BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums PENNSYLVANIA LACROSSE PENNSYLVANIA FORUM Boys 2024

Crabs, igloo, and Express told their kids they we no longer allowed to play part time for Dukes so the Dukes lost the majority of their talent.

The kids that were moved down are in fact age eligible , they are just not on this team. The issue should not be whether or not they are legal, the issue is that everything they preach to parents regarding depth chart, playing time etc is thrown out the window come tourney time. This is a very poorly run organization. Great practices, great parents, But buyer beware, if your kid is not the perceived best on the field, they will replace you the day of the tourney if the find a willing player. Dukes 22 brought in a bunch of kids that have never been to a camp to play and they still got beat by Channy. This organization will never last as long as they continue to burn people. Word will spread quickly.

They share the same number but let's be honest Dukes with Ebe Helm (the original) founder of Dukes is not the other flavors of Dukes that are running around other than a desperate attempt financially driven to set up a farm system with the defection of Triple H. The people running are the younger versions of Dukes, constantly play kids that are over age, swap out guest players in a heart beat, play some major daddy ball and pretty much are the scourge of youth lacrosse. I agree it will catch up with them as you pointed out.

That pretty much sums it up....

Brotherly love goes 1-2 at elite 8 day.

Actually went 2-2 against the eight best teams in 5th grade. Beat Bethesda and Annapolis and lost to Madlax and Legacy. Any one of 7 teams could have won this tourney most competitive tourney have ever played. Placing 5th with only 3 practices as a team before going down there is no shame in that as I am guessing your post was another local parent trying to bash BL. Keep on playing your local tournaments and CCLA thinking your son is the next Paul Rabil cause he ain't. Anyone of the local teams here would have ended up with the same results as Igloo 0-4 but likely with double digit losses or shutouts.

Brotherly Love held their own and then some. Most competitive tournament I've been to in years. Any one of 5 teams could have one the thing....in the end, like most of lacrosse, in all came down to matchups. Some teams match up better against others and that's the only difference.

The Million championships are legit.

played BL at millon. My sons team got the better of them but real good team with nice parents. Don't take the jealous bait

Haters gonna hate1

Summer Slam Should be interesting at 2024. Igloo coming down to take on Philly teams, Looks like Looneys is coming back after winning it all at a weak Meltdown A Bracket and Brotherly Love coming back from Annapolis losing in the Championship to Bethesda after beating them a few weeks back at Elite Eight. Then there is Roughriders who if you listen to them is better than Brotherly Love and always has been seems to me two teams that don't like each other. That BBL team is pretty good to, so don't count them out either. How did Looneys lose to NXT...I know that little togo is ridiculous but there is really only one other kid on that team...anyone see the game?

BBL would roll Igloo

I see RR is going to Young Guns. Any good? Do they have any quality wins?

Hey Looney's you guys are a bunch of pussies. Your 2024 team is up here at Summer Slam and getting thumped by Brotherly Love. You have no business taking the free clear after the 4 goal mercy rule kicks in. You didn't do it once but you took 5 Free clears. Have some self respect. Yes the score probably would have been a lot worse than the 11-8 or whatever was the score. No self respecting team takes the free clear via the mercy rule. You take your lumps you learn from it and move on. PUSSIES.

So Looney's -- who came in second to last place in the HoCo league -- just won Summer Slam. Damn.

Hey Brotherly Love what happened at Summer Slam, looks like Rough Riders were correct, they are better than BL at 2024

Classic case of over looking your opponent, my sons 2020 team has done it way to often. BL beat them 9-1 in pool play obviously the kids figured it would be another cake walk..

Should be interesting NXT Tournament. Legacy Taz and Madlax are coming to the event never seen them at NXT before. I would place them as top four 2024 teams in the country.

2024 Summer Slam field was basically all B teams.

We play in A brackets all the time and there are always teams that aren't A teams but that is ok. I respect them for wanting to challenge themselves nothing wrong with that. There were several valid A teams.
Brotherly Love
BBL
Looneys
Roughriders.

Good day for Philly Lacrosse Freedom Red looked strong and played Legacy Taz and Madlax strong. Lost to BL in semis but both teams had good tournaments beating good teams from Tri-State area and Northeast. I think Taz is the best team in the country and to lose to them by a single goal is impressive.

I agree. Very impressive. But according to Tourney Machine, Madlax beat Freedom 9-4. Taz only beat Freedom 7-6. Madlax beat Taz in the semis. And Madlax spanked BL 7-1 in the finals. Wouldn't that make Madlax the best team in the country?

My son tried out for Brotherly Love yesterday. First time trying out for this squad. Considering they had their tryouts in July rather than August, was impressed. Had almost 50 kids there trying out for the 2024 team and a lot of talent. One dad said that a lot of kids that can't make it will be at there August tryout. Saw Roughriders, Freedom, NXT, and Dukes Helmet as well. Well run but long lines, too many kids. I was skeptical about Deniken being hands on but he was there the whole time taking notes. My kid isn't gong to make it unfortunately but based upon the kids trying out that weren't already on the team this team is going to be awesome with Deniken leading it, love that guy. Isn't a better coach around, better than most high school varsity coaches. Can't see people liking the Maplezone though. That place is a pain in the [lacrosse] to get there and the construction makes the other side of the moon closer than those fields. Going to Roughriders and Freedom tryouts in August, but don't see how these teams keep up with Deniken coaching that team and the talent that it is attracting let alone already there.

Genius, they have two 2024 teams. thats 44 kids right there. At some point they will leave to one of the top clubs

My son plays on the 2024 team. They are clearly the best 2024 Team in Philly and the only one invited to Elite Eight this past year. They just hired Paul Deniken as HC and based on the new talent that tried out are going to add some top notch players to an already very good team. I am curious why people would leave not trying to be adversarial at all. The club does a great job they have several outstanding teams. Most importantly they took all dads off the sideline considering the two they took off own the club, I applaud that move. What do you see as the deficiency?

Any thoughts on Dukes Nationals at this level. While you might not agree with them or like their model it seems to be working at 2023 and 2022 and above

Dukes nationals. Here is the lowdown on this team and organization. Absolutely phenomenal minicamps each and every month. The director is s nice guy but it is a very poorly run organization. The have a depth chart, which is basically your sons ranking broken down by position. It almost means nothing when you get to a tourney. You never know which new players are going to show up and take playing time away from your kid. They only have one coach per team. The kids that show up refuse to pass the ball, dodge into 5 guys, stick to the mini camps and avoid the tourneys

Buyer beware Dukes Nationals. We went up to Boston this spring and guest player after guest player showed up and played all game. The players that are wearing other travel team helmets are not part of the program/depth chart. It's a scam. Director plays favorites, plays his sons friends. It's a complete money grab. I agree with above, mini camps are great, but the kids at the mini camps will not be playing in the tourneys. Save your money and your gas and find another alternative.

How long are the mini camps what makes them good. Is it an option just to do them and skip tourneys?

Mini camps are 3 hours long. It's constant moving, high reps for the entire time. Tourneys are ala cart. So you can do what you want.

Trust those of us who have been involved with this program for years.
DO NOT DO IT
Seriously. Waste of time and money.
I find the only reason kids are out there is so daddy can say he's part of the team. There's about 60 kids on the team. It's not exclusive.
The playing time thing is accurate. They bring in ringers from all over the country and those that are on the team and depth chart watch their PT go to some double reclass from MD.
Skip it.

Dukes tells you up front it is competitive all the time. If your son isn't one of the best players, doesn't show up or doesn't improve on a regular basis, there are other kids that do. It is really that simple. Dukes is a team that rewards 1. the hardest working, 2. most talented, 3. kids that love to play and 4 kids that are great teammates. But the player has to be 4 out of 4. Its hard but the kids that make it have fun and love it. There is not room for every player out there. There will obviously be more kids that do not make it versus those that do. So yes, buyer beware. Its exactly what they say.

DN Coach: please address the situation where players show up to a tourney that have NEVER been to a tryout or minicamp but get playing time over kids on the team, on the depth chart. Thanks.

That's not true. Dukes plays favorites. Plenty of kids never ever ever show up at mini camps and take playing time. The whole thing is a scam. The model if actually utilized could be good, but it is far from utilized. Coaches change constantly along with kids that think they are Paul Rabil cause daddy says so. It is the most disgusting display of "ME" ball you will ever witness.

That is how my kid was selected. He wasn't at a mini camp but was invited to play in an event over a mini-camp and event weekend.They watched him play and liked him. Now he is part of Dukes. He really loves it. He goes to every camp we can get him to. At each event there are always new kids which makes it fun for him. He likes to compete. He has been all over the depth chart. The team does well and the "me" ball guy... seriously? these are 5th/6th graders... they are figuring it out and if my son plays selfishly, he is told just that. You sound a little peeved ... don't go back to Dukes but don't tell me its not a good program... They do exactly what they say... come to mini camp- show your stuff- see how it goes- they keep a lot of kids b/c its a year round program. My son can't get to everything and its OK bc there are a lot of kids who are working hard and having fun there. Its clearly not for you and your family.

Its pretty logical: the kids on the team love it, the kids not on the team don't. Just like life.

Come on Gonzo stop lying. Dukes Nationals is a scam and you know it. Get some real coaches that don't change every month and get rid of the daddy ball and maybe the double holdbacks will help you, because that's the only way you can compete with real AA Teams.

Not Gonzo, just a dad. The team that plays is the real team. Not a fake one. The coaches are doing just fine. They coach the kids not the parents. My son loves the coaches that coach him. I am guessing you don't and have never coached in any significant capacity otherwise you wouldn't be so upset. Your son is not a loser because he doesn't play for dukes or didn't make the team- however, you sir, are a loser. Not being able to separate your emotions from your son's is shameful and embarrassing. Move on to other pastures to sh** in.

Has Dukes Nationals ever played Brotherly Love at 2024? We played BL and hate to concede but they are a heck of a team.

Dukes nationals 2024 would get destroyed by brotherly love. Brotherly love plays like a team, they pass , and they are coached well. DN got beat this summer by a 4th grade team from Colorado because that team played as a unit and dukes just filled with kids that think they are the next super star. Dads on the sidelines all taking nightlight videos of their kids trying to go through 5 kids with a Team mates that are wide open. Of course if they ever played real teams, they would bring in ringers for that game to try and keep it close