Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’ve visited a lot of college programs in the last year and coaches are suggesting players attend less and less showcases. They’re seeing too much hero ball, bad lacrosse and kids who are burnt out. Unfortunately the talent is no longer as selective at the showcases as it was precovid and college coaches are realizing that reality. Everything we’ve heard as of late is that recruiting happens in high school first, then club tournaments (very important your club is attending the best tournaments), prospect days and maybe a showcase last if they already have your kid pegged as a top recruit. Invite only showcases are the only ones worth attending.

Not sure which college coaches you are talking to but the only HS recruiting I have seen is at NHSLS which are summer and fall events. How can coaches take time out of a spring season to recruit? Say what you want about the top club events but Crabfeast, NLF, NAL, Naptown are all swarming with coaches on the sidelines. The top coaches as well. I think they also prefer to see how they stack up playing only in the class they are recruiting. This summer they will focus on players who just completed the sophomore season. At the top HS programs some of these players may not be starters and why would coaches waste time watching games with committed seniors when they can see all recruitable players at one location. Coaches will ask a player to send the summer schedule. I would say club is the most important way to get recruited. A mid level public school has four D1 recruits. Did the HS play even a small role in that? Not a chance. Why do you think so many kids are committed from the top club teams? This is not difficult. Sorry but the Big4, PLC events just don't draw the coaches nor do most of the showcases.

I am not the original poster, but most top HS programs stream games. That is how they are doing it. I have 2 kids playing college lacrosse now. I have talked about this very thing w both recruiting coordinators. The original premise is correct, and streaming allows them to watch all HS games at any time during a week or Spring season.

They can't rid the recruiting process completely of club events, but it is 100% less influential than it was even 5 years ago. HS 1st. College days 2nd. Club events 3rd. Showcases 4th. All provide some value, but this is how I have been told they rank by two separate staffs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’ve visited a lot of college programs in the last year and coaches are suggesting players attend less and less showcases. They’re seeing too much hero ball, bad lacrosse and kids who are burnt out. Unfortunately the talent is no longer as selective at the showcases as it was precovid and college coaches are realizing that reality. Everything we’ve heard as of late is that recruiting happens in high school first, then club tournaments (very important your club is attending the best tournaments), prospect days and maybe a showcase last if they already have your kid pegged as a top recruit. Invite only showcases are the only ones worth attending.

Not sure which college coaches you are talking to but the only HS recruiting I have seen is at NHSLS which are summer and fall events. How can coaches take time out of a spring season to recruit? Say what you want about the top club events but Crabfeast, NLF, NAL, Naptown are all swarming with coaches on the sidelines. The top coaches as well. I think they also prefer to see how they stack up playing only in the class they are recruiting. This summer they will focus on players who just completed the sophomore season. At the top HS programs some of these players may not be starters and why would coaches waste time watching games with committed seniors when they can see all recruitable players at one location. Coaches will ask a player to send the summer schedule. I would say club is the most important way to get recruited. A mid level public school has four D1 recruits. Did the HS play even a small role in that? Not a chance. Why do you think so many kids are committed from the top club teams? This is not difficult. Sorry but the Big4, PLC events just don't draw the coaches nor do most of the showcases.

Anonymous wrote:We’ve visited a lot of college programs in the last year and coaches are suggesting players attend less and less showcases. They’re seeing too much hero ball, bad lacrosse and kids who are burnt out. Unfortunately the talent is no longer as selective at the showcases as it was precovid and college coaches are realizing that reality. Everything we’ve heard as of late is that recruiting happens in high school first, then club tournaments (very important your club is attending the best tournaments), prospect days and maybe a showcase last if they already have your kid pegged as a top recruit. Invite only showcases are the only ones worth attending.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What a great read!! Been a bit since I poked around here but after hearing the news of the joint tryout I knew there would be some good reading here.

This is Joe High with TRW Wolfpack, happy to identify myself and open up for criticism. Would love to chime in here on a few points I have read:

- Lots of comments about D1,2,3 etc... and what clubs are sending the most players to the top programs and how they are doing it. As a Salisbury Alumni, I feel I should point out that the best D3 teams are very capable of beating the D1 programs from #10 or so down any year, so don't make it all about D1. I don't think I saw much of anything that I agreed with in this thread on the topic. First of all, most of the thread is about players jumping around. I personally don't care, who am I or anyone else to say what you should do as a player or parent. The reality of the best way to have your son play D1 is to be one of the best players. Somewhere towards the bottom of the list is what club team you are on. Size, strength, speed (and age) are big factors that have nothing to do with your club team, sorry little guys, you will just have to out work the big guys. The lacrosse talent and IQ are another big part of it, obviously your coaches influence that. If you are looking for the best program, you should spend a lot of time looking at the coaches, they are going to be the one's with the biggest influence. Most of the other stuff is marketing created by the teams to convince people that is what matters. One comment talked about the tournaments that you have to play in. NAL, NLF, etc... Those tournaments are owned by the clubs telling you that the players have to be there to be seen. I don't want that to come across as a knock on those tournaments. There are great teams there and great competition but don't think for a minute that is the only place your son can get seen to play at the highest level. Checkout the PLC tournaments, Big 4, ML8, and plenty of others. The same teams are playing in those tournaments. And the kicker is that the tournaments are not the top place you player will be recruited. It's the showcases. Your club team isn't going to tell you that unless they happen to run their own showcase as well. Because at the end of the day, most of the answers are found in a pocket. For the 2026s, when the high school season kicks off in a few days you will start to see the level of play of older guys and you will hear where they are committed. Get a sense for that and how your son compares to those players and the programs they are committed to.

- One crazy concept you might want to keep an eye on is how good the school is academically and potentially be sure your son has an understanding that the education they get will be more important than the quality of the lacrosse team they are on. I suspect that comment will draw some responses on this board. I will save you the key strokes and point out, yes, I did go to Salisbury but we look at that as the Harvard of the Eastern Shore.

- Anyone that is looking for a new place to play, feel free to reach out through our website. I'm carrying 21 players right now. Don't need any more but there is room if there are players that make us better. Goalies need not apply.

- If you are good enough to get playing time with us at the right positions, we will add you. If not, I will let the player and parent know why. I don't make a penny on any of it, so the decision will simply be if you help make us better or not.

- If you want to know about our program, I will be happy to have a conversation, but the best thing to do is talk to the parents of our players.

- If you think this email is a hidden recruiting effort, I apologize. I tried to make it obvious that it is a recruiting effort in the last few bullets. I am a competitor, I don't like losing. I want to put the best team on the field. I have already committed to our players and families for the upcoming summer season, so any additions will be just that.

I welcome all of the wonderful comments.

Thanks

Joe

Well said Joe!!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:so what is the official count? how many Mad Lax 2026s did indeed leave ML and join Next Level 2026?

m


Apparently not enough for them to kick anyone off the team.

2 attack
1 attack “Free Agent”
3 middies
1 lsm

Maybe undecided

2 poles
1 mid

Could be more but lets start there.

Translation - not the whole team by any stretch, not a large number, but the most skilled players and the biggest parent egos and prima donnas. Am I right or wrong?

Update:
2 attack (Prep, SJC)
1 attack “Free Agent” (GZ)
4 middies (3 Landon, 1?)
1 lsm (SJC)
1 pole (Landon)

Maybe undecided

2 poles (Prep)

To answer the question asked. Your right!

So not the entire team but CM has some work to do.

Wow, all those players plus the 7-8 who went to VLC, plus the one who went to DCE are literally the top 20 players formerly on the roster. Man that team imploded fast.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:so what is the official count? how many Mad Lax 2026s did indeed leave ML and join Next Level 2026?

m


Apparently not enough for them to kick anyone off the team.

2 attack
1 attack “Free Agent”
3 middies
1 lsm

Maybe undecided

2 poles
1 mid

Could be more but lets start there.

Translation - not the whole team by any stretch, not a large number, but the most skilled players and the biggest parent egos and prima donnas. Am I right or wrong?

Update:
2 attack (Prep, SJC)
1 attack “Free Agent” (GZ)
4 middies (3 Landon, 1?)
1 lsm (SJC)
1 pole (Landon)

Maybe undecided

2 poles (Prep)

To answer the question asked. Your right!

So not the entire team but CM has some work to do.

Anonymous wrote:What a great read!! Been a bit since I poked around here but after hearing the news of the joint tryout I knew there would be some good reading here.

This is Joe High with TRW Wolfpack, happy to identify myself and open up for criticism. Would love to chime in here on a few points I have read:

- Lots of comments about D1,2,3 etc... and what clubs are sending the most players to the top programs and how they are doing it. As a Salisbury Alumni, I feel I should point out that the best D3 teams are very capable of beating the D1 programs from #10 or so down any year, so don't make it all about D1. I don't think I saw much of anything that I agreed with in this thread on the topic. First of all, most of the thread is about players jumping around. I personally don't care, who am I or anyone else to say what you should do as a player or parent. The reality of the best way to have your son play D1 is to be one of the best players. Somewhere towards the bottom of the list is what club team you are on. Size, strength, speed (and age) are big factors that have nothing to do with your club team, sorry little guys, you will just have to out work the big guys. The lacrosse talent and IQ are another big part of it, obviously your coaches influence that. If you are looking for the best program, you should spend a lot of time looking at the coaches, they are going to be the one's with the biggest influence. Most of the other stuff is marketing created by the teams to convince people that is what matters. One comment talked about the tournaments that you have to play in. NAL, NLF, etc... Those tournaments are owned by the clubs telling you that the players have to be there to be seen. I don't want that to come across as a knock on those tournaments. There are great teams there and great competition but don't think for a minute that is the only place your son can get seen to play at the highest level. Checkout the PLC tournaments, Big 4, ML8, and plenty of others. The same teams are playing in those tournaments. And the kicker is that the tournaments are not the top place you player will be recruited. It's the showcases. Your club team isn't going to tell you that unless they happen to run their own showcase as well. Because at the end of the day, most of the answers are found in a pocket. For the 2026s, when the high school season kicks off in a few days you will start to see the level of play of older guys and you will hear where they are committed. Get a sense for that and how your son compares to those players and the programs they are committed to.

- One crazy concept you might want to keep an eye on is how good the school is academically and potentially be sure your son has an understanding that the education they get will be more important than the quality of the lacrosse team they are on. I suspect that comment will draw some responses on this board. I will save you the key strokes and point out, yes, I did go to Salisbury but we look at that as the Harvard of the Eastern Shore.

- Anyone that is looking for a new place to play, feel free to reach out through our website. I'm carrying 21 players right now. Don't need any more but there is room if there are players that make us better. Goalies need not apply.

- If you are good enough to get playing time with us at the right positions, we will add you. If not, I will let the player and parent know why. I don't make a penny on any of it, so the decision will simply be if you help make us better or not.

- If you want to know about our program, I will be happy to have a conversation, but the best thing to do is talk to the parents of our players.

- If you think this email is a hidden recruiting effort, I apologize. I tried to make it obvious that it is a recruiting effort in the last few bullets. I am a competitor, I don't like losing. I want to put the best team on the field. I have already committed to our players and families for the upcoming summer season, so any additions will be just that.

I welcome all of the wonderful comments.

Thanks

Joe

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:so what is the official count? how many Mad Lax 2026s did indeed leave ML and join Next Level 2026?

m


Apparently not enough for them to kick anyone off the team.

It would have been better to be kicked off and moved on to a new team. Like ripping off a Bandaid. Staying on a bloated roster where certain players never come out of the game will be more of a slow death. Ask the kids on NL 2027.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:so what is the official count? how many Mad Lax 2026s did indeed leave ML and join Next Level 2026?

m


Apparently not enough for them to kick anyone off the team.

2 attack
1 attack “Free Agent”
3 middies
1 lsm

Maybe undecided

2 poles
1 mid

Could be more but lets start there.

Translation - not the whole team by any stretch, not a large number, but the most skilled players and the biggest parent egos and prima donnas. Am I right or wrong?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:so what is the official count? how many Mad Lax 2026s did indeed leave ML and join Next Level 2026?

m


Apparently not enough for them to kick anyone off the team.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:so what is the official count? how many Mad Lax 2026s did indeed leave ML and join Next Level 2026?

m


Apparently not enough for them to kick anyone off the team.

2 attack
1 attack “Free Agent”
3 middies
1 lsm

Maybe undecided

2 poles
1 mid

Could be more but lets start there.