BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM MD Girls 2028

Only a fool criticizes a winning strategy. It seems to me you should be more critical of M&D for allowing Eagle Stix to pass the ball around for “9 minutes”. Surprisingly Eagle Stix wasn’t the only team on the field.

One win you say is luck
The second should have made you think
The third should make you realize

The hype is REAL!

Thoughts? Pretty consistent bottom two.

GOALIES
1) Hero’s
2) MDU
3) Crush
4) M&D
5) Coppermine
6) Skywalkers

DEFENSE
1) MDU
2) Coppermine
3) M&D
4) Crush
5) Hero’s
6) Skywalkers

MIDFIELD
1) M&D
2) Coppermine
3) MDU
4) Hero’s
5) Crush
6) Skywalkers

DRAW
1) M&D
2) MDU
3) Hero’s
4) Coppermine
5) Crush
6) Skywalkers

ATTACK
1) M&D
2) MDU
3) Coppermine
4) Hero’s
5) Crush
6)Skywalkers

Why did M&D allow them to do this? Remember the 4th pool play game was meaningless for Eagle Stix unless they gave up 18 goals. M&D needed to win and should have tried to push the pace and tempo.

Both teams prefer a slower pace with great execution. Reality is that Eagle Stix is a much better version than M&D.

If you watched the first game, HHH (a much inferior team) was able to create some turnover in Eagle Stix's settled play offense. They just couldn't win a draw and didn't get enough possessions.


After watching parts of 3 ES games this weekend, I think the game plan to beat them in the summer is pretty clear.

- Win at least 40% of draws. they have the best 28 draw girls. Need at least 40% to have a chance. At a minimum teams should be trying to play draws low to give their circle girls a chance.

- Double aggressively against ES to slow down their motion and "jump" all of their high picks. If you sit back, they will eventually pick you apart.

- When you get the ball via clear or turnover, push aggressively when you have numbers. If there is a weakness in Eagle Stix, it is team speed and transition defense. Aces was able to create some cheap goals and this is needed to have a chance.

Obviously, this is all easier said than done and if this goes wrong, the score could get out of control quickly.

If a MD teams beats them this summer, I think Coppermine probably has the best chance just based on speed and athleticism. I would expect M&D to try to add some speed this summer.

Practice is when players (boys/girls/men and women) develop and learn their game. During games it is about winning and applying lessons and skills developed during practice.

Also, are you giving a pass to M&D whose playing only resulted in 2 goals? Frankly, I think it was the outstanding defense of both teams that led to such a low score. Some games the offense Carrie’s the day and some days it’s the defense.

Eagle Stix also has an outstanding goalie and a stingy defense when they settle in. But I agree they had some challenges on transition defense.

They are a very good team. It’s good to have the challenge.

Tell them try it in high school and see the coaches leave and watch someone else. Obviously you have a coach that wants to win first and develop later

Oh, so now I should depend on your assessment of what makes good lacrosse after you have already proven to me that you are likely a parent with little or no coaching expertise. These terrific teams that participated in the NGLL championships are elite girls teams and the players that stick with lacrosse and continue to progress will have their share of college coaches showing interest in them. I support all the girls and not necessarily the parents that can't see the forest for the trees.

To improve the game they come up with a way the referees could start a 90 second shot clock and start counting down when it gets to 10. It would improve the game tremendously!

Honestly, wins and losses mean nothing, It’s more about the parent egos. Kids are upset for a minute, but then move on. Develop and play the game. No team should sit around and pass the ball around for 9 minutes. That tells me the team is not very good, and needs to resort to gimmicks to win.

Congrats to M&D for repping the region well. Congrats to all of the teams on a good NGLL season. For the most part it played out as everyone expected. No real surprises. The gap was too big after the top 5 for anyone to pull off an exciting upset. Summer tourneys should be more of the same good competition. Summer tryouts and new fall rosters will be the next big piece of the puzzle.

Not a gimmick. When you have a lead, the other team needs to force the tempo, not you. Whenever you go to "yellow" or whatever your team calls it, your job is to pass around and only take a wide open shot in front of the goal. If you are calling this a gimmick, they you are criticizing the top 3 or 4 MIAA teams who do this whenever they have a lead in the second half.


The bigger question is "why did M&D allow them to do this in a game they needed to win"? This shows either bad coaching, poor Lax IQs or likely both.

I watched that game, and the 9 minutes of "holding the ball" as mentioned before must have been measured in dog years by the who posted that. Also, I think the ES team played right before M&D, holding the ball to catch your breathe is also not a gimmick.. To say they are not a very good team after winning NGLL is also a bad take.. The great thing about this division is anyone of these teams on any given day can win.. That makes it great for the age group and lacrosse.. Every 2028 game I watched this past weekend was fantastic..

Not a gimmick. When you have a lead, the other team needs to force the tempo, not you. Whenever you go to "yellow" or whatever your team calls it, your job is to pass around and only take a wide open shot in front of the goal. If you are calling this a gimmick, they you are criticizing the top 3 or 4 MIAA teams who do this whenever they have a lead in the second half.

Miaa is the boys league. In the IAAM the girls have a 90 second shot clock to force kids to play. Congrats on the stall game plan. You will remember this win forever.

Or, here's a crazy thought, it shows that they're just 12 and actively growing their lax IQ by learning how to handle different scenarios in real time. Some people really need to give these kids a break and remember they're pre-teens.

Won NGLL and not very good. Super sharp observation. And ball movement and controlling possession with a lead is a gimmick? Good call, Coach.

Not sure I'd agree on Midfield and Draw. Coppermine is top 2 if not 1 on Draw. Midfield, I'm not sure M&D is better than 3 at best. MDU has more speed as does Coppermine.

I'd blame coaching more than the girls. At some point, the M&D coach needed to going into a more aggressive defensive set.

Is the forum just becoming the same two parents arguing back and forth?

Let’s talk something productive—player movement during tryouts, tourney predictions, coaching changes, tourney venue tips, camps, etc.

Who was best NGLL 2028 player this year? In MidAtlantic Region, my vote is for that amazing middie from MDU or the biggest kid on Coppermine’s roster.

re: camps Any 28s doing overnights this summer? UVA and Md seem to be the only college campuses doing an overnight camp for 6th graders.

MDU big advantage is their draw game, I can't put any other team above them at 2028 level for DC.

Agree, MDU and Coppermine has some standout talent. Big question is, will those top players on MDU and Coppermine stick around on their teams or will they move to the "big 3"?

Sw needs lots of help at 28 team to be in the big 3. How will their impending sale help? They need a person that will beat the streets to find the best coaches and put the best kids together.

SW's sale has been pending for three year. Don't hold your breathe.

Lots of girls doing Triple Threat overnight camp the mon-wed after Lax For The Cure.

Sw needs lots of help at 28 team to be in the big 3. How will their impending sale help? They need a person that will beat the streets to find the best coaches and put the best kids together.[/quote]

SW's sale has been pending for three year. Don't hold your breathe.[/quote]
SW will be just fine. They will get some additional talent in July!

SW's sale has been pending for three year. Don't hold your breathe.[/quote]
SW will be just fine. They will get some additional talent in July![/quote]

Out of curiosity, where do you anticipate the talent coming from? Crush is the obvious source geographically speaking, but they really have to be banking on the SW high school reputation to leave crush for a worse program. And no one is leaving the big 3 unless they are on a B team, or the bottom of the A roster. I know SW has strong reputation at the HS level, so I am not doubting that they can get there, but they need A LOT of people to come over, not just a couple

Yes, I think it is the same two people arguing: the one who uses "detest" as a noun and the one who keeps saying "lax IQ"

My daughter plays for ES. First and foremost, it was a real honor to play in Baltimore with such an incredible lax culture. NCAA Natty going on at the same time and many of our girls got the thrill of their life going to the Semi’s on Friday and getting pics with some of the players. Just reading all these posts shows that MD is the home of girls lax. Every team we played was awesome, including the team from Florida who didn’t back down all weekend, despite being made up of 28s, 29s, and 30s…Truly growing the game in south Florida, taking down M&D Orlando to get to this tournament. To respond to the conversation about the “stalling”, this team has about a dozen plays to pull from. But there are times that changing strategies is appropriate. Our coach is a Baltimore native and former mens D1 player. Assistant played D1 football. They are very smart and play a pace that makes sense given the current situation. The girls are very disciplined, but the coaches emphasize that the plays are a foundation, but improvising out of the plays is encouraged. There were a bunch of examples of that this weekend…you’d see that if you knew what the plays were supposed to be. We are so blessed to play with a great group of girls and families and so fortunate that our daughters get to play with and compete against the best in the country by coming up north. We look forward to seeing you all (aka “y’all) this summer. And if you’re ever in north Atlanta, look us up.

Congrats on your championship run. Sounds like your coaches are on the right track for player development. Teach them ball possession and set plays when they are young. Then as they get to HS, they will be ready to incorporate the ball possession concept with a free lance motion offense.

Respect!!

SW will be just fine. They will get some additional talent in July![/quote]

Out of curiosity, where do you anticipate the talent coming from? Crush is the obvious source geographically speaking, but they really have to be banking on the SW high school reputation to leave crush for a worse program. And no one is leaving the big 3 unless they are on a B team, or the bottom of the A roster. I know SW has strong reputation at the HS level, so I am not doubting that they can get there, but they need A LOT of people to come over, not just a couple[/quote]

I honestly think Coppermine has effected SW the most. CM younger teams are strong and sw teams are weak. Right now sw28 are an average B team and no top talent is going there. Those talents will go to cm. I wouldn’t be shocked if the better players of sw go elsewhere this summer.

Just curious where do you think that talent is going to fit into Coppermine? On the black or blue team? I can’t see A team players going to a B team or going to a team where they will get little to no playing time.

The Triple threat camp is during the same dates as both the UVA and Univ of Maryland camps, so probably lots of talent spread out amongst those 3. Curious to who all goes to Triple threat from the top MD teams along with Pride/Stars since it's mostly run by the Stars founder.

Number 1 i don’t know if those players will go to Coppermine. I anticipate players going there but from sw i have no idea. Number 2 how do you know they won’t get playing time? Never know if players decide to just play soccer, move on to another team. A good team should have depth and a single girl should not play the entire game. If a team has 6 solid middies that is ideal to keep fresh especially in tournament season.

I don't think Coppermine is as complete of a team as you are giving them credit for. They have a couple of top players, another group of speedy athletes, but after watching them a few times, they are far from a complete team. Their best player still does a majority of their work. And that is not a knock on her, she is a very talented player; but if you remove her from the field they are a different team altogether. And Isn't coppermine possibly losing some to soccer this year?

After watching Coppermine play my daughters team, i would agree that they are a very talented team but definitely if they pick up a few good players could be outstanding. Which I detest to say and hope doesn’t happen.

There are 3 maybe 4 girls on Coppermine Blue who can definitely play on a good A team next year. Will be interesting to see if Coppermine can keep them in the program.

I agree Coppermine is not a complete team. No team at this age is. I also agree with earlier that SW is being hurt by Coppermine. We are looking at a new team for my daughter and we took Skywalkers off our list bc seems like they have issues with coaching.

Is it the coaching or the lack of talent on the team? ( I am truly asking that question because I don’t know). What teams are you considering? We are also looking.