MD dads are working overtime to try and convince DMV parents that “top” DMV players are better served by going to the MD clubs. But they don’t know what they don’t know.

DMV MS girls have known / gone to school with / played in the DMV rec or feeder club system together for years (just like the MD kids do in their feeder clubs). It would take a very rare DMV kid (someone who had a bad experience with a DMV team, club or coach and is looking for a fresh start) to leave this network and throw herself into a totally foreign environment just to chase the unlikely possibility of 25 percent more playing time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a Baltimore Lax parent, the grass isn't always greener. Yes, some girls play more than others on our team. We don't think that's always the right call. Politics at play for sure. A fair rotation makes more sense at this age. You all are paying the same amount of money and there is a fine line between a top player versus an average player. Sometimes equal play makes the team dynamic stronger. Our team wins a lot but there is a lot of misery and tears too. balanced play has its benefits too.

Thank you for your honest post about Baltimore clubs and their culture.

Howard County dad in his cargo shorts, lacrosse stick (at tournament) and dd club's collared shirt/hat (UA of course) must be stewing after reading your post!

Yep, pretty accurate while they sip on a nice cocktail and enjoy their teams destroying the sorry DMV teams week in and week out!

Yes, Glory Days for HoCo F150 fandad.

100%….lol

After an exceptional 2023 recruiting year for Capital, this announcement from BLC is even more good news for the club. More evidence that the pipeline of top MoCo players will continue to develop at an extraordinarily high level and feed directly into the best girls high school club in the region.

Breaking news .. DMVers: step out on your deck on this beautiful night; if you listen closely you’ll hear a wonderful chorus of profanity coming from all the HoCo fandads:

### ###

BLC & CAPITAL!

With tremendous excitement, we (BLC) are thrilled to share that we have solidified our efforts to continue working with the premier high school Girl's Lacrosse Club in the area – and arguably the country – Capital Lacrosse Club!

This endeavor will provide BLC players with exposure to Capital's teaching methodologies, vision and mission while promoting Capital within Montgomery County as the leading high school lacrosse club for players and families. Capital Lacrosse Club leadership and staff is committed to helping BLC players develop their skills, lacrosse IQ and acumen on the field throughout the year.

Capital will also work with the BLC coaches to expand their knowledge and coaching ability with trainings and seminars. BLC players will benefit from training sessions with Capital coaches and early registration opportunities to Capital Lacrosse Club Clinics. These frequent and purposeful interactions will allow the BLC players to get to know the Capital Coaches and vice versa, so there is a strong foundation and familiarity between the two groups.

We look forward to sharing further details with our BLC teams as the 2022-2023 season approaches.

"We have worked with Bethesda Lacrosse Club leadership, players, and middle school teams for the last few seasons, and it is clear the commitment to the players and their growth on and off the lacrosse field is something we want to support. BLC has some of the most talented teams in the area from 2026-2031, and we want to continue to help develop their players and coaches, so the girls are ready to compete at the club and high school level in 9th grade. We are thrilled to continue working with BLC." - Capital Lacrosse Club Executive Director – Gussie Johns.

"BLC has grown tremendously in the past few years while maintaining our commitment to player and team development. We needed to ensure our girls were ready to compete at the high school level after graduating from the BLC program, and there is no group we would rather be associated with than Capital. With the Capital leadership of Gussie Johns, and their highly experienced team of Capital coaches, they are second to none, and our philosophies align perfectly. This is a home run for both BLC and Capital!" - Bethesda Lacrosse Executive Director, Matt Breslin

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a Baltimore Lax parent, the grass isn't always greener. Yes, some girls play more than others on our team. We don't think that's always the right call. Politics at play for sure. A fair rotation makes more sense at this age. You all are paying the same amount of money and there is a fine line between a top player versus an average player. Sometimes equal play makes the team dynamic stronger. Our team wins a lot but there is a lot of misery and tears too. balanced play has its benefits too.

Thank you for your honest post about Baltimore clubs and their culture.

Howard County dad in his cargo shorts, lacrosse stick (at tournament) and dd club's collared shirt/hat (UA of course) must be stewing after reading your post!

Yep, pretty accurate while they sip on a nice cocktail and enjoy their teams destroying the sorry DMV teams week in and week out!

Yes, Glory Days for HoCo F150 fandad.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BLC going club after 5th grade watered the area talent down even more by having yet another club.

Also, better rec programs up in Baltimore area that actually focus on stick skills early.

Agree. There aren't enough feeder programs in the area with focus on skill development in Moco (and perhaps other areas of DC that I am unaware of). The options for girls from like a scoopers level through elem school are so limited or unimpressive. It would go a long way to raising the level of play of our lacrosse community here in dc area.

Real skills development happens at home in unstructured environments. No amount of practice time can make up for whether your kid is outside with their stick playing catch or wall ball daily. If they don’t have parents, siblings, friends providing that reinforcement/someone to play with. I don’t think it’s more complicated than that.

Of course coaching can and does help a lot. But it doesn’t overcome athleticism and work at home.

Anonymous wrote:Will the new St James facility in Bethesda have any workout space for teams or is it the smaller thing they have in Reston? Looks like they are expanding from VA into MD…. Does that mean anything for Stars?

It will be located in downtown Bethesda and have zero impact because it will be 1/10 size of Springfield. So similar to Reston. Cannot say for sure, but doesn’t seem reasonable to have indoor turf and teams practicing out of there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a Baltimore Lax parent, the grass isn't always greener. Yes, some girls play more than others on our team. We don't think that's always the right call. Politics at play for sure. A fair rotation makes more sense at this age. You all are paying the same amount of money and there is a fine line between a top player versus an average player. Sometimes equal play makes the team dynamic stronger. Our team wins a lot but there is a lot of misery and tears too. balanced play has its benefits too.

Thank you for your honest post about Baltimore clubs and their culture.

Howard County dad in his cargo shorts, lacrosse stick (at tournament) and dd club's collared shirt/hat (UA of course) must be stewing after reading your post!

Yep, pretty accurate while they sip on a nice cocktail and enjoy their teams destroying the sorry DMV teams week in and week out!

Anonymous wrote:As a Baltimore Lax parent, the grass isn't always greener. Yes, some girls play more than others on our team. We don't think that's always the right call. Politics at play for sure. A fair rotation makes more sense at this age. You all are paying the same amount of money and there is a fine line between a top player versus an average player. Sometimes equal play makes the team dynamic stronger. Our team wins a lot but there is a lot of misery and tears too. balanced play has its benefits too.

Thank you for your honest post about Baltimore clubs and their culture.

Howard County dad in his cargo shorts, lacrosse stick (at tournament) and dd club's collared shirt/hat (UA of course) must be stewing after reading your post!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The concept of fairly equal playing time during recruiting years absolutely makes sense. I would think that would be fairly standard since the clubs want to tout great recruiting success. And on any top club’s top team the difference in abilities would be minimal so more even playing time might result in a few losses or ties but no blow outs. One thing players and parents forget about are the other things college coaches look for and ask about—coach ability, what type of teammate (girls having sour attitudes for not playing the whole game), team play/lax IQ (not driving and dodging a million ways when you have two open teammates), commitment, resiliency, academics, parents, etc. The girls have to catch their attention but there’s a lot more to getting that offer.

That’s a big difference from the boys in my experince, the boys really want to win.

It's the dad-coaches that really want to win.

Discussions about winning are banned from this thread!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The concept of fairly equal playing time during recruiting years absolutely makes sense. I would think that would be fairly standard since the clubs want to tout great recruiting success. And on any top club’s top team the difference in abilities would be minimal so more even playing time might result in a few losses or ties but no blow outs. One thing players and parents forget about are the other things college coaches look for and ask about—coach ability, what type of teammate (girls having sour attitudes for not playing the whole game), team play/lax IQ (not driving and dodging a million ways when you have two open teammates), commitment, resiliency, academics, parents, etc. The girls have to catch their attention but there’s a lot more to getting that offer.

That’s a big difference from the boys in my experince, the boys really want to win.

It's the dad-coaches that really want to win.

Will the new St James facility in Bethesda have any workout space for teams or is it the smaller thing they have in Reston? Looks like they are expanding from VA into MD…. Does that mean anything for Stars?

There are good players scattered out there not on Stars/Pride/MCE. There are also not-so-good players who will nonetheless give a Capital tryout a run.

Anonymous wrote:BLC going club after 5th grade watered the area talent down even more by having yet another club.

Also, better rec programs up in Baltimore area that actually focus on stick skills early.

This right here. BLC made a huge mistake in trying to go at it alone instead of combining with Stars. The damage is done now though. The 28 BLC team had lots of talent but now most of it left for Hero's. They aren't leaving Hero's to come back to play Capital or Pride for HS, why would they?

2 solutions, Capital starts a MS program at 6th grade or Pride/Stars and maybe BLC combine or merge. The Capital MS program would basically be that merger in some sense.

The 26 Stars team will lose it's top players to Capital, they won't stay with Stars for HS. Same with 26 Pride team. Not sure who the other players are with the "200" players showing up. BLC 26 stinks and MCE 26 is average.

Anonymous wrote:BLC going club after 5th grade watered the area talent down even more by having yet another club.

Also, better rec programs up in Baltimore area that actually focus on stick skills early.

Agree. There aren't enough feeder programs in the area with focus on skill development in Moco (and perhaps other areas of DC that I am unaware of). The options for girls from like a scoopers level through elem school are so limited or unimpressive. It would go a long way to raising the level of play of our lacrosse community here in dc area.