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Here's what I don't understand if you live in NC, VA or Md:

In the unlikely event a kid is good enough that, as a holdback, he could get an early commit and actually get on the field for a top 10 lax school, wouldn't he be good enough after his junior varsity season to get a thumb on the scale for admissions and walk-on at UVA, UNC or Md? You save a TON of money, not to mention your son has an extra year of career earnings. I'm new to this, so what am I missing?

I understand that, if you can get enough financial aid or afford it, holding back a year so you can preferential admissions and a partial scholarship to Duke or the top Ivies might make sense. It's makes your kid "pointy" (god I hate the demise of "well-rounded" meaning something good at those admissions departments) and can break the admissions logjam for even an academically qualified kid. If I thought my kid would have the best college experience at, say, Princeton (which I don't), and could get in due to lacrosse if I sent him to an elite boarding school as a holdback, I'd consider it if I could pay for it. But that's a pretty narrow set of circumstances.

Otherwise and regardless of where you live, if your kid is truly good enough to play D1, and your kid applies to a university where he's academically qualified enough to succeed, surely he can still get a little admissions help from the coach as a preferred walk-on. Wouldn't saving that extra year of private school tuition (much less 4 years) be worth more than a 25% scholarship?

Not being rhetorical. I have held-back relatives playing at an elite boarding school and some that played MIAA (on age), but they're DIII, not DI guys.

Shoot... you are right.... all the kids on the Crabs are weak in character and immoral... you've got it all figured out... but seriously, Dad, how many times has Junior tried out and been cut... I know it hurts but just air it out. You'll feel better.

Shoot... you are right.... all the kids on the Crabs are weak in character and immoral... you've got it all figured out... but seriously, Dad, how many times has Junior tried out and been cut... I know it hurts but just air it out. You'll feel better.

Nailed it! and him.

The issue of character is with the Crabs and the parents that allow their children to be part of the silly reclassification scheme. The kids are victims. The crabs aura of being the best is quickly fading. Everyone knows their game and with so many other talented teams on the rise - RMs perceived dominance of the youth lacrosse circuit will be over.

The beach lax stunt and the embarrassing defeat in Denver are the canary in the coal mine.

Who wants their kid to be classified with a group that needs to play down to get looks? The Crabs are using the kids as pawns to boost business, but are only getting them recruited playing younger kids. Look at what happened in Denver. Good coaches, clubs and talented kids don't need to play with younger kids to stand out.

[quote=Anonymous]The issue of character is with the Crabs and the parents that allow their children to be part of the silly reclassification scheme. The kids are victims. The crabs aura of being the best is quickly fading. Everyone knows their game and with so many other talented teams on the rise - RMs perceived dominance of the youth lacrosse circuit will be over.

The beach lax stunt and the embarrassing defeat in Denver are the canary in the coal mine.

Brilliant take, and what a wordsmith you are with the canary reference.... that absolutely know one gets. Ask the 12 new D1 commits how bad the Crabs youth lacrosse program is. Or ask the college coach's....but you wouldn't know anything about that canary lover.

No, each week they put a team on the field it's a great topic of conversation. There is no logical reason for a kid to play against competition that is younger, none.

Yesterday I was walking down Park Avenue in Manhattan, I spotted an early commit and 4x AA from Hopkins. You know who cared? Nobody.

I would like someone to go through all the 2018 verbals on the list and count the reclass kids. I am going to say 50% if not higher started school late or have reclassed. It works I always go back to the Hockey study that showed the older kids make it to the NHL. Another way is to look at the birthdays of all the MLL players. I am sure that will work out to show it works to reclass. When it stops working reclass will stop happening.

If thinking that makes you feel better, by all means. Often those willing to do anything to get ahead and are living through their children tend to lash out when others disagree with their actions or motives. Grown ups with character see that in others and move on.

Yeah, look what happened. They made the finals and lost to the best team in youth lacrosse. How embarrassing for the Crabs.

As a crab parent I can say you are way off base. As a whole, the crabs organization is full of great families and great kids. I personally am not a fan of the holdbacks in youth lacrosse, but that does not mean that the teams are full of a bunch of degenerates. The kids are coached very well and their off the field priorities such as school and being a responsible young man are drilled into them.

If you don't wan't your son to play on a team with holdbacks that's your choice. Just not sure where you are going to have your son play considering almost all the teams have at least one.

Good post

How can they be taught to be responsible young men with the example their parents and coaches are setting by encouraging holdbacks or playing on a team that brings older kids down just to win a tournament? A responsible parent would have stood up for their son and told RM that they do not agree with bringing unrostered older players in just to win. It was wrong and you all stood by and let it happen. We are sure the kids are nice kids -it is the example being set for them to win at all costs that most disagree with and the go along with the pack mentality being bred. To each their own.

Depends on what your goals are for your children. If it is purely to get into college and play lacrosse at the expense of what is considered by most to be good sportsmanship and responsible, then that is your choice but do not keep justifying the fact that does not take into account anyone else but your little junior and knowing he was not good enough in his own age group.

You can talk about all the speaking up that you want but let's be realistic on how the system works. Let's imagine that your son is good enough that he should be able to play in college. You have external sources telling you this who have coached or played at that level.

You research the list of clubs in the DMV/Baltimore area for the best fit if you are willing to travel - meaning continued development as well as putting your son on the field at the correct moment. It turns out that you have to put up with some morally questionable behavior for this potential college coach stage. You must decide where that line is and you can still teach your son the morality of the decisions being made. Is one weekend of sitting on the bench worth denying your son the opportunity?

Are you telling me that you have never choked down a question of morality at some point in your life - family, work, school? If you have never let your boss or client get away with something that you would never allow for yourself/son?

If you are so pure, then we need your name for sainthood and to hold up for ourselves.

Hey Joe Hardy, this you have summed up everything wrong with the Crabs without realizing it.
I heard the sales pitch a few years in a row and decided it was better to teach my son that he was not just a commodity, that it was ridiculous to assemble an all star team and be forced to commute 30 miles to play lacrosse when he was 11. He has learned those lessons through some of his friends who were the hot young thing and then were tossed to the curb by King Crab once the new hot young thing showed up and by watching some of the additional antics that go along with the circus.
Kids that don't play for the blue and yellow actually go to college and actually play lacrosse. Your following of the status quo and just drinking the kool aid and repeating the mantra "crabs are great, crabs are great, crabs are great, must play crabs, must play crabs, must play crabs" is actually sad and a little pathetic. To compare the work force to youth lacrosse is a bit of a stretch also. How very sad that they have convinced so many this is the only way to go.
Perhaps you should toss your name out there for sainthood or for martyrdom.

Actually I did in High school 3 sports, College-2...
Hawks is fine when you are younger. Competition not always the best.
Tourneys are meant for the masses, not elite...

They will field 2 teams at each age bracket and bring in a lot of money.

Kids go to Crabs an other clubs to play with the best and get recruited.

Look at their 2016,2017, 2018 teams..
Kids that left recruited/comitted..

Those who stay, Well..........

The college coaches have asked for the kids to be separated into as few elite teams as possible and they want them all to be in one or 2 places at once. They do not have the time and budget like football to go find Little Johnny in the middle of nowhere. So the club owners know this and they make it happen. At all cost they make it happen. There are tons of clubs for fun you can play for. You must dance with the devil to get it done. There are options if you want them. But they will not be playing in elite events with the elite teams. Go to any website that has a 2018 verbal list and read the clubs the kids play for. I am guessing it will be less then 30 clubs. And I am also betting that those 30 clubs are dancing with the Devil one way or the other.

don't know that many 16's or 17's that left for crabs, maybe a few in those two groups and one came back
there is no 2017 hawks team,
do you honestly think the three 2018's that left would not have been recruited if they had stayed with the Hawks and I think only one has verballed

Tried it and you are right. There were a bunch of Crabs and 91 players a couple FCA and sweet lax then everything else is spread out. No looneys, Hawks, breakers etc

If the objective is to be seen. I'm pretty sure they attend a lot of the same tournaments and play in the same league, so not sure what the competition comment means.
I would much rather have my kids play for Matt Hogan than for someone who pretends to have been in the game at high levels.
I do recall the 2015 Hawks team sending a pretty fair amount of players to college and have heard the 2018's have a lot of kids being looked at.

The college coaches have asked for the kids to be separated into as few elite teams as possible and they want them all to be in one or 2 places at once. They do not have the time and budget like football to go find Little Johnny in the middle of nowhere. So the club owners know this and they make it happen. At all cost they make it happen. There are tons of clubs for fun you can play for. You must dance with the devil to get it done. There are options if you want them. But they will not be playing in elite events with the elite teams. Go to any website that has a 2018 verbal list and read the clubs the kids play for. I am guessing it will be less then 30 clubs. And I am also betting that those 30 clubs are dancing with the Devil one way or the other. [/quote]

Did Ryan or Cabell tell you this before they convinced you to sign on the dotted line? My son doesn't play for the "elite team", but have seen all of the major Division 1 coaches at all of his tournaments this summer so far. Don't know what else I can ask for from our second rate club, he is getting good coaching and exposure.

Kudos to you on a stellar high school and college career

The 40% of kids they cut every year definitely will be.

It was just a fluke that St. Mary's won the MIAA with all those kids playing for the Hawks.

It was just a fluke that St. Mary's won the MIAA with all those kids playing for the Hawks.

We should see St. Mary's in the finals again in say.. 20 more years.

The 2021 goalie DELETED

St. Mary's could be good for a while if they have the scholarships. Lots of Talent still in the Severna Park, South River, Annapolis, Kent Island, Broadneck public schools. Severn and Spalding not much competition. The north Baltimore MIAA schools just beat each other up for kids and have cleaned out the talent from the public schools for a 20 mile radius.

St. Mary's could be good for a while if they have the scholarships. Lots of Talent still in the Severna Park, South River, Annapolis, Kent Island, Broadneck public schools. Severn and Spalding not much competition. The north Baltimore MIAA schools just beat each other up for kids and have cleaned out the talent from the public schools for a 20 mile radius.

Coach bailed = setback

Coach bailed and 20 seniors gone.
Same old St Marys'...
Let the good ones go.

2015 team had a lot of hawks kids that played together.
Won't see something like that for a while.

2016's left or were hardly recruited.
2017's blew up and all left.
2018's have some nice kids but word is not many bites from recruiters...

I recently saw coaches get up and leave a Hawks game at big tourney.
Moved over to watch Crabs, FCA and team 91 games.

Canarys were taken into coal mines by miners to warn the miners about carbon monoxide. Canary would die first.

Beach lax, the absolute thrashing by 91 on TV, the arrival of 91 to MD, pending age requirements by U.S. lacrosse all spell doom for RM's sideshow.

Did you happen to see Looneys lost to 91 by one goal? Quite a different result than we saw in Denver with the Crabs age restricted team which was awful.

Did you happen to see Looneys lost to 91 by one goal? Quite a different result than we saw in Denver with the Crabs age restricted team which was awful.

That Looney team with their faceoff guy are the best team south of LI, and probably #2 behind Crush, Express giving them a run for their money.

[quote=Anonymous]Did you happen to see Looneys lost to 91 by one goal? Quite a different result than we saw in Denver with the Crabs age restricted team which was awful.

That Looney team with their faceoff guy are the best team south of LI, and probably #2 behind Crush, Express giving them a run for their money.

Probably not as they lost to the Crabs during the year. Wrong again.

Crabs lost to looneys in the fall.

You all need to stat the year of the team not just the club name. All these teams start at u9 and go to 2016. Please its just four numbers after the name thanks you

next year will be interesting for sure with the MD 2020 club teams. Interested to see what happens with tryouts. What boys try out for what team, Team 91 forming a team in MD, the make up of the Crabs 2020 team rumored to have more hold backs coming from 2019 team, FCA 2020 with 2020 players who played on the 19s, status of Breakers with 91 hiring their best coach and possible upgrades with the Looney's team..... I am sure this forum will be busy for years to come.

Talking 2020, it is by far the most competitive age group out there with the most high end talented teams.

Crabs without holdbacks are mediocre. Looneys, 91, Hawks beat them 9 times out of 10 with age correct players.

You have zero perspective, only myopia based on your kid. There are many grades with far more talented teams (both in terms of the teams as well as the number of talented kids).

Get over yourself.