Originally Posted by Anonymous
8th graders on Varsity usually get the spot based on their club play and intense self-promotion from their parents. They tend to be ‘me first’, ‘go to goal’, stat padders. The Parents act like its Club and scream at the refs if anyone dares come near their little meal ticket. Most rush right to the net, even if their team is leading - they have no concept of settling the ball, maybe giving their D a rest before rushing a shot, again. Varsity is a team game and these 8th graders come from a certain club that promotes individual stats regardless of the game situation. We were in a close game and these girls could barely pass and catch around the perimeter - they just want to dodge and score a goal, risking a costly turnover, not kill time and get the win. This speaks to the differences in coaching at a Varsity level (trained educators) vs. Club (summer gig for College kids) - Club is designed to get kids into college by making highlight plays and showcasing individual talent. An 8th grader needs to have the maturity required to play Varsity lacrosse where they shelf their ego and recognize they are part of a team that needs to work together to win. Most 8th graders don’t know the difference and treat Varsity as an extension of their Club, where they are top banana and don’t really see a need to play defense, or ride, or do any of the little things that don’t show up on the scorecard. They just want to collect goals and assists so their parents can justify the decision and their club can promote them on Insta.

Painting with a pretty broad brush. The type of play that you describe is extremely ugly to watch but it exists at all grades. Selfish players can be found at every grade and they can come from every club. Not all HS coaches are created equal, there are some great HS coaches and there are some terrible HS coaches, most are simply average.