Recruiting

[McLax9777]

Agree that attackers don’t necessarily need to have great straight ahead (40 yard) speed, but they need to be very quick and slippery in the 8. Otherwise, a defender can blanket them without much difficulty, even if they have the best shooting skills in the world. Even an off ball attacker needs to have enough quickness, combined with savvy, to know when and be able to cut to get open.

My observation from the D3/D1 games a number of years ago was based primarily on midfield speed.

OK, so I just went back and watched Alexa's highlight reel. I don't get it. All shots. A few assists. Nothing on ride. I'm not disagreeing with you. Adding a layer.

Good attack has a fierce ride

[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.

Michigan doesn’t really run a zone defense.

They run a hybrid. They usually go yo zone and aggressively double when the ball gets to the high wing

[MolonLaxe]

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.

It’s ok to be wrong and welcome to the forum!

[MolonLaxe]

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.

Michigan doesn’t really run a zone defense.

They run a hybrid. They usually go yo zone and aggressively double when the ball gets to the high wing

That may be what it looks like, but doubling on the wing doesn’t make it a zone. There are doubles all the time with Man D. Their base D is man.

There may be some packages that give them some hybrid looks, but it’s not. My source: discussions with the HC and D coordinator.

[njbill]

Those are pretty good sources.

[Womenslaxxfan]

Let’s get this string back to recruiting and signings and away from the man versus zone discussion that has been had—and will be had—many times!!!

[laxguy516]

Tons of announcements expected this weekend and early next week after visits beginning today

[spidey44]

Hearing classes will be 6-8 range for the most part. Perhaps an added pressure and thus the fast start out of the gates?

[MolonLaxe]

Hearing classes will be 6-8 range for the most part. Perhaps an added pressure and thus the fast start out of the gates?

My take is they just want to get it over with as much as the players. No reason to wait if you can make players move faster.

[spidey44]

Hearing classes will be 6-8 range for the most part. Perhaps an added pressure and thus the fast start out of the gates?

My take is they just want to get it over with as much as the players. No reason to wait if you can make players move faster.

I'm sure the coaches want to be done as soon as possible. I'm glad we didn't face this pressure last year. It was nice to be able to do some visits first. That said it was a LONG STRESSFUL 2-3 weeks!

[watcherinthewoods]

The "new" recruiting system really does seem to condense the process. Let me ask this, how many 1-30 D1 programs will have their 6-8 commits by 10/1? In the old system, folks were adding kids to fill their final spots even fall of senior year. Does that still happen?

[Wamp1]

The "new" recruiting system really does seem to condense the process. Let me ask this, how many 1-30 D1 programs will have their 6-8 commits by 10/1? In the old system, folks were adding kids to fill their final spots even fall of senior year. Does that still happen?

Top 10 by the end of the month. Others as late as December. We only had 1 school put a hard deadline that we let pass for my 25'. The place she ended up gave her no timeline. Told her to take as much time as she wanted to make the right decision for her. They wanted her and told her they would hold the spot.

[cdb]

The main difference I see in WLAX recruiting and revenue sports is that, while the LAX experience is very important, so is the school. Most of these young woman will not be finding careers in WLAX. The better the academics and course offerings the school has in terms of meeting the athletes total goals and desired careers is even more important than where they play and who they play for. Most of these top programs are excellent academic institutions and the athletes all seem to be excellent students. Getting a degree from a top school while playing a demanding sport is very attractive to both getting excellent jobs or getting advanced degrees in top programs.

However with the advent of NIL and the possibility of more scholarship money, changes are on the horizon. But we still need great coaching and the athletes have to fit the program. Texas A&M recruited the best entering freshman class in the history of college football a few years ago. The coaches could not coach them up and/or give all those great athletes playing time. It still takes time to learn a new system and most of those athletes left. We see examples of paying NIL NOT relating to wins on the field in football. It takes time to develop players into a cohesive team. We hav even seen great high school players not making contributions in college. Most here simply state that the athlete was overrated, but truth is we do not know why that gifted athlete did not perform well in a particular program -- it usually is they didn't fit the program's style and expectations. Here is area where parents and high school and club coaches carnally help the athlete to make the right choice for them.

[MSLAX5]

The "new" recruiting system really does seem to condense the process. Let me ask this, how many 1-30 D1 programs will have their 6-8 commits by 10/1? In the old system, folks were adding kids to fill their final spots even fall of senior year. Does that still happen?

What do you mean by new recruiting system?
Looks like the 2024 classes are all large like 10-14 and 2025 class 6-12.

[MSLAX5]

Does anyone else think the Sept 1st date is a tough time to start the process?
Most colleges and HS start that same week, many recruits are playing fall sports and makes it tough for visits.
There must be a better time. The only downfall of summer is not being able to meet the team and see a practice or campus in full swing.

[wgdsr]

Hearing classes will be 6-8 range for the most part. Perhaps an added pressure and thus the fast start out of the gates?

My take is they just want to get it over with as much as the players. No reason to wait if you can make players move faster.

I really doubt that. In a vacuum, they'd probably want as much time to vet players and families at least to the degree that they could get a 1st hand measure of what kind of teammate, person and student they are pursuing.
talent is one yuge aspect, and then another is how the team can mesh. the issue is with everyone chasing, they feel forced to grab what's there before it's gone.

[LaxDadMax]

What I think will be the bigger long-term implication of these recruiting changes will be much more differentiation in funding across players on the same team, outside the new teams which will be highly funded.

So in the mid-tier of schools who will stay around 12 schollies, when a school brings in 8 girls, instead of in the past where the breakout may be 50%, 40%, 30%, 30%, 25%, 25%, 20%, 15%, 15% the new breakout could be something like 100%, 100%, 25%, 15%, 10%, 0%, 0%, 0%


In terms of timing, I expect all of the full rides to be gone within a couple week, then see the process slow down a bit.

[LaxDadMax]

Does anyone else think the Sept 1st date is a tough time to start the process?
Most colleges and HS start that same week, many recruits are playing fall sports and makes it tough for visits.
There must be a better time. The only downfall of summer is not being able to meet the team and see a practice or campus in full swing.

For the past 5 years, i've been saying lax should move to the soccer calendar where personal contact is allowed starting June 15th or the last day of a kid's sophomore year (whichever is later), but no on-campus visits until August 1st.

Would eliminate the mad scramble and allow coaches and players to build better relationships.

[MSLAX5]

Totally agree.. They could tier it with contact day and then onsite visit days start.
Could even allow prospect camps to occur in-between the dates to actually work with kids and talk with them more.
There has to be a better way.

[Relax77]

Hearing classes will be 6-8 range for the most part. Perhaps an added pressure and thus the fast start out of the gates?

My take is they just want to get it over with as much as the players. No reason to wait if you can make players move faster.

I'm sure the coaches want to be done as soon as possible. I'm glad we didn't face this pressure last year. It was nice to be able to do some visits first. That said it was a LONG STRESSFUL 2-3 weeks!

I think you forget how fast September was compared to previous years. More recruits September than ever before. I’m sure this year will be more than last as well. I believe Sept 25s had 170 more commits than Sept 24s. October was near the same. So there was a rush last year to get kids in by Sept. I remember everyone discussing that last year as well.