BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums NORTHEAST LACROSSE BOTC MAIN FORUM (LI, CT, WC) Boys 2020-8th Grade Fall 2015 Summer 2016

here we with the lists again.

The whole GC program is a shell of what it once was. Youth system in town is broken. Enjoy the banners in the gym we currently have...will be a whole generation before any new ones are raised...

Any 2019's on the field for the 2020 teams either sons or Legacy?

nope

Yep, Legacy

Who?

This is a story for all Club owners, directors and coaches. It's long but worth the read. Too many kids are being used as pay checks and are not being afforded the direction and encouragement they deserve. Lacrosse is a sport that can offer so many opportunities and many never get the chance. It's supposed to be about the kids not the paycheck!
Although this story is about a teacher it easily applies to our current Club lacrosse culture.

Stories like this, always have a way of putting the right perspective on life.

Jean Thompson stood in front of her fifth-grade class on the very first day of school in the fall and told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her pupils and said that she loved them all the same, that she would treat them all alike. And that was impossible because there in front of her, slumped in his seat on the third row, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were unkept and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy was unpleasant.

It got to the point during the first few months that she would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then marking the F at the top of the paper biggest of all. Because Teddy was a sullen little boy, no one else seemed to enjoy him, either.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's records and put Teddy's off until last. When she opened his file, she was in for a surprise. His first-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright, inquisitive child with a ready laugh." "He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around."

His second-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy continues to work hard but his mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class. He is tardy and could become a problem."

By now Mrs. Thompson realized the problem, but Christmas was coming fast. It was all she could do, with the school play and all, until the day before the holidays began and she was suddenly forced to focus on Teddy Stoddard.

Her children brought her presents, all in beautiful ribbon and bright paper, except for Teddy's, which was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper of a scissored grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents.

Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of cologne. She stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume behind the other wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed behind just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my mom used to."

After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing, and speaking. Instead, she began to teach children. Jean Thompson paid particular attention to one they all called "Teddy."

As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. On days where there would be an important test, Mrs. Thompson would remember that cologne. By the end of the year he had become one of the smartest children in the class and...well, he had also become the "pet" of the teacher who had once vowed to love all of her children exactly the same.

A year later she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that of all the teachers he'd had in elementary school, she was his favorite. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy.

He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still his favorite teacher of all time.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson she was still his favorite teacher.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still his favorite teacher, but that now his name was a little longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that Spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering...well, if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the pew usually reserved for the mother of the groom. And guess what, she wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And I bet on that special day, Jean Thompson smelled just like...well, just like the way he remembers his mother did.

With that said please remember that today's 8th grade player who needs work may be tomorrow's All American if given the opportunity. It's not about the money you make but the lives you impact.

This is a story for all Club owners, directors and coaches. It's long but worth the read. Too many kids are being used as pay checks and are not being afforded the direction and encouragement they deserve. Lacrosse is a sport that can offer so many opportunities and many never get the chance. It's supposed to be about the kids not the paycheck!
Although this story is about a teacher it easily applies to our current Club lacrosse culture.

Stories like this, always have a way of putting the right perspective on life.

Jean Thompson stood in front of her fifth-grade class on the very first day of school in the fall and told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her pupils and said that she loved them all the same, that she would treat them all alike. And that was impossible because there in front of her, slumped in his seat on the third row, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were unkept and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy was unpleasant.

It got to the point during the first few months that she would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then marking the F at the top of the paper biggest of all. Because Teddy was a sullen little boy, no one else seemed to enjoy him, either.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's records and put Teddy's off until last. When she opened his file, she was in for a surprise. His first-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright, inquisitive child with a ready laugh." "He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around."

His second-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy continues to work hard but his mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class. He is tardy and could become a problem."

By now Mrs. Thompson realized the problem, but Christmas was coming fast. It was all she could do, with the school play and all, until the day before the holidays began and she was suddenly forced to focus on Teddy Stoddard.

Her children brought her presents, all in beautiful ribbon and bright paper, except for Teddy's, which was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper of a scissored grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents.

Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of cologne. She stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume behind the other wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed behind just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my mom used to."

After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing, and speaking. Instead, she began to teach children. Jean Thompson paid particular attention to one they all called "Teddy."

As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. On days where there would be an important test, Mrs. Thompson would remember that cologne. By the end of the year he had become one of the smartest children in the class and...well, he had also become the "pet" of the teacher who had once vowed to love all of her children exactly the same.

A year later she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that of all the teachers he'd had in elementary school, she was his favorite. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy.

He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still his favorite teacher of all time.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson she was still his favorite teacher.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still his favorite teacher, but that now his name was a little longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that Spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering...well, if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the pew usually reserved for the mother of the groom. And guess what, she wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And I bet on that special day, Jean Thompson smelled just like...well, just like the way he remembers his mother did.

With that said please remember that today's 8th grade player who needs work may be tomorrow's All American if given the opportunity. It's not about the money you make but the lives you impact.

Not to be cold hearted it was a nice story, but when you pay in excess of $2,000 for 4-5 tournaments it's not about the little boy who can't that's for town ball. Elite LI lax is for winning and the brand. If you think anyway else your probably a bleeding heart liberal. It's not mandatory to play summer ball and if you want to play more practice, practice , practice. I am actually tired of everyone looking for the diamond in the rough or poor JOhnny he in uncoordinated. Play the best players and try and win the game.

Not to be cold hearted it was a nice story, but when you pay in excess of $2,000 for 4-5 tournaments it's not about the little boy who can't that's for town ball. Elite LI lax is for winning and the brand. If you think anyway else your probably a bleeding heart liberal. It's not mandatory to play summer ball and if you want to play more practice, practice , practice. I am actually tired of everyone looking for the diamond in the rough or poor JOhnny he in uncoordinated. Play the best players and try and win the game.

How come the little bald 2020 legacy b coach coaches 3 teams and scams his kids to the most playing. At the expense of every other kid in these teams. He is a pal coach who never played anywhere. Yet he kisses every ones but to get his kids everything he can. He just took time away from my son at the Columbus Day tournament. This is a joke and so is legacy for having a blind eye to this fake guy with his personnel agenda.

while its still early on this thread, I took this from the 2019 thread as it is informative and well written.

This will be long winded but hopefully valuable to some family considering making a college early commit decision in the next weeks/months


there is nothing wrong with a 9th grader giving a verbal commitment with a 20%- 30% athletic scholarship offer to a great school. Why do you care if he does? How exactly does it harm the kid or the game?

So what if he never even steps on the field in college, he is on a D-1 team with all the privileges that come with being a d-1 athlete...

think academic advisers and tutors that are not available to the average freshman non athlete. think paying less for the same education than those non athletes. think being part of a team and transitioning from high school to college as part of a culture that requires work ethic and accountability

think of his first interview after college in his chosen field and being able to say, I played d-1. total commitment to a team while maintaining a great gpa. I hire a few new kids every year and the d-1 athletes (whether or not it is lax, whether or not they ever step on the field) always have an advantage over the non athletes because i know that any kid that can maintain good grades while working full time (yes-d-1 athletics are full time jobs) are more likely than not to be workers. doesn't work out 100% of the time, but the odds are in my favor to hire the d-1 athlete kid over the kid that got through with the exact same gpa but no athletics...

for all those saying late bloomers will eventually rule the day-good for those kids, i wish them and their families nothing but the best. but please be realistic, the top 20 programs, with the most dollars to spend on lax scholarships (most d-1 lax programs are not fully funded, those that are fully funded have only 12.5 scholarships to parse out among 45-60 kids-the math doesn't lie) are mostly fully committed by fall of soph year. It means that the late bloomer needs to be an incredible stud just to get a spot on that team, and forget scholarship money in year one. yes, maybe that kid will get dollars in year two, I hope so for him. But it means that the late bloomer's family is paying ($60k school at 30% scholarship = $18k) $18k more than the early commit kid in year one...

So, think of early recruiting this way-

your kid is not a lax player nor does he know what he wants to do with the rest of his life, but nonetheless, JHU, Penn state, Ohio state, Michigan, Virginia, unc, duke..., offered your kid the ability to get a special discount of 20%-30% reduction in year one price tag with an assurance that he will get into that school as long as he maintains a gpa of xxx with SATS of xxx. He likes all of those schools as do you as they are all top 50 academic institutions according the us news and world report.

he doesn't have to stress over the application process or worry about making his HS extra curricular and community service hours look better than everyone else that also wants to go to that school. He get a special pass to get in as long as he gets the grades, sounds like a pretty good deal doesn't it? If he goes to JHU and wakes up after a year and hates it, he transfers, happens all the time to athletes and non athletes alike. not the end of the world


let's please also remember the college coaches are the ones asking kids to commit. they come offering scholarship dollars and free meal plans and woo them by bringing them to big time college football games and introducing the kids and their parents to the privileged world of d-1 athletics.

Do you all think you are smarter than these coaches? Do you think you are a better judge of talent? Please understand, i mean no disrespect to the kids that aren't fully mature. they will grow when they grow and we all want them to be successful in whatever they choose.

But please stop calling the kids that committed early crazy or saying that they are
somehow ruining the game. they are offered an early spot at a great school and a special discount (still need to get the grades and still no guarantees until you sign the national letter of intent).

My fam has been to all the schools i listed above (2018 early commit) and the range of athletic and academic dollars varied from school to school. My kid liked all the schools, as did the rest of our clan. We chose based upon some of the key criteria below, with different levels of value depending on how important the specific criteria was to our situation -no snarky comments please, this is meant to help some other 2019 fam that is making a decision soon.

-perceived fit academically with an idea towards a major, but he really doesn't know what he wants to do to make a living. He had interest from ivy, but it is important to understand your kid. not everyone-even if they have a 98 gpa, is going to be able to handle the academic pressure at an ivy...to each his own.

--academic support and tutors-not all the schools are equal in this regard, if you have any doubt whether your kid will need this support, make sure you know exactly what is offered. In our experience, the big football schools had the most service relating to this aspect. I was surprised that a few of the schools had very little free support

-perceived fit socially-felt like it was the right size institution for my kid

--size of the campus

--living arrangements-does your fam like those dorms, will he get tripled, how far are dorms from practice facility, from class rooms, from town...

-academic ranking nationally

-coach and team culture (this one was really tough, we liked all the coaches, some more than others, but will that coach still be at that school in three years?) Is my kid a piece of meet because the coach's number one priority is winning a national championship? For this one, and several of the other criteria, i think it is important to talk to some of the current players and their parents. you would be surprised at how open people are--both good and bad

--money offered for athletic scholarship- note every coach told us, yes there is no legal contract, athletic scholarships are year to year, but we guarantee you you will get no less than this percentage all four years. we are smart enough to know that athletic dollars are year to year. do coaches lie? i am sure some do and i am sure some don't. ask the parents of a current player that is not the team stud. they will tell you the truth

--money offered for academics-assuming he maintains gpa of xxx, he will get this amount in academic dollars. note, these academic dollars are more valuable than athletic dollars, not necessarily in terms of percentage, but in terms of the annual renewal. 3.0 in college gpa each year and the academic dollars renew...some schools had no academic dollars for which my kid would qualify

--alumni network--it just means that potentially, you will be more likely to land a job after graduation based upon a strong alumni network, that is the theory anyway

--financial aid- we didn't spend any time on this because my fam can't qualify for aid, while that in and of itself sucks, it means we are lucky in the big picture

I hope this helps someone...