BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums NORTHEAST LACROSSE BOTC MAIN FORUM (LI, CT, WC) Westchester NY/Fairfield CT Youth Lacrosse

There are so many reasonable solutions to this, its hard to understand why change has not occurred yet. And many of these solutions involve the club/tournament (they are the same people) owners making more money.

"Travel" sports isn't what it used to be. In years past, the best kid in town (in whatever sport it was) played for some select team somewhere. That was it. Now, a TON of kids play "travel". I am not trying to disparage these kids. Its great that they are playing, and it beats xbox. But travel sports have now grown well beyond just the kids that will get college scholarships and/or go pro. An example of all of this is the fact that some kids are on travel lacrosse teams that would get smoked by their own town team - because the top kids on their town team (and other town teams) are playing for higher level travel teams.

Focusing on lacrosse - in northern climates, the town season is very short. Travel lets these kids play another 6-8 weeks or so, and the kids love the tournaments. Owners should capitalize on this growing market and gear their programing to these kids. You can still have it be grade based at the AAA (or elite, or AA, or whatever name you want to give), and make this level relatively shallow to ensure that only the top players get in and that it will be competitive for these kids. But for everyone else (and this includes the many teams that market themselves as AA or elite but really aren't) age based is much better. And it can be either calendar year of Sept-Aug, I don't care and I don't think it makes a difference.

The bottom line is that there is no more growth in the area of elite players. Every single elite player is already playing club lacrosse. But there is still more room for growth amongst every other level of player. June and July provide very little competition in terms of kids sports and activities. If the club owners were smart, they would be presiding over clubs and tournaments with all of the following teams - AAA (can still do it by grade), AA, A, B. But mediocre or newer players can not compete against older kids from some far away state, so it hasn't really gotten off the ground on the lower ends. But if you make sure that everyone is within a 12 mos. birth window, you can have competitive fun lacrosse amongst teams from all over the country at all kinds of levels of skill and athleticism.

And for the "sorry your kid got cut crowd", my kids have all made very good teams and played well. But I have seen too many people be one and done with a club due to holdbacks, and say things like "why should I spend money and do all of this travel to watch my kid play against 14 year olds when he is only 12".

IMO Rankings updates after this this weekend as tourney season begins.

IMO Rankings 6/18/18

IMO Rankings 2023

1. Primetime
2. Predators
3. 2-Way
4. Express North, Eclipse
6. Rhino
7. LoneWolf
8. Warriors, Swash, Ballers, etc.

Please. Just stop it. Even though you're anonymous, we've all met you a thousand times, complaining about coaches, or the refs, or something. Two very good teams played two very good games, with two very good coaches, who certainly know more about lacrosse than most if not all of us.

Anybody see that mom cat fight at that 6th grade game at Westchester War Games? What happened?

I was trying to give 2Way benefit of a doubt but i have no problem putting them 5 as that's probabaly where they ought to be.

1. Primetime
2. Preds
3. Express North
4. Eclipse
5. 2-Way
6. Rhino
7. Lonewolf
8. Rest

I was trying to give 2Way benefit of a doubt but i have no problem putting them 5 as that's probabaly where they ought to be.

1. Primetime
2. Preds
3. Express North
4. Eclipse
5. 2-Way
6. Rhino
7. Lonewolf
8. Rest

IMO 2023 Rankings
6/25/18


2024 Rankings
1. Eclipse
2. PrimeTime
3. 2-Way
4. Express North
5. Preds
6. loneWolf
7. Rhino
8. All others

How will primetime do in World Series? How many boys that played this past weekend are ineligible teams play in Denver

Now this board is getting good. I know, "what a lowbrow topic!" But perfect for the internet, Need info.