'21-22' DMV LACROSSE OUTLOOK

[Anonymous]

I coached a kid in MD publics that could have gone to Cornell. He got accepted to MIT as well and decided he wanted to go there instead. When he met the coach at MIT the coach told him nobody goes to MIT to play lacrosse. He said he did not care, he wanted to get his degree and lacrosse was just for fun. He had a good 4 years of lax and graduated and now makes way noire than I do, lol. I am glad he made the right choice. This fantasy that you have to go to an Ivy to play lax and matter in the world after is just that....a fantasy. Thinking graduating from Notre Dame, Cuse, UNC or Navy somehow doesnt matter is just beclowning yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The SJC hate is the same as it was back in the 80's-90's...its just amplified now due to the internet. People just cannot accept that SJC has gotten better in all aspects. A school that was once close to being closed in the early 90's has done remarkably well. But, you get certain people...sitting at Columbia CC or Caddies or the Avenue....wishing for their days getting into Nantucket's Landing with their brothers fake ID and mulling the fact that their school is not as relevant as it once was. I know the type.....I grew up around them....and every time I go back to the neighborhood.....they are still reliving their HS days. All of them wearing a variation of the same uniform. HS logo attire sweat shirt or hoody....orange baseball hat or a bucket hat....track suit pants or cargo shorts....flip flops or slides...and oakleys.

Only people dressed like that at those establishments are clearing tables or fixing divots.

[Anonymous]

the few times I have walked into the Avenue with my wife, I cringe.

Typically see a bunch of Gonzaga and GP alums or fathers reliving the glory days

I avoid that place the food also sucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only thing STJ has going for it is it’s cheaper than the good privates. But you get what you pay for and it’s unlikely to get the legitimate lax players who also want an excellent education and top alum network for more than a couple years. Most people who pay anything for high schoool want to feel like they are getting at least a bit of prestige and that’s not going to be STJ. Plus All the crowing over last year doesn’t take into account the impacts of COVID so whatever. We shall see how they do in spring of 2023. That will be most telling.

Landon has an actual $10,000 scholarship that they use to pay a portion of lax players’ tuitions. Plus, back in the day Landon was known for “finding” financial aid for lax players who didn’t really need it.

Bullis bought players for several years. That’s how they won for a couple of years - bought themselves a lax championship. That’s now over with new, legitimate headmaster.

Not sure about GP and Gonzaga as far as mitigating players’ tuition but they seem to have fought over the same players for about a decade - mostly the top lax players coming out of Mater Delay - and the other Catholic parochials. GP is legitimately a great school so they shouldn’t have a problem continuing to attract top talent. I’d bet on GP long term personally. It’s the most reputable Catholic with the best campus and alum connections. GZ can go either way but tons of bad press last few years along with crap location. They too though have a strong alum network but but as prestigious as GP.

It’s now STJs turn and they are a much cheaper school to start with so will be able to get the players who can’t or don’t want to pay for high school. As evidenced by the examples above, however that won’t last but so long.

I'm long on Georgetown Prep and Landon remaining as super-strong lacrosse programs. I'd also throw in SJC as they have the financial resources to stack a mega team. It will be interesting to see how SJC fairs after the 2022 season and if their recent success and aggressive recruiting tactics will attract more lacrosse families to look at the school or cause families to turn a blind eye

Too many lacrosse powers (in particular Catholic schools) now encompass Gonzaga and its location and campus stink.

Bullis is in a financial mess right now and the endless financial aid budget seems to have now shrunk. If you don't believe me, look at their football team this past Fall, they are starting to look like the Bullis teams of the past. Bellistri will keep Bullis afloat for his final fews seasons as I do think he is one of the best coaches in the area.

My darkhorse prediction is Episcopal. If the administration and board of trustees ever wanted to become a lacrosse power, they could easily do so with their boarding and campus facilities. With over a $300M endowment, they really can do whatever they want, now whether it's in the school's DNA, who knows.

[Anonymous]

You are delusional if you think that Gonzaga’s location and field “stink.” The field is iconic and the location in one of the hottest real estate markets in the country along with a desire to have an urban setting makes the school a highly desired destination.

[Anonymous]

I don't think prospective students care Gonzaga'scampus sits in a hot commercial real estate market - because they don't.

The field and stadium are awesome, I've enjoyed watching my son play there in an athletic contest.

One can't deny getting to Gonzaga is a major pain in the ass and you are delusional if you don't think that weighs on students. On top of that, there is hardly a campus.

If a student desires an urban setting, I guess Gonzaga is their top choice then.

It's an interesting recruiting pitch, to say the least.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Gonzaga is tanking. Don’t understand why anyone would want to go there and play lacrosse. I mean it’s not like they will get another 1,000 applications for 250 slots again. I’m crossing them off my kids list.

[Anonymous]

Yeah and there is no school spirit at Gonzaga, either…..

[Anonymous]

the entitlement at Gonzaga is second no school in this area.

The behavior displayed at the PVI lacrosse game last spring just reaffirms the school administration thinks extremely of itself.

I'm sure folks could easily compile a list of Gonzaga students acting like total brats in the past 5 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only thing STJ has going for it is it’s cheaper than the good privates. But you get what you pay for and it’s unlikely to get the legitimate lax players who also want an excellent education and top alum network for more than a couple years. Most people who pay anything for high schoool want to feel like they are getting at least a bit of prestige and that’s not going to be STJ. Plus All the crowing over last year doesn’t take into account the impacts of COVID so whatever. We shall see how they do in spring of 2023. That will be most telling.

Landon has an actual $10,000 scholarship that they use to pay a portion of lax players’ tuitions. Plus, back in the day Landon was known for “finding” financial aid for lax players who didn’t really need it.

Bullis bought players for several years. That’s how they won for a couple of years - bought themselves a lax championship. That’s now over with new, legitimate headmaster.

Not sure about GP and Gonzaga as far as mitigating players’ tuition but they seem to have fought over the same players for about a decade - mostly the top lax players coming out of Mater Delay - and the other Catholic parochials. GP is legitimately a great school so they shouldn’t have a problem continuing to attract top talent. I’d bet on GP long term personally. It’s the most reputable Catholic with the best campus and alum connections. GZ can go either way but tons of bad press last few years along with crap location. They too though have a strong alum network but but as prestigious as GP.

It’s now STJs turn and they are a much cheaper school to start with so will be able to get the players who can’t or don’t want to pay for high school. As evidenced by the examples above, however that won’t last but so long.

I'm long on Georgetown Prep and Landon remaining as super-strong lacrosse programs. I'd also throw in SJC as they have the financial resources to stack a mega team. It will be interesting to see how SJC fairs after the 2022 season and if their recent success and aggressive recruiting tactics will attract more lacrosse families to look at the school or cause families to turn a blind eye

Too many lacrosse powers (in particular Catholic schools) now encompass Gonzaga and its location and campus stink.

Bullis is in a financial mess right now and the endless financial aid budget seems to have now shrunk. If you don't believe me, look at their football team this past Fall, they are starting to look like the Bullis teams of the past. Bellistri will keep Bullis afloat for his final fews seasons as I do think he is one of the best coaches in the area.

My darkhorse prediction is Episcopal. If the administration and board of trustees ever wanted to become a lacrosse power, they could easily do so with their boarding and campus facilities. With over a $300M endowment, they really can do whatever they want, now whether it's in the school's DNA, who knows.

Episcopal - interesting. All your points are valid. It’s def in a unique situation in DMV being all Boarding. I can see it. One question I have is what would that do to boys club lax in our area. Boarding schools kids usually stick with their home town club. Episcopal pulls heavily from up and down east coast. Would have to get more kids from midAtlantic and northward but definitely possible. It could be the next Taft if they went this route.

[Anonymous]

football is king over at Episcopal, they will never be a lax powerhouse

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:football is king over at Episcopal, they will never be a lax powerhouse

Only because they skew southern and that’s been their focus. That could change. As PP proposes, they could, and tbh should, switch it up. Lax will bring them better students, more prestige and more money. It’d be a smart move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:football is king over at Episcopal, they will never be a lax powerhouse

Only because they skew southern and that’s been their focus. That could change. As PP proposes, they could, and tbh should, switch it up. Lax will bring them better students, more prestige and more money. It’d be a smart move.

could've, would've, should've

it ain't happening at Episcopal

[Anonymous]

Only because they skew southern and that’s been their focus. That could change. As PP proposes, they could, and tbh should, switch it up. Lax will bring them better students, more prestige and more money. It’d be a smart move.

Whatever Episcopal has been doing, is clearly working from a money standpoint. No school in the DC area comes even close to Episocpal's endowment which is over $300M.

Whether or not Episcopal's wants to change its DNA and adopt more of the traditional New England boarding school mentality remains to be seen. Episcopal has always been viewed as a southern school, it draws the majority of its students from VA (and not northern VA), NC, SC, GA and even Texas.

I know someone pointed it out that EHS prides itself on its football heritage (they and Woodberry have their oldest longest football rivarly in the South), Episcopal's football program is just above average for the greater DC area. In some years, EHS will really ramp up their football recruiting but they tend to follow suit on what their chief rival, Woodberry Forest, is doing. If Woodberry begins to ramp up their football operations, Episcopal will do the same. Right now, both schools have taken the foot off the gas.

As it relates to lacrosse, Episcopal could easily recruit talented lacrosse players from GA, NC, and Texas who want to play high-caliber lacrosse and desire boarding. Based on their current approach, they really haven't done any aggressive recruiting. But if they did, they could get good very quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Gonzaga is tanking. Don’t understand why anyone would want to go there and play lacrosse. I mean it’s not like they will get another 1,000 applications for 250 slots again. I’m crossing them off my kids list.

Best school in the DVM.