Anonymous wrote:If you have a B Team player, I would consider both Stars & Pride to get a feel for the level of play and the coaches, both of which can change year to year. I would also consider Metro & Cardinal (which I believe will only have one team per age group). In my opinion, all of those Clubs are currently stronger than MadLax, but that might be your preference depending on where you live, where she goes to school and her long term goals. Sign up for pre-try out clinics at all the Clubs to get her stick moving, meet the coaches, other players, and to learn more about issues of interest for you and your DD.

The B teams of Stars and Pride are usually much more competitive than VA Metro and Cardinals. That said, there is not as much difference between middle school clubs as some posters here will have you believe. They tend to practice at similar frequencies and play in the same tournaments. The biggest difference between Stars and Pride is that both Stars A and B team compete in the NGLL spring league which gives them exposure to the best teams in Maryland, including the Baltimore teams. Pride does not participate in the NGLL.

Stars parents are the worst, they rank up there with the classless Rebels parents.

The Pride marketing machine is out in full force. Can’t you just stay on your own thread. It speaks volumes that you have to come on the Stars thread and post how your Club is great blah blah blah. If it’s so great you wouldn’t be responding to Stars posts. Inferiority complex on its best display.

If you have a B Team player, I would consider both Stars & Pride to get a feel for the level of play and the coaches, both of which can change year to year. I would also consider Metro & Cardinal (which I believe will only have one team per age group). In my opinion, all of those Clubs are currently stronger than MadLax, but that might be your preference depending on where you live, where she goes to school and her long term goals. Sign up for pre-try out clinics at all the Clubs to get her stick moving, meet the coaches, other players, and to learn more about issues of interest for you and your DD.

Ok thanks for the info. Do you have any insight into whether Pride or Stars is better for a B team player? My DD will most likely not be on the top team so how does that affect my choice? I have had a travel team experience with my other child where the lower team was treated like crap. So I don’t want that again.

I couldn't agree more. Most of the parent complaints are around playing time, positions and coaching, which is no different than what I hear in travel soccer and basketball, for both boys and girls. Find the Club that works best for your daughter and parents you enjoy spending time with at practices and tournaments.

It's pretty dumb to talk about how some girls left Pride to go to Stars. Guess what?? Some girls left Stars to go to Pride! I happen to know a few myself.
And here's a shocker! Pride Red sometimes beats Stars Blue!! Last year, it happened multiple times! And the other times, Stars wins!
So, it's best if all just accept there are two very good teams in town. Each year is different. The cohesiveness of each team varies between years and teams.
As with all youth sports, a lot of how people view the team is based on how their own child did. With two very competitive teams, not everyone is going to be the star or do as well as they would like. And this translates to bad feelings. You will find lots of people who absolutely swear by Stars (even though they will quickly tell you a list of complaints about coaches and how it is run), and you will find tons of people who absolutely love Pride (with the exact same list of complaints)!
You just have to look around and decide which fits best for your daughter!

Pride is much like Stars in that the "A" teams are great, have cohesiveness, as most of them have been playing together for years and see little turnover year to year, and get the strongest coaches. The "B" teams do not do well and have no consistency. We were very disappointed for the two years we stuck it out. My daughter was not good enough to make Stars, but for the money and commitment we made to Pride, we expected better coaching and more development. Not going back.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is Stars a train wreck? Please share - we are debating it

Stars has its issues for sure but it is not a train wreck. My DD played for both Pride and Stars and we prefer Stars hands down. She learned more lacrosse skills generally, was able to play middie, attack and defense (Pride only put her in defense for an entire year despite numerous requests to play middie) and was exposed to better players.

When was that? years ago? pride is so much more competitive than it every has been. pride spends more time on the individual players and their coaches are much better. we've talked to a lot of their current families and they continue to get better in every way. they are very happy with the way the club is run. and pride is beating big teams. they are in the top tournaments and brackets. they also seem happy. stars cashes my check and then wants us to commit again before my daughter can try out for anyone else. selfish and wrong if you ask me. i will leave before it gets to that point.

In the last two years. For what it's worth, she is not the only one who left Pride for Stars. She knows at least three other girls who did the same in the last year partly because they couldn't stand playing for KM and another friend who decided to quit halfway through the year rather than play for her. On the other hand, we know a couple players who are happy with Pride but I don't think those girls would make Stars. Every club is going to have its issues, competitive teams, and not so competitive teams. If you think Pride will be better for your DD, go for it. Our experience was Stars was much better for our DD.

Anonymous wrote:Why is Stars a train wreck? Please share - we are debating it

Stars has its issues for sure but it is not a train wreck. My DD played for both Pride and Stars and we prefer Stars hands down. She learned more lacrosse skills generally, was able to play middie, attack and defense (Pride only put her in defense for an entire year despite numerous requests to play middie) and was exposed to better players.

Why is Stars a train wreck? Please share - we are debating it

Anonymous wrote:Stars is a train wreck, MC Elite is quickly surpassing it

MC Elite? no way. I'm a stars parent, but I'm sending my kid to pride. great leadership and development. I watched their 2025 demolish stars. same weekend their 2023 blue kids lost to them. they seem like the best club option in virginia currently.

Different poster but how was that response "awful"?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would it matter is the players’ PARENTS played a college sport? That is quite obviously of no relevance

And it totally untrue. My DD plays for Stars and several parents played college sports. Many more played in high school. But as you said it’s pretty irrelevant.

You sound awful

Anonymous wrote:Why would it matter is the players’ PARENTS played a college sport? That is quite obviously of no relevance

And it totally untrue. My DD plays for Stars and several parents played college sports. Many more played in high school. But as you said it’s pretty irrelevant.