Anonymous wrote:I hate the club scene as much as the next guy...

But the real and valuable purpose they serve in college recruiting is to separare the wheat from the chaff and gives the college coaches a more refined pool from which to fish. It’s just more efficient to focus on a Madlax or VLC (or Clams or Sweetlax or the other top 25 clubs in the NE) where almost every kid on the roster can play at the next level, than to cast a wide net.

What do you hate about the club scene? I think it can be a good alternative to kids who want to play in college v. private school tuition. As far as recruiting goes, most top players play HS and club so hard to make a case that one is better than the other. I would think a college coach would want to watch club as all the kids are in the same year. It would not be as helpful for a coach to watch an entire game featuring seniors already committed to other schools.

I hate the club scene as much as the next guy...

But the real and valuable purpose they serve in college recruiting is to separare the wheat from the chaff and gives the college coaches a more refined pool from which to fish. It’s just more efficient to focus on a Madlax or VLC (or Clams or Sweetlax or the other top 25 clubs in the NE) where almost every kid on the roster can play at the next level, than to cast a wide net.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Club play at the tournaments can be hard to watch. Basically a pickup game with ballhogs and their parents making it ugly lacrosse. Contrast that with high school team play. Watching any WCAC or IAC game is so much more enjoyable and revealing about a players lax iq, team play and overall talent.

This. It's just that college coaches can't get to high schools games - this is why the NHS fall/summer tournaments are popular as well as club teams - as mentioned previously - they do play a role in the recruiting process even after the rule change.

College coaches are adept at using something called film. They are routinely asking schools in the IAC, WCAC and MIAA to send them film of the spring high school games. Nowadays anytime a kid plays in a high school game, it is possible that many college coaches are watching, or will be the following day in their office. The summer circuit is less meaningful now for sure, but these coaches still do go to summer tournaments to show the flag and see their buddies.

It's a lot more about quantity. College coaches love the club scene because they can see the equivalent of 10 games in a day if they are inclined. Most coaches will flat out tell you that film might peak their interest, but they want to see you play in person, watch you interact with coaches, teammates and parents in the summer heat and in the last game of a long day. HS is important, but raw talent is much more important than what HS you play for. These kids from Florida, Utah, California, Washington State, Arizona, Texas, Michigan, Alabama, etc. often aren't the beneficiaries of elite HS coaching or competition. They are kids with talent and athletic ability and benefited from exposure traveling with their club teams.

I think the highlight film peaks interest. What the posters are talking about is game film. It is routine for college coaches to call the coaches at better high schools and get film of games. They get to see over a dozen legitimate recruits across many grades by watching one high-level high school lacrosse game--like a Prep v Landon or a Bullis v SJC or a McDonough v. Loyola. I disagree completely about any sentiment that it does not matter what HS you play for. There are kids from non-hotbed schools who make it into D1 and some do well. But, if you want to make it in D1, you have a lot of cred coming from Chaminade, Boys Latin, Landon, etc. that is a difference maker, and most of those kids have played schemes that are closer to those played by the college programs, making them more appealing to a college coach who needs to keep winning to keep his job.

Anonymous wrote:There are a number of D-3 schools that are outstanding academically and have better than average lacrosse teams. But they are hard to get into and expensive in many cases. Colorado College is one example, according to my husband, who helped start lacrosse, there, in the '60s.

Colorado College is indeed a fantastic, hard to get into school where playing lacrosse can help you gain admission. If your kid is interested in playing lacrosse at the D3 level for a liberal arts school with strong academics, there are actually a fair number of options - check out the NESCAC (schools like Bowdoin/Bates), NCAC (schools like Oberlin/Kenyon), ODAC (W&L), Centential (schools like Haverford, Swat). Yes, grades/scores are still weighed heavily, but I know for a fact a coach's support is a significant thumb on the admissions scale.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tip 1. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and play for Madlax, VLC, Crabs, DC Express.

Tip 2. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and have your kid play for Bullis or Prep or Landon if D1, any other IAC if D3 focused.

My S didn't play for one of those elite clubs. He attends public school. He'll be playing D3 lax next year at a school that is a great fit for him. He'll get a good chunk of merit aid. There are multiple avenues to achieve the goal. I guess this is Tip 3.

Ditto. Not a top D3 program for DS but a great school with terrific young head coach and significant merit money. What we've learned is that if DS or DD want to play in college it is possible to find a good fit for them even if they are not a top-tier athlete. More and more DII and DIII schools are starting men's and women's programs every year. So there are more options now for kids than ever; the key thing is that they are enthusiastic about attending the school. If it makes sense for them academically and financially, and they can play lacrosse, then its a great situation even if they're not on a top 20 program.

There are a number of D-3 schools that are outstanding academically and have better than average lacrosse teams. But they are hard to get into and expensive in many cases. Colorado College is one example, according to my husband, who helped start lacrosse, there, in the '60s.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tip 1. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and play for Madlax, VLC, Crabs, DC Express.

Tip 2. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and have your kid play for Bullis or Prep or Landon if D1, any other IAC if D3 focused.

My S didn't play for one of those elite clubs. He attends public school. He'll be playing D3 lax next year at a school that is a great fit for him. He'll get a good chunk of merit aid. There are multiple avenues to achieve the goal. I guess this is Tip 3.

There are exceptions to the Rule, but as a general matter a public school kid not playing for an elite club will not land in a top D3 lax program. reality hurts.

It's not a top D3 program. Never claimed it was. I'm not sure why that's relevant. It's a great fit for him, and he'll probably be on the field a good bit as a freshman. Tip 4 - reality rocks.

BTW, my son's club program had two D1 commits from the 2018 team. Both public school kids. There is life beyond VLC and Madlax.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tip 1. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and play for Madlax, VLC, Crabs, DC Express.

Tip 2. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and have your kid play for Bullis or Prep or Landon if D1, any other IAC if D3 focused.

My S didn't play for one of those elite clubs. He attends public school. He'll be playing D3 lax next year at a school that is a great fit for him. He'll get a good chunk of merit aid. There are multiple avenues to achieve the goal. I guess this is Tip 3.

There are exceptions to the Rule, but as a general matter a public school kid not playing for an elite club will not land in a top D3 lax program. reality hurts.

It's not a top D3 program. Never claimed it was. I'm not sure why that's relevant. It's a great fit for him, and he'll probably be on the field a good bit as a freshman. Tip 4 - reality rocks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tip 1. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and play for Madlax, VLC, Crabs, DC Express.

Tip 2. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and have your kid play for Bullis or Prep or Landon if D1, any other IAC if D3 focused.

My S didn't play for one of those elite clubs. He attends public school. He'll be playing D3 lax next year at a school that is a great fit for him. He'll get a good chunk of merit aid. There are multiple avenues to achieve the goal. I guess this is Tip 3.

Do you think he would have gotten in that school with the same amount of merit aid if he wan't good enough for the lacrosse team?

Yes. Don't think coaches have any pull in that regard in D3. I've heard NESCAC coaches might have some sway in admissions/merit but I don't have any first hand knowledge of that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tip 1. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and play for Madlax, VLC, Crabs, DC Express.

Tip 2. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and have your kid play for Bullis or Prep or Landon if D1, any other IAC if D3 focused.

My S didn't play for one of those elite clubs. He attends public school. He'll be playing D3 lax next year at a school that is a great fit for him. He'll get a good chunk of merit aid. There are multiple avenues to achieve the goal. I guess this is Tip 3.

Do you think he would have gotten in that school with the same amount of merit aid if he wan't good enough for the lacrosse team?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tip 1. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and play for Madlax, VLC, Crabs, DC Express.

Tip 2. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and have your kid play for Bullis or Prep or Landon if D1, any other IAC if D3 focused.

My S didn't play for one of those elite clubs. He attends public school. He'll be playing D3 lax next year at a school that is a great fit for him. He'll get a good chunk of merit aid. There are multiple avenues to achieve the goal. I guess this is Tip 3.

There are exceptions to the Rule, but as a general matter a public school kid not playing for an elite club will not land in a top D3 lax program. reality hurts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tip 1. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and play for Madlax, VLC, Crabs, DC Express.

Tip 2. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and have your kid play for Bullis or Prep or Landon if D1, any other IAC if D3 focused.

My S didn't play for one of those elite clubs. He attends public school. He'll be playing D3 lax next year at a school that is a great fit for him. He'll get a good chunk of merit aid. There are multiple avenues to achieve the goal. I guess this is Tip 3.

Name the school and the peanut gallery will tell you whether it’s truly a Tip3.

Anonymous wrote:Tip 1. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and play for Madlax, VLC, Crabs, DC Express.

Tip 2. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and have your kid play for Bullis or Prep or Landon if D1, any other IAC if D3 focused.

My S didn't play for one of those elite clubs. He attends public school. He'll be playing D3 lax next year at a school that is a great fit for him. He'll get a good chunk of merit aid. There are multiple avenues to achieve the goal. I guess this is Tip 3.

Tip 1. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and play for Madlax, VLC, Crabs, DC Express.

Tip 2. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and have your kid play for Bullis or Prep or Landon if D1, any other IAC if D3 focused.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Club play at the tournaments can be hard to watch. Basically a pickup game with ballhogs and their parents making it ugly lacrosse. Contrast that with high school team play. Watching any WCAC or IAC game is so much more enjoyable and revealing about a players lax iq, team play and overall talent.

This. It's just that college coaches can't get to high schools games - this is why the NHS fall/summer tournaments are popular as well as club teams - as mentioned previously - they do play a role in the recruiting process even after the rule change.

College coaches are adept at using something called film. They are routinely asking schools in the IAC, WCAC and MIAA to send them film of the spring high school games. Nowadays anytime a kid plays in a high school game, it is possible that many college coaches are watching, or will be the following day in their office. The summer circuit is less meaningful now for sure, but these coaches still do go to summer tournaments to show the flag and see their buddies.

College coaches watching full high school game film? That seems time consuming and low yield to me. You sure?

Each college staff has three paid coaches and a volunteer assistant. With film, the coach does not have to sit through timeouts, breaks between quarters or halftime. These guys are lacrosse junkies. Coach watches a game, then calls the HS coach and asks about #1, #4, #7 and #47. Its not that hard--its much more efficient, actually. At the better high school programs, the high school coaches are regularly in touch with coaches from colleges, and the college coaches can get information from the high school coach that is as important as how the kid performs on the field--like, what are his grades? Is he a good kid? Any issues off the field? Will he need $$? Do I have a lot of competition?