BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums NORTHEAST LACROSSE BOTC MAIN FORUM (LI, CT, WC) How to make the A team?

Here's one for you guys to chew on:

What does the B kid need to do to make the A team--politics aside? How does a kid that is one of the better B team players make the jump to A? Does he need size, speed and great lacrosse skills? What happens if he's average size for his grade, yet has really good stick skills and can play attack, midfield?

What are the things that set an A player apart from a B player? What are the things that need to be done at tryouts in order to convince Chanechuk or Spalinna that the kid should make the team? What does it take to make Anthony Alexander's eyes and ears perk up and get noticed? 2-3 goals and 1-2 asssts in the scrimmage at tryouts?

I know that 60-70 percent of making an elite can be political. Either a kid is coming form the 4-5 traditional lacrosse towns or his father/uncle was a D1 stud and therefore is a known quantity. Are A teams usually 10 stud players with another 10-12 kids that are good but not great? Do clubs just take kids that fill a need or do they take the best kids available?

I know that club season has not even started yet, but it is never too late to get better. I would love to hear any and all replies.

Thanks,

Concerned Daddy

The chances of a kid making A team strictly on tryout is extremely small. To move up from B to A, kid has to prove he belongs all year. Every drill, every practice, every game is a chance to show someone he belongs. If he does that, works hard on his own to improve and truly belongs, he will find himself moved up to the A team. Probably. There might not be openings on A team and unless he is so outstanding, the incumbent kid on the A team will keep his spot. If that happens, there are literally dozens of other clubs to choose from if you don't think another year on a B team will benefit your son. Good luck and please try to be realistic with your evaluation of your son. You will both be much better off if you can do that.

Totally valid questions. I think many people often have the same questions. These are just my opinions based on my sons being active in travel lax for many years.

-Size matters more as they get older.
-Skills matter more when they're younger (although, they ALWAYS matter).
-Teams are looking to improve every year, so there will always be opportunities to move up.
-Knowing someone, just so your child can get a closer look at tryouts, is part of the game and very relevant. Elite teams won't take a bad kid just because daddy knows him, though.
-Clubs are generally filling specific needs, even at 3rd grade.
-Your kid has to be a fair amount better than a kid to bump him off of an existing team (but it happens every year, especially in the younger years) because you need to factor in the learning curve for an already established offense.

My advice? If your kid is older and a total stud (elite team quality), he'll get noticed at showcases. If your kid is younger (2nd-4th grades) and you feel that he is good enough to play on the top team, have him hit camps all summer to improve his skills and get noticed by coaches. He'll also roll into tryout fresh, strong and without rust. The young team will turnover much more than the older teams. A second grade A team will have 2-3 of its original players by the time they hit 6th grade.

Be careful what you wish for, though. Top teams mean much more money. More off season practices, tournaments and traveling. Many kids get burned out. I know of two top committed 2019's that already lost their love for the game. It's a very fine line and some kids don't want it as much as their dads.

Best of luck.

I think superior stick skills is the most important skill young laxers need to develop in order to be "noticed". Size, speed, athleticism, toughness are all attributes that every coach looks for as well, but are also things that develop over time.

Lax IQ, knowing where to be and what to do on the field throughout the game, good communication, hustle & positive attitudes are some things that kids can develop on their own to make the step up to the next level. Watching high school & college games, reading articles in lax magazines, watching instructional videos, etc are all available for kids to do the work on their own.

Just my humble opinion. Hope it helps.

PracticeM

I would say it's 90% who you know and the other 10% is being at the right place at the right time....but one would hope that hard work will eventually pay off for some of these kids.

"A" team coaches will be checking out the "B" teams, ready to steal anyone that can improve a position on their team.

I think a good Coach will notice hustle, a kid in on every ground ball, trying to stop that fast break, making smart passes and a goal or two can't hurt. Every team need players who can do this with out them the big goal scorers never get their chance. A true fan of the games notices that type of player and appreciates it.

I am not sure if this is classified as political but not meant to be.

I think a good way to get a look is by attending clinics these guys or their coaches/friends are at. I say attend not to line pockets but to show what you can do. It will cost $$ but one it will get you noticed and help you get better.

but do not just attend any clinic, attend clinics the better or best kids attend. Try a clinic an age up.

List some quality clinics you know off, personally, If you see a clinic by (sorry if any spelling errors) Cromwell, Keenan, Lynott you do not think twice.

After a few minutes at these clinics you will know if you belong or if you will get better if you stick with it. It takes sacrifice it doesn't come with out a cost.

IMHO here are the 4 keys - Skills, Lacrosse IQ, Speed, then size. I think Size and speed may get reversed depending on the team.

2019's committed? First I've heard of a 2019 committed. Very curious where they are from and where they are committed to??????

That's simply not true. Complete exaggeration. Knowing someone will get you looks, but unless you have elite skills, you're not moving up. Will knowing someone get your kid on a B team even if he doesn't belong? Absolutely, if you know the right guy.

the one thing your kid can control is his stick. hours on the wall, 100s of shots. If develops all that than he can maximize whatever speed, quickness, size he has. but he's got to love the practice. parent making kid do it won't work long-term

Its sad to say but from 4 years of playing travel ball I can say a lot has to do with who you know. Its a shame but 90% who you know and 10% player skill. If you were lucky enough to be a core player on a team from its inception odds are you will stay on that team from beginning to end. Which isn't a bad thing. There are those players that will knock the socks off the coaches at a tryout and will be added to a team. If its about even coaches will stay with the known player (player who has been with them over a kid who might have shown well at tryout only) there are also those players who a coach sees on another team that he will pursue and make deals with to get them to play for his team. Happens all the time.

2018's

Some organizations will ask their coaches A and B to evaluate their players at the end of the season. If a B player gets a very high score then the staff is aware of it and gives that player extra eyes on at the tryout, but If a player sgets a low mark they are looking to replace him

2018's? what does that mean?

whats wrong with the B team in those programs? what are you concerned about?

nice. hope your kid never sees the post. are you concerned, despondent and bitterly disappointed if your kid isn't on A team?
great message. make sure to berate him/her if they are on B team

B teams on these clubs do not get to go to big tournaments and showcases that the A teams go to.

That's not true with Express, Outlaws or 91.

even if you finagle a slot on the end of the A team bench, it doesn't mean you will play in big tournament games....probably lessens chance of playing meaningful minutes .you may get if a member of B team. btw no one cares who wins these tournaments and or showcase team events. ask around that's the facts ma'm

All you need to make the team is a check book and kneepads.

Extremely valid point
especially if ur kid is in the younger age demographic
as they get older yhe kid himself will decide at what level he wants to achieve
being on the A B or C team when he is 8 will not have any baring on that decision

If your kid is a stud, he will play regardless but for the town teams knowing the right people absolutely matters (anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves or know the right people) and while how good your kid is at 8 may not have a bearing, by 10 it will start to all the way through middle school. As they start getting older 5th, 6th 7th grade kids get locked into travel programs so your kid will have to clearly be better than a returning kid at a program to take his spot. A B kid aspiring to break into an A team needs determination, perseverance and very supportive parents to get him through disappointments and pitfalls until he finds the right spot. And a growth spurt doesn't hurt.

Better teams get better coaching and more of it. Grab for as much as you can!

Yeah, that's insane. How does an 8th grader commit to a college before taking even 1 high school class. Are they offer a full ride to such an 8th grader? Can't imagine a coach wasting 1 of their 12.6 scholarships on an 8th grader. There are way too many "what ifs" for someone that young to make such a decision. The NCAA needs to revamp the entire process but of course they won't because it'll impact the money they make from Basketball and Football. I don't think anyone should be able to commit until after their sophomore year. G