Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Vel will help stranded players find a team and they will combined schools with low participation to create a team.

The interesting question is why are so many teams having problems filling rosters. Personally, We’re struggling to fill our rosters even with opening jv up to 8th graders. The email from VEL makes it sound like a lot of schools are having trouble.

Pre-Covid and even during Covid VEL was oversubscribed with a couple schools, having teams so large that it wasn’t really worth showing up. I wonder if we’re past peak lacrosse participation or if this is the first tremors of the baby bust.

I don't think it is so much were are past peak lacrosse participation because the two youth programs I'm involved in (and I know other directors) many of the youth teams are filled with kids. What I think happened is that COVID forced many kids to become more specialized earlier including cost, reducing exposure, etc. The current 9th graders were 4th graders when COVID hit. While most rec sports shutdown for over a year (I know my son's 2020 spring season was scrubbed and the 21 was curtailed somewhat) that meant only club/travel teams were options to play sports with an frequency. That costs more so parents and kids made decisions to focus on one sport or the other. Instead of this happening in 7 or 8th grade it happened in 5th and 6th.

Anonymous wrote:Vel will help stranded players find a team and they will combined schools with low participation to create a team.

The interesting question is why are so many teams having problems filling rosters. Personally, We’re struggling to fill our rosters even with opening jv up to 8th graders. The email from VEL makes it sound like a lot of schools are having trouble.

Pre-Covid and even during Covid VEL was oversubscribed with a couple schools, having teams so large that it wasn’t really worth showing up. I wonder if we’re past peak lacrosse participation or if this is the first tremors of the baby bust.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Quick poll how many freshmen will be playing in VEL this fall. Seems like a drop off from last year as there are a bunch of teams struggling to fill a roster.

I am guessing with football and other sports it is difficult.

My son wants to play, but his school is not putting together a VEL team. Is there a way to join another school that needs players?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Quick poll how many freshmen will be playing in VEL this fall. Seems like a drop off from last year as there are a bunch of teams struggling to fill a roster.

I am guessing with football and other sports it is difficult.

My son wants to play, but his school is not putting together a VEL team. Is there a way to join another school that needs players?

Anonymous wrote:Quick poll how many freshmen will be playing in VEL this fall. Seems like a drop off from last year as there are a bunch of teams struggling to fill a roster.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have specific numbers, and can only speak from experience. Years ago, many youth lacrosse players also played other sports in the Fall & Winter. Some even played tackle/flag football, and then also did club lacrosse practice on Sunday's, and the tournaments were in November. There was some overlap, but it was manageable. You played wit your club in the summer and fall, or maybe just one or the other.

Now days, club lacrosse is a year round commitment, with multiple practices, speed/agility training, positional practices, etc... and 2-3X per week. Kids that want to play a fall or winter sport too, are being tasked with committing to something 6-7 days a week if they want to try and do both. It becomes too much for them, and their parents, and they either become burnt out totally from doing too much, become year-round lacrosse players, or quit lacrosse completely.

Every kid and family is different. Some families have 1 kid, who is driven, and easily manages this level of commitment. Some families have 2-4 kids, playing multiple different sports including lacrosse, but don't have the ability, finances or kids that want to play lacrosse year-round. In my personal experience with my own kids, they love lacrosse, they have enjoyed both rec and club lacrosse, going to a summer camp, and messing around in the backyard with their friends nd making up games for fun. Having to commit to a club program and participate year-round became a burden on them, and me, and became less enjoyable. They still play 3 sports at the rec and some travel BB level, and enjoy all three. Not making them pick one sport. If that is want they wanted to do, we'd consider it and support them.

The coaching at the club level, not National Teams is also not as good as it used to be. 2 drills and scrimmaging for 40 minutes. Not seeing the development with skills and field IQ that I used too.

What team are you talking about? (it must be hawks). My son has been on a elite team since third grade and he’s has always done other sports. My objection to “year round” club is the exact opposite of yours. my experience is that there is little to no “off season” lax to speak of. The fall will have no more than one or two tournaments with a couple of skill days thrown in. Almost no winter lax. The spring doesn’t really start until march and the summer ends no later than the middle of July. So “year round” is 4.5 months. The real question now that the boys are in hs (and therefore no club spring season) is why it costs so much for 2.5 months of lacrosse?

Fwiw Every single kid on my son’s team plays at least one other sport competitively.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have specific numbers, and can only speak from experience. Years ago, many youth lacrosse players also played other sports in the Fall & Winter. Some even played tackle/flag football, and then also did club lacrosse practice on Sunday's, and the tournaments were in November. There was some overlap, but it was manageable. You played wit your club in the summer and fall, or maybe just one or the other.

Now days, club lacrosse is a year round commitment, with multiple practices, speed/agility training, positional practices, etc... and 2-3X per week. Kids that want to play a fall or winter sport too, are being tasked with committing to something 6-7 days a week if they want to try and do both. It becomes too much for them, and their parents, and they either become burnt out totally from doing too much, become year-round lacrosse players, or quit lacrosse completely.

Every kid and family is different. Some families have 1 kid, who is driven, and easily manages this level of commitment. Some families have 2-4 kids, playing multiple different sports including lacrosse, but don't have the ability, finances or kids that want to play lacrosse year-round. In my personal experience with my own kids, they love lacrosse, they have enjoyed both rec and club lacrosse, going to a summer camp, and messing around in the backyard with their friends nd making up games for fun. Having to commit to a club program and participate year-round became a burden on them, and me, and became less enjoyable. They still play 3 sports at the rec and some travel BB level, and enjoy all three. Not making them pick one sport. If that is want they wanted to do, we'd consider it and support them.

The coaching at the club level, not National Teams is also not as good as it used to be. 2 drills and scrimmaging for 40 minutes. Not seeing the development with skills and field IQ that I used too.

Plus overuse injuries. It sucks.

The overuse injury risk concern is substantially overstated. All of my kids played year round sports. None of them had an over use injury and I’ve never met a family who had a kid with an overuse injury.

I understand it’s a serious problem if that’s your problem, but I just don’t think it happens nearly as often as people worry about. I think it’s mostly a Dodge for lazy parents.

I have heard of this for baseball pitchers and swimmers. But can still be avoided with appropriate weight training and stretching.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have specific numbers, and can only speak from experience. Years ago, many youth lacrosse players also played other sports in the Fall & Winter. Some even played tackle/flag football, and then also did club lacrosse practice on Sunday's, and the tournaments were in November. There was some overlap, but it was manageable. You played wit your club in the summer and fall, or maybe just one or the other.

Now days, club lacrosse is a year round commitment, with multiple practices, speed/agility training, positional practices, etc... and 2-3X per week. Kids that want to play a fall or winter sport too, are being tasked with committing to something 6-7 days a week if they want to try and do both. It becomes too much for them, and their parents, and they either become burnt out totally from doing too much, become year-round lacrosse players, or quit lacrosse completely.

Every kid and family is different. Some families have 1 kid, who is driven, and easily manages this level of commitment. Some families have 2-4 kids, playing multiple different sports including lacrosse, but don't have the ability, finances or kids that want to play lacrosse year-round. In my personal experience with my own kids, they love lacrosse, they have enjoyed both rec and club lacrosse, going to a summer camp, and messing around in the backyard with their friends nd making up games for fun. Having to commit to a club program and participate year-round became a burden on them, and me, and became less enjoyable. They still play 3 sports at the rec and some travel BB level, and enjoy all three. Not making them pick one sport. If that is want they wanted to do, we'd consider it and support them.

The coaching at the club level, not National Teams is also not as good as it used to be. 2 drills and scrimmaging for 40 minutes. Not seeing the development with skills and field IQ that I used too.

Plus overuse injuries. It sucks.

The overuse injury risk concern is substantially overstated. All of my kids played year round sports. None of them had an over use injury and I’ve never met a family who had a kid with an overuse injury.

I understand it’s a serious problem if that’s your problem, but I just don’t think it happens nearly as often as people worry about. I think it’s mostly a Dodge for lazy parents.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have specific numbers, and can only speak from experience. Years ago, many youth lacrosse players also played other sports in the Fall & Winter. Some even played tackle/flag football, and then also did club lacrosse practice on Sunday's, and the tournaments were in November. There was some overlap, but it was manageable. You played wit your club in the summer and fall, or maybe just one or the other.

Now days, club lacrosse is a year round commitment, with multiple practices, speed/agility training, positional practices, etc... and 2-3X per week. Kids that want to play a fall or winter sport too, are being tasked with committing to something 6-7 days a week if they want to try and do both. It becomes too much for them, and their parents, and they either become burnt out totally from doing too much, become year-round lacrosse players, or quit lacrosse completely.

Every kid and family is different. Some families have 1 kid, who is driven, and easily manages this level of commitment. Some families have 2-4 kids, playing multiple different sports including lacrosse, but don't have the ability, finances or kids that want to play lacrosse year-round. In my personal experience with my own kids, they love lacrosse, they have enjoyed both rec and club lacrosse, going to a summer camp, and messing around in the backyard with their friends nd making up games for fun. Having to commit to a club program and participate year-round became a burden on them, and me, and became less enjoyable. They still play 3 sports at the rec and some travel BB level, and enjoy all three. Not making them pick one sport. If that is want they wanted to do, we'd consider it and support them.

The coaching at the club level, not National Teams is also not as good as it used to be. 2 drills and scrimmaging for 40 minutes. Not seeing the development with skills and field IQ that I used too.

Plus overuse injuries. It sucks.

Anonymous wrote:I don't have specific numbers, and can only speak from experience. Years ago, many youth lacrosse players also played other sports in the Fall & Winter. Some even played tackle/flag football, and then also did club lacrosse practice on Sunday's, and the tournaments were in November. There was some overlap, but it was manageable. You played wit your club in the summer and fall, or maybe just one or the other.

Now days, club lacrosse is a year round commitment, with multiple practices, speed/agility training, positional practices, etc... and 2-3X per week. Kids that want to play a fall or winter sport too, are being tasked with committing to something 6-7 days a week if they want to try and do both. It becomes too much for them, and their parents, and they either become burnt out totally from doing too much, become year-round lacrosse players, or quit lacrosse completely.

Every kid and family is different. Some families have 1 kid, who is driven, and easily manages this level of commitment. Some families have 2-4 kids, playing multiple different sports including lacrosse, but don't have the ability, finances or kids that want to play lacrosse year-round. In my personal experience with my own kids, they love lacrosse, they have enjoyed both rec and club lacrosse, going to a summer camp, and messing around in the backyard with their friends nd making up games for fun. Having to commit to a club program and participate year-round became a burden on them, and me, and became less enjoyable. They still play 3 sports at the rec and some travel BB level, and enjoy all three. Not making them pick one sport. If that is want they wanted to do, we'd consider it and support them.

The coaching at the club level, not National Teams is also not as good as it used to be. 2 drills and scrimmaging for 40 minutes. Not seeing the development with skills and field IQ that I used too.

Anonymous wrote:I don't have specific numbers, and can only speak from experience. Years ago, many youth lacrosse players also played other sports in the Fall & Winter. Some even played tackle/flag football, and then also did club lacrosse practice on Sunday's, and the tournaments were in November. There was some overlap, but it was manageable. You played wit your club in the summer and fall, or maybe just one or the other.

Now days, club lacrosse is a year round commitment, with multiple practices, speed/agility training, positional practices, etc... and 2-3X per week. Kids that want to play a fall or winter sport too, are being tasked with committing to something 6-7 days a week if they want to try and do both. It becomes too much for them, and their parents, and they either become burnt out totally from doing too much, become year-round lacrosse players, or quit lacrosse completely.

Every kid and family is different. Some families have 1 kid, who is driven, and easily manages this level of commitment. Some families have 2-4 kids, playing multiple different sports including lacrosse, but don't have the ability, finances or kids that want to play lacrosse year-round. In my personal experience with my own kids, they love lacrosse, they have enjoyed both rec and club lacrosse, going to a summer camp, and messing around in the backyard with their friends nd making up games for fun. Having to commit to a club program and participate year-round became a burden on them, and me, and became less enjoyable. They still play 3 sports at the rec and some travel BB level, and enjoy all three. Not making them pick one sport. If that is want they wanted to do, we'd consider it and support them.

The coaching at the club level, not National Teams is also not as good as it used to be. 2 drills and scrimmaging for 40 minutes. Not seeing the development with skills and field IQ that I used too.