BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums PENNSYLVANIA LACROSSE PENNSYLVANIA FORUM Duke's Lacrosse

What tournament were they at?

Tri-Star Lax Clash 2019, Garden city last weekend

One win (a 2 goal win over the statistically lowest team in the tournament) out of 5 games is NOT what I would consider an "elite team". And given the previous edict that "This is your #1 team, you play for DN over any other team." either appears to no longer be a rule or no longer be anything that anyone cares about. Wow.

Business model is still the same. Take all the money upfront, put your kid high on the depth chart for a couple of months so you feel good, but then slowly you begin to realize the kids and coaches are turning over more frequently than you expected, you then begin to question the value in playing scrub B league tourneys blowing out the other teams to claim hollow victories, maybe once in a blue moon you play a real AA team and the wheels come off, and then the first time you have a conflict and play with your regular club team they disgracefully throw you off the team with no refund. Eventually, you do that enough times and you read the repeated cycle of that silly experience in the 79 pages of posts here on BOTC, you run out of dupes to keep cash flow coming in. I have to admit, I’m still amazed that it has continued to survive this long.

^ This is not inaccurate.Other than you forgot to mention the "Move out of the Northeast to try to gain a new foothold/economic base for your shenanigans."

I love when the parents of kids that can’t make the team or that can’t stay above the travel line post on this site. I’m surprised you took the time while you are at Lake Placid to post this one!!!

Yes Dukes should play in harder tourneys, but those that are sticking with it are enjoying the opportunity for our kids to get out of their hometown bubble and play with kids from a half a dozen states. The families look forward to hanging out with each other and the kids that have been around a while (most of the team now) really get along great!

If saying that all the people who are complaining are those with kids who just aren't good enough helps you sleep better at night, then by all means, continue believing that. But deep down you know it's not true. Great players have left the team. Great players have chosen to play on their local club team instead of DN when there is a conflict.

There are a few reasons for that.

First, DN is no longer the only game in town. The elite nationals team landscape has changed in the last few years and there are a number of new teams out there that offer more consistent and better coaching and training. Many of these new teams are comprised of honest brokers who deliver on what they promise, something DN does not do well.

Second, DN has strayed from their own core values. Best students? Hard work? Honesty? Respect? Asking for report cards is an after thought and I bet most don't send it in. And if they do, does anyone actually look at them and take action? Are they treating everyone with respect including parents, coaches, players and partners? Nope! They don't even honor their own depth chart. (The one exception being the 23 coach, who, when allowed to coach, does exhibit strong core values. Unfortunately he's not always allowed to coach the team as he sees fit.)

Third, DN no longer delivers on their elite lacrosse promise. Elite players should have elite practices and play elite competition. Instead you pay ever increasing fees for mediocre mini camps. It used to be that you went to a mini camp and there was position specific coaching for the first half followed by team play and drills. Not anymore.

The idea behind DN was to help elite players get better through coaching and competition. Now it's just a bunch of families sticking around with the hope that their kid makes Duke's Elite (which, by the way, is more of the same).

I see the Annapolis Hawks avenged last year's Naptown loss to Duke's Nationals.

Yeah that but that 22 team is a disaster now. Great job Dukes Elite Ebe can’t beat anyone now. All dukes teams were an embarrassment. Dead program

Team was stacked, just a little soft.

Dukes National 2024 gets beat by 4 goals against BBL and is out early at Naptown? BBL is a good team but that program and G are a joke! All that money for what? It’s time to pull the plug Ebe.

Dukes Nat'l has talented individual players, they're just lacking chemistry on the field IMHO. You can't win every single game, especially in MD with the likes of Madlax. No need to explain why.

But this used to be DN's bread and butter and they were very good at it. For a long time they showed us that you can throw a bunch of kids with great lax IQ together and they will win.

Please don’t put us in the same conversation as Dukes National’s. Madlax is on an entirely different level.

You going to send someone a nasty email or 3?

Did you see Ebes teams. No plug to plug they stink worse

DN stinks!!!! Trolling for kids at tournaments trying to sell their nonsense. I simply don't understand what value they offer. It's a complete waste of time!!!!

Oh my...not again! Another bad weekend for the 23s? Were there only 11 kids there again?

Yup and then G went money crazy and the whole thing tanked massively. As somebody who was involved early on when the 23 team was absolutely dominant (and no DN trolls, my son did NOT fall below the travel line when we separated from the sinking ship), seeing the premier program for a "national team" turn into the utter joke it is now is bittersweet.

The question is why has it been able to keep going on with him in charge? Took what was once a gold standard and made it @#$%
Dukes = SEARS....

Dukes now brags about playing in C level tournaments its really pathetic

Duke's Nationals High School? Really? Whatever for?

We have been in program for 4 years - became friends with some great families, my son has a group of friends outside our state from lacrosse, he has played in some rally cool locations and we have enjoyed it.

Should have consistently played in better tourneys - but when we do we play well - lose to BBL and Hawks but beat Taz, Bethesda, and Express north.

When we have entire core team (which admittedly we don’t always have) I would put them against anyone.

Understand the negativity -not saying cause your kid dropped or anything just saying I understand it

But our experience has not been a “joke”. My kid would do it again.

For everyone's collective experience, what is the ideal age to get involved with a National team (Duke's or others)?

This seems like a legit question. If you live in a hotbed area for lacrosse, you should not play on a National team. Find the best local club you can and stick with friends and good coaches. The national team will only cause conflict (scheduling) and lost time and money. You will need this later for prospect days, showcases. An all star showcase team like UA or the new PLL national team might make sense. The old Brine Lacrosse classic is/was a waste of time. However, if you live in an area that does not have a strong club team I would suggest looking at a national team like Dukes or Legends in 7th or 8th grade. Time invested in very important. Kids can burn out if they do too much too soon. I have seen it happen with the best of players. Think of it like a pitch count and invest the time in the things that provide the best ROI.

Never

Good answer!

Runnnnnnnnnnnnnnn! Play for a good club team and Invest your money in speed and agility training or send him to a camp or two.

Can't argue with such sound advice!

Private or semi-private lessons much better than 'National' team. You will see greater improvement in his game and they will play better on your club team and WILL get noticed. -2022 Dad

thanks for all the feedback! some pretty insightful responses.

Anybody heading down to the Georgetown for the next round of Tryouts?

What's the difference between Duke's Mainline and Duke's Young Guns? Just Location or is there some other sort of internal pecking order? I've also seen some Duke's Nationals Uniforms on the field for Mainline/Young Guns Games. what is that all about? Kids getting sent down from Nationals to get some reps in with the other teams?

Of course not

They are different teams.

And Duke's Nationals is a different team. Kids on Mainline or Young Guns can certainly play for Nationals.

So what is the differntiator between Young Guns and Mainline?


I understand that National's players can play on mainline and young guns. it was just odd because the players were not wearing Young Guns/Mainline uniforms. They were wearing Nationals uniforms at a Youngs Guns/Mainline game. Didn't know if that was a common practice under this organization or just a one-off.

Geographical, mostly. Young Guns is more Eastern Montgomery County (Abington, Wissahickon, etc) and Mainline is the Mainline area (Lower Merion, Haverford, etc.). That is at least my understanding of it.

Also Mainline runs a high school program. Young Guns does not.

Good point. That too.

Here we go! Georgetown University aint seen talent like this befo! Who's with me