The reason HOCO is the best is because they have the highest quality athletes

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s interesting about these age groups is th disparity in skill as a team. I can’t tell if it’s the coaching or if some kids on a team haven’t put in the work yet or what. For example what makes the BLC 2033 team so good compared to the others? Is it that they are comfortable passing and finding the open player to score? Is it the talent? Or something else?

The talent seems to gravitate to one club or another each year. For 2033 it’s BLC. For 2034 it’s M&D DC. Most of the girls play together on rec for a year or two before club so people see who’s got some talent. For 2033 BLC, there’s an unusually strong group of parent coaches and parents generally. Probably half the team has a parent who played D1 lax and a few of them coach.

I feel like this explains so much. Where do most of the 2033 girls go to school? Or are they from all over?

The one thing I see these younger teams really excel at is locating the open player and then passing vs. hero ball. They also spread out really well. Also helps that they can catch and throw.

Lots of schools. 2033 is also Breslins daughters year.

And I agree on the spreading out and passing. There’s also aggressiveness on ground balls and defense. Plenty of the other teams have some girls with good stick skills, but only a few teams put together as a team that age. My guess is this will equalize somewhat as they get older. A lot of these girls have had sticks in their hands since they were able to walk.

Makes me think we started too late!

Aggressiveness is important too. And agreed, it will equalize as they all learn and grow. I’m just try to figure out what else I can tell my DD in this age group to help make her a better player so I’ve been watching insta clips from some of the games. It’s insightful. Although the most impressive team I’ve ever seen in person in this age group was still M&D Black.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s interesting about these age groups is th disparity in skill as a team. I can’t tell if it’s the coaching or if some kids on a team haven’t put in the work yet or what. For example what makes the BLC 2033 team so good compared to the others? Is it that they are comfortable passing and finding the open player to score? Is it the talent? Or something else?

The talent seems to gravitate to one club or another each year. For 2033 it’s BLC. For 2034 it’s M&D DC. Most of the girls play together on rec for a year or two before club so people see who’s got some talent. For 2033 BLC, there’s an unusually strong group of parent coaches and parents generally. Probably half the team has a parent who played D1 lax and a few of them coach.

I feel like this explains so much. Where do most of the 2033 girls go to school? Or are they from all over?

The one thing I see these younger teams really excel at is locating the open player and then passing vs. hero ball. They also spread out really well. Also helps that they can catch and throw.

Lots of schools. 2033 is also Breslins daughters year.

And I agree on the spreading out and passing. There’s also aggressiveness on ground balls and defense. Plenty of the other teams have some girls with good stick skills, but only a few teams put together as a team that age. My guess is this will equalize somewhat as they get older. A lot of these girls have had sticks in their hands since they were able to walk.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s interesting about these age groups is th disparity in skill as a team. I can’t tell if it’s the coaching or if some kids on a team haven’t put in the work yet or what. For example what makes the BLC 2033 team so good compared to the others? Is it that they are comfortable passing and finding the open player to score? Is it the talent? Or something else?

The talent seems to gravitate to one club or another each year. For 2033 it’s BLC. For 2034 it’s M&D DC. Most of the girls play together on rec for a year or two before club so people see who’s got some talent. For 2033 BLC, there’s an unusually strong group of parent coaches and parents generally. Probably half the team has a parent who played D1 lax and a few of them coach.

I feel like this explains so much. Where do most of the 2033 girls go to school? Or are they from all over?

The one thing I see these younger teams really excel at is locating the open player and then passing vs. hero ball. They also spread out really well. Also helps that they can catch and throw.

Lots of schools. 2033 is also Breslins daughters year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s interesting about these age groups is th disparity in skill as a team. I can’t tell if it’s the coaching or if some kids on a team haven’t put in the work yet or what. For example what makes the BLC 2033 team so good compared to the others? Is it that they are comfortable passing and finding the open player to score? Is it the talent? Or something else?

The talent seems to gravitate to one club or another each year. For 2033 it’s BLC. For 2034 it’s M&D DC. Most of the girls play together on rec for a year or two before club so people see who’s got some talent. For 2033 BLC, there’s an unusually strong group of parent coaches and parents generally. Probably half the team has a parent who played D1 lax and a few of them coach.

I feel like this explains so much. Where do most of the 2033 girls go to school? Or are they from all over?

The one thing I see these younger teams really excel at is locating the open player and then passing vs. hero ball. They also spread out really well. Also helps that they can catch and throw.

Anonymous wrote:There is no one stronger than HOCO 2034!

Why HOCO 2034 seems dominate for now? Talent, training, parents?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s interesting about these age groups is th disparity in skill as a team. I can’t tell if it’s the coaching or if some kids on a team haven’t put in the work yet or what. For example what makes the BLC 2033 team so good compared to the others? Is it that they are comfortable passing and finding the open player to score? Is it the talent? Or something else?

The talent seems to gravitate to one club or another each year. For 2033 it’s BLC. For 2034 it’s M&D DC. Most of the girls play together on rec for a year or two before club so people see who’s got some talent. For 2033 BLC, there’s an unusually strong group of parent coaches and parents generally. Probably half the team has a parent who played D1 lax and a few of them coach.

Wow this is rare! No wonder they did so well!

Anonymous wrote:What’s interesting about these age groups is th disparity in skill as a team. I can’t tell if it’s the coaching or if some kids on a team haven’t put in the work yet or what. For example what makes the BLC 2033 team so good compared to the others? Is it that they are comfortable passing and finding the open player to score? Is it the talent? Or something else?

The talent seems to gravitate to one club or another each year. For 2033 it’s BLC. For 2034 it’s M&D DC. Most of the girls play together on rec for a year or two before club so people see who’s got some talent. For 2033 BLC, there’s an unusually strong group of parent coaches and parents generally. Probably half the team has a parent who played D1 lax and a few of them coach.

There is no one stronger than HOCO 2034!

M&D DC 2034s are the strongest DMV local team for sure. Probably middle of the pack NGLL division A-wise.

How about MD D&C 2034? Is it stronger in the south Maryland area?

What’s interesting about these age groups is th disparity in skill as a team. I can’t tell if it’s the coaching or if some kids on a team haven’t put in the work yet or what. For example what makes the BLC 2033 team so good compared to the others? Is it that they are comfortable passing and finding the open player to score? Is it the talent? Or something else?

Anonymous wrote:For 2034s, it's HOCO Black and then everyone else. They just swept a 2033 division. Pretty demoralizing TBH as a parent on another team.

Fully agree. We’ll see if/when they start defecting to the big name clubs. Not thinking they’re gonna be able to hold that together beyond 2-3 more years, but maybe they will be the exception. HOCO (the club) is surely trying to have a death grip on to them for relevance and to up themselves from being an 83rd ranked club—Howard County is exploding with young players these days and enough to populate more top teams than historically was the case—but reality is they don’t have any recruiting chops, connections or experience and who would risk it. Even though that team is great, the ‘34 year is not too strong in general. Hero’s Green is good not great and M&D ‘34 Black is currently a B-level team. That said, kudos to the HOCO team. It seems a crime to have them play other ‘34s but that’s the way it works. No question they are the best in the nation. I think, as you mentioned, they beat HOCO ‘33 recently. I don’t know the score. They have crushed HG in most recent play.

The HOCO ‘35 team is okay with a few good players, but they aren’t in same league as the ‘34 team. I believe the ‘34 team may have come to the table the way they are. I heard they were a group of kids who played sports together for some time in Carroll County, with the head coach’s daughter. They practice 3 times a week is the rumor, and probably require wall ball the other days, to be as good as they are. Other teams may be as good if they gave it that level of intensity. I don’t think HOCO teams are going to draw new players from higher ranked teams, however, like other higher ranked teams do in a few years.

Maryland United also has assembled some strong younger teams. Million dollar question is does any of this matter? Does it matter to have the best teams at the youngest ages? M&D and Skywalkers tend to falter out of the gate and then clean it up a little later. HG gets the pick of the liter at these ages but is more relaxed about their team performance and wins at the younger ages, so they may not dominate. I also don’t know what % of these young “stars” or difference makers are going to be the “it” kids come 6th/7th grade. Puberty can change things. Great athletes from other sports can come in. Still, it seems it would matter to play on a competitive young team and to play other competitive young teams for development at least.

For 2034s, it's HOCO Black and then everyone else. They just swept a 2033 division. Pretty demoralizing TBH as a parent on another team.

Anyone interested in talking about the teams and lacrosse in these age groups? I grouped them since I figured that may better get the conversation going. The first NGLL games have come and gone. Any surprises or predictions or just commentary?

The ‘35 division, per usual, is not broken into A and B. The teams are all clumped together, resulting in some blow out scores from this weekend and many more to come as the season progresses. The league tries to discourage that by capping the goal differential at 10 per game and having the next factor be goals against vs. goals scored. But seems that was a #fail. How deflating to be a kid starting out and be romped 22 to 1 or 20 to 1. That doesn’t benefit either team, at all. I think it’s time to move to A and B, even for the youngest age group. There certainly are more than enough teams.

2033s and 2034s don’t yet have the dominance of Hero’s Green and M&D Black. But it’s coming sooner or later. Are those weak talent years so far?