BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums NORTHEAST LACROSSE BOTC MAIN FORUM (LI, CT, WC) New England Prep School Lacrosse

A question purely conjecture looking for others opinions but I'm thinking there may be some sort of abbreviated spring season if vaccines can be administered in a timely fashion. I'm hopeful but not holding my breath

Its not of course. its more like do it at your own discretion but we prefer that you didn't. Just had a zoom meeting as we are heading into the break - where that exact question was asked of the administration. The question was asked about sports in general. The response was basically while we cant tell you what to do at home, you signed a social contract, there are rules in place depending upon where you live re gatherings, you will be coming back and will have to quarantine 2 weeks before return., etc . . .So while kids can play with their local teams its not being done with the blessings of the administration and I gathered they would preferred that you did not.

Thanks for the guidance. We are leaning towards not playing with the exception of outdoor workouts.

Looking for advice from parents with knowledge...Should we go to UA regional tryouts vs NXT showcase next summer. He is a 2024.

Impossible.... Taft HS in the Bronx? Hotchkiss?

With regards to Prep Schools vs. public I can only offer my recent observations. While picking up my son after being away for 3 months at a boarding school he seemed very different in a good way. Much more self reliant and assertive, confident. Already best money I've ever spent!

No doubt people that bash the Prep School route one have no idea about the schools , look at all top Div 1 rosters and see how many public school kids are on roster ...... NOT MANY

Who cares about the top 10 D1 schools? There are close to 1,000 colleges who have lacrosse D1, D2 D3, MCLA, club. More kids are on those teams than 10 schools. You are living your wanna be dreams through your kid sending him to prep school to try and have him on a top 10 team. I hope he doesn't grow up and not make the top 10 D1. You might have a heart attack.

I don't need a prep school to raise my children to be the best versions of themselves. Starts in the home.

He doesn't boast or gloat nor care to be around those that do...or put up with their condescending attitude that others don't know better.

This is how you make my point as you have zero clue ... go to any prep game and it is top Div 1... Ivy and Div 3 schools which are impossible to get into as well so the prep feeds all Divisions .... again you have zero clue go back to HOLBROOK

And a good union job waiting for him after high school!

Anyone here from there coaches an inkling of what spring will hold or even winter for lax in Founders?

Not mentioning schools but I know from my son at his school that they are doing everything to try to at least schedule Founders League games since last season was lost. They are trying hard for all the spring sports otherwise unlike other sports they will have missed 2 seasons. As for winter - no lacrosse at all from the school. The captains have said some lax being run by the team but this is in addition to whatever else you are scheduled to do. Lax isn't an organized option run by the coach. I know my son will be playing basketball and then go to whatever the captains schedule. This is in addition to trying to hit the gym and getting good grades.

Not saying kids can't excel on and off the field in the Public Schools. My son went to one of the best on LI athletically and academically and is now at a Prep School and the talent on the field and in the class room and the whole overall experience has been really eye opening. Agreed values begin in the house, but you are throwing jabs in the dark if you have not seen or experienced what prep schools have to offer.

Founders League and others offer amazing teaching as well as life experiences and athletic competition. My son is a boarder this year at a prep school and the academics are much more difficult than a solid CT public school. So are the athletics. No comparison.

There shouldn’t be a comparison. Public school is paid for with your annual taxes. Private schools can cost about 35 grand or so per year. So for 140 grand extra to attend high school( not college) you should get better academics and better athletics. This is common sense, wouldn’t you agree.

Not necessarily. Yes my son has loved both the academic and athletic challenges at a Founders school but we have friends who haven;t had the same experience we have so far. Granted that probably has more to do with the student/school not being a great fit but just goes to show that a higher price doesn't always mean a better outcome or better product.

It usually does. Granted not always, but almost always. The more you pay for things, the better they are. That goes for almost anything in life. Restaurants, hotels, cars, anything. You get what you pay for. My nephew goes to a boarding school. My brother and his wife, make silly money. Tuition is a drop in the bucket. The school is insane. The facility, the academics, the sports, the food, even the moms who drop the kids off are extra hot. The whole experience is great. Unfortunately with 3 kids, colleges, probably grad school too, prep school would be a tough financial pill to swallow.

Most prep schools are inflated hype for rich people. Often it is a place for kids who, for various and valid reasons, just aren't thriving in their public school or in their personal development. Makes sense. Parents rich enough to try something else can afford to send them away. Oddly it is students who already come from very rich towns with great public schools who dominate prep schools. I mean boarding schools, not local day or Catholic schools. Though those places also are full of kids from rich towns.

Top prep schools are excellent and provide an amazing experience not public HS can touch. But most aren't any better than a decent public HS. I'd say 90% of preps offer nothing better than a Bronxville, Scarsdale, Pleasantville etc can offer in terms of academics.

But this is about lax. Prep schools have completely ramped up their devotion to sports, though, and recruiting mixed with facilities means they are just like college sports these days. Preps have holdbacks, college connections, and are surging in lacrosse, especially in the Northeast.

I'm not one to make sweeping generalizations so I'll just share my experience for what it's worth. My son was an excellent player in a very good Fairfield county school system that wasn't thriving for a number of valid reasons. I was someone that never would have considered boarding school but for him specifically it not only made a ton of sense but it made all the difference in the world. I don't know if the teachers were any better than what he had in public school, but his grades got much better. Add to that the Founders lax experience is at least a level above FCIAC. Most importantly, he not only loved it but he developed a maturity and self-reliance that made transitioning to college a non-event. Every kid and situation will be different, but from my perspective going away to boarding school was the best thing that could have happened to him.

That sounds great. Just curious. How much did the best thing that ever happened to him cost?

Cost him $0. Cost me $63k.

Per year or for all 4 years of high school combined?

Different responder here...we got a partial aid package so for our boy so for us it is about 35K/year.

63k was the full tuition.

Founders league schools are generally $60/year. Do offer need based aid

Thank you

thank you for asking

So the big question is ... does lacrosse happen at prep schools in 2021? Seeing as how they model themselves after the Ivy and NESCAC, who both just cancelled their entire winter sports season, it seems doubtful lacrosse happens.

Too early to tell. I suspect there will be some sort of "hodge podge" season based around testing rates and covid policies. Figure a few "scrimmages" and maybe a couple of actual games very late in the school year as vaccination programs gain steam.

As vaccines become more prevalent we may get a condensed later spring Founders season. Since mens lacrosse is designated a moderate risk covid sport I think there will be a shortened season towards the end of the school year.

Unfortunately this is NOT correct - Mens' Lacrosse is still designated a high risk sport by the High School Governing body - NFHSS. Only the NCAA has reclassified Men's Lacrosse as medium risk. If you want this to change, better sign a petition or write a letter to your Governor.

There will be a shortened season but depends which school you root for. It will be difficult for day schools to schedule games. If boarding schools in a close proximity to each other can agree on testing protocols it can happen.

Just saw these 2021 New England West D1 rankings on Instagram:

1. Taft
2. Brunswick
3. Deerfield
4. Salisbury
5. Avon Old Farms
6. Trinity-Pawling
7. Loomis Chafee
8. Hotchkiss
9. Westminster
10. Berkshire
11. Kent School
12. Choate
13. Northfield Mt. Hermon

What does anyone think?

Top 4 look about right, though rankwise I would say interchangeable. Hope they get to play.

Taft number 1 seems to be the one easy one.

2-5 could be interchangeable with TP possible part of the group as well. All have D! top 20 commits. One difference will be the Faceoff and I think Taft, Deerfield and Avon have the best at the position.

As to actually having playing, that is a concern. I am a parent of one the bottom 7 and the talk is what someone else noted - some games, some scrimmages but not a true season with playoffs etc . . Also was noted the problem with crossing state lines and different rules. Its all a clusterf . . . .

As a parent of top 6 team player I would generally agree with the above rankings. It seems there are almost 3 tiers... Upper tier Taft, Brunswick, Deerfield, Salisbury, Second tier which is smaller...Avon Old Farms and Trinity-Pawling, then 3rd tier which is mostly everyone else although the rankings in that tier could vary greatly year to year and occasionally Avon Old Farms and Trinity-Pawling could creep into top tier.

As a parent of top 6 team player I would generally agree with the above rankings. It seems there are almost 3 tiers... Upper tier Taft, Brunswick, Deerfield, Salisbury, Second tier which is smaller...Avon Old Farms and Trinity-Pawling, then 3rd tier which is mostly everyone else although the rankings in that tier could vary greatly year to year and occasionally Avon Old Farms and Trinity-Pawling could creep into top tier.

Top tier coaches seem very aggressive on the recruiting front. I am curious. How genuine are these coaches once you send your kid there?

Or more importantly, how genuine are the prep school coaches when they are recruiting players? Because every kid can’t be their #1 recruit.