USA U-20 National Team Roster

[laxfan2889]

What are everyone’s guesses on the starting lineup?

[lacrossemwj]

Other than getting through that TikTok, which I couldn’t do, is there a way to watch these games?

[njbill]

Yes.

This link was sent to me by the parent of a player. I intend to sign up but haven’t done so as yet.

https://tv.worldlacrosse.sport/page/669 ... 55e883a4e3

[forthelaxofit]

Good Luck to all these ladies – as well as other US athletes who may be playing on other International teams. It is a great honor to be picked for these teams.

I know in a tournament like this it is not just about the US, but too bad when they were planning this they couldn’t have started this tournament a week earlier. Probably not an issue with Northern colleges, but some of the Southern and Mid Atlantic colleges will already have started classes before these players get back to campus. Is it the end of the world to miss some classes – of course not. But at the same time since all these players are student-athletes, it would have been nice if the scheduling was able to take that into account.

[njbill]

That would’ve conflicted with the Olympics. Don’t think they’d want to do that.

[Kismet]

That would’ve conflicted with the Olympics. Don’t think they’d want to do that.

Certainly World Lacrosse doesn't want to complicate things with their patrons at the IOC. Bet on it.

[intheknow247]

What are everyone’s guesses on the starting lineup?

Northwestern at attack, Northwestern at the draw, Northwestern at Defense, and Northwestern in the goal.

[lax410]

Is there a way to watch without buying a subscription?

[njbill]

19-0 USA at the half of the first game in the tournament against Germany.

[spidey44]

19-0 USA at the half of the first game in the tournament against Germany.

Looks like Germany put up more fight in the second half. 33-0. Glad I didn't waste money watching that

[Kleizaster]

i get playing to the final whistle but cmon..32-0??

[NutmegCrunch]

I know national teams play to win, especially in pool play, but I feel like it's more sporting to dial back a bit when you go into the half with that kind of wild goal differential.

[PlayNice]

i get playing to the final whistle but cmon..32-0??

It is definitely a bit much!

[njbill]

Knucklehead that I am, I can’t figure out a way to attach a copy of the box score, but even I, with my limited technical abilities, was able to find one from Twitter. So it is out there.

15 players scored goals. Nine only scored one goal. 22 assists from eight different players.

Both goalies had no saves. If I am reading Germany’s stats correctly, they took no shots, whether on or off goal.

I understand the above comments, but on the other hand, this was the team’s first game in a tournament in which there won’t really be that many games. Sounds like everybody got to play and contribute. Seems to me to be a pretty fair reward for all of the time and sacrifice (and long travel) these players have put in to be on this team.

What to do in a blowout game is a discussion as old as the hills. I’ve posted about it many times over 20 years. Where I’ve ended up is that as long as you clear the bench, the bench players should be permitted to play, which means to score if they are able to do so.

Now, we need to hear from our on-site fanlax correspondent (not about “to blow out or not to blow out,” but in general about the game and overall experience so far).

[cdb]

Went out to Google as suggested and got this link with just a little info: https://www.usalacrosse.com/magazine/na ... 2C%20China.

[cdb]

Here is a Youtube short of the USA win with a few seconds of coverage at around the 9 minute mark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU4Lkr1IE-U

[DMac]

Had to chuckle at this.

Goalies Shea Dolce and Francesca Argentieri split halves to combine for the shutout.

In a game where nary a shot was put on cage.

Can't say any of this much piques my interest in seeing these games.
Competition stiffens, yes, but much of the world remains on a whole
different level than the USA and a couple/few others.

Just a little correction, njb, you forgot a few Os in loooooooooooong
travel. That flight is too long, wouldn't go if I had free tickets and lodging.
There's a chance I'd go by ship, though....all the free part included in the
nautical package too, of course.

Edit:
Damn, after watching the video maybe I would like to be able to see these games,
some pretty stuff going on out there.
They play international rules?
JFTR, just cuz I'd like to see 'em doesn't change anything about that flight.

[Kleizaster]

USA has always had the advantage in women's lacrosse. It's also true that the game is growing globally. The problem is..the talent within the United States is developing at a faster rate than the game is growing internationally at the most basic levels. especially at the U20 ish levels. a top american high school team like 2023 Darien still wins this game and likely finishes top 3 overall in this tournament.

Only team that has a sniff is Canada, mainly because of it's proximity to the United States and their ability for easy access to play within the US collegiate system, where their players get used to the high level of play and develop close to or on par with their American counterparts. England and Australia are a distant third and fourth.

Between all the youth sports USA dominates at the international level, girls soccer, boys and girls' basketball, the gap between USA and everybody else is the largest in women's lacrosse. Keep in mind that USA boys and girls basketball beats opponents by an average of 30 points in these international tournaments.

This is part of the reason why Sixes was created and the only shot there was for it to be included in the olympics. To try and blunt the American advantage in lacrosse internationally. Give other nations a fighting chance. Similar to 3x3 basketball, where the rules are so different it's almost an entirely new sport. and to be honest, i'm kind of okay with it. I want to see how it plays out. I want to see competitve games. It's not ideal for lax purists but to be fair, what fun will it be watching team USA beat everyone by 15 goals every olympics? that's not a recipe for growing the game. That already happens at world championships.

[DMac]

"Growing the game", one of my favorites, ranks right up there with casual fan. Growing the game comes at a cost, see the perverted sticks with bagged pockets and sick hold in the men's game. We needed those to make it easier for kids to be able to pick up a stick and play the game (this is absolute nonsense but manufacturer$ did a good job of selling that...I played in the 60s when Tupperware sticks weren't even a thought and that's when the game began its explosion). There is no longer a level playing field in the men's game, it's slanted toward the O, those sticks give the O a big advantage and it's changed the game a lot....and not so much for the better.
Growing the game with Sixes comes with a price too, namely the game itself. There's a huge part of the game that isn't played in sixes, too many elements of it eliminated in order to grow the game and get it in the Olympics. Yup, we're better than everyone else so we need to change that.
Went to the World Games in Baltimore in '82 when it was the US, Canada, England and the Aussies. Went again in '86 when it was in Toronto, same teams. Look at the number of teams playing in that tourney today and the level of play you see from some of the teams. Lacrosse has never been ready for the Olympics though (yes, because a couple/few teams are just too good). So what to do? Oh, make a new game and call it lacrosse. Not a fan of sixes, it's a butchered version with too many pieces thrown out in order to get it on the Olympic venue....I don't see that as worth selling the game itself out. I think the real reason for sixes is number of players per team. Too many players per team in the field game made it tough to get it in the Olympics.
Field lacrosse (both M and W) isn't going anywhere and there's room for sixes too, but lacrosse isn't being played (going to be) in the Olympics, sixes is.

[Womenslaxxfan]

"Growing the game", one of my favorites, ranks right up there with casual fan. Growing the game comes at a cost, see the perverted sticks with bagged pockets and sick hold in the men's game. We needed those to make it easier for kids to be able to pick up a stick and play the game (this is absolute nonsense but manufacturer$ did a good job of selling that...I played in the 60s when Tupperware sticks weren't even a thought and that's when the game began its explosion). There is no longer a level playing field in the men's game, it's slanted toward the O, those sticks give the O a big advantage and it's changed the game a lot....and not so much for the better.
Growing the game with Sixes comes with a price too, namely the game itself. There's a huge part of the game that isn't played in sixes, too many elements of it eliminated in order to grow the game and get it in the Olympics. Yup, we're better than everyone else so we need to change that.
Went to the World Games in Baltimore in '82 when it was the US, Canada, England and the Aussies. Went again in '86 when it was in Toronto, same teams. Look at the number of teams playing in that tourney today and the level of play you see from some of the teams. Lacrosse has never been ready for the Olympics though (yes, because a couple/few teams are just too good). So what to do? Oh, make a new game and call it lacrosse. Not a fan of sixes, it's a butchered version with too many pieces thrown out in order to get it on the Olympic venue....I don't see that as worth selling the game itself out. I think the real reason for sixes is number of players per team. Too many players per team in the field game made it tough to get it in the Olympics.
Field lacrosse (both M and W) isn't going anywhere and there's room for sixes too, but lacrosse isn't being played (going to be) in the Olympics, sixes is.

+1 for dmac.
Sixes is a game literally played by nobody. It’s never going to be adopted by high schools because field is a better game. It’s literally a made up game solely for the purpose of getting a game that has lacrosse sticks into the Olympics. Hard pass. Not every sport has to be an Olympic one.
Btw, sixes is literally dangerous at the elite men’s level for goalies. 6 attackers with no poles winding up from 10 yards? Stupid.