BIAS!!!

[mx255]

I am really confused as to why most people from lacrosse areas like NY and MD and NJ etc have skepticism towards people that play out west(california) when there are players that can hack it out there too. I have a hard time saying that a good player on the east coast is better than a good player from san diego. I have been to numerous camps and recruiting seminars that displayed teams from both coasts and GOOD PLAYERS are GOOD PLAYERS not matter where they were born. Spencer wright tore it up at the CUSE and he is from so. california. Can somebody tell me their thoughts if they are different.

[26Easy]

i think it doesnt matter where u come from but the time and heart u put into the sport

[HdGLaxWarrior]

Lacrosse isnt big out there, so they dont have good coaches. I hate when the west coast tries to compete.

[CHMiddie]

yea u can find some good players....its jus can u find as many quality players. 1 kid dont make a team

[JMokan]

The difference is there is more good players per team in the hotbeds, no doubt that there are good players out west. Just isn't as big yet.

[TheKOB]

Originally posted by HdGLaxWarrior
Lacrosse isnt big out there, so they dont have good coaches. I hate when the west coast tries to compete.

That's actually very wrong. There are so many former D1 players living over there, it's sick. The coaches come first, then they teach the talent, not the other way around. They have the advantage of drawing good coaches who grew up on the east coast and went to powerhouse schools. The west coast just needs what made NY and MD the best...time to build a tradition. There are a number of players from non-traditional areas on D1 rosters, but they are far from competeing with traditional NY and MD powers. The turning point will be when a team comes over their spring break from Cali and plays some quality NY or MIAA teams and beats them on their home turf, then the lacrosse world will start to take notice.

[shtbrkd00]

hell, some of the greatest players come out of texas, but the coaching, largeness, and time put into the sport just isn there. Teams wont be able to compete - players will

[TheKOB]

The best athletes come from Cali, Tx, and Florida (just judging by football). Once lacrosse starts expanding to where the coaches are fairly competitive (shouldn't be long with the internet) parity will begin to exist on a massive scale....assuming their focus becomes more equal to football, expecially in the south.

[Dan]

just because a team has a pro coach doesn't mean they will be good. however, a good coach will help a team better than a star player. drew searl, former face-off man for Syracuse, coaches Judge Memorial, and they won the championship 2 years ago, but now they're not nearly so good. we beat them in the first game of the season, 7-6 in OT and that was one of the worst games we played against a better team. there are good teams out west, but they are not as well coached nor are there as many good teams as there are in the east. lacrosse out west will get better, but it will also take a lot of time. but hey, i'm willing to wait. the west also needs more lacrosse industry.

[ATXMacLax]

I think Maryland and New York will always be powerhouse lacrosse states, but Florida, California, and Texas will be chasing them in 5-10 years. There are atheletes everywhere in the three. Lacrosse is catching on all over, especially in Texas and California.

[LaXDaVe]

Its not that we dont respect you, there are so many athletic players that could compete in leagues over here, and some of you are very good, BUT...Like someone said (forgot who) one kid doesnt make a team, and I think if the best CA team played a mediocre MD or NY team, they could compete good. But taking the best players from CA and the best players from MD and having them play against each other, they'd get slaughtered. And no, its not your fault, nor would it be yours if this actually could be set-up. You have to understand, kids in Maryland are basically born with sticks in their hand, that's why were so good. I think maybe when Im in college (3-4 years from now) you guys could be SOME competition, but until it grows and becomes a hotbed in CA, you just cant compare the states. Once again, some kids from CA could probably sk00l me in lax, BUT, one kid, again, doesnt make a team.

[CHMiddie]

i concur

i cant see someone from cali who plays in cali leagues n plays for a season a year seriously creaming someone like me whos obsessed and plays nonstop. altho us east side kids cant talk cuz wede get schooled by the canadians above us

[jmplax31]

Originally posted by mx255
I am really confused as to why most people from lacrosse areas like NY and MD and NJ etc have skepticism towards people that play out west(california) when there are players that can hack it out there too. I have a hard time saying that a good player on the east coast is better than a good player from san diego. I have been to numerous camps and recruiting seminars that displayed teams from both coasts and GOOD PLAYERS are GOOD PLAYERS not matter where they were born. Spencer wright tore it up at the CUSE and he is from so. california. Can somebody tell me their thoughts if they are different.

Dude we know your really in to your west coast thing, but chill. I havn't ever heard anyone strongly diss the west coast. Very good player come from there. I would even say that it is one of the top 15 states with lax talent. OK

[26Easy]

west genese could probly take a candian team and some of the good all star teams 2 i beat the only problem i could think of with a allstar team is there r too many indivuduals

[Ccodyman]

A team can only go as far as the coach can bring him. No matter how good a player is he still needs a coach

[Snuffilufigas22]

Its not that there is not equally good players out west and out east, it just the number of great players out east far surpasses the number of great players out west.

[CCLaX24]

texas is going to become dominate...

the best team in dallas took out a few teams out east


st johns and highland park

[26Easy]

im sure texas will be a very dominate state in lacrosse eventually mostly because it is a huge state and u can practice year round down there

[mx255]

The turning point will be when a team comes over their spring break from Cali and plays some quality NY or MIAA teams and beats them on their home turf, then the lacrosse world will start to take notice.

Garden city HS came out and played TORREY PINES and got beat up and down the field. I was there and anybody that wants to debate that can try.

And the coahes thing is way off - my coach plays in the NLL along with about 6 other coaches in a 20 minute radius. There are so many coaches and camps out here it is amazing. If you want to play lax all year out here you can and there is good weather to practice as well. Second there are lots of teams and my old junior high has 3 TEAMS because there are so many kids playing. I play all year and would put myself up against anybody my age from maryland or NY. I play against all americans as well and my best friend is going to SYRACUSE TO PLAY. IS that school good or what?

And i would say about 20 of the 30 kids on varsity here play year round indoor/outdoor and will be playing lax in college.

Very good player come from there

thanks- i am not pissed i am just wondering the actual thoughts of people i cant talk to

[broslax16]

i think they could probably hang with some teams from the east, but lacrosse is getting huge in TN, a couple of teams from TN played some teams from MD and NY this year

[Infrared]

West coast has some pretty good players, but east coast still rules

[26Easy]

ya they will catch up with us in a few years though

[pope]

Some very good kids come out of california

this season there was drew virk who played for maryland as there top faceoff guy this year, he was from st. ignatius high school in california. i kno that there is a goalie from cali that is going to play at SU next year, and at the UNC camp session i went to there were some pretty sick kids from texas who play at Highland Park

but there are teams down here in south florida that are competing with maryland teams. Saint Andrews played McDonogh which is one of the top teams in MD and only lost 9-5 and St Edwards played McDonogh as well and lost 10-6 now 4 goals in both games is pretty competitive id say, now given that St Andrews lost to Boys' Latin 17-6 three days after McDonogh, McDonogh beat BL only 9-5 same score as the St Andrews game

and one of the kids from St Andrews is going to play from UMass next season, 6'4 250 attackman so be on the alert for Evan Blum next season. Florida is coming up and so is TX and CA

[mx255]

yah i totally agree with that pope. The goalie that is going to SU is jake meyers from torrey pines and sean mcgonogle is going to syracuse as well as a long stick middie from la costa canyon. They are both all americans from my hometown and school. I am gonna be going out to stony brook next year

[TheKOB]

Originally posted by mx255
The turning point will be when a team comes over their spring break from Cali and plays some quality NY or MIAA teams and beats them on their home turf, then the lacrosse world will start to take notice.

Garden city HS came out and played TORREY PINES and got beat up and down the field. I was there and anybody that wants to debate that can try.



yeah, that was a median NY team GOING OUT to CA. I said a CA team (or any other state that's looking to knock off the NY, MD dominance ie FL, TX, etc) playing an MIAA team on their home turf. Also, if you follow the MIAA enough, the reason they're the best league in the nation is that they're all extremely good. Spalding knocked off MSJ in it's first year up at the A level, but lost to Friends (a new A team from the year before) earlier in the season. You can't compare teams on the basis of scores. Also, in the MIAA a 4 goal game is considered a blowout since they're known for playing their whole bench, which is the reason they're so good year in and year out...player experience.

Also, getting beat 8-7 is hardly getting beat "up and down the field".

[dubclax22]

yah we can. i went to the syracuse camp last year and i live in cali and i kept up with them. people dont think that people that live on west coast arent good lax players. west coast plays should get more respect!

[aussielax]

I've seen both teams from the the east and west coast come out here to play in tournaments. The teams that come out from the east are pretty evenly matched with the aussie teams they play against and games can go either way. But last year when USA west and the california all-stars came out they lost comprehensivley in there games against australia under 19's and under 23's and they also both lost against japan under 21's. I think this just could have been because these teams were made up of guys that were based at colleges on the west coast and they were they guys that could afford the $$$ to come out to australia

[rancidpunk89]

are than even any dl calfiroan collage lax teams

[GBaschski]

I'm not trying to rag on Cali lax, but IN GENERAL, the east coast has been exposed to it longer and there is a higher interest level over here, therefore more quality coaches, colleges, camps, and inevitably, players.
I live in freakin' North Carolina, which is almost like California when it comes to lacrosse...it's not big. But our select team, Team Charlotte, plays with the northerners in tournaments over the summer, and I can say that they ball...fer serious.
Cali can have some great lacrosse players, it's just that the east coast has more of them.
West Coast has a long way to come, but they're coming.

[laxersk8erguy8]

you guys are right about good players being good players, but if you want to go to a good lacrosse college, you come to the east. Whens the last time the #1 ranked highschool team was east of the Mississippi?

[plaidpenguin]

a good player is a good player

[liveforlax19]

west genese could probly take a candian team and some of the good all star teams 2 i beat the only problem i could think of with a allstar team is there r too many indivuduals

for thos of you who dont kno... west genesee is a skool out here in new york, and they are pretty much the dominant lacrosse skool... their coach, mike massere, is completely nuts... and i truly believe that west genesee high school, could take on any NLL or MLL team, without a doubt... they ARE the best lacrosse team in the WORLD... i wish my skool could beat them

but with that being said... i dont think thats just because they are from the east... players from the west could take on many of us over here... u dont have to be from NY to play a good game... a good lacrosse player, is a good lacrosse player... thats it, end of story...

[memphislax]

I believe that a player from the east coast learns more about the sport. All of the major D1 programs are on the east coast. I think the farhtest one west is Denver. A player from the east coast gets more exposure. But, West coast players can be just as good. They do get some exposure so, I dont know man. I good player is a good player. I dont care if they're from Pluto.

[funnyboy]

i think it doese not matter wher u are from...a good player is a good player

[hbmedic]

I know everyone is just waiting for me to jump in on this one and insult every other state in defense of Maryland and New York.. But I'm not going to do that..

I coach and play lacrosse here in Southern California, and although there are good teams here in California, such as Torrey Pines, St. Ignatius, El Toro, and Malibu, but while they are good athletes, and they comprehend and run plays well, they do not have the ball handling or dodging skills necessary to beat the better teams in Maryland or New York. In my opinion. The players here are very dedicated, love the sport, and want to succeed. They spend a lot of time practicing together and on the wall besides organized practice. Another unfortunate thing is that most of the players have zero experience, so even if you have a great player at one or two positions, you can't get the ball around the key, thus plays fall apart, unforced turnovers occur, or ground balls happen causing unsettled situations and goals.. Its really not the organized looking game it is back east, and that is because the talent level of the team is so different. Back east even the poor players on a team can catch and pass for the most part, fundementals, therefore you can get the defense moving, and then get the ball to your top middie or attackmen for a shot or dodge.. Here its not that way. And regardless of the fact that many D1 and Pro players live here they don't coach.. They visit practices and perform clinics, but they don't coach. I played D3 at Salisbury, and I only know of 1 other coach in my conference that played lacrosse since 1980, and he played at Maryland.. Everyone else either didn't play collegiate lacrosse, or played prior to 1980 usually at a college club team. Having played at the college level does afford some advantages, you know more drills and types of drills that can improve skill. Not fundementals, Skills.. You know more plays and types of plays..and you know more about the plays and how to convey the execution to the players. You know more about formations and how to transition between those formations. There are many ways a former collegiate player has advantages over a coach that hasn't played collegiate ball.. unfortunately if your players can't throw and catch you can't use them.. In Maryland at this point, if you don't have collegiate lacrosse on your resume, your not coaching.. Out here, if you want to coach you can, no matter what your experience is.. And for players already at a disadvantage and already behind in experience, I think thats a detriment.. but thats the way it is.. I think in 10 years, as more and more players begin to play around 10 years old etc... teams will get better, for now most of the Freshman in HS are playing their first year of lacrosse and can barely catch and throw, if that.. Not to mention most of the parents didn't play lacrosse in contrast to Maryland and New York.. so they can't help, and they didn't expose the kid to lacrosse at an earlier age.. My son is 2 and he already has a mini-stick and goal set.. and he throws the ball to me.. I would rather he play in Maryland.. Maybe I'll move back so he has that opportunity.. hbm

[TheKOB]

for thos of you who dont kno... west genesee is a skool out here in new york, and they are pretty much the dominant lacrosse skool... their coach, mike massere, is completely nuts... and i truly believe that west genesee high school, could take on any NLL or MLL team, without a doubt... they ARE the best lacrosse team in the WORLD... i wish my skool could beat them


You have GOT to be kidding me. By saying that, you make the rest of your post not worth reading...not to mention spelling school "skool". You might as well say "I have a good edukation".

With that being said, I agree with HB on this one. South Carolina is in the same boat....a lot of the coaches are lacking college experience at any level. What's holding the game back around here is lack of qualified coaches with the time to teach after school combined with kids starting in their freshmen year of high school rather than the 3rd grade like I did (which was late for MD). Furthermore, the better competition you play, the more you improve. Say there is a good California team....unless they play a schedule in the MIAA they won't ever be as good until their competition improves to their level. To get better you have to be challenged and the concentration of high quality teams is just higher in NY and MD than anywhere else. Places are catching up, and it'll change as the programs grow and involve younger kids, combine with the coaching getting more experience...

[spartacus9]

the game back east has more eloquency. its a dexterity driven game. here in the west, it is a lot more violent. rather than using a regular dodge, people will try to run u over. im not like that. while do play a very physical game i incorporate both styles. i go and watch videos of east coast players and study their moves. i practice at least an hour and 1/2 every day on just moves. and all of my teamates are exactly like me too. because we are #1 in the league. so yes i think we can compete here in the west but the east still is the best. west coast teams can beat many east coast teams, but they will always be the best.

[exile lacrosse]

one on one im sure that there are people in the west that can compete with east coast people. as a team, i do not believe that at this stage they can efectively compete against our top teams.

[isuckatlax]

haha i came to this one just to see hbm's response, and hbm i must say i am dissapointed

[mx255]

you guys are right about good players being good players, but if you want to go to a good lacrosse college, you come to the east. Whens the last time the #1 ranked highschool team was east of the Mississippi?
this is exactly the point of the thread. Why is it that the good teams in colorado or wherever cant be ranked high. They are good too. the mediocre teams are just as mediocre and the [no profanity] ones just as bad too.

[mx255]

I coach and play lacrosse here in Southern California. Back east even the poor players on a team can catch and pass for the most part, fundementals, therefore you can get the defense moving, and then get the ball to your top middie or attackmen for a shot or dodge...or now most of the Freshman in HS are playing their first year of lacrosse and can barely catch and throw, if that
I am not sure where you coach but i dont know of a single kid that started playing as a freshman and made the teams around the hs i went to. I started at that time and had to beg to make the jv team. If you cant throw and catch there is no chance fro you anywhere at the high school level.

[moondog]

If you think lacrosse still belongs to Baltimore and Long Island, you are dead wrong. If it's not ridiculously clear today, it'll be even more obvious in a couple years. I might relocate to Colorado. There's some insane talent in Colorado. Plus, I can play at Vail.

[brlacrosse50]

i dont think it matters. like it was said, i fyou put the time and heart in and you are good, it doesnt atter where you come from.


then again maybe it does...

[Shorelax]

It takes time to build good regional lacrosse programs at the high school level.

An important piece to this - feeder systems. You need quailty coaching and competition at the youth level over a period of years to build sucessfull high school programs. Kids in the mid-atlantic reigon start playing organized lacrosse at 5/6 years of age or earlier - and are typically being coached by guys that have played the game - not an inexperienced dad wanting to spend more time with his kids. This creates better competition through the youth ranks - which translates into better high school players.

There are plenty of good athletes on the west coast, southwest and in the south - look at other high school sports, look at the progress that has been made in the last 15 years in lacrosse.

There are some individual teams that do compete with east coast teams - and as time progresses I'm sure that number will increse.

As I see it now though - the mid-atlantic reigon has a strong hold on the game.

** - Yes I'm includeding NY when I say mid-atlantic.

[roycegracie47]

There was one guy from cali I played with who was a phenomenal x attackman, as well as guys from texas, ohio, and wisconsin who have definately proved there are great players from any state.

[stxbionic42]

My coach is a former SU player and i got coached by a D1 player.. he was sick and said i have talent.

[WHEELAX2]

I thought all this "hotbead" stuff died in the 90s

There is no question that players from other states can roll with players from new york and maryland.

I've even played with some sick players from England, germany, italy and wales (even korea).

I'm just glad that lacrosse is getting so huge.

There's no doubt that the fundamentals of lacrosse have deeper roots in places like MD and NY, but you can't argue the success of schools who are not traditional powerhouses.

It's time to grow up and realize that other kids can play too.

[Gee-Unit17]

Well I like how mx put it... Good PLayers are good PLayers. A talented west coast player is just as good as a talented East coast player. The only difference is you will find more talented East coast players than those in the West.

[crlacrosse]

The best teams from cali/florida/texas/where ever, might be able to compete with top NJ, PA, MA, or DE teams, but they are nowhere near the TEAM skill level of the top MD and NY teams. they may be able to compete eventually, but they have a long way to go.

[bennyn]

the good thing about lacrosse in the west is, we can practice all year long. were getting there, dont worry

[warriorlax27]

i think when you play in the east you face better competition than in the west. But if a kid can play, the kid can play

[chris3234]

yea u can find some good players....its jus can u find as many quality players. 1 kid dont make a team

You guy probly have some sick kids out there, but the north east still takes the cake

[Abest10]

exactly, im from san diego and we get some east coast teams that come and play a game or two over here and ive noticed that we have good players but the east has more of them, but watch out its growing like crazy in california

[username]

this poll is ridiculous, they havent played for as long out there, so naturally they wont be as good. if they were playing as long as east coast players, im sure they would be up to the task.

[3rdPersonPlural]

We've had some strong New York programs come out to the San Diego area and play two point games with the better CA programs. The difference is depth.

A program from a mature lacrosse commuity will have 30 players as good as the 1/2 dozen to a dozen real players on a CA team, so the CA players have to be great athletes with adaptable natures to keep up with the changing personnel that the NY teams throw up.

I've recently officiated some middle school games out here, and these kids have been playing for 3 or 4 years and are going to be formidible varsity players in a few short years. When we can throw 30 at their 30, it'll be a year to year thing.

[Nreeder33]

I think the main difference is the youth lacrosse, when you think about it, youth lacrosse programs so essential to having successful lacrosse program at the highschool level,if a team can devolepe players before they reach the highschool ranks than they will continue to get better untill they are varisty level. As you see in almost ever sport, allt he places that start kids at young age seem to dominate...just my opion, on west coast, vs east coast debate. East coast lacrosse is just of higher quality, better devolpeing through jv, freshman, and youth mainly becuase of its popularity, but saying west will never take east is just stupid its takes time, its not like becuase you live inthe maryland you are born with better lax abilty..

[creaseattack]

i think it doesnt matter where u come from but the time and heart u put into the sport
that is almost all of it, one time at a camp the best kid was some kid from san diego and there must have been 300 kids at the camp.

[Chas]

There is just a larger pool to pick from out there. Kids were alwyas starting younger on the East Coast. It used to be there werent any programs out here until you hit 7th grade. Now we have youth leauges all over. Give it a few years.

Cornells 2008 Roster has two kids from St. Ignatius and three from Torrey Pines '04 class, including the starting goalie.

And we have good coaches, thats not the issue, its just the number of players to pick from.

[RIT37FO]

will yeatman from CA
plays football and lacrosse for Notre Dame and is their leading scorer
I dont think he will be playing lacrosse much longer though sadly

[cali feeder]

3PP summed it up pretty well. West coast players can ball with east coast, but when it comes to team depth, east coast still takes the cake because so many more people out there play lacrosse, and generally start the sport at a much younger age.

But that's not to say that some top Cali teams couldn't take some top east coast teams. West Coast Starz club went back east and ruined some of the top east coast club teams.

[laxcomm]

In successive years Garden City and Mahasset made trips to California and they both lost. Maybe the West Coast does not have the quantity of good players as other parts of the country, but there are some pretty good players out there.

[njone42]

I went to a camp and the D3 [10 year olds- 14 year olds] players were really good.

[greenshoelaces]

Lacrosse will soon be evenly spread throughout the country, no favoritism of the north east, south east, west, or central. The reality is that the sport is growing in an extremely rapid pace, and nothing is going to stop that.
I think the stereotype that the eastern coast or the south east are not as good as the north east, really needs to stop. Before some people who believe it, make themselves look like morons. There are some amazing athletes from everywhere in the U.S. To say that geographical location decides whether or not they can be looked at as "dominant lacrosse players", is just ridiculous. :banghead:

[Lax101]

Lacrosse will soon be evenly spread throughout the country, no favoritism of the north east, south east, west, or central. The reality is that the sport is growing in an extremely rapid pace, and nothing is going to stop that.
I think the stereotype that the eastern coast or the south east are not as good as the north east, really needs to stop. Before some people who believe it, make themselves look like morons. There are some amazing athletes from everywhere in the U.S. To say that geographical location decides whether or not they can be looked at as "dominant lacrosse players", is just ridiculous. :banghead:

Really? So this is just going to happen like it's spread in football, basketball, and baseball?

So why are the best football players predominantly in the South or on the West Coast? Why does it take much more for a basketball stud to come from New England than it does to play in California? Why do the vast majority of hockey studs come from Minnesota? Why do most top wrestlers come from the midwest?

As much as we'd like to think there will be complete equality in every aspect possible, some regions are much bigger hotbeds than others for EVERY sport. In 20 years, it will be significantly easier to be recruited out of the midwest to play lacrosse. But it still doesn't mean that the kids from the East Coast won't get any special treatment over them.

Some areas develop in certain sports before others. Some areas take a bigger interest in a certain sport, and it's very difficult to undo that advantage in ANY sport whatsoever. But again, that doesn't mean the gap won't be narrowed down in the years to come. It just means that lacrosse won't become a homogenous sport in terms of competition across the country, as ever other sport hasn't been that way.

[greenshoelaces]

Sure, they will get more attention by the top colleges. But this is not about popularity between the two locations, this is about the skills of these players. And i think that in 20 years there will be just as much skill in the game of lacrosse for these regions, there will be more players, better athletes, and they will have had lacrosse in their life longer, because eventually there will be many youth leagues throughout all of those regions, and we will have equal opportunity to excel in lacrosse.

Are you saying that geographical location really determines the amount of skill a lacrosse player can have. Its not in all new-england players genetic code to be good lacrosse players.

[BeaverFondu]

Are you saying that geographical location really determines the amount of skill a lacrosse player can have. Its not in all new-england players genetic code to be good lacrosse players.

That is not what he is saying. If you were a college coach, and you could go watch a New England team play or a California team play. On the New England team there are 10 kids that could go D1. While on the California team there is only lets say, 3-5. Which school would you rather recruit from?

[greenshoelaces]

That is not what he is saying. If you were a college coach, and you could go watch a New England team play or a California team play. On the New England team there are 10 kids that could go D1. While on the California team there is only lets say, 3-5. Which school would you rather recruit from?

Just to let everyone know, i am from the east. So i am not just trying to stick up for a certain group of people.

Anyway, i understand what you are saying but, i was talking about skill level of the players, not popularity. Yes, right now that would be the exact situation. But not in 20 years, as i said before. Really a big reason why there are so many good lacrosse players in the new england area is because they start when they are fairly young, or at least they can if they choose to. The majority of good lacrosse players in the new england area, probably pick up a stick around 5 years old if not earlier. They can't get that much younger, unless they find some way to start while in their mothers womb....

I am aggreeing with you, that is exactly how it is, right now. And i am not arguing about popularity between the two regions, i am explaining that just because they are from there, doesn't mean they can't be as good or better than anyone here in the east.

[TrapDoor]

Okay, I play west coast lax (In Washington), and this is how I understand it. It's not that the west can't produce quality or even dominant players (Washington state's Greg Mahony scored 7 goals against NY's Lakeland Panas) but it's that we can't yet consistently produce whole teams that are quality or dominant, and the east coast can. Eventually though, I think we will be able to. The east coast has years of lax experience more than us, but I hear refs and coaches talking about it and that we're catching up and soon will be at the same level. I say by 5 years, west coast might not catch up to east coast lax, but will be a lot more close with the game's huge growth rate and plans to add multiple west coast MLL teams, not to mention we might have more D1 teams out west by then.

[Chas]

I would love to have strong D1 programs out here, but most of the teams that have D1 football, can't even field a good club team. I think it would be cool for the MCLA teams to at least move to D3, but its all based on school size. Chapman University is trying to move to D3 in the next few seasons.

[Tehb2]

I can't say that the average player, or more likely, the average school team is the same on the West Coast as it is on the East. The East has had lacrosse for longer with larger numbers of good players coming out of the East. But we can't say that there aren't good players in Cali. Good players are good players, but sometimes what makes a good player depends on who is making the statement. Not everyone has the experience to recognize someone who is not only good in their area, but good when compared to players from many other areas.

It's all about coaching and experience (for a broad perspective). My town has had boys lax for around 17 years, but the town next to us has had it for 3. The kids from that town didn't know what a good player was until they saw some of the kids from my town play in high school (we combine at the high school). And obviously, my area doesn't put out as many high quality players as most of the hotbeds in Maryland and New York because they have had it for some much longer and with better coaches.

[lawrencelax18]

they can prolly keep up with us easterners but i think a lot of it has to do with coaching becuase the difference between a coach who grew up around lacrosse and one that happens to know about the sport with little experience actually playing it can be the difference between a good and a bad team.

[mcqdman]

There are many good players in California, but not nearly as many as in New York or Maryland.

[westlakelax17]

they can prolly keep up with us easterners but i think a lot of it has to do with coaching becuase the difference between a coach who grew up around lacrosse and one that happens to know about the sport with little experience actually playing it can be the difference between a good and a bad team.

A lot of the coaches that coach out here have played NCAA ball or play in the MLL now. Thats why there are teams out here, former players and coaches moved out to the west because of jobs, family, etc. and brought the lacrosse expierience with them. My High school coach played at Gettysburg years ago. And some of the Riptide players are coaches too.

[lawrencelax18]

i stand corrected, then.

[QBYattackmen15]

i think it doesnt matter where u come from but the time and heart u put into the sport

haha. how honorable.

[Topdawglax]

Tough to play lacrosse in a wet suit!!

[Topdawglax]

TrapDoor you hit the nail on the head. I grew up playing lax in NY and played NCAA1 ball as well. I am now in Texas. The lacrosse down here does not compare to NY or MD when you look at it as a whole. But!! there are individual players who if put on a good New York or Maryland team would do very, very well. Texas as been slow producing quality players because the coaching over all is sub par when compared to the hotbeds. However, it is getting better. CA and WA are further up the foodchain than TX in talent and more and more kids from these area making their way east. The best thing that could happen is not for the kids to go east but for NCAA lacrosse to go west. Then you would see west coast kids coming out of the woodwork. East coast coaches don't need to have 5 or 6 kids from the wc when they can get them in their own back yard. Doesn't mean the talent isn't there, just not worth the money and time to look for them. As far as team talent, will be a while for non traditional area teams to run with the Boys Latins and West Gennies but, on the next level down, they could compete now!

Surfs up!

[greenshoelaces]

TrapDoor you hit the nail on the head. I grew up playing lax in NY and played NCAA1 ball as well. I am now in Texas. The lacrosse down here does not compare to NY or MD when you look at it as a whole. But!! there are individual players who if put on a good New York or Maryland team would do very, very well. Texas as been slow producing quality players because the coaching over all is sub par when compared to the hotbeds. However, it is getting better. CA and WA are further up the foodchain than TX in talent and more and more kids from these area making their way east. The best thing that could happen is not for the kids to go east but for NCAA lacrosse to go west. Then you would see west coast kids coming out of the woodwork. East coast coaches don't need to have 5 or 6 kids from the wc when they can get them in their own back yard. Doesn't mean the talent isn't there, just not worth the money and time to look for them. As far as team talent, will be a while for non traditional area teams to run with the Boys Latins and West Gennies but, on the next level down, they could compete now!

Surfs up!

Touch'e topdawg, very well put.


If the coaches have a mojor influence on the skill level of the players, (which i believe they do), then you guys better look out for us, because all of our coaches moved down from either baltimore or somewhere in new york, and that is for all teams that are in our conference. A local school we play's coach used to coach boys latin, as a head coach. My coach was a coach in Northern Virginia, and won 3 state titles before he moved here.

Those are the only specific ones i know, but my coach said for some odd reason alot of really legit coaches from skilled lacrosse schools are moving here, and that every head coach right now in our conference is from some "hotbed" of the lacrosse community.

I hope we do well in the next upcoming seasons.....

[laxattack11]

1 on 1, sure a kid from Cali could beat someone from NY, But when their teams face off, i promise NY will crush most opponents

[3rdPersonPlural]

Yeah, the issue truly is depth. Depth requires lots and lots of kids getting smitten by lacrosse by the end of elementary school, and lots of committed coaches who know the game schooling kids from the U13 level up, and High School programs that take the game seriously.

CA has all of that. 2 years ago I attended a lax Jamboree up in the Bay Area with several hundred TEAMS. Not kids. Teams. More than half were boys teams U15 and younger. I hear that even bigger events happened this year. Every year hundreds of devoted and experienced players graduate from college and get careers in CA. There is now a lax community here mature enough to download their knowledge into our youth. Lastly, at least 25 HS programs out here are as disciplined and well coached as any program in the hotbeds.

By the time my 12 YO is a senior, there will be CA teams in the top 5 or 10 nationally. That is not a bold, out-on-a-limb boast - it's a demographic reality.

[MACDADDY]

sooner or later, us californians and the west side will be better than the east because 1) we are having alot of great coaches come over and 2) we can train year long without worrying about the winter getting too cold ( last year, our winter was around 75 degrees, then agian so was New York.)

[LiquidMercury16]

It's all about the dirty south. Screw you west coast/east coast. All about the dirty....

[JShickLax]

this is exactly the point of the thread. Why is it that the good teams in colorado or wherever cant be ranked high. They are good too. the mediocre teams are just as mediocre and the [no profanity] ones just as bad too.

if they want to be ranked as high as the east coast teams they actually have to come and play some east coast teams and beat them. more and more out of state teams have been playing miaa teams, and thats the first step in order for teams from other states to be taken seriously. some teams from texas that were supposed to be like the best teams from there came up and played msj (a mid level miaa school) 2 years ago and got destroyed, and they didnt come out again this year...teams need to keep challeging and then they will be higher in the polls if they can prove themselves