LaxTV Forums | A Forum About The MCLA

Random question... but didn't the Great Lakes Lacrosse League used to be part of the USLIA? Why are they seperate, especially with having so many schools in the Wisconsin area. Just curious really, they just seem pretty organized and you would think they would benefit from joining.

Dave

NKlaxguy wrote:...you would think they would benefit from joining.

Dave

There is a thread about the University of Wisconsin's reasoning for not joining the UMLL/USLIA. I believe the thread stems from their participation at the Hot Dish tourney during the fall. The long and short of it, if I remember correctly, is that they're a team that just wants to play the game and not get as competitive as USLIA teams currently are.

Other Wisconsin teams, like Milwaukee, are still aiming for USLIA membership eventually.

Correct me if I'm wrong on this post.

I'm not sure most of those GLLL teams would make good USL-MDIA teams. They're small, not a lot of resources, not very organized... it would be very tough for them to come in the UMLL and be competitive even at the Division B level.

Wisconsin, on the other hand, chooses to be in the GLLL because there is little regulation about who can play on your team (graduate school students, not full-time students, bums you find at the Wisconsin Dells and give a uniform). I do think Wisconsin could be very competitive in the UMLL if they joined, but it is asking them to give up a lot... so I'm not sure they would ever do it.

http://forums.uslia.com/viewtopic.php?t=2650

http://forums.uslia.com/viewtopic.php?t=2710

Read these, it will ansewer your questions, it even has comments from WI players.

Not that I have a stand either way whether Madison goes UMLL or not, but one thing that I consider important that a lot of people leave out is that Hal runs/owns the GLLL (and coaches Madison). If you coached a team and ran a league why ever would you try to convince them to join another league? That's like Walmart encouraging their employees to start a union! K, that's a bad analogy...

Dylan Dickey wrote:Not that I have a stand either way whether Madison goes UMLL or not, but one thing that I consider important that a lot of people leave out is that Hal runs/owns the GLLL (and coaches Madison). If you coached a team and ran a league why ever would you try to convince them to join another league? That's like Walmart encouraging their employees to start a union! K, that's a bad analogy...

Maybe because Hal doesn't "own" U. of Wisconsin Lacrosse.

Harsh feelings Sonny?

jayp4757 wrote:Harsh feelings Sonny?

Nope. Just a observation after being involved with collegiate club lacrosse for a long time. One person isn't bigger then the entire program.

Actually, Hal behaves like a supreme dictator. For a long time he has used his stature to pull strings in the GLLL and at the WI high school level. If something doesn't sit right with him you can bet that changes are made, especially in a system that has few, if any checks and balances.

Personally, I like Hal, but any laxer from the Madison area can attest that he runs "the show."

There have been quite a few feuds around the Madison area regarding UW's lack of participation in a competitive league. Last year it ended with our coach being forced to resign as president of the Wisconsin Lacrosse League.

The reasoning behind UW's decision to remain in the league they're in, from everything I've heard, is rather ridiculous. Hal's argument is that every year they take a vote on whether or not to join a competitive league, and every year the vote comes back favoring remaining where they are. Sounds fair, right?

The team is composed largely of graduate students who fulfilled their four years of eligibility elsewhere, including DI-DIII schools. If the team joined a competitive league, these guys would be left off the team because they wouldn't be eligible to play. This is why Madison remains where they are, beating the pulp out of nearly everyone they play.

Again, as Mike mentioned, I like Hal on a personal level, and respect what he's trying to do, but believe that it has certainly hurt the growth of lacrosse in the area.

KevinBice wrote:The team is composed largely of graduate students who fulfilled their four years of eligibility elsewhere, including DI-DIII schools. If the team joined a competitive league, these guys would be left off the team because they wouldn't be eligible to play. This is why Madison remains where they are, beating the pulp out of nearly everyone they play.

Some people prefer to be the big fish in a small pond.

But on the flip side, a lot of the other teams in the GLLC are not ready organizationally or competitively for the USLIA. The GLLC gives them an opportunity to compete with teams that are, for the most part, in similar situations.

If teams are unhappy with the GLLC, they'll work to gain acceptance into the UMLL/CCLA. Remember though, that some USLIA teams have been unhappy with what we do and have joined the GLLC.

We're all proud of what we do and believe in our mission but the MDIA is only one of a number of collegiate lacrosse organizations. We fill a need in collegiate lacrosse - we aren't the best, we aren't the worst - we're not for everyone.

On another tack, I reffed a game between Northern Michigan (Marquette, MI) and Grand Valley State this weekend in Grand Rapids. I understand that NMU wanted to join the CCLA last year, but the travel for most teams was excessive. Given that they are probably closer to the UMLL, have they ever asked the UMLL about joining?
BTW, they have a very good team, and would be a contender for the B division most likely.

Northern Michigan has been in contact with us but to date has not made a presentation for membership at our Spring meeting.

This year we are meeting following the UMLL semi-final games on April 29th at the National Sports Center in Blaine.

Bert, if you want to pass this info along, we can add them to the agenda.

NMU has been in touch with me about possibly presenting at this Spring's meeting.

They are deciding if they want to send someone as our meeting conflicts with the GLLL playoffs.

Univ of No.Dakota is working with Jon Carlson (in his capacity as "B" player rep) to present an application for B division membership.

Rob