MTSU Looking to join the SELC

[mtsulax]

We are looking at joining the SELC but I am facing som opposition from my coach. He doesn't see how we would benefit from being in the MCLA. I wondering if I could get some input as to how to persuade him? Thanks

[Beta]

We are looking at joining the SELC but I am facing som opposition from my coach. He doesn't see how we would benefit from being in the MCLA. I wondering if I could get some input as to how to persuade him? Thanks

Absolutely.

Joining a conference/division immediately adds (if nothing else) a common goal for the team (winning the conference). The structure/organization of joining the SELC will automatically add games and make the team abide by the rules and take the program more seriously.

You will surely lose people...but look at the recruiting aspect of playing for/in a structured organization/league. People on the fence b/w schools may choose MTSU over another because of the option to play lacrosse.

Also, it'll be easier to join sooner...rather than later...since the competition within the SELC is only growing and getting stronger.

[/brain-spill]

[Danny Hogan]

could you post your full schedule from this year please?

[Alex White]

As I recall, your coaches still play with you in games, as a MCLA team they would no longer be able to do that. There is also the travel considerations. If you join the SELC you would be playing a full schedule of games, with a good bit of traveling. Maybe your coaches aren't ready to commit to that much travel. Whatever their reasons are, keep in mind all of this should be for the students. I have known both of your coaches for a long time, and I don't think they would intentionally hold your team back for their own personal gain, but you should find out how serious a commitment they are willing to make.

[mtsulax]

Yea we played
Western Kentucky University (2)
UT Chattanooga
Vanderbilt
UT Knoxville

We had a round robin planned with Memphis, Rhodes University, and Christian Brothers University

I am a sophomore and I have a good base of guys on the team but last year alone we had 15 guys decide not to play for us because we aren't in a league. I really want to get in it. I think if we were we would get a lot more respect from incoming freshmen. I'm trying to let my coach let me take the reins as far as the organizationally stuff goes. I guess we are just in a catch 22 we have to have guys to get in a league but then again on the other hand we think we will get more commitment if we do get in the league

[LAXDawg14]

Best of luck to you

[Sonny]

Suggest you check out the New Start Up Guide for lacrosse clubs for tips and suggestions to improve your team's success on and off the field:
http://forums.collegelax.us/viewtopic.php?t=10451

[Danny Hogan]

Yea we played
Western Kentucky University (2)
UT Chattanooga
Vanderbilt
UT Knoxville

We had a round robin planned with Memphis, Rhodes University, and Christian Brothers University

I am a sophomore and I have a good base of guys on the team but last year alone we had 15 guys decide not to play for us because we aren't in a league. I really want to get in it. I think if we were we would get a lot more respect from incoming freshmen. I'm trying to let my coach let me take the reins as far as the organizationally stuff goes. I guess we are just in a catch 22 we have to have guys to get in a league but then again on the other hand we think we will get more commitment if we do get in the league

players need to handle the organizational stuff with a coach having general oversight over it.

you would have a lot more games and the result would count for something.

[NinerCoach]

I can tell you that it's worth it.

When I got to UNC Charlotte the team had alumni and ringers playing with us and we were good, damned good. But we never got to play games that meant anything. We made the choice to join a league, start enforcing rules and all the general organizational stuff that comes with legitimacy. And it hurt us in terms of talent. We were a VERY bad team for a few years, but you gain legitimate talent when you behave like a legitimate team.

It's been about 6 years since we committed to the straight and narrow and we just went to our second Tourney in a row.

I just basically wanted to say that you'll see a hit in talent and results at first and you might be put off and discouraged; Don't be. Persevere.

[mtsulax]

What was the first season after you joined the SELC. How did you deal with getting and keeping players

[Sonny]

You also should read the FAQ:
http://www.collegelax.us/faq.php

[NinerCoach]

What was the first season after you joined the SELC. How did you deal with getting and keeping players

As weird as it will sound...

We raised dues.

We'd been charging nearly nothing to play, but that led to a very small commitment in terms of what people had to invest to be a part of the team. My first year as a player it was only $20 or so, which isn't too hard to just walk away from if you get frustrated.

The first year we raised it to $100, the next it went up to $150 and after a few years there, this past season we raised it to $350. If someone ponies up a decent chunk of cash to be a part of something, they are going to at least TRY to stick through whatever comes up in order to get their money's worth. (We have a strict "No Refunds" policy for people that want to quit.)

Of course we also increased the value players got for that money. We got team gear (Shirts the first year, this past year was full sweats, dri-fit and a gear bag) and we got all new uniforms and helmets. That just helped us in terms of recruiting new players. We looked like a legitimate team, which helped pull in some players that might have dismissed us for being a "club sport."

Those are the keys in my mind.

-Charge an amount for dues that will be too hard for someone to simply give away.

-Give the players value for the dues so they are willing to pay up front.

-Make your team hold itself to Varsity standards in terms of rules adherence and how they present themselves to the school community so it's an organization people want to be a part of.

[gibertjs]

After playing in the FLL( Florida Lacrosse League) and winning back to back state championships, Eckerd decided to make the jump to the MCLA and in my opinion it was the absolute right thing to do for the program. As others stated it gives you a reason to play, because you are playing for divisional, conferance, and national championships.

Could you possibly state some of your coaches reasons for not wanting to join so we could answer his specific worries. The only worry our coach had when we joined was that we were going to get our butts kicked left and right, which thankfully didn't happen.

[mtsulax]

Well this past season we had at the end 15 players total. We have great coaches Our head coach is Paul Mosey he played JuCo In NY and Our defensive coach is Bill Ralph is Was a 2 year all-american at Maryland and a 2002 Hall of Fame inductee. We are also getting another coach who played a little club ball and just loves the game. They are all inthused about the team but they all look at the commitment that we recieve rigt now and tey don't tink that we will be able to have enough players to keep up with the bigger teams. But heres the Kicker MTSU has 27,000 students in Undergrad. At the beginning of the season We had 15 freshmen come out but alot of them left after they saw that we weren't an organized team.

[Beta]

Wouldn't MTSU have to join the A division since their football team is D1-A?