BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums NEW JERSEY LACROSSE NEW JERSEY FORUM Top Boy's Club Teams in New Jersey

I don't think it's BL's top team. This event lost 1/2 the field when they had to push it back 3 weeks

It's the Back team. I imagine that they will lose to Dukes. If not, it would be a great win for the squad. The other teams are b level playing up in the bracket.

As I figured, Brotherly Love Beat BBL Black at Victory.

and the Dukes beat BBL

Wondering why Steps Elite (Boys) isn't making a major play. They actually have good coaches -- but the wrong model to be a real player. Thoughts.

I agree, many of the NJ programs are diluted, however, I think that you will find that there are exceptions. Some of the NJ programs, at certain age groups, compete very well at A and AA national events. That being said, there are definitely many teams that get in over there heads, which is definitely a disservice to their players and parents, it's better to admit that you are a B program and be happy and competitive in a B bracket.

As for Leading Edge, it is a shame that the Elite program will lose its identity, but it may be a boost for the other Leading Edge teams, like LE South, that have not been that competitive the last few years, definitely a product of too many competing programs in the area.

There are 4 to 4 teams in the country that can "seriously compete" with 91 Bandits. Let's be realistic..

Exactly. And those are the AA teams. It's a 4 team bracket. Actually, there are more than 4 teams that can hang with the Bandits. Just can't beat them.

In order to beat them, you have to play them and learn what it takes. While the NJ teams are not beating teams like 91 Bandits, some are closing the gap. While lacrosse has been prevalent in the Northeast for a long time, its been a religion in Maryland and Long Island for just as long, so the pool of players is much larger. As the town rec. programs grow in NJ, so will the pool of talented players who will migrate to club lacrosse.

Not sure I want my son's team to be be a sparring partner for the 91 Bandits. I would rather have them winning fights in a lower weight class against teams with similar coaching and training schedules. Just my opinion.

Disagree, you are the type of parent this is making our next generation weak. They need to understand the talent and commitment that is required to be the best. Bandits are not walking out 5'10" holdbacks.

The bigger NJ issue is too many teams, not enough A players. It will never happen but there needs to be consolidation of talent within areas of NJ. Blue Star, NJLC, Turnpike, Tri State & Leading Edge all fighting for the same 25 "A" players in one area of NJ. Kid plays for Leading Edge then moves to Blue Star because the parents think the grass is greener. One club needs to rise above, or maybe 4 clubs one in each area.

Dude you are drinking the Kool Aid or serving it. I don't know much about the 25's -- but what I do know is that the best 26 players out now could destroy the best 25 players and they play for teams that are not mentioned above.

Not 2025s.. there are only twenty-five "A" players on five different NJ travel teams the rest are B players. If they lived in MD, PA & LI most of the NJ travel players would be on C teams.

Yes, could not agree more. There are clubs that do very well serving the B level players and fill the role of development programs, this is a great step for the kid transitioning from town rec. to travel. On the other hand, there are programs, some mentioned above, that are more focused on developing a national presence, this is why they enter tournaments with teams such as 91 Bandit, Annapolis Hawks and the like. Unfortunately, all of these clubs are businesses and they rely on paying customers, therefore you have A kids on B clubs and vice versa. If the clubs were to look at the big picture, they would see that there could be a redistribution that gets B players onto B teams and A players on to A teams. Unfortunately, this will never happen, because the clubs have the mindset that they need to compete for players by claiming that they compete at the highest level. If your kid is on a team that is a "sparring partner" for clubs like 91 Bandits, then the club is not playing at the right level. On the other hand despite what some may think, there are several NJ teams that are playing and competing in top level tournaments. While they may finish in the middle of the pack because of teams like 91 Bandits, they are also beating some very reputable programs.,and keeping the games with teams such as 91 Bandits respectable. I have absolutely no issue with my kid going out and playing the Team 91s of the world, it builds character every time that they play and the gap narrows.

That’s a bit extreme - you might need a better scouting report.

Can anyone tell me what tournaments the following teams played over the fall? Only looking at 22 and below. Also, I would love to take a look at who is coaching some of these teams. Which ones embrace daddy ball - which ones have legit coaches and which one's have unqualified coaches.

BBL Black
Thunder
Leading Edge
Riot
02
Patriot
Tristate
Turnpike
Force

What is the point of your question...other than to poke the hornets nest.

What is the point of your question...other than to poke the hornets nest.

The point is to publish what is really going on with the teams in NJ. Perhaps if people hold the teams accountable they will step up their game. Bottom line - facts are facts. The kids are great but parents shouldn't be spending good money on coaches that have no experience. Just because it looks like a Gucci bag - doesn't mean it's real. Why don't we take a look at what is really going on.

WESTFIELD, N.J. — 3d Lacrosse, the nation’s leading provider of lacrosse training and development services, has announced the formation of 3d Garden State, a New Jersey-based market that will serve lacrosse players in the Northern New Jersey region.

Based in Westfield, N.J., 3d Garden State will provide 3d Lacrosse’s widely regarded Select teams, hybrid and small-sided training, workshops, camps and clinics and other player development opportunities to youth and high school-age players in New Jersey.

Patrick Tuohy, formerly of Transition Lacrosse, has been named the Director of 3d Garden State. He will oversee all aspects of 3d Garden State’s coaching and operations kicking off immediately.

BBl was at Victory Last weekend.

BBL 26 Won division.
BBL 25 went 1-2
BBl 24 Went 3-0 But lost the championship to Brotherly Love.
BBL 23 Went 2-1 Losing to Dukes Nationals
BBL 22 Went 2-0-1 Lost to Dukes Nationals

Competition was a mixed bag but BBL did well.

Let's water it down some more.. Is Transition going to pull the plug?

Based on coaching & teams..

BBL is "A" team in North Jersey.. All but their 25s still too young to count.

Central - LeadingEdge, TriState, Blue Star ???

Shore/South - TriState, United, Mad Dog???

I like this. Sound like a good move.

Pardon my ignorance, but I don't really know much about Transition, is this really a big deal. When the NJ clubs are discussed, Transition is not a name that I hear a lot.

"Transition Lacrosse was founded by Westfield HS Varsity Coach Patrick Tuohy and Immaculata HS Varsity Coach Thomas Mott with the goal of helping players reach their full potential both on and off the field. Transition Lacrosse also offers a platform to assist players with the recruiting process as they progress with their career."

So not really comparable to 91 merging with Leading Edge - the real prize being Leading Edge Elite

Could be a tournament play for 91 & 3D. NJ is more centrally located, 2+ hours from MD/New England & 1+ hour from PA/LI.

Also brings more teams under the NLF umbrella, but how may times do you want to play the same teams over and over.

Most MD tools never leave their backwater caves. Why should they when the competition goes to them? Pulling in New England, NY, NJ and PA into central tournaments will help with that. NJ is a better trip for most than going to LI. I hope it works out. Let the MD teams play themselves to death until they have to leave the state.

Anyone know what spring league Leading Edge or any of the NJ clubs play in?

No - but they are still looking players on their 24-26 squads.

No - but they are still looking players on their 24-26 squads.

23 - 26

My bad. 23 -26.

Not surprised, they are trying to field teams in areas that are already saturated. For example, a team like LE South is competing with Mad Dog, United and Tri State.. there are top players in the area but not enough to fill that many clubs at a competitive level.

More like 4. Leading Edge is the only program in NJ that consistently plays the best teams game in and game out. Their youth teams do not win a lot but they get much better playing against the best every single game. My son is a product of it. No way any other club in NJ consistently plays the level of competition that Leading Edge does, not even close. We started out in another program, which I thought had a good schedule. It is a whole different world playing against those NLF teams. The youth kids take their lumps, but they improve significantly. When they get into HS Leading Edge is one of the best 4 teams at every tournament. I would rather learn how to be competitive in middle school and lose more than I win, and in return be prepared to compete at the highest level when the college coaches have their eyeballs on you. I see so many parents at the middle school level more concerned with winning. They are missing the boat if they are truly serious about their son competing at a high level and getting to the D1 level. The long island boys do not have to leave nassau or Suffolk to get that in their formative years. We in NJ have have to seek it out and not shy away from it. Too many in NJ are stuck in the mud thinking that playing against the 3rd LIE team or 2nd 91 team is as good as playing against the first teams.

Haha
Yeah they get better in High School because they cut your kid. Then they raid all the other programs and get better talent. LE takes anyone at youth level dumb enough to pay. Then they get cut after 7th grade. Just ask bbl, they have taken their players for years.
Fact of the matter is LE helps with recruitment at the hs level and bbl does not. But do not think any kid is getting better in LE youth program. They are NOT.
And now that holdbacks have flooded 2022, you can be sure there will be no kid from the last couple of years left in the fall of 2018.

You living in the past. Yes, they have been able to take the top players from other clubs. Those days are over. They are losing players to BBL, Blue Star, and others. They are losing 16-1 at the younger levels to NJ teams "stuck in the mud".

Maybe you are a masochist but most parents don't like to watch little Jonny lose by 10. The "we play better teams" only works for a couple of tournaments and you can't say they have better coaching.

You obviously did not read the post. I am not a LE fan. They are horrible at the youth level. At the High School level they are the top club. To say that the kids do not leave their clubs to go to LE in H.S. is a lie. BBL is better at everything except recruiting and that is why the better kids leave.