BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM Boys 2032 Grads - Mid-Atlantic Region

This is to talk about 2032 grads playing in the HoCo league, Tourneys, and school teams.

What clubs will be sponsoring 2032 teams for the Hoco AAA/Elite? Team 91 MD has focused on developing at the younger age groups, now going down to 2033/34s.

Elite will be Annapolis Hawks, Next Level, Bethesda Blue, Blue Claws, Clippers, LTLC Legends, Madlax Capital and one more I'm forgetting.
AAA is a pretty big drop off and will be Prostart, Team MD, HLC fighting for the title.

+1

All of the Elite would run through most of PA, NJ and LI.

But those northern teams won't play anyone from down South.

Hoco only lists A, AA, & AAA divisions for 2032s at https://www.ghclacrosse.com/ Of course, northern teams will play MD teams in tourneys later in the summer.

Correction, that was for 2023 lax year, when only 4 teams fielded 2032 (3rd grade) teams (Hawks, Sidewinders, Next Level, Bethesda). More teams field 4th grade teams.

That was last year. They generally don't do "elite" the first 2 years of hoco. But almost all of those AAA teams should be classified as elite this year. All are excellent teams and heads and shoulders above the rest at this point.
Just a matter of how the other rickie feels and how divisions shake out. Low talent and team registrations in the under divisions could lead to the top division called being called AAA. Just depends what RickyD wants to do on any given day.

Whoops, total 8 teams at AAA in 2032, add Blue Claws, LTLC Legends, Green Hornets, & Madlax to top teams. Right about favorites going in to 2034 Hoco. Team 91 MD could be in the mix at some level. 91 beginning & putting development efforts in for first time to levels down to 2034 class year.

What are the top 5 most prestigious/toughest tournaments (including national or all-star tournaments)?
1. Future Champions
2.
3.
4.
5.

Tourneys don't really matter for 32s.

For older kids NLF and Crab Feast are really tough/good.

Great exposure and competition for MS kids

Not talking recruitment. Tourneys, intense competition and multiple looks at different styles and talent so important to top level development.

HOCO brackets have surfaced for other age groups. Any word on 2032's team brackets?

Clippers were moved down to the B bracket. Update the rest soon

It all depends who enters. Generally the ones mentioned are good. And Naptown.

Try the boutique tourney companies for much better teams. Millon, 2way, Adrenaline and MDLX are generally pretty good for better competition. But you run the risk of getting put in a fool tough pool if they have an associated club...They generally want their own teams get a favorable pool draw to play in the championship...

Avoid Aloha. Unless you are a rec or first year team. For kids just learning they are generally ok.

2024 Hoco League Lineup

2032s

Elite:
Annapolis Hawks
Blue Claws
Clippers Blue
Legends
Madlax Capital
Next Level
Severna Park Repsnakes
Team 91

AAA:
Baltimore Swarm
Bethesda Blue
Crabs
FCA
HLC Black
Kelly Post Grey
ProStart Blue
Team Maryland

AA:
Bethesda White
Clippers Red
HoCo
Ville Lacrosse
VLC
Zingos

A:
G
Cannons Select
HLC White
Kelly Post Green
Madlax DMV
ProStart White
True Baltimore
True Chesapeake

This is the age (in 2024) where boys are starting to put it together. Who has the most talent (stickwork, running, size, aggression, Lax IQ, teamwork, coaching)? Toughest games?

Agree, this is the time to start seriously thinking of a path for your son. I know there are the naysayers, but ignore them. I know this is hard and especially hard if your son has been keeping up with others, but if he is on age and born after Dec , you should consider holding him back. Your chances of making an impact on any MIAA team are very low without it. If public is your goal, dont worry about it, but you will more than likely not be on a top club as time goes on.

Got to be or get on the top club now. Do whatever it takes with private lessons and extra training. Got to get on top club now!

From someone in the know

From someone in the know:
1. If you fast forwarded the current 2032 rosters to their 9th grade season, you'd see that 1/3 are still playing high level lax, 1/3 are playing mid/low level lax, and 1/3 (or even 1/2) are not even playing lacrosse anymore. Elite team rostering is NOT the trajectory you think it is. Absolutely nobody on 2032 Crabs, Madlax, or 91 will still be on those teams in 9th grade. Get comfortable with that. If that's a surprise, you got sold a bill of goods. Feel free to ask those club directors why there are multiple boarding school kids from New England, or Big Boys from Texas, on their "Maryland club" rosters in 9th grade and beyond? 5-10 kids per roster who never even attend a practice. If you believe the "we develop elite players" sales pitch, that is on you. You'll either realize it when you show up to a tournament and there's 6 giant kids there to "help us out," or when you get the "your son should be on our practice team / B team this year" email.

2. Talking about "making an impact" in the best HS league in the nation, when 0% of these players have hit puberty and 0% have worked through a serious sports injury yet, is laughable. These "4th grade elite" kids haven't faced a single adversity on their own, if only because they were born athletic and/or tall, and because most of their parents have resources. A few will squeak by on those merits, but not many.

3. Almost 75% of elementary school athletes quit ALL SPORTS by mid-9th grade (yeah, I'm sure "not my kid"). #1 reason, it's not fun anymore; #2 reason, the average 14 year old doesn't want the hard work required to continue (despite dad yapping in their ear about work ethic). In the case of Crabs, almost half of their 3rd-4th grade rosters quit lacrosse entirely before 9th grade. Look at those two reasons above, to see why. It's not a lack of talent, or a lack of Dad's money.

4. Holding your kid back is a statistical advantage. But If he can't outcompete 2032s now, he'll have to beat 2032s-2030s in 9th grade, 2032s-2031s in 10th grade, and 2032s in 11th grade. The problem isn't going away, whatever you believe the problem to be. All this for maybe a $5K - 6K partial scholarship to high school? Great job Dad.

You are mean. But not wrong

This makes me want to vomit. Every.single.word.of.it.is.vomit.inducing.fool

You arent in the know at all. You answer my question, on 1 . Only top players are on Top teams, GET ON ONE NOW ! Do some fall be wayside, of course, but doesnt change the fact you need to be on TOP Club now !
2. Impact is what you need to do. That is the goal, sorry you cant see that.
3. Who cares about the 75% of kids quitting, we are talking about your son and mine who are going D1. They need tools to get there.
4. Hold back is a must, why put the other irrelevant facts in there. Hold him back if you want a chance. Period !

In the REAL Know . Dont listen to naysayers, they only want you to not work hard and possibly compete with their son.

A bit o'reality- If 91 wins a game in HoCo this year, it means the opponent had to forfeit due to a covid outbreak. The Crabs have entered and quit hoco each of the last 2 years due to blowout losses. None of the kids currently on these teams will be rostered for them in 7th grade. But MM and KingKrab appreciate you paying their bills.

Someone in the know is CLEARLY someone who has seen this before. This person describes exactly what the late in MS and early HS years look like from what I have seen. Good luck to all the boys and try to have fun throughout the journey.

Tell me you're a club director/owner trying to sell parents on a "We Develop Elite Players" ponzi scheme, without telling me.

To the rest of you actual humans not trying to grift on parents' dreams, just wait for it. You'll soon meet an 8th grade Crabs player who "can't wait to quit lacrosse" and a 9th grade Team 91 player who will openly tell you he's relieved to have a year off, for ACL surgery recovery, and who won't openly say that he hopes his dad won't make him try out next year.

There's tons of HS and collegiate opportunity for these young men. Some of them will get biologically lucky, some of them will get hold back, but most importantly they need a work ethic, a love for the game, good coaching (outside of the [Censored] drills run at lax clubs) and PLAYING TIME. If they can get some or all of those things from an elite club, they should do it. But you have lost your mind if you think that being the #9 defenseman on FCA or the #3 FOGO on Madlax is going to push your kid in the right direction.

2023 HoCo Regular Season Final Results

2032s
AAA

1. Annapolis Hawks
2. Sidewinders Black (now Clippers Blue)
3. Next Level
4. Bethesda Blue
5. Blue Claws
6. Legends
7. Green Hornets/Severna Park Repsnakes
8. Madlax Capital

New to the mix: Team 91
Moved to AA: Bethesda Blue

Team 91 is forest hill.

Should be in A or AA.

Maybe they were a pretty good team. Maybe the boys developed through lots of training and growth. Maybe they recruited other good players.

Any new thoughts after the first few pre season tournaments?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Team 91 lost 2 shortened games to Elite division teams 22-1.

Good teams in division, including Next Level and Clippers. Madlax also looks good, but may need some offense.

Hats off to 91 for stepping up and taking that last elite spot.

But it's going to be a long season for those poor kids.

Clippers and Hawks are the best teams, by far.

Next Level looking good. Severna Park stronger than last year too.

Hawks have the #1 middie in the world

Are there any solid AAA teams on the rise?

No.

Have you seen the middie on Clippers, #1?

Some scores from Elite teams in action this weekend-

Blue Claws goes 2-0
beats Team 91 Maryland 6-4
beats Team Money 11-2


Next Level goes 1-1
beats Team 91 South 4-3
loses to RedHots 5-7

Madlax goes 2-1
Beats Nxt 11-4
Beats FCA 6-5
Loses to Dukes 10-2

91 teams are pushed to elite by the club owner, despite the fact that other than the 2023 and 2025 teams (teams built around the owner's sons), 91 teams have never finished in the top half of the elite division in the last ten years, and IIRC they have never won AAA either.

The fact is that 91 youth teams only really exist to be a fundraiser for the 91 HS teams which <<checks notes>> will not have any of your sons on the roster. The 2025 91MD had (last year) players from 6 states, who never attended a 91 practice. In all seriousness, why are CT kids living full time at a New Hampshire boarding school playing for 91 Maryland. But that's why you'll see 91MD teams move in the national rankings from #140 in 8th grade to (ta da!) #45 in 9th grade. It's player development.....sure! And to be transparent, 91 is not alone in this model....far from it.

Just keep all this in mind when you're being promised "development" and are writing big checks to these club directors living in $1.9M houses.