BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM Girls 2025 Grads - Mid Atlantic Region

As a family that left another club to come to HoCo, and since left for another club, we thought the families great on the team, however, we felt the coaching staff, their methods and their philosophy to be sub par for what we wanted for our daughters. So we we tried out for other teams when we could.

In our opinion, it was not just one coach (as someone else mentioned), but rather their entire staff to be subpar as compared to current team we are on. Almost like they were just checking the box for practices or games.

The style of play that was coached was more for recreation level than what you would expect from a club team.

We had to bite our tongue on a lot of issues while there but when we had the opportunity for some better coaching, we took it and are quite happy with our decision. No team is perfect, but our goal was to get best coaching possible.

Would say that HoCo does serve its purpose of a landing spot for decent players from other teams, but the coaching staff’s philosophy leaves something to be desired.

Hopefully they will improve given feedback and make the area more competitive!

Exactly my point. Families will stick it out this summer then move elsewhere.

It is a shame because there is potential for HoCo in the market. But they still operate more like a rec program than a true club.

HoCo is a great program if you are not going to play in college. They have a steady history of producing competitive teams in lower brackets, but no recruiting history. If you want to play in college, HoCo is not where you want to spend your high school club years. I’m not trying to offend, just trying to be realistic.

That’s too bad, why do you think that it? They looked like there are some great athletes on their team from seeing a couple games during NGLL

They do have great athletes. But to be elite, and consistent, you need to factor in great coaching.

DD has a few friends on the team that have said they will likely be leaving after this summer. Where to they do not know yet. Sure it is fun to work on trick shots, but you also need to spend time on the basic elements of the game like the draw and non-dominant hands. Something that does not happen.

Agreed. Per my previous post, the level of coaching and the commensurate style of play that was coached at HoCo was pitched for the prototypical recreation level versus what you would expect from a club team. The realization came to us when we watched some of the other teams HoCo played against multiple times, where we observed how these opposing teams matured in their game...e.g. they went from small ball, best athlete game, to a more advanced variation of the game akin to high level high school. These are the same girls in school with our players, so really removes variables as to what issue is in my opinion.

To each their own...

Good luck in tourneys this weekend everyone!

I am a parent on the HoCo 25 team. Is the coaching perfect? Of course not. Have they been on a positive arc for the past year? Absolutely. The vast majority of these attacks on the HoCo 25 Coach and team come from two malcontent parents on the team. One of them simply has a personality disorder it would seem and the other is the father of a girl that doesn’t get much playing time, which leaves him in a state of constant complaint. Wonderful girls, shame about the dads. It’s been a very good season to this point, great girls and great parents. The coaching is steadily improving and is responsible for their recent run of strong play.

Wow.

Having also been involved for a few years, I would question your narrative that just ‘two dads’ are upset with situation.

Hopefully the situation resolves itself but I would advocate that you tone down the personal attacks otherwise your message that the parents & players are great is lost…

How did HOCO do at Lax for the Cure?

Not what I said - I said there are two fathers pathologically attacking the team online in this forum. I’m assuming you are one of them. Maybe time to stop the incessant and pathetic attacks. Btw - great weekend for HoCo 2025 Black in New Jersey. Beat two more top ten teams. Sure looks like a quality team to me.

Looks like 3-2 per site. Looks like they did ok vs some teams but then a bit more lopsided when playing higher level teams?

Lady, you are barking up the wrong tree. Get yourself some help.

Great games this weekend. Tough loss for Hero's Green to NY by one in quarter finals and even tougher for M&D black to lose by one in the championship to NY. Get them next time girls.

Tough for some teams to have to play 3 back to back games and then play a team that had a bye. Have to say M&D looked impressive. Watched them play Sky walkers while waiting for our game. Can't believe they lost the way I saw them playing

It seems our Maryland teams do not do as well against the backer defense that NY teams use. I bet they will learn........

Hoco 25 Black was 3-1 for the Tournament. Loosing to Skiywalkers Blue and beating Nems and Big 4 HHH who are 17th and 16th in the US club rankings (They also be MD United last weekend who is 13). On Sunday they agreed to help out out and play an extra game against Prime Time because they had no one to play on Sunday due to Yellowjackets withdrawl. Skywalkers had been asked to play them initially but refused.
They did loose to Prime Time but wouldn’t consider it a fair assessment because the game didn’t count and Hoco walked straight off the field from Nems and started playing PT. I believe they play PT next weekend again so that may give a more realistic assessment of that matchup.

Not sure how much stock you can put into these mini playoff games. YJ played the style they needed to in order to win though.

As a Maryland lacrosse parent I’m concerned. That was a B team that beat both Heros & M&D. One win could be a fluke, but to beat both?

That was probably only the 5th or 6th best team on Long Island.

Again, those teams play a tough backer defense that we do not. Our teams need to learn how to play against them. Also, one has to wonder if they had any guest players from the NY Spallina team.

My D is not on either of those teams, but what are you concerned about. Who cares.

There were a lot of comments that the other 25 YJ lamingello also had an unusually strong showing in their bracket.

its an interesting question where you have a team who has always struggled against other b teams from top programs and seemed overmatched from a talent and coaching perspective but is now dominating a bracket and beating the best of the best

kudos to those kids if its legit and those girls/coaches just worked harder over the covid year

Yes, I agree it's concerning for us plus we have the refs trying their best to help us but we need to score more. Our D played well the O needs to step it up. We were really looking forward to playing Spinlies team but he canceled to watch his boyz team. He only had 21 players. I wish we knew sooner.

and thats there c team

something is up

Yes something is up, we don't know how to score against their backer defense! It is not rocket science. We looked like deer in the headlights against
their defense.

Team looked unusually large - as in number of girls on roster. Wouldn't be surprised if some of the Spallina team played with them. Some probably had hotels already booked, etc.

Seriously are you complaining about the makeup of the roster of the YJ team? If you can't beat the B team with some of the A team players joining them how do you think you would have done if Spallina's whole team was there? Get better.

Larger rosters help when playing back-to-back-to-backs (and another - to back for M&D).

YJ team had at least 27 players based on the picture alone. They could sub the full field and then some. In the heat it plays a huge role.

I don't even have a dog in the fight but you cannot ignore that fact.

27 b level players

someone should give that guy the syracuse job

There were 0 Spallina players on that team. Same girls as last year.

dont believe that was the same team that was down here pre corona

they werent disciplined or even that talented back then

not saying they were borrowed a players but something changed

hats off to YJ Janelli - Playing and beating both Hero's and M&D in the playoffs is a big accomplishment. I guess you play the style to win the game, but holding the ball and killing the clock is a boring style of lacrosse. Let the girls play!!

YJ at all ages is known to stall even when it's 1-0 in first half of short playoff games. It's pretty ridiculous.

WOW, maybe training and practice creates more discipline, skills and IQ ? Hmmm … simple enough concept! Yes, they trained hard all last year! And, now it’s showing. Hard work pays off and kudos to them. Would love to see a Janelli/Spallina game. No longer a “B” team?

Really? You don’t think Hero’s and M&D would hold the ball if winning? Really??? It’s a strategy

i only saw the m&d game and would say they easily won the time of possession over yj so im not sure its accurate to say they stalled in that one. i don’t believe yj even had possession in their end again after they scored to go up 1. m and d was very patient maybe too patient on offense

Not taking anything away from YJ for winning, but winning these shortened games doesn't prove much.

Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it

Please stop, when M&D or Heroes beat YJ you are not saying that.......it is what it is, YJ has 2 LEGIT teams at this age. Congrats to the B team!