Recruiting

[spidey44]

I think you also need to be careful not to run your kid into the ground before their Club tourny's, be selective and make sure your kid is well rested. Committed games in Philly are great, BIC is great, UA 150 is ok

UA 150 has fallen off in the last couple years. Seems like Robinson likes to include as many different clubs as possible. Not quite the same talent as it used to have.

[laxfan9999]

I wonder if there is pressure on Robinson to take girls from clubs owned by the same group that bought Robinson Sports. I am not sure how long he has to stay in charge

[MDstateMan]

Interesting class from Cuse.

8 commits, including some very very good ones.

But only one from within 4 hours of the school in a year where Aces and Monster both had outstanding teams. Maybe its random, or Kayla's wearing out her welcome a bit more closer to home.

Bunch of really good players, no one really elite. Maybe the Goalie but this isn't a good year for goalies. Sophia Cuteno was a great pickup. Maybe the most underrated player in this class. Has been a consistent performer and stands out whenever she plays. Syracuse fans should definitely be happy with this class. It could have been a total disaster. Other than missing out on Powell and Smith, they've done well.

I think that is interesting take. I think theres a lot of goalie talent in 2026 class. Maybe just top heavy? Hard to say about depth.

[MDstateMan]

I think you also need to be careful not to run your kid into the ground before their Club tourny's, be selective and make sure your kid is well rested. Committed games in Philly are great, BIC is great, UA 150 is ok

UA 150 has fallen off in the last couple years. Seems like Robinson likes to include as many different clubs as possible. Not quite the same talent as it used to have.

I know they now have rising freshman invited, which is new I think. Also, this new early applications and acceptance, they are trying to snag kids before they get offered by Juniors. They clearly see what you saw in drop in talent last few seasons there.

[spidey44]

I think you also need to be careful not to run your kid into the ground before their Club tourny's, be selective and make sure your kid is well rested. Committed games in Philly are great, BIC is great, UA 150 is ok

UA 150 has fallen off in the last couple years. Seems like Robinson likes to include as many different clubs as possible. Not quite the same talent as it used to have.

I know they now have rising freshman invited, which is new I think. Also, this new early applications and acceptance, they are trying to snag kids before they get offered by Juniors. They clearly see what you saw in drop in talent last few seasons there.

I noticed that yesterday on IG. Surprised to see the Freshmen added as well. But Robinson seeing those $$$. Let's be honest, girls will still apply and parents will still pay.

[MDstateMan]

Hi, this is my first post but I’ve been reading through all the forums for the past weeks. How important is Best in Class summer for a 27. I’ve noticed with the commitments a lot of players going to top schools played at it. Is it really important even if you’re on a top club team?

Welcome to the Forum. In my experience, it is not important if you are on a top club. Neither is Juniors, All American, American Select and all the other money grabs out there. Do you get exposure, absolutely. Is it fun for the girls, absolutely. BIC is the better of the group, just my opinion. It's also my opinion it's not necessary as long as your daughter is on a top club where there are colleges watching you at a tournament, I wouldn't sweat not being there. Most NY players aren't at BIC because of Regents and it hasn't seem to hurt the NY girls that don't go.

Regents isn't a conflict anymore. I've looked at signup list and all of the top Aces, Jesters and YJ girls will be there.

That must be new, but the point stands. It used to be, and it didn't affect the girls not there.

I agree if you are on a top team, it isn't critical. But I also believe if you only do one big summer event I would pick this event.

I would rank them as follows

1) Best In Class
2) HHH Committed Games
3) American Select (if you are in an area where >60% of girls will be from the same club)
4) Juniors
5) All American
6) American Select (if you are not in an area where >60% of girls will be from the same club)

This is 100% accurate ranking

How about none of this snake oil, and you’ll probably get the same outcome. Play on a good club team.

Disclaimer - your daughter may not get posted on Instagram. It’s a tough decision.

Depends on how good your kid is and what her aspirations are. If you are a top 50 player, coaches will find you. If you are between players 100-400, which encompasses a ton of girls on top and middle clubs, these events do matter. There is really very little difference between player 101 and player 399.

Pretty accurate. But The difference is player #399 on YJ is gonna be seen by 50 coaches a game in the summer. Number #101 on Copper Mine (no idea where they are from. Looked at a team ranked in the 200s) is gonna need that showcase.

Fair point. However, if the #399 player is on YJ A and is the 8th attacker, meaning they never run a play for her, she may need the showcase.

Had an interesting conversation with my brother about this, whose daughter plays on one of the top non-hotbed teams in the country (ranked high20s/low 30s). Would you rather be a star the #30 team in the country or a top backup for a top 10 team?

I said i'd rather be on the 30th ranked team if she was an attacking player, but top 10 team is a defender. Roughly same number of coaches for both, but top 30 attacker will have the offense running through her. For defense, I think playing higher level comp is more important.

Maybe I am wrong or our team is unique, but we do as close as even playing time for soph recruiting purposes. That means the starting attacker will be on the field pretty close to the one that came in 6 min into the game.

[MSLAX5]

I think you also need to be careful not to run your kid into the ground before their Club tourny's, be selective and make sure your kid is well rested. Committed games in Philly are great, BIC is great, UA 150 is ok

UA 150 has fallen off in the last couple years. Seems like Robinson likes to include as many different clubs as possible. Not quite the same talent as it used to have.

I know they now have rising freshman invited, which is new I think. Also, this new early applications and acceptance, they are trying to snag kids before they get offered by Juniors. They clearly see what you saw in drop in talent last few seasons there.

I noticed that yesterday on IG. Surprised to see the Freshmen added as well. But Robinson seeing those $$$. Let's be honest, girls will still apply and parents will still pay.

UA150 are inviting 29,28,27's.. So 8th graders.. Such a $$ maker. Last year the coaches list was not even very good. Not sure any coaches put stock into that one. No sense on your 8th grader going to a showcase. Work on training locally.

[Relax77]

I think you also need to be careful not to run your kid into the ground before their Club tourny's, be selective and make sure your kid is well rested. Committed games in Philly are great, BIC is great, UA 150 is ok

UA 150 has fallen off in the last couple years. Seems like Robinson likes to include as many different clubs as possible. Not quite the same talent as it used to have.

I think Juniors watered down UA 150 severely. And you are right. Parents will certainly still pay.

You and I could start a showcase/clinic and gave it some ridiculous name like “Lacrosse Heroes.” Then go and pay some college coaches to show up. Get in bed with a club or two. It would be sold out in its second year. It’s one big grift.

[suffolk]

UVA with an impressive midfield recruiting class. Games are won with speed and they got speed and explosiveness. Top classes in my opinion right now are BC, UNC, UVA, Florida.

[laxguy516]

A huge prospect still available in Buffardi. If one of those 4 schools get her, look out. As stated by Suffolk - BC, UNC, UVA and Florida all with great classes already

[Fischer]

A huge prospect still available in Buffardi. If one of those 4 schools get her, look out. As stated by Suffolk - BC, UNC, UVA and Florida all with great classes already

I’m calling gators for buffardi

[spidey44]

I think you also need to be careful not to run your kid into the ground before their Club tourny's, be selective and make sure your kid is well rested. Committed games in Philly are great, BIC is great, UA 150 is ok

UA 150 has fallen off in the last couple years. Seems like Robinson likes to include as many different clubs as possible. Not quite the same talent as it used to have.

I think Juniors watered down UA 150 severely. And you are right. Parents will certainly still pay.

You and I could start a showcase/clinic and gave it some ridiculous name like “Lacrosse Heroes.” Then go and pay some college coaches to show up. Get in bed with a club or two. It would be sold out in its second year. It’s one big grift.

DM me! I like it

[laxguy516]

I'm calling UNC

[MDstateMan]

I think you also need to be careful not to run your kid into the ground before their Club tourny's, be selective and make sure your kid is well rested. Committed games in Philly are great, BIC is great, UA 150 is ok

UA 150 has fallen off in the last couple years. Seems like Robinson likes to include as many different clubs as possible. Not quite the same talent as it used to have.

I know they now have rising freshman invited, which is new I think. Also, this new early applications and acceptance, they are trying to snag kids before they get offered by Juniors. They clearly see what you saw in drop in talent last few seasons there.

I noticed that yesterday on IG. Surprised to see the Freshmen added as well. But Robinson seeing those $$$. Let's be honest, girls will still apply and parents will still pay.

UA150 are inviting 29,28,27's.. So 8th graders.. Such a $$ maker. Last year the coaches list was not even very good. Not sure any coaches put stock into that one. No sense on your 8th grader going to a showcase. Work on training locally.

They want that UA150 invite to add to their kid's bio.

[Kleizaster]

A huge prospect still available in Buffardi. If one of those 4 schools get her, look out. As stated by Suffolk - BC, UNC, UVA and Florida all with great classes already

I’m calling gators for buffardi

Florida already seem to have punched above its weight during this recruiting class (compared to the last few years)

it's either BC or UNC for Buffardi. She really reminds me of Ally M but with more offensive ability

The more tape of her i watch the more i think she might be the best player in this class. Someone called this like back in July or August. Great foresight

her taking her time tells me she has her pick of schools and is dictating her time and schedule. only recruits that everyone wants get to do that

[laxfanrs]

I’m calling Notre Dame.. Buffardi is an excellent recruit. To me she is #1. I think she is a perfect example of a two way mid. No wonder her sayville team went undefeated and was the NYS champ. She is rlly a game changer. I could no doubt see her in a few years dominating.

[Laximus]

I would have to agree about the scholarships. I don't see womens lax ever getting up over 20-25 scholarships. Most teams only playing 15-18 kids each season.

[WashedUpLaxDad]

I think you also need to be careful not to run your kid into the ground before their Club tourny's, be selective and make sure your kid is well rested. Committed games in Philly are great, BIC is great, UA 150 is ok

UA 150 has fallen off in the last couple years. Seems like Robinson likes to include as many different clubs as possible. Not quite the same talent as it used to have.

I know they now have rising freshman invited, which is new I think. Also, this new early applications and acceptance, they are trying to snag kids before they get offered by Juniors. They clearly see what you saw in drop in talent last few seasons there.

I noticed that yesterday on IG. Surprised to see the Freshmen added as well. But Robinson seeing those $$$. Let's be honest, girls will still apply and parents will still pay.

UA150 are inviting 29,28,27's.. So 8th graders.. Such a $$ maker. Last year the coaches list was not even very good. Not sure any coaches put stock into that one. No sense on your 8th grader going to a showcase. Work on training locally.

For a hotbed team, I agree. For a player from outside a hotbed, this is a great opportunity to see how good you are (or aren't).

(Also an opportunity for a few clubs to recruit out of town players

[Laximus]

I know at least 2 schools offering nearly everyone full scholarships that include everything

That is insane. Where are they getting the $$
How many commits to they currently have? Are they only taking 3-4 players this year?

Some school have a fund of money from alumni they use to pay girls tuitions. So they are giving full rides to some that does not count against the scholarship allotment. So the 3 -4 scholarship allotment per recruiting year is really not the standard anymore. When you see some of these top programs bringing in four and five 5 STAR recruits they are not doing that with just scholarship money. Some schools are giving 5-6 full rides. Now the 100% is made up of aid, outside money, and scholarship. Sometimes it's all outside money.

And what is this money considered? I mean how is this done legally? Is this part of an NIL collective?

It is legal, anyone can pay tuition for anyone else, donor direct money to womans lax program to be spent by Coaches and administrators. Some teams buy players, some may fly to a game or two private, may expand budget for fall ball etc. This is how the top mens Ivy teams compete every year. Ivy's as you know are need based aid only. So no athletic money, so private donors provide a fund that creates GRants to players.

Parents and alums are paying enough money to nil or booster funds to pay for the equivilant of 8 additional scholarship money per year for women’s lax?

Sorry but I don’t believe it.
Mens lax maybe. But women’s?

I would have to agree here. I have spoken to a friend of mine who is on the board of trustees at a Power 3 conference school with a good WLAX program. He said while nothing is 100% for sure until all the current litigation is finalized......The general sense sense from their school's perspective is they will likely add the 20 mens football scholarships for football and thus add the same number (20) of womens scholarships across multiple programs. The net affect for womens sports will be where the school wants to concentrate efforts. For them he said maybe an additional 2-5 scholarships for any one womens sports teams including lax but he suspects it will equate to a few per team spread amongst some or all other womens programs including Volleyball, Softball, Lax, Field Hockey, Swimming, Track and any other womens programs the school wants to throw additional resources at. While some schools may indeed end up having 20+ womens lax players on full scholarships I think that will be the exception, not the rule. My prediction is the top 10ish players on any given team will be on full rides and the remaining 4-10 scholarships will be split up like they are now amonst the other 28 players. Most players in 2026 class and forseeable future will probably be looking at what was typical for the last few years. 30%-60% scholarship (if any) offered to new recruits who are not in the top few of a particular recruiting class. The top few will in all liklihood get offered at or near 70%-100%.

[Laximus]

I think playing in these types of events has more than just recruiting value. As a parent, I feel it is helpful to the players development as an athlete. Playing with top kids from other areas of the country helps give perspective and an opportunity to form new relationships with kids other than those on the club team. I'd imagine it is valuable in the eyes of coaches who watch these kids in different settings to see how their roles may be different from HS team, club team, showcase team, camp team. May give a glimpse into the players versatility that they could potentially tap into down the road in a college setting.

You can send your kid to summer camp for a week too. These FOMO events are not needed for anyone playing on a top 40 team that see's good competition all summer long. I have to imagine the coaches are getting tired of so many as well. They used to attend a 3-4 tourneys a summer and maybe a weekday camp or 2. They are now dedicating their entire summer going to all these events. As for the kids, how much is too much. I have heard from numerous coaches that some of the kids look tired late in the summer season and into August. For some it is 7 straight months of LAX going back to their HS seasons without proper rest. These are adolecent athletes, not 25 year old professionals. The risk for injury is too great for them to be playing LAX almost daily for 7-9 months. Heck, NFL players get more time off than that.