2012 Laxies: Top 5 goals of the Year

Here are 5 video clips from the Laxies, representing the top goals of the year. They are all fabulous and some seem impossible! I find that they load irregularly, but it's worth your while to keep trying, so as to see all of them.

http://insidelacrosse.com/news/2012/11/22/2012-laxies-highlight-reel-goal

Liam Burke commits to NCAA DI Michigan

Liam Bourke, LSM, Redwood HS, Class of 2014, has verbally committed to the University of Michigan. He made first-team All-MCAL and led his team with 58 ground balls. The 6'2" 175 Bourke showed well this past summer, playing for the Alcatraz Outlaws and the Golden State Titans.

Congratulations to Liam!

Patrick Tracy commits to Brown

Patrick Tracy, Redwood High School's dynamic Attack, committed to the Admissions process at NCAA DI Brown University recently. During the 2012 season, the then Sophomore put up gaudy numbers, with 61 goals  and 46 assists. During the summer, he played for the Alcatraz Outlaws, during whose tournaments Coach Lars Tiffany saw him play.

Congratulations to Patrick!

Growth of California NCAA DI lacrosse recruits over time

Has the number of California Boys NCAA DI recruits changed over time? How are our HS players perceived at the top levels of the College sport? Using the databases of Lax Power, I gathered the information needed to create a longitudinal picture. Here it is:

College                        % change
Academic       # of        from prior
Year         DI recruits        year
2007-8           20                -
2008-9           21              +5%
2009-10         24              +14%
2010-11         15              -37%
2011-12         20              +33%
2012-13         29              +45%
2013-14         40              +38%

California has had the 2nd highest number of Boys' Lacrosse teams of any State for the last several years, so one might expect that we could have the second highest number of DI recruits. That would be wrong – for several reasons. Those reasons include:
• Lacrosse is a relatively new sport in California,
• No NCAA DI programs exist in California
• Almost all DI coaches reside a continent away, making it hard to see our players
• Most California players have not had Fathers, Uncles, and cousins who introduced the game to our players

So, I think the best way to look at the stats is by growth rate of our State's DI recruits. While results wobble a little, it is clear that California DI recruits are  both growing, and growing faster than the number of NCAA DI programs is growing. So, our guys are gaining share of the overall number of recruited athletes.

This is a good sign!

N.B. I didn't tally the recruitment results for our guys who have been recruited to play NCAA Div II and DIII, but I'd guess the growth rates look similar.    

Jackson Teague commits to DI Mercer University

Jackson Teague, De La Salle's versatile A/M has recently committed to Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. I've long felt that he sees the field exceptionally well, moves well without the ball, and makes great assists. He is a very capable offensive player. Mercer is getting a good one. Congrats to Jackson!

Oakland Lacrosse Club

A well-organized Lacrosse Club has emerged to serve Oakland. The time is right, the people are right, and a little monetary assistance would go a long way to opening up this East Bay community to our sport.  Skyline Lacrosse Club has been very helpful to this effort, and those efforts have resulted in a new club and will produce new Boys and Girls NCJLA U13 teams this Spring. Here's the press release:

Introducing Oakland Lacrosse Club Registration Now Open

The burgeoning enthusiasm for and success of the lacrosse teams at Oakland Technical High School and Skyline High School spurred parent volunteers to form the Oakland Lacrosse Club during the summer of 2012. When the high school teams were initially established, they functioned as a special program of Skyline Lacrosse Club entitled Skyline Lacrosse HS. Under the umbrella of the Skyline Lacrosse Club the teams were able to grow and develop. Additional teams were added to accommodate student interest. As we contemplated future development of lacrosse in the Oakland public schools, the time was right to spin off from Skyline Lacrosse and establish a new club.
With the blessing and support of the Skyline Lacrosse Club, parent volunteers formed the Oakland Lacrosse Club; to this end bylaws were drafted, Articles of Incorporation were filed, a board of directors was elected, our membership in the Northern California Junior Lacrosse Association was approved and a website, Oaklandlacrosse.org, was established. The newly launched Oakland Lacrosse Club will support the high school teams and we have added a comprehensive middle school program. Our phenomenal new Oakland Tech JV Boys’ head coach, Kevin Kelley, with the army of volunteers he recruited has put lacrosse sticks in the hands of over 500 Oakland middle school students this fall! We are now well on our way to fielding U13 boys’ and girls’ teams in the 2013 spring season! Many of these new players will eventually attend Oakland Technical or Skyline High School. Experienced players will strengthen our high school teams.
Registration is now open for Oakland Tech boys’ and girls’ teams, Skyline High boys’ and girls’ teams and the new boys’ and girls’ Middle School (U13) teams. Click here to register Oaklandlacrosse.org
Do Not Delay. Teams may fill up. Registration closes November 25, 2012. Questions? Contact info@oaklandlacrosse.org 

Kevin Kelley

Kevin played NCAA DI Lacrosse at Providence, was the Head Coach at Piedmont High School, is a coach at UC Berkeley, and has been the Coach of the Oakland Tech Boys' Lacrosse team.

As with all new enterprises, funding is necessary. Fund raising is off to a very good start, but they still need a few more contributors.Here is an opportunity to put Oakland Lacrosse on a solid footing:
http://www.indiegogo.com/oaklandlacrosse

This is the infrastructure and leadership team that can pull this off! I've made a contribution and hope readers will consider doing the same.