Philadelphia (PA/NJ) Area Club Lacrosse

HS Girls Lacrosse
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PANJlacrosse
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Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2020 7:48 am

Philadelphia (PA/NJ) Area Club Lacrosse

Post by PANJlacrosse »

One silver lining of the COVID pandemic is that the strongest and most beneficial lacrosse clubs for girls have emerged. Like it or not, club lacrosse is necessary for recruiting and has resulted in a monetary conflicts for club lacrosse owners/managers who are also affiliated with high school lacrosse programs. Some of the club owners are truly in it for the improvement and development of players and to guide their players on the best fit for girls who want to continue to play in college (DI, DII, DIII or club) and others seem to just be in it for the money. Some of the clubs have very talented and strong coaches, while others have primarily young women 1-3 years out of high school coaching or people who never played the game. Full disclosure - I have had daughters play for both South Jersey Select and All American AIM in New Jersey and attend clinics hosted by Big 4 HHH in Philadelphia and my sister has had 2 daughters play for STEPS (Philly) and Phantastix.

Big 4 HHH (https://big4lax.com/girls-program) - Colleen Magarity runs the best program in the area. She is the most connected of all of the club coaches in the area. She played at Northwestern with (1) Danielle Spencer (just left Dartmouth for Stanford HC job), (2) USC HC Lindsay Munday, (3) Colorado HC Ann Elliott Whidden and (4) Univ of Michigan HC Hannah Nielsen. College coaches respect her and her opinion on players and she has instant credibility with the Kelly Amonte Hiller coaching tree. She is sharp and will reach out to college coaches PROACTIVELY. Her club teams are well coached and have designed plays and discipline. The club hosts excellent clinics and a committed games of top college programs. Club coaches are Colleen Magarity - former Colorado asst and current Penn Charter HC; Blake McHugh - 2015 Northwestern grad; Mallory Grey - 2017 St. Joseph's Univ grad; Kasey Mock - 2014 Syracuse grad; Kelly Cross - 2014 Syracuse grad; Erin Dunne - 2011 Franklin & Marshal grad;, Mary Dean - 2011 Penn State grad and Germantown Academy HC; and Steph Lobb - 2017 UNC grad.

Phantastix (https://phantastixlax.com/). This is a solid program, but has a lot of current college kids coaching. The program does a decent job of helping its players with recruiting and Lorraine Beers is the most active of the coaches. Lately, Phantastix seems more focused on expanding for more $.

Steps (http://www.stepslacrosse.com/steps-elite-girls/ and http://stepslacrossephilly.com/) - Steps has strong programs in NJ and Philadelphia area. Their NJ girls coaches are very strong and include at least 10 coaches that are or have been girls high school coaches and several D1 lacrosse graduates. The Philadelphia area program is much smaller but the coaches are also strong and include 4 head girls lacrosse high school coaches.

All American AIM (http://www.allamericanaim.com/)- AIM is an up and coming program with three coaches that are or have been girls high school coaches and several D1 lacrosse graduates. One of the top 2021 players in southern NJ, if not the top player - Hailey Russo - left South Jersey Select a few years ago for AIM. Club owner/director Katie Lee is very plugged in with college coaches and the NJ Under Armour teams. She is very proactive in helping her girls get recruited and has even helped players from other clubs in south jersey get recruited. My younger daughter left South Jersey Select for AIM and has a much better experience with AIM.

South Jersey Select (http://www.sjselectlax.com/) - This program has been going down hill steadily over the past several years. Former Moorestown girls lacrosse head coach, Deanna Knobloch has NOTHING to do with this program, even though she is listed as a Director and Coach. She does not do any coaching at practices or games. Her husband, KC Knobloch runs the program. The website is outdated and does not list the current coaches. One of the coaches listed - UNC grad Gianna Bowe - has left and is coaching for AIM. Unfortunately, this club seems more focused on making money than player development and recruitment. Several top high school players have left SJS in recent years for other clubs because of their dissatisfaction with SJS - Hailey Russo Clearview HS 2021 and Maryland commit; McKenzie Blake - Haddonfield HS 2021 and Princeton commit, and Avery Jaffe - Moorestown 2020 and Maryland commit. Many girls not yet in high school have also left SJS for other clubs. The club raises the fees each year. There are only two legitimate team coaches - Colleen Hancox and Erika McCool. The program does a poor job of coaching and helping with recruiting. Previously, the program's strength was that it could get into tournaments that other clubs in the area could not. That is no longer the case.
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Dr. Tact
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Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2018 6:36 pm

Re: Philadelphia (PA/NJ) Area Club Lacrosse

Post by Dr. Tact »

Ummm. so what was your point? Was this a response to some post in another topic?
Delco Transplant
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Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2018 9:03 am

Re: Philadelphia (PA/NJ) Area Club Lacrosse

Post by Delco Transplant »

Dr Tact - I think PANJlacrosse is looking to start a debate (war?) :lol: He/she clearly has an issue with a certain club team.
livelovelax
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2019 12:25 pm

Re: Philadelphia (PA/NJ) Area Club Lacrosse

Post by livelovelax »

Clearly this person had a daughter who played for SJS who left for AIM or HHH. Maybe they just couldn't make the Pink team so they left for another club so they can tell their socialites they play on the A team. It's happening with all clubs. You know what they say, Opinions are like A**holes, everyone has one. Would be great to know who this person is and where they get their information. So wrong on so many levels. Hard to debate a coward.
LarryGamLax
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Re: Philadelphia (PA/NJ) Area Club Lacrosse

Post by LarryGamLax »

PANJlacrosse...you can advocate for certain Clubs or rail against others if you want. My considerable experience is that NONE of them are perfect. I think the number of Club teams has increased over the last 15 years to try and meet the demands(at times unrealistic) of student-athletes. Things do not always work out as one would LIKE for them to, thus disappointment can set in and animosity.
I have always felt that Club owners and Directors need to do everything they can to help athletes continue to play...if that is what THEY(the athletes) want. Everyone is NOT a D1 player and it is NOT an insult or affront to your family seal or crest to play D2 or D3.The myth that D2 schools are not good schools academically is a falsehood that needs to be buried. There are far more opportunities for player development and growth at the D2 and D3 levels then there is at the top 25 of D1. I had a client go to a major D1 and not get better as a player. They changed her position and she just stagnated. I have to make sure that I do all I can to make sure there is no repeat of that. That is where I feel Clubs can, and should, do more. Ultimately the final decision will be up to the student/athlete and her parents.

A number of years ago I was chatting with a friend who happens to have one of the top Clubs in the country. I was talking to her about players and stated that she has had so many of her players go D1. I then asked her about where the majority of her players end up going and without hesitation she said, "D2, D3". Success can be measured in many ways and success to me is playing and/or participating for 4 years in our great sport...and obtaining their college degrees.
livelovelax
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2019 12:25 pm

Re: Philadelphia (PA/NJ) Area Club Lacrosse

Post by livelovelax »

One of your best posts ever Largamlax!
livelovelax
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2019 12:25 pm

Re: Philadelphia (PA/NJ) Area Club Lacrosse

Post by livelovelax »

My daughters play and played for SJS. Almost 400 players have come thru this program and moved on successfully at the D1, D2 and D3 levels. Most were D1 players who were captains, multiple year starters and several on the Tewaarton watch list. Two current US Team members in Michele Tumulo and Marie McCool played for SJS. SJS coaching is second to none with many local varsity high school coaches matched up with current top level college players.
During this time, SJS has only played AIM a couple of times and never lost. Maybe because SJS is in the high or more competitive brackets and AIM chooses to play teams in easier brackets. I don't remember ever playing HHH or even seeing them many times at the tournaments we play in. In our 6 years in the program, we only had one increase in costs so whoever you are…..you don't know from where you speak.
As for recruiting, let the numbers speak for themselves. The college coaches all know who the Knoblochs are and many of the current SJS coaches who played collegiately all have relationships with the current crop of college coaches. Most of recruiting comes down to talent and being the right fit anyway.

If you are good enough, they will find you.

The other programs are all good for the girls and everyone has a choice to make as to where they choose to play. Isn't that America?
Delco Transplant
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Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2018 9:03 am

Re: Philadelphia (PA/NJ) Area Club Lacrosse

Post by Delco Transplant »

LarryGamLax - I thought the best "pay to play" club in the area was Agnes Irwin :D
LarryGamLax
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Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2018 12:05 pm

Re: Philadelphia (PA/NJ) Area Club Lacrosse

Post by LarryGamLax »

Delco Transplant wrote: Tue Aug 04, 2020 5:20 pm LarryGamLax - I thought the best "pay to play" club in the area was Agnes Irwin :D
VERY FUNNY!
8meterPA
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Re: Philadelphia (PA/NJ) Area Club Lacrosse

Post by 8meterPA »

Delco Transplant wrote: Mon Aug 03, 2020 5:18 pm Dr Tact - I think PANJlacrosse is looking to start a debate (war?) :lol: He/she clearly has an issue with a certain club team.
resisting hard not to take the bait!!
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Dr. Tact
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Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2018 6:36 pm

Re: Philadelphia (PA/NJ) Area Club Lacrosse

Post by Dr. Tact »

8meterPA wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 6:11 pm
Delco Transplant wrote: Mon Aug 03, 2020 5:18 pm Dr Tact - I think PANJlacrosse is looking to start a debate (war?) :lol: He/she clearly has an issue with a certain club team.
resisting hard not to take the bait!!
I might take the bait, but I dont even think I have heard of some of those clubs...Steps, yeah, Phantastix, sure...but the other ones? Maybe my daughters have played on teams that are just not as good as some of these and therefore, I havent ever run into a AAA or SJS or B4HHH. Side comment, do they really call themselves Big 4 HHH? What is their cheer at the beginning of play?
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