Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Speaking as a former and current capital parent, one very important thing many folks need to remember as they try to “predict” who will make capital.

Capital is looking for the best college prospects, not the best middle school players. Every year a couple girls who were top middle school players didn’t make the top team and some players who weren’t impact players in middle school but have awesome athleticism and blow-by speed do.

The reason — like colleges, Capital overvalues size and speed in tryouts. If you don’t have elite speed, you won’t play midfield unless you are a stud in the circle. If you are under 5-2, you better have the best stick skills by a mile and be lightning fast.

While I think the overall messaging you are conveying is to the point, not sure what is meant by the best middle school players don't make the top team/s. The best middle school players, especially by late 8th grade, have the athleticism and speed. So that goes hand in hand for 9 out of 10 times. Not sure how you'd be a top MS player without those attributes. And Midfielders are the ones with elite speed and strong on the circle, so again, not sure the point of that?

My point is there are always a few girls who score lots of goals do to great stick work and Lax IQ but are limited physically (either by lack of speed or size) who don't end up making it and there will be a girl or two who has freak athleticism but a bit behind on stick work who will not make it. There will also be a couple midfielders who will be upset because they get switched to defense for the same reasons.

How much player development occurs at Capital? I don’t see how you can’t have good stick skills and hope to make Capital with just speed. As I understand it they don’t meet that often. You can’t have speed but be dropping or turning over the ball. Seems to me you need both speed and great stick skills by 9th already to make the team - there would be plenty of girls with both trying out that they wouldn’t have to sacrifice one or the other.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Speaking as a former and current capital parent, one very important thing many folks need to remember as they try to “predict” who will make capital.

Capital is looking for the best college prospects, not the best middle school players. Every year a couple girls who were top middle school players didn’t make the top team and some players who weren’t impact players in middle school but have awesome athleticism and blow-by speed do.

The reason — like colleges, Capital overvalues size and speed in tryouts. If you don’t have elite speed, you won’t play midfield unless you are a stud in the circle. If you are under 5-2, you better have the best stick skills by a mile and be lightning fast.

While I think the overall messaging you are conveying is to the point, not sure what is meant by the best middle school players don't make the top team/s. The best middle school players, especially by late 8th grade, have the athleticism and speed. So that goes hand in hand for 9 out of 10 times. Not sure how you'd be a top MS player without those attributes. And Midfielders are the ones with elite speed and strong on the circle, so again, not sure the point of that?

My point is there are always a few girls who score lots of goals do to great stick work and Lax IQ but are limited physically (either by lack of speed or size) who don't end up making it and there will be a girl or two who has freak athleticism but a bit behind on stick work who will not make it. There will also be a couple midfielders who will be upset because they get switched to defense for the same reasons.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Speaking as a former and current capital parent, one very important thing many folks need to remember as they try to “predict” who will make capital.

Capital is looking for the best college prospects, not the best middle school players. Every year a couple girls who were top middle school players didn’t make the top team and some players who weren’t impact players in middle school but have awesome athleticism and blow-by speed do.

The reason — like colleges, Capital overvalues size and speed in tryouts. If you don’t have elite speed, you won’t play midfield unless you are a stud in the circle. If you are under 5-2, you better have the best stick skills by a mile and be lightning fast.

While I think the overall messaging you are conveying is to the point, not sure what is meant by the best middle school players don't make the top team/s. The best middle school players, especially by late 8th grade, have the athleticism and speed. So that goes hand in hand for 9 out of 10 times. Not sure how you'd be a top MS player without those attributes. And Midfielders are the ones with elite speed and strong on the circle, so again, not sure the point of that?

My point is there are always a few girls who score lots of goals do to great stick work and Lax IQ but are limited physically (either by lack of speed or size) who don't end up making it and there will be a girl or two who has freak athleticism but a bit behind on stick work who will not make it. There will also be a couple midfielders who will be upset because they get switched to defense for the same reasons.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Speaking as a former and current capital parent, one very important thing many folks need to remember as they try to “predict” who will make capital.

Capital is looking for the best college prospects, not the best middle school players. Every year a couple girls who were top middle school players didn’t make the top team and some players who weren’t impact players in middle school but have awesome athleticism and blow-by speed do.

The reason — like colleges, Capital overvalues size and speed in tryouts. If you don’t have elite speed, you won’t play midfield unless you are a stud in the circle. If you are under 5-2, you better have the best stick skills by a mile and be lightning fast.

While I think the overall messaging you are conveying is to the point, not sure what is meant by the best middle school players don't make the top team/s. The best middle school players, especially by late 8th grade, have the athleticism and speed. So that goes hand in hand for 9 out of 10 times. Not sure how you'd be a top MS player without those attributes. And Midfielders are the ones with elite speed and strong on the circle, so again, not sure the point of that?

Anonymous wrote:Speaking as a former and current capital parent, one very important thing many folks need to remember as they try to “predict” who will make capital.

Capital is looking for the best college prospects, not the best middle school players. Every year a couple girls who were top middle school players didn’t make the top team and some players who weren’t impact players in middle school but have awesome athleticism and blow-by speed do.

The reason — like colleges, Capital overvalues size and speed in tryouts. If you don’t have elite speed, you won’t play midfield unless you are a stud in the circle. If you are under 5-2, you better have the best stick skills by a mile and be lightning fast.

Anonymous wrote:Stars teams usually come together in 8th.

- experienced parent

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s a generalization. 2027 team is an outlier

2028 is just as bad. Lots of folks talk about Pride, but Stars is probably losing more girls to Next Level and Pride at the 27 and younger age groups.

Next Level is better for the 28 and 29 levels. And the 27 level is actually probably close (even though NL is playing in B division).

This is true. 2026 is the only year that Stars has an advantage and it’s the thinnest of margins over Pride. 2027 Pride is best and it will be a very close game between Stars and Next Level. 2028 is either Pride or Next Level, Stars clearly third. 2029 and below Stars is MIA and BLC and MC Elite are showing promise.

The niche is see for Stars right now is becoming a MS focused club targeting girls moving up from Rec. Otherwise I have a hard time seeing the attraction for a 2029 to switch this coming summer from their current team, not even NL or Pride, but even BLC or MC Elite.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As for Stars one thing I’ve noticed is they sort of flounder until about 8th grade and then come alive. There are many talented Stars 2027 players that haven’t been properly developed. Being a player that’s a one truck pony doesn’t help that player down the road. This grade hasn’t gotten the resources it needs, but when it does I expect it will gel and really succeed. Many children are doing private lessons and with the correct leadership it could come together beautifully. I wouldn’t count those girls out for Capital just yet.

I think the bigger issue that Stars doesn't expose its girls to high levels of competition. They 27s should have been playing in A level a few years ago and taken their lumps to get better. Same goes for summer tourneys. They play in weak tourneys or weak brackets of big tournaments.

Look at Live Love Lax (the only top tourney they are playing in), they are playing in the second from bottom bracket, playing against mostly B teams like Pride Loudon. You aren't going to get better like this and aren't going to attract top players. If I was a top player, no way I am staying. (Though I understand the pressure some SS&S girls feel to stay).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As for Stars one thing I’ve noticed is they sort of flounder until about 8th grade and then come alive. There are many talented Stars 2027 players that haven’t been properly developed. Being a player that’s a one truck pony doesn’t help that player down the road. This grade hasn’t gotten the resources it needs, but when it does I expect it will gel and really succeed. Many children are doing private lessons and with the correct leadership it could come together beautifully. I wouldn’t count those girls out for Capital just yet.

I think the bigger issue that Stars doesn't expose its girls to high levels of competition. They 27s should have been playing in A level a few years ago and taken their lumps to get better. Same goes for summer tourneys. They play in weak tourneys or weak brackets of big tournaments.

Look at Live Love Lax (the only top tourney they are playing in), they are playing in the second from bottom bracket, playing against mostly B teams like Pride Loudon. You aren't going to get better like this and aren't going to attract top players. If I was a top player, no way I am staying. (Though I understand the pressure some SS&S girls feel to stay).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s a generalization. 2027 team is an outlier

2028 is just as bad. Lots of folks talk about Pride, but Stars is probably losing more girls to Next Level and Pride at the 27 and younger age groups.

Next Level is better for the 28 and 29 levels. And the 27 level is actually probably close (even though NL is playing in B division).