BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums NORTHEAST LACROSSE BOTC MAIN FORUM (LI, CT, WC) Boys 2025-11th Grade Fall 2023/Summer 2024

I would say the first wave is done. All but one in the top 50 are committed and another 300+ of what’s reported or so are committed after that. If each d1 school on average commits 10-12, almost half the spots are potentially filled. I would think now it’s tougher because the coaches will probably more selective and look for kids that might be on top teams or larger clubs, and had less exposure. Just my opinion.

70% of 2025 committed players come from NLF teams.

New question. Having just gone through this with 2 defensive kids I was wondering how people feel about the topic of “which position is easiest to get recruited at showcases, tournaments, and prospect day, with just sheer talent and not relying on connections, club affiliations and high school name”. I know it’s impossible to separate the two. My kids did fine in the recruiting game but I sometimes wonder if their road would have been easier if they played a different position. I know some of them are harder because a college will only recruit one (goalie, LsM , fogo) but which position is easiest to “stand out”. I’ll go first:

-goalie: a student goalie can stand out in a showcase but you can also best pick up on mechanics as well
-fogo: if you dominate you draw eyes
-attack: a lot of goal scorers out there but a transcendent attackman can stand out
-middie:
-LsM: I feel most are a dime a dozen but there have been a few game changers
-defense: I believe the hardest to recruit. The standouts will get recruited (size and speed) but the esoteric stuff like IQ, slides etc will never get someone recruited at a showcase. If you “did your job” that don’t get you recruited. I feel lik this is the position where connections or high school or club association is sorely needed
-SSDM: this seems real tough to get recruited

Just curious how other would rank the position where it is easiest to “stand out”

Blatant and unverifiable lie

Posted on their insta with the math broken down by school. So it’s verified

Correct…verified and factually accurate. Because the club your son plays for obviously can make a difference. It’s all about measurable results vs talking a good game. However, there are non NLF clubs that do a good job. The rest…not so much IMHO.

Listen it is hard to make a NLF team.No shame if you are not on one. But the results of being on NLF are there. Just look at 2025 commits. 70% of the commits so far are from NLF.Good luck to everyone.

Made up number. LOL

Is it hard to make an NLF team? Seems to me you just have to pay for it. There are plenty of not very good kids on NLF rosters.

It’s literally broken down for you online. Is it made up because you don’t like math?

I believe the number is true. Most of the NLF teams tend to be the best in each age group which means they have a good amount of the top player in each age group. 70% is a little more than 2/3 thirds. IMO that's about right. just under a third of the top players, play for Non NLF teams. There will be a fair amount of kids that played for NLF teams that do not get recruited. Its all about how good you are. The NLF teams are good teams which play good teams This means they attract the top school to their games to be seen.
It's really not that hard to understand. If you want to get recruited an play at a high level you need to be seen by those coaches while you are competing against equal or better competition. The NLF provides this.

It’s probably the reason there are rumors of the Alliance. I suspect all non top NLF clubs. Surprised it took so long if reports are true.

Respectfully you really think people are going to want to go play at a new lowlevel tournament rather than the best one all year at NLF? Come on. Already stories of whole teams about to jumpship so kids can go to NLF tournaments.Many parents have a clue.

maybe if it’s just a new product. But it’s driven on membership of founding clubs. And those founders have relationships with other clubs. And it’s not low level clubs. It’s BBL, Sweetlax, 3D New England, Mad Dawg, etc. all those clubs compete and beat NLF teams.

As the previous poster said low level b tiers. Reads like the island of misfit clubs.

That's a heck of a line-up. I imagine other very strong clubs will join. Isn't Sweetlax part of NLF?

At least Santa visited that Island once a year.Visitors not so much for this sad little group.

I think they were an affiliate, not a founder.

https://thealliancelacrosseleague.com/#partnerteams

Got the boot and replaced.

Right low level B teams...3D NE #4 overall program as ranked by USClub Lax; BBL #8, MadDog #9 & Next Level #11

Surprised no LI clubs were part of this. Seems perfect for Igloo, S2S or Legacy.

Just because you issue "NLF rankings " then say that 70 % of your list make it to top schools doesny make it a verifiable list . It makes it an owned and operated by NLF list . So relax matt . There are plenty of kids from other programs going to top D1 schools they just don't post about it like you do ..find a real job

Not part of this NLF feud but clearly you have a grudge. Regardless of your detest, it’s not complicated: 70% of the kids committed to top colleges came from NLF teams. Has nothing to do with rankings or manufactured lists. “X” player from “X” NLF team went to “X” top college 70% of the time. 30% came from othe great non NLF clubs. No one is making anything up except some you with some weird conspiracy in your mind and your obsession with Chandik. So your kid didn’t get accepted to 1% or got cut from an NLF team. Really. Time to move on. Plenty of good teams out there. Lacrosse just ain’t that serious

People with money don't get cut from NLF. They just get moved to the bench.

The next three weekends are the peak for fall team recruiting events for the uncommitted. D2 and D3 will start and the 25s now and D1 never really stops.

Stony Brook has picked up a bunch of good players from the island in their 2025 class. They seem to be cornering the market on people not going to top-10 programs.

Good place to play.

Great facilities even if the campus community doesn't really care that much about sports. Good coaching staff too.

Whats going on that that one isnt committed?

It’s a science school.

If you listen to IL Podcast they actually address this. Some colleges will fill 1/2-3/4 of their spots by November. They will leave some spots for those late bloomers or for those that may decommit. Some may not have committed yet 1. no true offers yet because were waiting to see how their 1st round of offers go out 2. they have not been able to go on their official visit to see the school and meet the team 3. finance/academics don't align

I saw this week that some kids who committed last fall actually signed somewhere else. I thought the commitment was a signal for other schools to stop recruiting them so how does that whole process work? They just recruit them in the spring/summer anyway?

Until an NLI is signed all is fair...its a bad look but yes some colleges will still reach out and/or the athlete starts questioning and therefore reaches out.
I had a player that committed to one school their entire Jr year and the day before signing day changed their mind. They called the other coach and the coach offered them a spot. It happens.

Great facilities even if the campus community doesn't really care that much about sports. Good coaching staff too.[/

Son has a few friends that play there and are not loving it and as far as the coaches lots of false promises as they bring in tons of transfers and brag about it. I’d think twice coming out of high school not sure staff is on good ground having not been to the ncaas in more than 10 years

You just described more than half of the D1 programs in the country. Not just lacrosse but for all sports

Has anyone seen a coaches list for NAL this weekend?

Why bother. 9 divisions at this level in the tourney. How much exposure can a player get. I like the smaller events with less teams.

Autumn & Gold in MD, great event, intimate with a lot of coaches. Looked like it was primarily teams from Canada. Rebels represented LI well down there.

OK I'm a parent with a younger child but wanted the opinions of some folks with older kids who are going through the college process. My son plays for Express, and plays a lot. His team is good, but certainly not great. They are arguably not even a top 5 team on Long island. Is it worth paying more than other programs and practicing less than other programs, just to be part of the Express name? His team is the only team that does not have indoor practices included in the tuition. His team seems unorganized at best and Express does not really seem to care. It feels very much like a business.

Totally understand your dilemma Express parent. It depends what age your kid is currently but in general, you want to get in on the ground floor of the top programs because it’s harder to get in as they get older. You don’t have to be in a top club but those clubs usually have the connections and pipeline to the better colleges

So it depends what you be goal is:
Recruiting to a top college? It will be easier from a “known” club”. There are exception from lesser known clubs but those too clubs are establishing solid pipelines to colleges.

Recruiting to “any” college? Then it doesn’t matter who you play for but being at a top named club will open more doors but anyone can play lacrosse from any club if the college doesn’t matter

Playing time? Playing time is important and necessary to get recruited. But some kids don’t care about that and just want to have fun with friends

Winning? Winning is not important especially in high school club ball. Colleges don’t care about your win loss record.

Practices? Seemed to mean much less and less to my kids in high school. Attendance was sparse by junior year

Express is a machine and a business first and foremost. They are a tournament focused club which means they play in the best tournaments. But they are not a practiced based club which never bothered us in high school. But they are a decent recruiting club (especially if your kid is a student) so if that is your goal, it may be best to stay with them. You could jump ship but the grass is not always greener and you will trade off some of the above listed variables. Find out what is mort important to your kid.