BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums NEW JERSEY LACROSSE NEW JERSEY FORUM Top Boy's Club Teams in New Jersey

The 2026 LE faceoff kid filled in for the 23 LE team and beat a Harvard commit a couple of times.

This is a great response. To the Towerman person posting all this stuff I commend you for what your team has done thus far. However, the boys change so much in the next 18 months. Some kids grow late, some get very muscular and some of the big kids now don't grow enough. That is before you deal with the reclass kids in the other states and the small minority in NJ. I actually hope you guys stay together but anyone who has a kid at the 2024-2022 level have all experienced how kids change and teams change. The 2 superstars on each team will always be the superstars, its everyone else. Good luck.

From the 2023 perspective...while I am sure that there are many good players on each of these teams, it is very short sighted to simply compare yourselves to the other NJ clubs or the LI and MD clubs. This sport is growing exponentially and the talent is all over the country. Maybe there will be a NJ kid in the top 50 of the recruiting class, but highly unlikely. Spend some time on the list of commits on Inside Lacrosse at the D1 level and high level D3 clubs, they are pulling kids from all over the country. Also, take into consideration the number of kids being recruited at your sons position at each of these schools, the potential opportunities are even narrower. It is an incredibly brutal process, and very hard on the kids. If your kid is lucky enough to get recruited early by a D1 school, be aware that the process is not over, they continue to watch and assess your kid at tournaments until the letter of intent is signed. If you or your son have a connection with a kid playing D1, I would highly recommend siting down and having an honest talk, many of these kids are miserable. Bottom line, careful what you wish for, and keep things in perspective. Most of what you think about the recruiting process is simply wrong, but going through it is the only way to come to this realization. Good luck.

Don't forget about grades.. that also limits your kid, can go both ways. Not only from the Ivy's but the other way. Your kid might not be smart enough for Tuffs but too smart for Towson, St Joe or LIU. Then what?

You all don't know what your talking about my 8th grader is going to be a stud

Of course it is early and a lot will happen in the next two years but here is some math for kids who want to make a roster for high level D1 team: let’s say 30 teams are considered “high level” for this example. Each team will typically recruit about 3 players per position plus one fogo, lsm, ssdm, and one goalie so roughly 13 players total. That is about 390 players total probably total getting calls between September 1 and December 31 from a top 30 program. In two years, if you are a top 75 player in your position (A, M, D) or top 25 in a specialist position you have a very good shot of getting recruited by a top 30 program. Kids at this age who think they are at this level now may or may not continue to be at that level and many kids who are not at that level now will be in a few years. This is just the math. There are many other variable like academics which is a huge factor. Two years is a very long time and the things will fall into place for each kid eventually.

I meant let’s see who has more recruits on a top 25 D1 team, not top 25 players. I agree that there will likely be one or two NJ players at most on the top 50 recruits list. The point I was trying to make is that LE tries to poach kids with their recruiting record. You don’t need them if you are a top player. you will get found.

Agreed...would just add that the top 30 teams are always changing and school ratings are regarded differently by each kid or family...I think there is a fairly consistent top 10 and then 50 more teams and then a bottom 10, which totals 70 which is about how many D1 colleges there are....10-15 recruits for each team is like 850/900 recruits a year nationwide....Johns Hopkins has been below 40 the past 3 or 4 years...but people still think its a good lacrosse college...campus is in the middle of a busy city and I personally do not like it but its a high end academic school....Holy Cross is a good school and they went 1-13...just find the right fit campus life and lax wise....the academics are fairly similar for a majority of the schools other than Ivy which NJ only has about 8 kids on Ivy teams.

Academics vary among D1 schools. Some just need you to graduate, others expect a continued focus on academics through high school graduation (Ivies, Duke, Virginia, etc.). As far as D3, if you are interested in the NESCAC, they require a final junior-year transcript before anything happens. In regards to the club argument, if your club is playing in higher tier tournaments, there are plenty of opportunities to be seen. Also, be careful of prospect days, they can give a lot of false hope, but they are also a good way to see how your kid stacks up against his peers.

what does LE have to do with your point? If you are the same guy, you started your point by saying the 2026 NJ class was better than LI and MD or could at least play with them. LE has nothing to do with it.

Will really good kids get recruited no matter the club? Yes.

Does LE do a good job of getting most/all kids recruited? Yes.

Poaching is done by all clubs. Certain clubs just tend to attract some of the better players late in the game. It is just the way it is.

LE takes poaching to another level. Director direct messaging 14 year olds on other teams. Director asking their parents to call parents of players they want. Not cool.

I think you may be talking about tri-state. I know from experience .

I think the dude was trying to make one point but had a completely different thought in his head and wrote that about LE. I agree the point had nothing to do about LE.

Tristate is good in high school. I think he just shows reality to rising 9th graders. Would you rather be on a team that can give BBL black and LE a run for their money or be stuck on BBL Helix. Central Nj has too many good players to be LE or Bbl black or nothing. You can compete against Bbl blacks Summit/Chatham/Westfield rec kids in high school.

Any recommendations for kids not on LE/ BBL Black and I guess throw in Towermen for the 2026 year. I guess we are talking about STEPS, Riot. any others? Pros/cons. thinking 2026 year so kids will grow and change a lot by this time next year, but next year have to be on the right year for the following year. Still crazy. I say a kid I haven't seen in town recently and wouldn't have even recognized him. they change so much in the next 1-2 years...but the kids are locked in to these teams regardless it seems.

These are ultra competitive national programs. They are striving to be the best in the country. Creating a top team in the country helps the program AND the families on the team as they can now play in more competitive tourneys in front of elite college coaches.

To achieve this goal you HAVE to be recruiting (poaching if you prefer) the best players in the area. This also means that they need to cut the kids at the bottom of the roster each year. While unpleasant, this is necessary.

Don't detest the program (LE/TS/BBL), detest the game.

Tri-State is a great LE/BBL alternative at the HS level. 23's have 10+ D1 commits and play in the best tourneys. Their 24 team is also very strong. Not sure about the 25 and 26, but definitely worth looking into the program.

2026 year is weaker countrywide and that is why so many 2025s reclassed

Probably 3 on LE and 3 on Towermen and 1 or 0 from bbl.

And you would know that how?

Not to bash LE but I am going to say a know fact: they will add players to their team all the time thru high school and then carry over 30 kids on one team with a good portion of them not getting enough playing time. They will play their 12 best all the time to get them highlighted and committed. Ask most of the 2024 parents, they will tell you. They have 7-8 attackman, 13 middies and 7/8 close defenders. The kids and parents are all upset. Be very careful when you leave your club after 8th grade.

What about STEPS?

My son was 2020

Then go to a high academic D3 school. Much better off there than over 50% of D1 lax schools

LE 2024 team made the semi finals of the NLF?

Why is that such a surprise, they are a talented team, especially with the addition of the 2023s

I am not surprised. LE Highschool teams are strongest. I am hearing rumblings that there will be even more really talented players leaving current clubs to play LE.

They are much improved. Not a very good team previously. Who’s new? Just the 23 reclasses?

Why are key players at BBL leaving the program in High School year after year?

It depends on the kid. Jersey express is good, jersey thunder and 3D graden state (they are trying to bolster their 2026 team).3D has a national team. All of those ranked decently and I hear have good coaching. If you are looking at a club just for college your son ius hood he can get recruited from most clubs. Is your son at a competitive lacrosse high school?

They are good too. A positive is that they don’t have a long tournament season. If your kid place a fall HS sport they get a summer. I know people happy there.

Good not hood.

The goalie and defender they outright poached from BBL for the sole reason of making BBL a little weaker which worked. They had no reason to leave and would have got recruited at the same level at BBL. Outright poaching is disgraceful. They added a few other kids too. They also have like 6 or 7 reclass kids getting a lot of playing time. Most of the other 2024 clubs in NJ have none, I actually don't know of any on like the next 7 top clubs.

In response to what other 2026 teams and asking about steps.

Their giant attack #23 is a beast. Poached reclass I assume.

Clubs cut kids so I think ok for kids to leave if another club approaches them. Would be nice if loyalty is rewarded!

BBL has not cut kids at the high school level and I do not think many do.

Here we go with poached. I have no love for LE or BBL but come on poached a kid. Club lacrosse is a business.

Going into high school or beyond that?