<p>Lacrosse- where to start.</p>
<p>USNA definately over-recruits for lax. Far too many recruits get cut before they even start. No way you can bring on 18-20 kids a year and have them all absorbed into a varsity program to fill the attrition of firsties- </p>
<p>The lax program has taken a definate hit. Varsity roster has been trimmed, JV…status unknown, club has been “cut” and intramurals- who knows-lots of rumors, but no definative answer yet. Sad story for a team that made it to the NCAA finals - and came within one point of winning it all- just a few short years ago. Not a doubt in my mind that result put USNA on the radar screen for many up and coming lacrosse players who might not have otherwise considerd the program. One can argue the merits of chosing a school for lax- don’t really want to get into that discussion, will leave it that whatever brings a kid to look at the USNA is OK with me- if lax gets them through the gate to take a look, so be it- I have faith that once on the yard, USNA sells itself.</p>
<p>In contrast, West Point has a very robust JV program that is a definate feeder into varsity. Only a matter of time when they start outpacing USNA. </p>
<p>Like many other activities, lax outside varsity is going by the way of “secondary, optional and conditional.” Personally, having a coach recruit an athlete only to cut them a few months later- no way a coach does not know that up front when the recruiting is taking place- know it gets done all the time, but one would hope the academies would be a cut above the mirky and questionable ethics of it all. Lets just hope they are not recruiting them so they “don’t have to face them on the field”…</p>