BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM Boys 2026 Grads - Mid Atlantic Region

Here's the deal with MadLax Capital and National teams. Its main 2026 is Capital in the DC area, but the program also operates regional programs in other parts of the country, I believe Texas and Oregon.
The "National" team is pulled together for certain tournaments, and consists mostly of Capital players, but they invite the top players from the other teams to add extra juice. I am sure it is a cool opportunity for the regional kids to get invited east to play with the big team, and the potential opportunity is a selling point when recruiting for those teams.
I don't know if they bump players off the Capital team to make room, or simply carry a bigger roster for events to which they bring the "National" team. I would guess that at least 80% of the National team consists of Capital players, probably more, but a few athletic kids from those teams are probably an upgrade over the weakest few players on the Capital team.
But the extra talent at a couple of positions is probably neutralized by the lack of team chemistry with the short time players.
And this year with Covid, I would imagine that not many families wanted to fly from Texas or Oregon for a weekend of lacrosse, so there is probably not much difference between the two teams in terms of overall quality.
I hope this helps; and perhaps a Madlax parent can chime in if I am not understanding correctly.

I'm confused, how many levels are in the pyramid?

You are basically correct. The roster is a bit bigger, but the players added typically don't start.

To the confused person - two levels in the pyramid. Capital on top, and it can pull players up from DMV (the local B team), Oregon, or Texas.

So for just 5 easy payments of $99.99 you get the privilege of traveling east (hotel and air fare not included) and play with the Big Team. You'll be considered the juice, but don't expect to start or play too much, but you will help the Big Team take the local Baltimore club teams to OT. Sounds sweet, where do we sign up?

Zingo’s web site is announcing a Fall HOCO season that begins as early as 8/28. Can this be true? Would make for a fun Fall given other Covid shut downs.

Would be awesome for sure!

Crabs holdback 25’s are non-factors - mediocre at best!

Looney’s & FCA added a few decent pieces.

Hawks are the Hawks... the class of 2026

People make the choices they want to make.

And people can laugh at you all they want.

I would disagree with the Crabs holdbacks that are coming from 2025; talented group to say the least and will make this team better regardless of your thoughts on holdbacks. They added nice goalie as well. Based on what I have seen this summer unless FCA improves at Attack they have no chance of scoring and it will be up to that very good defense to keep teams to less than 2 to 3 goals a game. Daddy-ball is ruining that team!! Looney's is looney's and will be middle of the pack as always.

Yes, the nice thing about this country (and especially this board) is that people are free to do as they please, and then to laugh at each other's choices - care to share the team that your son plays for, so we can find some humor there too?

How many 2025 Crabs are repeating 7th grade? Is this fact or just standard BOTC fun/trash talk?

Only way for crabs to compete.

Let me ask a question that will probably get me slammed, but fortunately I don't care. When boys repeat a grade and then become studs on teams like Hawks and Crabs, is the family's decision to hold back based on academics, or based solely on lacrosse?

I have two sons who are good players and I want them to be as good as they can, but our first priority by far is to be in the right grade based on academics. Do the Hawks and Crabs go out and recruit boys who have repeated for school-related reasons; or do families in those programs actually repeat an academic grade solely to get onto a younger lacrosse team?

3 to 5 I believe will be added to the team

Seriously??? You ask if academics is the reason. LOL. Pure Lacrosse ! It is either regreting not doing a pre-first , reclassing to compete against all the holdbacks in MIAA or looking at their sons playing against older players, saying enough is enough. None to do with academics.

If you " I want them to be as good as they can ", it is time to hold them back. That is the MIAA way. And frankly the way of top lacrosse teams and many players.

I believe it is when kids switch from public school to private school. Private school more demanding/challenging so it is a valid repeat from academics perspective.

The motiviation is often a number of things. Most of the holdbacks appear to be private school. I think the motivation is just as much acadamic as it is sports. Many of the private schools pressure to do a pre1st after K. It makes their acadamics look better since the kids are more mature.

Quick question, kids switching to private from public that don't play sports do they repeat a grade, especially on the parent dollar? Very doubtful!

That's not what I've found - privates have more support, make $$ by having kid regress while public schools won't allow it. And not able to support advanced MS students taking HS level classes

Rich kids repeat on their parents' dime all the time for behavioral and/or academic purposes. There are tons of spoiled brats who play no sports and spend extra years in school as parents find ways to boost GPAs and SAT scores so their lazy overprivileged offspring can slack off in an ivy league school. Yes, I know lots of lax kids named Blaine, Bradford, Thatcher and Brooks also fit the bill, but there are many more pothead holdbacks that don't play lax (just look and sound like they do).

Wow. Dude. Take a deep breath. You need to see someone about your bottled up anger.

While all that is true, The boys coming in to play lacrosse from public to private are all about lacrosse. That is why they hold them back. Lacrosse ! The MIAA coaches know that many players already there are heldback/prefirst so they want the same for their recruited new players.
MIAA private school academics are everything from extremely hard to easy. It is not like everyone there is some brainiac, they need classes for normal learners too, including holdbacks. So lets stop that private is so much harder, it might be if you take the more difficult classes, but many are just like public classes. Spoken from two students in one of the two supposed high academic MIAA schools.

Ok

This is one of the funniest posts I've read on here in a while. Hilarious, and accurate...well done

Lyle Thompson turned 20 years old in his freshman year at Albany (if sep 1992 is his accurate bday). I'm sure he was good at 18 but probably even better at 20.

What makes a kid play for Next Level vs. BLC? Is Next Level sort of the Bethesda B team or are the closer to comparable clubs?

Any intel on which 2026 Clubs plan to play in the Fall HOCO League? Will most clubs sign-on or will they be down too many guys from youth football to field a team.

Isn't looking good for youth football in MD. Flag football on Sundays is being touted as an alternative, Most counties have put competition on hold and are asking the state for more guidance, Fall lacrosse cannot start soon enough!

Football is a dense sport.

You sure be more open minded maam. I'm sure your son would be a great cheerleader and your husband would agree.

Responding to the question of BLC vs. NextLevel. I am not in either program but my sons have played against both and I know families in both. Both are excellent programs with good reputations and good coaches, and would view themselves as peers, not an A and B. At the 2026 level BLC is a bit stronger; in the last Hoco season that was played (2019) BLC was in the Elite division, and NextLevel was in AAA, but NL did win that division, which (I think) entitles it to move up whenever Hoco resumes. If they played each other BLC would probably win, but if their 2027 teams played, NextLevel is better. Many of Nextlevel's players and coaches come from the Heights, if that makes a difference to you.
You can't go wrong with either program.

Thank you very much. I enjoy the barbs and jokes on here, but always nice to get a real opinion when actually looking for info.

"a bit stronger".


Just keep disrespecting us. We love it!

There won’t be football.

It was not disrespectful in any way. It is true.

ha! I didn't mean to disrespect either program, and honestly I have not seen NextLevel 2026 play since spring 2019. But fortunately that will change soon - my son's team had a close game with BLC earlier in the summer, and they play NextLevel this weekend - so I will be happy to come on this board Monday and give a more informed opinion. But that does not change the fact that BLC and NL are both good programs with good coaches.

Good luck, VLC Dad!