Recruiting

[MDstateMan]

My daughters top 15 club team played man to man the summer before and fall after Sept 1 of junior year for that reason. They still did well but the year after junior year, they played zone and won a couple events. Coach said the colleges wanted to see the D play more 1v1 d.

That illustrates the point exactly - club directors and coaches want WINS - sometimes more than they do to develop kids and put them in best position to b recruited. But college coaches know best.

What if your defenders aren't strong, you can "hide" them in zone, while man exposes them. Of course colleges want man so they can see the overall talent level but isn't that only good if you have strong defenders?

[LaxDadMax]

Syracuse losing recruits to Clemson and Florida State should be the concern. They already lost the 2025 decommits and if this becomes a trend Cuse will be in trouble.

Interesting trend going into next year as well, with huge local talent levels next year. For 2027, Aces has the likely #1 recruit in the country and probably 3 or 4 of the top 25. If they can't get any of the top 2026 Aces players to stay home, I don't see much changing next year.

It's been impressive how loaded Aces has become recently. A reBirth of New York talent after taking a back seat to Connecticut and Maryland

Yes, I'm not even sure Aces existed a few years ago, and they are now top 5 in the country? Granted, upstate has always been a lacrosse hotbed, but that is impressive in just a few years ago. They've overtaken Monsters, Snipers, Salt City in record time.

They are a "newer" club, basically taking some of the kids that would normally got to Monster.

right now its Aces, Monster and Salt City Snipers as top clubs in area.

Pretty much, on their initial team (2025s) there were several talented girls at that year and the 2026 which were getting overlooked because they weren't going to the director's private schools so the club was founded, buoyed by a very strong 2026 class which has been mentioned before.

Within a year, they started a strong pipeline with Syracuse girls, specifically the Cicero N Syracuse program, which has added a ton of talent that never went to Monster in the past. That, plus a great coach, a very early dev program, and a fun style of play has gotten them to be a perennial top 15 program at every age group 2026-2030. Also, they keep rosters smallish which is normally a good thing to get PT for everyone on the roster. (However, it bit the 2027s this summer where they only dressed 13-14 field players for the last couple of tourneys due to injuries.

[LaxDadMax]

My daughters top 15 club team played man to man the summer before and fall after Sept 1 of junior year for that reason. They still did well but the year after junior year, they played zone and won a couple events. Coach said the colleges wanted to see the D play more 1v1 d.

That illustrates the point exactly - club directors and coaches want WINS - sometimes more than they do to develop kids and put them in best position to b recruited. But college coaches know best.

What if your defenders aren't strong, you can "hide" them in zone, while man exposes them. Of course colleges want man so they can see the overall talent level but isn't that only good if you have strong defenders?

Then they aren't getting recruited anyway, at least not to a top 60 D1 program. Sorry to be blunt, but that's reality. Remember the point of club lax is high school is to get girls recruited, not win games.

With today's modern defense, more and more colleges are looking for girls who can defend well outside the 8 and need athletic girls. Its hard to evaluate that in a bend-but-dont-break backer zone. Lots of big, slow, physical 5-10,175 defenders who got recruited 5 years simply don't have a place at most programs anymore

[intheknow247]

My daughters top 15 club team played man to man the summer before and fall after Sept 1 of junior year for that reason. They still did well but the year after junior year, they played zone and won a couple events. Coach said the colleges wanted to see the D play more 1v1 d.

That illustrates the point exactly - club directors and coaches want WINS - sometimes more than they do to develop kids and put them in best position to b recruited. But college coaches know best.

What if your defenders aren't strong, you can "hide" them in zone, while man exposes them. Of course colleges want man so they can see the overall talent level but isn't that only good if you have strong defenders?

Another great point - old saying goes, if you play Zone, it's because your players stink at man. But times evolve, and that applies more to boys than girls based on strategy/rules.

[laxguy516]

I'd argue that you see Top 20 D1 college teams playing zone now more than ever before

[LiveLaxLove]

Parents -- if you and your daughter want a great indication of the TRUE nature of a coaching staff, make sure you speak to ta sample of players (and parents) that get no playing time. That will tell you everything you need to know.

Geez at the stories we've heard! Some of these girls are treated horribly just because they're not a starter.

[LaxDadMax]

I'd argue that you see Top 20 D1 college teams playing zone now more than ever before

True, but it is very different than the zone you see at the club level, with tons of audibles, check-with-mes, high pressure areas and dump areas. Many schemes require much more athleticism than a standard man defense. Watch film on Michigan and Denver and you will see how every girl in the scheme needs to be able to defend 1v1 in space.

[McLax9777]

Syracuse losing recruits to Clemson and Florida State should be the concern. They already lost the 2025 decommits and if this becomes a trend Cuse will be in trouble.

Which Cuse commit went to FSU? I just have missed that.

[laxguy516]

Sorry, they didn't lose any 2025 commits to FSU. However, if they were to lose potential commits to FSU then that is a huge problem. It's bad enough they lost the 2025 commits to Clemson and who knows how many future commits to Clemson as well. Of all the top programs, it seems right now Syracuse could be the one to suffer most from the additions of these two Southern programs.

[laxfan9999]

Florida State really isnt taking any recruits away from top programs. So far they have taken a 2025 from High Point, Stony Brook, Monmouth. Not exactly the top programs being raided and the Stony Brook flip seemed to be more of a favor by JS.

[cdb]

Again, I am a novice, but I have noted the following:

1. The best coaches look for speed -- speed to run the whole field and that burst of speed (quick-twix speed) -- they require it of all recruits.

2. The best coaches look for highly condition athletes -- athletes that can run and run and run some more without showing any signs of tiring -- because many close games are won in the last part of the game when everyone is tired. I noted that BC won many games in the second half of the game because of their conditioning.

3. As has been stated by folks much smarter than me -- the best coaches look for defense -- defense -- defense. The attackers get all the press and all the glory, but the defenders win games -- particularly when they can cause ground balls in the midfield or outside the eight.

4. The coaches look for kids without baggage -- including baggage that comes from the parents.

Bear with me -- I am learning, but I have a long a way to go.

[LaxDadMax]

Again, I am a novice, but I have noted the following:

1. The best coaches look for speed -- speed to run the whole field and that burst of speed (quick-twix speed) -- they require it of all recruits.

2. The best coaches look for highly condition athletes -- athletes that can run and run and run some more without showing any signs of tiring -- because many close games are won in the last part of the game when everyone is tired. I noted that BC won many games in the second half of the game because of their conditioning.

3. As has been stated by folks much smarter than me -- the best coaches look for defense -- defense -- defense. The attackers get all the press and all the glory, but the defenders win games -- particularly when they can cause ground balls in the midfield or outside the eight.

4. The coaches look for kids without baggage -- including baggage that comes from the parents.

Bear with me -- I am learning, but I have a long a way to go.

Agree with 1,3 and 4. Conditioning is something that really hard to evaluate at the club level since games are so short and most teams are rotating players to get them views. Even all-americans don't play the entire game.

Also, size matters alot. Taller girls will get more looks, as long as they can move.

[laxdadpat]

The new green card rules have compressed the zone defenses back to the 8 meter arcs to the detriment of the game. Offenses can now move the ball up field under 30 seconds and have the offensive middies into the zone. 60 seconds is too hard for most teams to play an aggressive zone or man defense past the arc, the athletes are too good. A good ride used to take time off the shot clocks and a few well timed doubles away from the arc could prevent a shot within 90 seconds.
I will say there were still some impressive defensive performances from the top teams in the playoffs that have super athletic defenders. More scoring is preferred so rules are being adjusted to help the offences. I am surprised most teams don't play mostly all or zone with the rules today.

[UO22]

You may be right. Clemson is the shinny new object and very appealing to a lot of kids. Some kids will want to get away and some may want to stay closer to home where their family and friends can come to every game. Maybe it has been discussed before, but a lot of very good players leave the state of Maryland to play elsewhere. It happens. Maybe they are will suffer in the wins and loses department too. Time will tell.

Sorry, they didn't lose any 2025 commits to FSU. However, if they were to lose potential commits to FSU then that is a huge problem. It's bad enough they lost the 2025 commits to Clemson and who knows how many future commits to Clemson as well. Of all the top programs, it seems right now Syracuse could be the one to suffer most from the additions of these two Southern programs.

[LaxMomNYC]

Speed is overrated. I'll take poise, stick skills and vision over speed every time. I'm not saying coaches don't look for speed, they sure do, but they shouldn't.

[Relax77]

Speed is overrated. I'll take poise, stick skills and vision over speed every time. I'm not saying coaches don't look for speed, they sure do, but they shouldn't.

Gonna disagree here. Welcome to Fanlax.

[McLax9777]

Sorry, they didn't lose any 2025 commits to FSU. However, if they were to lose potential commits to FSU then that is a huge problem. It's bad enough they lost the 2025 commits to Clemson and who knows how many future commits to Clemson as well. Of all the top programs, it seems right now Syracuse could be the one to suffer most from the additions of these two Southern programs.

Don’t take this the wrong way, why do you think anyone is decommitting to Clemson in droves, and from Cuse directly.
I actually think what happened was unique to the circumstances, not universal appeal of a program ranked in the 30’s. No knock on their program, Cuse, or any other. I just don’t see it. Cuse will be fine. Always is.

[Lamaatemyhw]

Anyone have any insight if the Ivies tend to more slower in recruiting girls?

[Relax77]

Sorry, they didn't lose any 2025 commits to FSU. However, if they were to lose potential commits to FSU then that is a huge problem. It's bad enough they lost the 2025 commits to Clemson and who knows how many future commits to Clemson as well. Of all the top programs, it seems right now Syracuse could be the one to suffer most from the additions of these two Southern programs.

Don’t take this the wrong way, why do you think anyone is decommitting to Clemson in droves, and from Cuse directly.
I actually think what happened was unique to the circumstances, not universal appeal of a program ranked in the 30’s. No knock on their program, Cuse, or any other. I just don’t see it. Cuse will be fine. Always is.

I don’t like commenting on Clemson, but they aren’t going to be in the 30s anymore. Probably hit And stay Top 10 in two years. As long as they keep dumping money into the program and giving everyone free college tuition plus NILs, special kids will flock there. This comment has nothing to do with Cuse. Strictly about Clemson.

[LaxDadMax]

Speed is overrated. I'll take poise, stick skills and vision over speed every time. I'm not saying coaches don't look for speed, they sure do, but they shouldn't.

I’m not sure if this is a serious post or not. Is this trying to raise unnecessary debate?

Watch any top club like YJ, MnD, SW who has an A team and a B team. On average, the difference in stick skills between the teams is relatively small. The difference in size and athleticism is massive.

Without speed or athleticism, you can’t defend at a high level, can’t get ground balls, can’t create space with your first step.