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

NAL in June


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The 29 thread is officially the lamest thread on BTC. People have repeatedly tried to get discussions about the actual teams in the 29 class but no one actually wants to talk about them. At first the holdback nerds insisted on invading the thread even though there is literally already a thread dedicated to the topic. BUT NOW, we’re taking about other classes below 2029…

I’m curious. Why does no one want to talk about the 29 class? Is it because there’s really only two teams that matter? Because I don’t agree with that at all.

Seriously. What gives?

Agreed. I believe the 2029 class may be the weakest in years. No dominant NY club. That 91 Pride team has too much drama that’s keeping them from reaching their potential but having said that they still stand above all the other NY/LI teams. Still way below the MD teams.

2029 seems to have two dominant teams and then small group of decent clubs.

And then it falls off a cliff to the majority of teams resembling more rec level lax than high level club.

Interesting observations, I would have to agree at the moment. Even the top two teams don’t completely wow you. A couple of standouts on each team. Both seem to have picked up at last one new toy this year though. Will be interesting to see how they will develop by end of season. I think the true squad is going to be much improved though. They have some kids who can play but there’s a lot of gap from their best players to their second tier. BLC, is returning everyone except for those twins some dad talked about earlier this fall here in BTC. Can’t imagine that losing just those two makes them fall off a cliff.

Does anyone know if next level added anything? They went to the hoco finals last year didnt they?

Sorry holdback parent for calling out the hypocrisy of youth holdbacks. Do you want to brag about your overage player dominating younger children? No one is stopping you. Go for it.

Within the next few years there will be a large group of boys being held back. 6th/7th/8th are the years teams get bigger with holdbacks . 2029 will be fine with talent. Its coming.

It’s either one of two reasons why the 2029 division seems the way it does.

1. (Less likely) There is just a statistical anomaly in talent and athleticism for kids born in 2011.

2. (More likely) COVID impacted this age probably more than any other age. Right around the time the youngest rec kids were looking to transition to club the pandemic hit. When the better players would normally have been getting comfortable with more game reps, training and whatnot - the pandemic hit.
There was nothing going on for these kids lax wise at the wrong time.

The result seems to be fewer kids playing at this age and those who are developmentally behind where the 28s and 27s were at the same age/grade.

I think it works itself out in the next year or so.

Because the parents of 10 year olds aren't as insane as the other parents? Or the insane 2029 parents have an older son and have notIntelligent fights in other age groups?

1

How about coaching talent for the 29s as a source of the issue? I don’t see a ton of great coaching going on and to piggyback on the previous comment these boys lack some fundamental team concepts on offense/defense/transition that might be due to missing a whole spring season when they were just graduating out of 8U lax.

Who are the 2 top teams you are referencing?

It’s #1. They 29’s in our district are not impressive at all.
Was like that before Covid.

Covid has very little to do with the talent missing from 29 class. It is a down year for the majority of on age players. Like Capitalism, the flow of goods ( holdbacks) will
fill this in soon.

So you think it is just non-athletic parents making babies? Perhaps we can all agree that it had something to do with the Northeast snow storm in 2009. Snowstorm babies very clearly only have D3 potential

Yes, That too ! Board has some really forward thinkers

BLC and LTLC

This seems like a legit point. Dad coaches never got replaced with more experienced ones and kids are still playing iso/hero ball. I see a handful of coaches running systems but most are struggling to implement even if they are trying to install a system.

What about BLC and LTLC exactly?

Top teams at this age group clearly !

Will HoCO have an elite 2029 division this year or is AAA the top clubs again?

5th grade elite? get a grip crazy lax parent

This is somewhat true, but 2028 (on age) is a smaller class of lax kids in the DC/MD area also. Maybe 1/3 smaller than the 2026-2024 groups.

2028 has no Koopers team, no Breakers team, no Looneys team, and Kelly Post's B team folded to bring #s to True Baltimore, who couldn't put together a roster either. 2028 Predators is basically HoCo Pink (gone) plus several FCA and Crabs kids (honestly, all kids who historically would be at Looneys or Koopers now). 2028 Team91 is mostly kids from Swarm, with some HoCo Pink kids). Swarm just pulled up a bunch of rec kids for this year, they will drop to A or B in HoCo for 2028.

Some of it is just shuffling but it's simply not as many kids, or as some claim "there's too many clubs."

As for COVID, I think what we will all see is a talent gap erupting. The players who had resources and a work ethic during COVID and whose parents could support/remind/transport kids to lax events (aka "resources") are going to be just fine. That includes club resources, not canceling practices due to COVID shutdowns, kids having access to fields during shutdowns, skills coaches with access to outdoor turf, etc. And for lax, let's remember this includes academic success and performance. Your son may have a great BTB highlight video but if he has a 2.9 GPA he is not playing for Maryland. Period. And so many kids are one or even two grades behind at this point (nobody really wants to discuss this). That will work out fine (in time) for attending Towson or Mason or JMU but not for getting admitted to many D1 schools (basic admissions).

I think we are already seeing that kids who wanted to work out and travel for lax during COVID, and whose parents could support it, did, and they will be just fine. I think that all the rec kids, and the rec kids who usually start showing up at club at 5th and 6th grade, are not going to develop fast enough to be a real presence for middle school lax at least. Whether those kids will buckle down and train and their parents can/will invest the resources for those kids to catch up.....I guess we will see.

And before anybody hits the "elitist" pearl clutch, it should not be controversial to say that - especially in lacrosse - access to good education, quality coaching, flexible and affluent parents, and good modeled behavior (aka the kids know elite HS and college players) are huge (and unfair) factors in success at most things.

You realize the classification is based on the number of teams, not the talent level, right?
It used to just be A and B. But with so many clubs popping up, they needed to expand. Not all of them could be in either A or B.
HOCO only adds divisions above AAA as the numbers allow. Which is usually in 6th grade.

The 28s had an elite division last year, so it makes sense they add the division. Not sure why this is a crazy lax parent question...but whatevs

Did not realize this! You must have had a kid or two pass through already. First timer here. Your wisdom is inspiring.

Yet, here you are, posting on a message board discussing 5th grade lacrosse.

Agreed on the sentiment…to rephrase the initial question will there be 4 divisions this year. Lets call them developmental, peewee, wee, and D1

Lots of good stuff there. I am not sure if this is more of the same for concern with Rec dying off, but seems like post-COVID there is more of a risk to Rec really suffering with the continued growth of Club teams. Maybe it'll bounce back some this spring, but at least where I am the vibe is NOT good. And then it seems like HoCo is going to be a scheduling conflict on Saturdays for a number of boys age levels.

Well. Season is right around the corner. Who’s playing I. Spring thaw?!!!!

Just laying out possible HOCO Divisions.....nothing official put out by HOCO yet to my knowledge.

Anyone missing? Does Roughriders have a 2029 teams? True Baltimore? Anyone who you think would be in a different division?

Crazy to see young divisions with no (CRABS, LOONEYS, BREAKERS)


ELITE (7 TEAMS)
HAWKS
MADLAX
NEXT LEVEL
BLC BLUE
TRUE ANNAPOLIS
CAVALIER ORANGE
LTLC

AAA
KELLY POST
TEAM 91
FOREST HILL
FCA
HOCO
CANNONS
TEAM MARYLAND
KOOPERS
PREDATORS
CARROL MANOR

AA
MESA
SWARM
HLC
CAVALIER BLUE
BLC ORANGE
MADLAX DMV
EASTSIDE
VILLE
ZINGOS

Thaw was cancelled

To inform you- last year HoCo had 5 divisions at 25 and 26. 4 divisions at 27 and 28 and three divisions at 29 and 30.

Your entire post is much ado about nothing.

You mean Spring Madness? The Hogan tournament.

My guess is that FCA will be at whatever the top level is agin this year. They took a bunch of crabs kids I think. So technically better.

Sidewinders are fielding a team at 2029. Not sure if they are playing HoCo though.
Breakers is toast below 2026.
Most of the 91 kids went to Predators. This 91 squad is light for sure...though they peeled off a bunch of Koopers kids in October.
Most of the Koopers kids are from MESA MD. Not sure how bad or good they are.
LTLC will be toast in Elite.
Kelly Post AAA's are legit....though they struggle with LTLC.

spring thaw is the hogan event...I do not think that was cancelled.

Anyone playing in the Elite6 tournament on February 26th at Blandair Park in Columbia?

Another money grab, only this one is right before the season. Nice.