The Lacrossemom3 email: Sent 8:31am August 7, 2012

Below is an email from a misguided parent that needs to be enlightened on what the Mavericks are trying to accomplish. 

-  In Black: Part of the original” Mavericks Tryout Message”.  (full message on www.maverickslax.com)

-  In Green: Lacrossemom3 comments

-  In Red: The Mavericks response 

My 2¢ worth…. 

Let us help you understand the Mavericks tryout message. The Bill Tierney message of play less, practice more is what the Mavericks are trying to accomplish. This past spring Bel Air rec had teams with a weekly ratio of 3 games to 1 practice. This is not the old rec from 15 years ago when Tierney was in Bel Air.

Before you tryout for a club lacrosse program ask yourself this simple question "Why does the club team exist?   In other words, what motivates the directors to spend so much time creating the club?
 

1. Is it to support a restaurant or bar? – It’s the bar, restaurant or other businesses that help financially support the team. Many clubs could not exist without the support of local business. It teaches the kids that it sometimes takes a community to pitch in to help an organization. Something I hope they will remember when they are adults and, in turn, give back to their community when an opportunity like this presents itself.

A club lacrosse program should exist to teach lacrosse not fill seats in a restaurant or bar. Plus alcohol is the number #1 drug in the world and we should never glorify it's use around children. There are people running club teams that have no interest in teaching the game, it’s all about going back to the restaurant to spend money.  

2. Is it for extra income for someone who has the summer off? – Many, many coaches do this for the love of lacrosse and some, if not most, don’t get paid at all. The fact is, you should never begrudge someone getting paid to do a job. If they have taken on the responsibility of running an organization like this, they should be compensated. It takes a lot of time and effort. That time and effort could be spent doing something else for which they would be compensated. Insinuating that these coaches are out there for greed is absurd. No one is getting rich from club lacrosse (that I know of anyway).

We agree with you here. But we do know clubs that started out as a business first / lacrosse second project that failed miserably, leaving the players and parents out in the cold.   

3. Is it to help someone's business? – Again, completely ass backwards. It seems you only ask the question, “what’s in it for me”… if an organization is willing to support and help a club team, then you should be more than willing to help that business in return as a gesture of gratitude. Once again, a valuable lesson for the children to learn. No matter how small a contribution may be, you recognize and appreciate that contribution. If that means wearing their logo on your shirt, so be it.

Once again the question is WHY DOES THE CLUB TEAM EXIST? I know people who have started club lacrosse programs to help with their personal business first and teach lacrosse second. Gym owners, apparel salesmen, equipment salesman, etc. 

4. Is it for someone's ego? – Lets not confuse ego with pride. If a parent takes pride in the fact that their son (or daughter for that matter) has been accepted on to a particular club team, then it should be encouraged. Our kids are bombarded with negativity, from the media, schools, peers and strangers. It is acceptable to be proud of oneself and it is acceptable to be proud of your child for succeeding. These kids work hard to make the teams. It’s a valuable life lesson for all kids involved, whether they make the team or not. Pride and humility can go hand in hand…

I don't know how you got around to pride...Once again the question is WHY DOES THE CLUB TEAM EXIST? There are people who have started club teams because they were great players and their ego's have run away with them. Just because you were a great player doesn't mean you can coach youth lacrosse. 

5. Is it for a specific high school? – Yes, you know, sometimes it is for a specific High School. Nothing wrong with that. For the age group you are teaching, it is the next level for them. It is their goalto make their high school team. Again, something for them 

to take pride in…

Our opinion is that a high school head coach should not be coaching in the summer unless it's middle school kids. High school players need a different voice sometimes. We should keep the game fresh and new especially in the summer.

6. Is it for a daddy that wants his kid to play with is friends? - I don’t know how your club team is run, but as far as I know, all club team require the kids to try out. That being said, these boys form bonds and sometimes lifelong friendships are made whilst playing on these teams. I fail to see the negative in this. I think I heard your Dad coached you?....Good point, let's criticize Dads (and Moms too) for being involved in their children's lives.

We've seen club programs started for the sole purpose of one team or worse one player. The Mavericks were created to prepare players and families for the next level. This is not a social club. If you're good enough you'll make it. No nepotism. We're not against daddy ball at all, but there comes a time when the child needs to pull away from his dad and we feel that is the 7th grade. Below is one of my favorite words.

Infantilizing   present participle of in·fan·til·ize

7. Is it for a lacrosse groupie who wants to wear the "clown suit" uniforms that are out there these days? – “Lacrosse Groupie” I am proud to call myself, as a mother a lacrosse player, a “Lacrosse Groupie”. I, however, do not have to wear the uniform… that’s all on you, the club manager, who decides what the kids wear. If the coaching sucks, you could have the best uniforms in the world, and not a single kid will want to play for you. If you’ve build up a reputation as the best club team, these kids would wear a taffeta dress to play for you… I have to say this has to be the most stupid and pointless example of them all!

Once again WHY DOES THE CLUB TEAM EXIST? We've seen people start club teams that have no idea how to teach the game but they're so caught up in the uniforms and the hype they forget what's important. There are plenty of teams that look great but they can't throw and catch. These people spend more time looking at catalogs instead of practicing or learning how to become a good coach. The fancy uniforms are expensive and parents often get the bill. SCAM

Middle School Teams

At the U13 and U15 level for each team the commitment level is such that it will be very difficult to play for a HARCO or MYLA league team during the spring of 2013. I’d like to draw your attention to the highlighted quote from Coach Tierney… My two boys, Trevor and Brendan, began their lacrosse careers in the Bel Air Rec. League. Awesome. Times where different.

The Bel Air pogram has to be one of the best around and it’s a credit to this program that, as you so eloquently put it… “Harford County is a hot bed and it's time to show the lacrosse world how good we are. We have the athlete’s, the facilities, the coaches, and most importantly the families to make this happen.” That didn’t happen by itself… Bel Air Rec Lacrosse made up of many parent and non-parent volunteers over the years made it happen! Yes we know, we’ve spent countless hours helping with the program.

  I also have to bring attention to the fact that you have used Bel Air Rec Lacrosse as a recruiting ground for your team. We've provided a local atmosphere to succeed with the Mavericks. We hate to use this term but "don't hate the player hate the game" Myself or the Mavericks didn't create this situation. Take your head out of the sand and see how many great players have left this county to play in Baltimore county. The Mavericks are simply catering to the local lacrosse community. 

More importantly, you have used Bel Air Rec Lacrosse to grow your Lax Skills business and now, as you have become "more successful", are willing to gut the the program of some of the better players. I find this to be deceitful. Lets get this straight I used Harford county to grow LaxSkills because that's where I live. The growth of LaxSkills came from parents wanting more lacrosse. Some people have argued that the LaxSkills philosophy helped improve Bel Air Rec lacrosse. I have news for you Harford county has been getting gutted by Baltimore county for years, wake up. 

Not to mention, the fact that in the same e-mail Coach Tierney said that he has great memories from Bel Air Rec Lacrosse. Bel Air Rec IS a great program… they teach the kids that lacrosse is a fun and exciting sport. It nurtures the kids to want to become better players and to go on to try out for club teams. 

To say the boys on your club team cannot play on Bel Air lacrosse is hypocritical at best and certainly a huge conflict of interest given the fact that you serve on the Bel Air Rec Lacrosse board. As a board member you have access to information that other club managers do not. You’re trying to entice these kids away from Rec Lacrosse with the “we can play AA” carrot. Shame on you! Some of these kids deserve better then MYLA. Once again you have it all wrong this is not an attack on Bel Air Rec if anything it's an attack on MYLA and Harco and the practice to game ratio. We are talking about pulling 42 kids out of Harford county rec to be challenged at the highest level. Which in return will open 42 spots at the travel A level.

I appreciate that you are trying to promote your business, after all, that’s what club lacrosse is when you get down to it. Wrong again, club lacrosse is about teaching the sport. The club lacrosse "business" if done right, is the transfer of money from parents to coaches, tournament directors, fields, uniforms, and training while making sure your families don't get ripped off.

But to promote something by slandering another only goes to highlight the negative in your own product. What’s that saying about people who live in glass houses?... Something to think about. We are not slandering anything just pointing out the truth and providing another avenue.

I am just a "Lacrosse Mom" but rest assured, my opinion is shared by many. Your e-mail rubbed many people the wrong way. It stinks of arrogance, it is insulting. I will say it again since I think it is worthy further mention, the fact that you are on the Board of Directors of Bel Air Lacrosse and are communicating that boys, who have played their entire lives for Bel Air, not play for Bel Air but play for The Mavericks is oportunistic, self serving and a huge conflict of interest.   What were you thinking?

As a board member my job is to guide Bel Air lacrosse in the right direction to best serve the community. If the board feels I need to step down, I will. If we rubbed people the wrong way then so be it, here is your taste of reality.

Once again the Mavericks are providing a local outlet for players to be challenged at the highest level. 

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