BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM Boys 2029 Grads - Mid Atlantic Region

Half the crabs went to FCA the other half went to true Baltimore. Who also seems to have stripped the breakers.

Crabs folded because of the coach? Do they backfill with new coach for next year?

Not sure “why”. But do know one of their better players left mid season. And the word is that it was a falling out with parent and coach. But that’s all hearsay. But I will say that it takes a lot to completely wipe out a grade class from one of the blue bloods of maryland club lax. So something went sideways

Ouch the truth hurts. This kid should be in 2021 class based on DOB. But they don’t hold back in NY haaaa

The team was not good last year. Many of the kids (who weren’t setting the world on fire) made their minds up to leave mid season. They defected.

The interesting thing is not many kids from outside the program must have showed up to try out.

It’s bizzare.

It’s hawks and ML. Followed by BLC and NL.

Beyond that Who else is good?

Due to entire team from previous year holding back. There will be a great 2030 Crabs team

Well, true played tight games with BLC and NL last year. They also beat madlax in the last game of the season. They have some skilled players too. Maybe shouldn’t sleep on them. But also FCA, seems to have picked up the better half of the crabs so they could be much improved. Not sure it gets them in the top 5 but I don’t think you can discount them.

If you open it up past HOCO, you need to consider 91 pride. I think they can play with the hoco teams outside of Hawks and ML.

Bhaahahaaa. Except the crabs are notorious for this and I don’t doubt it’s a real possibility.

Please , its a secret in Long Island .. Keep it down.

More Long Islanders opening eyes on the holdback advantage scenario! It’s just that JS did it sooner. MD has been doing it forever, so why not!? “When in Rome”

So does Crabs retool and bring in a new coach next season to start the 29s back up? No doubt some of the FCA players or their parents are frustrated with their reduced playing time because of new players from Crabs, Hawks, etc.

It’s not as prevalent here as it is in other places. When i do see holdbacks, it tends to be (not always) in a bloodline of an established lacrosse family.

I think it’s funny that y’all pretend that maryland started it.

MD didnt start it... It is a Private school thing up and down the East Coast. MD does have a big concentration in the MIAA league and has for years. Now, with Club, many outside the private school world want in...Sad State for lacrosse

Definitely, with the whole private school stuff there in MD. Not as many opportunity for affordable private schooling on LI! So, much Harder to do the holdback game.

“Affordable”??? You think maryland private schools are more affordable????? Let me know what Li schools are going for, maybe I’m heading that way 🤷‍♂️

Friends academy and Portledge, about 30- 40k non boarding. Is MD privates more than that? Crazy if they are!

Are the private schools in LI even any good at lacrosse? Seems like the best kids come from public schools, no? So holdbacks seem to be happening in public schools in LI not private.

It’s not about the private schools being good at lax. They go to private school to be able to stay back a year. Then head back to catholic or public. Just use it for holding back. Not the lacrosse. They have the club teams. Can’t afford the private for 4 years +. That’s why they are not good on LI.

From the horse's mouth:

29 Crabs: Lot of unsatisfied parents last summer after too many "guest players" showing up at tourneys while rostered players just standing on sideline. Then at tryouts, about 25% (?????) of last year's roster is cut (unheard of in club culture at that age). 24 kids invited to play this year. Parents got together on a call and decided they would all bolt. Something like 8 or 9 kids ended up accepting. Coaches fired, team folded. I'm sure they will pull a "91 Swarm" maneuver next fall (the 2028 Swarm coach was asked to bring his coaching and his top 10 kids to Team 91 2028), but for now there's no Crabs 2029. Team indeed split between FCA and 91. Would be surprised if any went to True, but can't verify.

29 Breakers: I understand this was always a 2028/29/30 team. The better half of the 2028s bailed mid-year for playing opportunities with the True MD state team, Kyle Harrison's Team 3234982349823 or whatever, and FCA White. Two head coaching changes in the last 10 months, which led to a ghost town at tryouts, and the 2029 kids (the ones who could play) moving on to AA/AAA level stuff like HoCo Pink, Predator, FCA, and Team 91. Not sure what their supposed expert sports management ownership (in CT) is doing for Breakers but apparently it's not working. Breakers went from decent 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2026 teams to......not so much. Honestly wonder if that club is done. It may be older than Crabs.

I am an MIAA homer but yes, LI private schools are double the price of MIAA schools. Hence why you see such powerhouse public school programs in NY (both LI and Westchester), and you do not (consistently) see it at public schools in Philly, Baltimore, and DC where private school only costs an arm and half a leg.

It'll be interesting to see how teams evolve as COVID diminishes and teams get back to normal.

I agree but I'm not so sure you'll be surprised. TLDR, I think many club rosters are fairly set through 8th grade because COVID has kind of squashed the other avenues for talented new players "showing up from out of nowhere." Big roster changes would likely be a result of coaching drama / hires.

As a coach and parent, the "usual suspects" showing up (#1, The Huge Kid Who Hasn't Played in 2 Years; and #2 The Football Kid Who Has Never Even Seen a Lacrosse Game) have looked particularly bad in the wake of 2 years of COVID. Parents have not really availed themselves of personal coaches, or training up from rec ball (maybe partly because rec ball has been frequently canceled for COVID).

I think this unusual stability moving forward is probably a relief if your kid is on an Elite roster and is happy with his role. Well honestly also if your kid is on a AAA or AA team and he/you are happy with their role. This reality is probably very stressful if you are of the Lax Dad Hardhead variety of "My kid plays A-ball and needs to be the featured attackman on a AAA team immediately!" Because that's going to be hard, moving forward.

You lost me at “as COVID diminishes.”

Agree. But, don't necessarily see the "new kid" showing up to tryouts but rather players from other clubs. To your point, I think parents have been comfortable with their current club situation because the normal pre-covid numbers aren't coming out for tryouts as normal.

I agree. Lacrosse was one of the only sports that seemed to flourish in the last two years. And with club lax having more opportunities than rec parents made the plunge who weren’t ready to before.

That said, the alpha from top AAA teams will always show up in the elite division eventually. So the top elite teams will continue get stronger as that happens. Also kids who have played up don’t always gravitate to whatever club team they have been on when they make the move down. Often they see how they could do at a better club at their actual age.

But I don’t think covid plays a roll in any of this

Anyone brave enough to talk about competition at Club Lax Nationals before the final day?!?!?!

Brave enough to say that almost every 29 team there is AA, AAA except ML and possible the nations best team. But we will find out if they are any good tomorrow.

Also, madlax isn’t even their regular team. Its mostly the
Madlax capital kids but some are borrowed from other areas of the country. Not sure if it’s because they couldn’t get everyone they needed or if it’s intentional but it’s hard to tell if they are even as good as the madlax capital team.

End of the day, that event is a joke at the 29 class. Stop putting stock in it. It’s a madlax run event to make madlax look good. By a wackjob owner

Agreed on Madlax owner.

1. Nations Best (National)
2. Madlax (National)
3. Cavalier
4. Team 91 (National)

How about that local Cav team keeping up with the National teams with 3 subs!!! Screw COVID and congratulations to all the great play by all the young teams out there representing at this tournament. Lots of class and heart by the teams, coaches, and families. Tons of comradery and competitive fun for these young boys

What tournament was this weekend?

How many LI kids were on that 91 National team?

The tourney was club nationals in Orlando.

One LI kid.

I wish the club nationals wasn’t a breeding ground for these “national teams”. Would be a lot cooler if the top hoco teams, Philly teams, jersey and LI teams just came to the event. At least once a year I would love to see the best of the best without guest players and “national” teams just hammer it out.

NAL is the closest thing to it as far as I can tell at this age.

Kudos to cavalier for grinding out some wins with like no players. Takes a set to fly down to Florida with short numbers and throw down anyway.

The NAL and the NLF in July will both be good.

Aren’t they both in June this year?

This board went dead. Anyone have any predictions on the spring? Who got better? Who’s gonna surprise us?

When do we get a 2030 and 2031 thread? There are already tourneys out there with nowhere to discuss.