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

Of course you did. Typical response, and exactly the reason for the post. To educate the people who have yet to go through the process and are basing their opinions on rumors. I’m telling you it’s very real and my kid is by no means an anomaly. Several kids on his team got similar deals. If you have any intelligent, specific questions I’m happy to expound. But it’s based on the fact that there are more “good” D1 teams than ever before and the competition has never been greater for recruits. And some teams have NIL money which they are offering. Some schools, with powerful boosters, have an unlimited supply NIL $$$.

Keep shoveling. You are amusing.

All the best teams are at NLF. If your kid has what it takes go to tryouts. Complainers not wanted.

Had two go D1 so far. Hoping on third. Both prior did NLF and went D1. On older boys teams about ten went d1 and four d3 on each team. NLFclubs worked hard for both than HS. And it was the look from the NLF clubs that helped. Not the same I hear from other NLF regions but go top brand it helps. Hope this helps and good luck.

Serious insightful comments not helpful here!

Just look at commitments over the last few years, seems like a lot are coming from non-NLF teams.[/quote]

It has to start with "what's your son (realistic) goal?" Any advice prior to that question, aside from "get playing time" and "mind your grades" is just silly.

Once you answer that question, the math is still quite complex, especially due to the transfer portal.
In our family's experience (boys and girls lax), the most important factors, in order, have been:

1) You better be on the field all the time if you want elite D1 (starter by 10th) or high D2/D3 (starter by 11th). PT at club and school is critical unless you literally "don't care where you play in college." In which case, you'll be fine, you'll find a spot. Many D2 and D3 programs are still recruiting in the spring of senior year (you just have to remember to apply for admission the previous winter).

2) HS Coach's or Club Coach's Connections AND willingness to "make a call."

3) "Elite-ness" of your HS and club program, including brands like NLF, MIAA, etc.

4) Grades and leadership outside of lax; lax tradition and alumni of your school.

5) Do you fit the current recruiting trend of players at your position? For example, right now if you want to play upper D1 with a long pole, you better be 6'0"+ and be STACKED. Or giant SSDM's with a killer 40 speed and an ability to fast break through traffic. Seem like odd one-offs, but coaches decide "that's what they want" whether it's beneficial or not really. For example it seems like "nobody" (exaggeration) is recruiting tiny FOGOs the last 2 years. Even though a tiny FOGO can win consistently. Just a trend.

6) Coach or director-verified "growth" or "improvement" across several years of a specific camp or showcase. And their willingness to send an email / call / text on your behalf.

7) Good film.......but everybody has good film now, if you get enough PT .

Again, all this said, you can be an LSM being heavily recruited to play at Princeton and suddenly two genius LSM's come to Princeton through the transfer portal, right before your 12th grade year. It's a bit like the wild west right now.

The most important thing is to be at an NLF program. They key is NLF, because the NLF factor will make coaches realize you are NLF. Did I mention NLF, that is really important.
I had four kids, who all played NLF, and everyone is raking in $$ like fool from lacrosse, and all their teammates too, and we owe it all to NLF. I am NOT an NLF director or owner pumping out an NLF infomercial, I am just a humble lax Dad trying to share my wisdom with the next generation of players.
Hope this helps!

You all spend so much time trying to figure out who is writing the post that you miss the point. I was hoping people would respond more to whether boys need to be on an NLF team or not. Does it really make a difference in recruiting? I personally don't think it does but my son is just an 8th grader so I don't know.[/quote]

The short answer is NO, you do not need to be associated with an NLF program. The area we live in sends tons of kids to D1 schools and the NLF program here is not relevant, has really no competitive boys teams. Coincidentally, a non NLF club in this region that has had nearly 40 D1 commits from their 23' and 24' teams was blocked for years by this local NLF team, I guess if you can't beat them, block them. Plenty of high level tournaments out there these days, get on a good team and go play.

The short answer is NO, you do not need to be associated with an NLF program. The area we live in sends tons of kids to D1 schools and the NLF program here is not relevant, has really no competitive boys teams. Coincidentally, a non NLF club in this region that has had nearly 40 D1 commits from their 23' and 24' teams was blocked for years by this local NLF team, I guess if you can't beat them, block them. Plenty of high level tournaments out there these days, get on a good team and go play.[/quote]

Sure buddy sure.

NLF holdbacks squads definitely block teams that are better than they are at certain ages.

And the kids on those blocked clubs still make it to college just fine.

It didn’t.

D1 coach from Elite University here. I attend one tournament a year and it's NLF. If a kid scores a goal at NLF: Scholarship! Makes a save: Scholarship! Now, not every kid at NLF plays a ton. But if an NLF coach "makes a call" for a player: Scholarship + NIL $$$. It's how the system works. Some coaches look for truly elite speed and athleticism. But real winners build teams based on who played NLF in 8th, 9th, 10th grade.

I love the direction this discussion is going. As somebody noted above, being on a well branded HS or club team in 10th-11th grade is important, but maybe the #4 or #5 biggest consideration. There are kids on NLF teams with 2.8 GPAs and 1100 on their SATs. They aren't headed to Yale, Cuse, UMD, UVA, Duke, etc. Elite college coaches don't want academic headaches and why should they tolerate them? "Oh you've had 11 conduct referrals in HS but you play on an NLF team? Come on in, here's your full scholarship and NIL bucks!" Please.

If you think the HS or Club team you play on is the 5th biggest consideration to getting to college than you know nothing.

Hold the phone.Took a week with the family at Disney after club nationals. Didnt look here for a bit.Why the firestorm over NLF all of a sudden? Hard to read the script unless it is all one person talking to themself.

NLF is the ticket . All the big boy coaches attend. How anyone can think otherwise is running the risk of no D1 coming their way.

Here's the recap. One person keeps posting that being on an NLF team (which I think means one of the six programs that founded NLF) is the ticket to college scholarships and NIL money, and that not being on such a team means you missed the boat. Everyone is laughing at him and being sarcastic because he is so over the top that he tipped his hand as an infomercial by the owner of one of the programs.
It is probably not worth going back to read; everyone has figured out that he is a troll.

Drinking on a Wednesday, I see. Some serious John Carroll School energy you're vibing. I didn't mean to threaten your hopes of paying MIAA tuition and holding your nose until Cornell called for your son.

A 3rd string midfielder at BL (or Crabs, or 91), who the coaches don't like enough to use their network to find college options for, with a 2.4 GPA and 1050 SAT, is not going to get to go where he wants just because he owns a BL helmet or a beautiful Crabs helmet with zero dings in it from never facing a live defenseman. Film? You got it. Practice film!

But maybe my posts are all a dream, and you should just sleep it off.

-Dad of a D1 and D2 lax player who attended MIAA schools (and 2 more hopefuls).

-Also a Dad who attended good enough public schools to know the correct usage of "then" and "than."

You are correct, these college coaches aren’t wasting time with academic headaches. Grades are priority 1. Then the kid has to be able to play. And get playing time. Regularly. In the top hs league AND club circuit. That is the standard. Not specifically what club you play for. Just that you play and produce for them at both levels. Regularly play and regularly produce.

There are only so many hours in the day to get a kid recruited. Most of the coaches push their kids to D1 even if it’s a bad fit and bad school. The top MIAA and Elite players get the attention when Cornell calls. Fogo #2 gets the attention when Mercer and Cleveland State call. No thanks. I’d rather go to a top D2 or D3 and play for a championship.

Not much action out there.

91 MD won the Madlax Capital Box Tourney against 91 NC.

91 MD was good. We were on one of the losing teams. Pretty decent tournament though.

Looks like it was a split 7th/8th grade division.

Any word on VLC restarting a 2027 team?

And in Team 91's case, it was a 8th/9th grade team.

A couple older 8th graders. But no 9th graders. All middle school students.

Team MD reaching out. How many kids left after getting those new coaches?

So dont play for Maddog , Hawks, Igloo or BBL among others?

A quick look at the commits the above teams have will tell you that they are doing OK not being an NLF team.

"Several holdback 8th graders..." Fixed it for you.

The holdback complaining is old at this point. It’s always been a issue and ever team in elite has them and AAA does too.

Team 91 is going to go from never making the playoffs and really rarely winning a game to challenging for first place. 4 kids held back in 8th grade for lacrosse. Proud moment.

Well they will have to get past Crabs they don’t even look like the same team and they have even more holdbacks this year. HOCO will be a joke this spring.

Good luck handicapping the 2027s this season! I think you can throw previous years results out with all the roster changes.

Specifically for 91 and Crabs, were the current repeat8thgraders any good for the the 26's or were they the top players. I know a couple were very average and now they were killing it in the fall. As far as handicapping, it won't help the forever champs Hawks that their best player has prioritized the all star teams over the Hawks. I thought Hawks had a rule against that. I guess not when it's the best player.

I don’t think the national schedule interferes with HOCO.

He's supposed to be the best player, he's supposed to be a 2026. Famous holdback. But he's done growing I bet. Everyone else will catch up. He's not really that good...

All of the elite teams are full of holdbacks.

Don’t let your true colors show or anything.

He’s right though.

The OP said “a couple.” 2 holdbacks. There were “a few.” 3 holdbacks.