BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM Boys 2027 Grads - Mid Atlantic Region

How did the holdbacks work for the 2026 Year? Genuinely asking. I know they won HOCO but how did they do in summer tournaments?

DCE is desperately trying to attract players. I don’t see them being much better than what they had as BLC.

They may not be dramatically better than BLC coming out next week's tryout, but they definitely will improve somewhat, due to professional coaching, addition by subtraction, and a few new players.

In order to pull even with NextLevel and Hawks, they will need to get 6-8 difference makers, and those type of players will probably trickle in over the course of the next year. By 9th grade expect this team to be strong.

DCE will attract good players. It might not happen by early Fall, but by Spring they will have a very competitive team. This was the pattern for both 25 and 26. 26 was a very small group in the Fall that was a strong base and then DCE added handpicked parts along the way. That team played in the HoCo final this past year and will remain very competitive throughout high school, I would expect. Same with 25, except they were "just OK" for HoCo in 8th grade but built the team and very good now. The brand, coaching and location will bring in talent. Not to mention, DCE actually develops their players.

Not trolling: can you explain what you mean by actually develop their players? I think the top 6 or 7 programs in MD at 27 do a good job of that.

Not the PP, but it was probably a reference to MadLax. MadLax brings in new players from around the country week to week instead of developing players they have. It’s no fun to have a kid from Texas show up unexpectedly and you are on the bench. This is one reason why there is an exodus of MadLax 2026 starters to the DCE 2026 team. Expect the MadLax to DCE migration to happen over the course of the next year in 2027.

Exactly. Searching for kids that have grown faster than others, that are more advanced at the moment. As opposed to developing and working with your core group, that comes to all practices and grinds day in and day out.

OP here. It is a fine balance for development. In MD we do not need out of state kids to bolster the roster. So that makes sense to develop from local area. What missing?

I’m guessing you’re asking about Crabs since you’re asking about holdbacks. I don’t think they won any tournaments. Last weekend they lost NLF with a 2-3 record and the weekend before they also went 2-3. They also lost their own tournament, Crabfeast. So despite the holdbacks and out of state players, they’re struggling.

This was exactly my question. There is just so much talk about holdbacks as if that’s all it takes. At least they were able to win HOCO.

True. holdbacks and out state players do help you clench HOCO but can’t make you dominant on the national stage. What’s most interesting is that in places like New York and New England hold backs aren’t really a thing because most of the kids are in public school. They have just been playing together a long time and have really invested and knowledge coaches. And it doesn’t hurt that unlike a lot of teams south of Philly, they’re not for profit. Lacrosse down here is big business.

Looks like all the “Big Guy” from FCA and Crabs trash talking will have to move to the 28 board as he is holding his kid back. So did Crabs upgrade their goalie with this departure?

What was the turnout at Koopers/ True Baltimore tryouts? Are the True parents happy knowing they will become the AA team and Koopers will be the AAA team? Heard the 3 best players from True will move to Koopers while the bottom of Koopers roster will move to True. Can’t imagine parents are happy with this transition.

Turnout was pretty strong, about 100 players for the two teams. True has been upfront with the parents from both teams about plans moving forward. If a player tryouts and gets moved either way, its not like the family didn't know it was a possibility. So its up to them whether to accept or not. If they're bitter about not being where they feel their player should be on these teams, maybe encourage the player to work to get better, or as the hammerheads on these boards say "sorry you got cut. Now HIT THE WALL".

True Baltimore literally had three good players. So, Koopers basically got better by 3 players (one of them a very strong shooter). Not expecting either team to set HOCO on fire next year.

I don’t know why this would be a surprise. True was the AA team last year and Koopers was AAA. Both mediocre

They can hold all the “separate” tryouts they want.
True always smushes them together.

Good luck with all of that.

Koopers ‘27 was a bad AAA team who played down in every summer tournament they entered.

True ‘27 was an OK AA team who told its parents they were not playing to win summer tourneys.

Sounds like the offspirng of these two teams “doing it”will be a bad AAA team or another ok AA team.

You have no idea what you are talking about. Go back to grousing about the crabs, hawks, holdbacks or how bitter your life is that you feel it necessary to denigrate others.

Someone at Koopers True got their little baby feelings hurt. Nobody is denigrating anyone. The previous posters made fair comments about both team records this season. I hope the combined team does well, especially for as much as the True social media machine hyped these tryouts.

I don’t know why this would be a surprise. True was the AA team last year and Koopers was AAA. Both mediocre[/quote]

Koopers ‘27 was a bad AAA team who played down in every summer tournament they entered.

True ‘27 was an OK AA team who told its parents they were not playing to win summer tourneys.

Sounds like the offspirng of these two teams “doing it”will be a bad AAA team or another ok AA team.[/quote]


This isnt being mean, it’s accurate.

True 27 parents were upset about the tourneys. And their end of season collapse. Their head coach may have been coaching too many teams.

True does the same thing every time they acquire a program. They tell the new club “nothing will change.” Then they raid it for talent, smash teams together, and it’s on to the next. More ugly green/black jerseys next year. More mediocre but expensive lacrosse.

Ps- That Koopers 27 team has been playing down in summer tourneys for 2 years now. NXT, summer exposure, turning point, lake placid. They might have entered one Tourney with AAA talent. And it didn’t turn out well.

Ps- That Koopers 27 team has been playing down in summer tourneys for 2 years now. NXT, summer exposure, turning point, lake placid. They might have entered one Tourney with AAA talent. And it didn’t turn out well.[/quote]

If they're a bad HoCo AAA team, are they really playing down in summer tourney's? Sorry you lost to them. Maybe play "B" next year?

If they're a bad HoCo AAA team, are they really playing down in summer tourney's? Sorry you lost to them. Maybe play "B" next year?[/quote]

LOL.The comments here are almost comical. At 2-5 in Hoco AAA last year, not many teams lost to them.

LOL.The comments here are almost comical. At 2-5 in Hoco AAA last year, not many teams lost to them.[/quote]

The only teams Koopers got wins against we’re rec-level teams- Trues, Rockfish, and Hereford.

As expected, True Baltimore does the old the bait and switch with its Koopers team- Rearranges the rosters, despite the team kids tried out for. Other kids given spots without even trying out.

Lots of unhappy parents. Just a matter if they can find a new home at this late date.

The smart clubs will be hosting supplemental tryouts in case any true kids need a new home.

Wait, so what you are saying is True was dishonest? How could that be that are such a reputable club with integrity I just can not imagine that happened!

Will Koopers be the “better” team as promised?

No such thing as Koopers anymore.

It’s True Baltimore Black (A) and Green (B).

Can we move on from AAA?

how will the '27s line up this year? who got better? who got worse?

Yes let’s move back to the same conversation of how the Hawks will dominate and Crabs and FCA remain inferior to all others.

All you need to know:
Hawks remain relatively same.
Crabs has new midfield with some '26 holdbacks.
91 has new attack and midfield.
FCA has new defense and goalkeeping.
Zingos move to AAA
Team MD moves to Elite.

Hawks- someone said they lost nobody?
Next Level-quiet assuming same group
Madlax- Got better this Summer was it because of out of state players or have they picked up some better local kids?
FCA- Seems to have lost middies and defensive according to earlier post?
Crabs- sounds like lots of holdback reshuffling
91- Haven’t heard much. Lost a d-pole to another program
True Annapolis- gained a couple players from World Series team
Team Md- had 81 tryout for 27 group. Lost a few but core of team together. Picked up a few from other elite programs and PA.
Zingos- no idea
DC Express- trying to poach Team Md players with no success. Not sure who all the scored at their tryouts.

From what I hear:
Hawks didn't turnover much.
Crabs- usual 8th grade moves. If it translates into more goals for the midfield is the big question.
91- Lost a D-Pole, and have little depth there. But gained some good depth on offense.
FCA - lost some defenders from last year, but gained better defenders and goalie. Offense will still be a question mark.

How was turnout at DCE and True/MD tryouts? Considered it but ultimately decided to stay put.

True and DCE weren’t gonna grow that much. All of the good kids got swept up 2 weeks ago when the elite clubs had tryouts.

Yes as to True. DCE got some good ones, and will get more from the elite clubs over the next year, especially the one with the Daddy running the offense.

What clubs did DCE draw from?

Mainly blc. Not going to be the typical DCE team.

QUOTE- Yes as to True. DCE got some good ones, and will get more from the elite clubs over the next year, especially the one with the Daddy running the offense."

Which team is that? It could be almost any in 2027.

I'm not at all surprised by True's antics but I am disappointed for the families and for the Koopers brand/legacy (whatever that means). Koopers has been a great, family focused place to play for "good" athletes for a lot of years.

Never had a kid play for them but wanted to consider them as a backup. I knew their predictions for "independence" were going to be false when the Koopers tryout signup was literally the True Baltimore signup page. The only thing I blame the Koopers directors for, is believing the True sales pitch. We didn't even attend.

Rah Rah True Black, I guess.