that my son wants to play more. Blackwolf seems the same with very little online presence about its teams.

Google Black Wolf owner then get back to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:VLC was created as an alternative to Madlax in DC area around 2009 and has always been owned by Crabs. VLC participates in high level tourney's held or attended by Crabs - Crab Feast, Young Gunz, etc. They used to publish their rosters, maybe that will start again.

I don't understand why clubs would publish rosters of kids in middle school. It makes sense for HS for recruiting, but MS seems to early.

Also given how nuts people on this site are I don't think I'd want my kid's name out there.