Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Must be nice in the WCAC that SJC and Gonzaga only really have to worry about playing each other, since the rest of the league is not very good. Good news, they can cake walk to the championship almost every year and claim their "title". Bad news, it doesn't really mean much as it's not a competitive lax league.

Very true.

WCAC will always be a football and hoops conference first and foremost.

Exactly, and not a lax conference.

Maybe true but that’s doesn’t mean that one or two of their teams can’t dominate the DMV. St. John’s is doing it now. Has dominated the IAC to the point that they refuse to play. Gonzaga did before them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Must be nice in the WCAC that SJC and Gonzaga only really have to worry about playing each other, since the rest of the league is not very good. Good news, they can cake walk to the championship almost every year and claim their "title". Bad news, it doesn't really mean much as it's not a competitive lax league.

Very true.

WCAC will always be a football and hoops conference first and foremost.

Exactly, and not a lax conference.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Must be nice in the WCAC that SJC and Gonzaga only really have to worry about playing each other, since the rest of the league is not very good. Good news, they can cake walk to the championship almost every year and claim their "title". Bad news, it doesn't really mean much as it's not a competitive lax league.

Very true.

WCAC will always be a football and hoops conference first and foremost.

Anonymous wrote:Must be nice in the WCAC that SJC and Gonzaga only really have to worry about playing each other, since the rest of the league is not very good. Good news, they can cake walk to the championship almost every year and claim their "title". Bad news, it doesn't really mean much as it's not a competitive lax league.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's funny how the recruiting flows downhill to the schools that are chasing something. Flint Hill, Montrose Christian, St. Anthony's, St. Frances, Bullis et al all sought to raise their stature by providing athletic scholarships. They thought providing athletic scholarships would prompt more applications and lead to more donations. They don't. It has the reverse effect where existing families and alumni resent the favoritism and subsidies and the school ends up suffering. Some went out of business and others ended up losing their jobs.

SJC is just the latest in this strategy. Pay for play doesn't work and they'll be back in the same spot in another 10 years once they figure out those players and families don't care about the school at all. SJC hit the jackpot with Plank but it won't be enough.

No comparison. SJC is fielding championship caliber teams in the DMV in every sport - Boys or Girls - period. I get it. It hurts a lot of feelings. The entire school has a solid athletic program and this along with lower tuition does draw more applications/families. The problem happens when there is one sport / team that upsets the parents paying 40-60k. Yes, Plank and co. provide opportunities for student-athletes and good for them. However, SJC hit the jackpot with Speaks. All about the culture he has built around the lax program. No need to try and come up with a complicated explanation. SJC on top for another 10? Purple faithful just spilled coffee all over their white pants and quarter zips.

Speaks is just the latest iteration of Vetter (Flint Hill, Montrose Christian), Poggi (St. Frances), Hurley (St. Anthony's), Boarman (Bullis). It's good until it's not. Maybe Speaks sticks around 20 years but not likely. Maybe the lacrosse alumni will shock everyone by picking up the flag Plank planted and build on it but not likely. That hasn't happened in the 50 years of SJC being a relative sports power in the DC area. It was so bad the school was teetering financially due to poor enrollment. The Diocese had to support them for the better part of 20 years.

It's already starting to wear thin on Military. The hard press on recruiting the 26's is wearing off as the school had to talk many families into staying after those families first year and their realization the school, not athletics, is far below the other privates. Wait until that huge 27 lax class finds out the majority won't see the field, if at all, until their senior year.

Speaks is a great coach and the best in the area right now. It's just not how DC privates succeed.

Wow, someone is salty. Look nuts, the lax dream ends for a number of these kids by 11th grade. SJC had one of the youngest rosters last year with a dozen frosh/soph seeing the field playing key mins. The lack of PT from your sideline gossip club is due to position competition only- not grade, last name, club you play for, who you know (including you nut) or what daddy wants. Happens to all good teams but is definitely not the same reasons at other programs.
Here we go with comparing academics experiences from afar. More like looking for social prestige at a self proclaimed “elite” school. News flash.. No one cares outside the DMV.
Focus on the spring lacrosse season SJC will hoist up another WCAC trophy and IAC trophy will be settled at a 3-way pillow fight between Bullis/GP/Landon.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's funny how the recruiting flows downhill to the schools that are chasing something. Flint Hill, Montrose Christian, St. Anthony's, St. Frances, Bullis et al all sought to raise their stature by providing athletic scholarships. They thought providing athletic scholarships would prompt more applications and lead to more donations. They don't. It has the reverse effect where existing families and alumni resent the favoritism and subsidies and the school ends up suffering. Some went out of business and others ended up losing their jobs.

SJC is just the latest in this strategy. Pay for play doesn't work and they'll be back in the same spot in another 10 years once they figure out those players and families don't care about the school at all. SJC hit the jackpot with Plank but it won't be enough.

No comparison. SJC is fielding championship caliber teams in the DMV in every sport - Boys or Girls - period. I get it. It hurts a lot of feelings. The entire school has a solid athletic program and this along with lower tuition does draw more applications/families. The problem happens when there is one sport / team that upsets the parents paying 40-60k. Yes, Plank and co. provide opportunities for student-athletes and good for them. However, SJC hit the jackpot with Speaks. All about the culture he has built around the lax program. No need to try and come up with a complicated explanation. SJC on top for another 10? Purple faithful just spilled coffee all over their white pants and quarter zips.

Speaks is just the latest iteration of Vetter (Flint Hill, Montrose Christian), Poggi (St. Frances), Hurley (St. Anthony's), Boarman (Bullis). It's good until it's not. Maybe Speaks sticks around 20 years but not likely. Maybe the lacrosse alumni will shock everyone by picking up the flag Plank planted and build on it but not likely. That hasn't happened in the 50 years of SJC being a relative sports power in the DC area. It was so bad the school was teetering financially due to poor enrollment. The Diocese had to support them for the better part of 20 years.

It's already starting to wear thin on Military. The hard press on recruiting the 26's is wearing off as the school had to talk many families into staying after those families first year and their realization the school, not athletics, is far below the other privates. Wait until that huge 27 lax class finds out the majority won't see the field, if at all, until their senior year.

Speaks is a great coach and the best in the area right now. It's just not how DC privates succeed.

Anonymous wrote:

It's already starting to wear thin on Military. The hard press on recruiting the 26's is wearing off as the school had to talk many families into staying after those families first year and their realization the school, not athletics, is far below the other privates. Wait until that huge 27 lax class finds out the majority won't see the field, if at all, until their senior year.

Anonymous wrote:Landon 2017 might have something to say about “best team ever in DMV.”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's funny how the recruiting flows downhill to the schools that are chasing something. Flint Hill, Montrose Christian, St. Anthony's, St. Frances, Bullis et al all sought to raise their stature by providing athletic scholarships. They thought providing athletic scholarships would prompt more applications and lead to more donations. They don't. It has the reverse effect where existing families and alumni resent the favoritism and subsidies and the school ends up suffering. Some went out of business and others ended up losing their jobs.

SJC is just the latest in this strategy. Pay for play doesn't work and they'll be back in the same spot in another 10 years once they figure out those players and families don't care about the school at all. SJC hit the jackpot with Plank but it won't be enough.

No comparison. SJC is fielding championship caliber teams in the DMV in every sport - Boys or Girls - period. I get it. It hurts a lot of feelings. The entire school has a solid athletic program and this along with lower tuition does draw more applications/families. The problem happens when there is one sport / team that upsets the parents paying 40-60k. Yes, Plank and co. provide opportunities for student-athletes and good for them. However, SJC hit the jackpot with Speaks. All about the culture he has built around the lax program. No need to try and come up with a complicated explanation. SJC on top for another 10? Purple faithful just spilled coffee all over their white pants and quarter zips.

Anonymous wrote:It's funny how the recruiting flows downhill to the schools that are chasing something. Flint Hill, Montrose Christian, St. Anthony's, St. Frances, Bullis et al all sought to raise their stature by providing athletic scholarships. They thought providing athletic scholarships would prompt more applications and lead to more donations. They don't. It has the reverse effect where existing families and alumni resent the favoritism and subsidies and the school ends up suffering. Some went out of business and others ended up losing their jobs.

SJC is just the latest in this strategy. Pay for play doesn't work and they'll be back in the same spot in another 10 years once they figure out those players and families don't care about the school at all. SJC hit the jackpot with Plank but it won't be enough.