DC Girls Highlight Under Armour Team

[Anonymous]

Is it worth it to have your kid try out for this team? I've heard, based on head coach allegiances, if she doesn't play for Capital, BI or SSSA she has almost no chance of making it.

[Anonymous]

That's pretty accurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's pretty accurate.

+1

[Anonymous]

It's not like playing for Capital is some magic ticket. My DD plays for them but attends public HS and so far she has been effectively shut out of these kinds of teams too.

[Anonymous]

I just wish the process was fair and coaches/selectors were not so biased. It is a shame. Don’t let these coaches lack of ability to recognize talent discourage your daughters. It is four hours of selection and most of them only able to help the kids they know or the parents know.

[Anonymous]

It appears MD players may have an advantage when trying out since they can tryout for both MD and DC teams. Does anyone know how many players from MD typically represent the DC team. Any idea on the breakdown of 2022 vs 2023 players that typically make up the Command roster.

[Anonymous]

These moms are hilarious. Of course there are kids here and there who are missed, but generally speaking the best kids are picked. It's no shock that many of them play for Capital, SSSAS and BI. Why? Because they are great players.

Stop whining.

[Anonymous]

It appears MD players may have an advantage when trying out since they can tryout for both MD and DC teams. Does anyone know how many players from MD typically represent the DC team.

No, they dont. First, anyone can try out at whatever UA they want. Its not based on where you live or go to school. Plus, player selection is made by local coaches (school and club - i.e. always Capital, SSSAS and BI in DC, and this year Va Metro and Flint Hill coaches are joining in) because they make up the evaluators and they know who they want before the tryouts even start. Last year several Baltimore 2021 top tier players tried out for the DC UA team. None of them made the first cut, none of the evaluators knew them so nobody was pushing for them. Its pure politics, not truly talent based - players on the top Baltimore clubs are typically much better players than the ones on Capital.

Of course there are kids here and there who are missed, but generally speaking the best kids are picked. It's no shock that many of them play for Capital, SSSAS and BI. Why? Because they are great players.

Not true. All the great local players do not go to BI or SSSAS, not even close. Top players in the area go to many different schools, private and public. BI and SSSAS usually only have 2-3 top players in any given year much like other schools. The difference in their teams is they have far more second tier players on their squads so overall their teams are better year in and year out. Most other schools have a handful of standouts but after that no real lacrosse players. As for Capital, more of the areas top players have traditionally played for them yes because they were the best local club but every year a handful of local players hiked up to play on Baltimore teams and these days things are much more spread out with lots of good hs club programs.

The UA tryouts are a waste of time unless you know the coaches/evaluators going in want your kid.

[Anonymous]

Recently the DC UA teams have performed so poorly that it is a no-brainer to avoid the whole thing. Kids who were ON the teams last year were embarrassed by their teams scores.

[Anonymous]

Tourney Machine shows the DC Command and Highlight teams both going 2-2 in last year's UA event. The Command team lost in the final by a goal to NJ. Looks like they had a few shaky games to start, but finished the tourney strong. The Highlight team lost their first bracket game, but looking at the scores doesn't suggest their games were lopsided. What makes you feel they played so poorly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

No, they dont. First, anyone can try out at whatever UA they want. Its not based on where you live or go to school. Plus, player selection is made by local coaches (school and club - i.e. always Capital, SSSAS and BI in DC, and this year Va Metro and Flint Hill coaches are joining in) because they make up the evaluators and they know who they want before the tryouts even start. Last year several Baltimore 2021 top tier players tried out for the DC UA team. None of them made the first cut, none of the evaluators knew them so nobody was pushing for them. Its pure politics, not truly talent based - players on the top Baltimore clubs are typically much better players than the ones on Capital.

Maybe things have changed this year, but UA clearly states in its eligibility requirements "You must live within the geographic region* for the team you are trying out for and be in good academic standing."

You may be correct, but VA Metro is not generally one of the stronger club teams, at least at the Command age group, so if girls make it from this club won't it be easy to expose the politics? Seems like this would be too obvious and really hurt the reputation of the event. Based on comments to date it doesn't sound like many think highly of the event already.

[Anonymous]

What makes you feel they played so poorly

Because that is what they said directly to me both at the tournament and then later. My observation over the course of several games was that they had sloppy play, some girls had very weak stick skills, and that the teams in general were missing some strong DMV hs girls across age groups.

KJ was in it but not in it to win it in terms of game outcome. It looked to me more like she had filled slots based on personal paybacks and her politics. Which is par for the course. I saw it a lot when I played for her both on Stars and Saints.

Unfortunately the girls on the DC UA girls team/s (and some of the parents) recognized what was going on which is why even some of KJ's staunchest supporters were muttering. I don't have any skin in the game anymore and was there to see old friends while doing a little scouting. I don't disagree with anything the girls or their parents said and obviously I made my own observations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Of course there are kids here and there who are missed, but generally speaking the best kids are picked. It's no shock that many of them play for Capital, SSSAS and BI. Why? Because they are great players.

Not true. All the great local players do not go to BI or SSSAS, not even close. Top players in the area go to many different schools, private and public.

Do you know how to read? The previous poster did not say "all the great players go to BI or SSSA". Many great players go elsewhere, of course. The poster was saying that generally speaking the best are picked and the many play for Capital, SSSAS and BI.

They miss some people but they pretty much get it right. What would be a better method - having the moms pick the team?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

What makes you feel they played so poorly

Because that is what they said directly to me both at the tournament and then later. My observation over the course of several games was that they had sloppy play, some girls had very weak stick skills, and that the teams in general were missing some strong DMV hs girls across age groups.

KJ was in it but not in it to win it in terms of game outcome. It looked to me more like she had filled slots based on personal paybacks and her politics. Which is par for the course. I saw it a lot when I played for her both on Stars and Saints.

Unfortunately the girls on the DC UA girls team/s (and some of the parents) recognized what was going on which is why even some of KJ's staunchest supporters were muttering. I don't have any skin in the game anymore and was there to see old friends while doing a little scouting. I don't disagree with anything the girls or their parents said and obviously I made my own observations.

Have to call this poster a liar. Give you credit for adding the Stars reference to try and cover 7 years of coaching you claimed from previous posts. Better if you would leave out all the made up details and just say that you are a disgruntled parent, rival coach, or non-Stars club owner. . .

[Anonymous]

PP, are you particularly dense or are you trying to be deliberately obtuse? Any girl can have 7 years with KJ if she played 3 years of Stars and 4 years of Saints. Why don't you understand that?