All-Star Voting in the PNCLL

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

Due to changes with our website and the new www.uslmdia.org website. . .we have been forced to change the method by which we vote on all-stars in this league.

Here is the system that has been decided upon.

It will be up to each coach to nominate 3-6 of his own players for all-star consideration. We will want the players to be listed and numbered in the order which the coach feels best represents their all-star worthiness. We expect the coaches to nominate worthy candidates, and the number, ranging between 3 and 6, is at the discretion of the individual coach.

This does not limit a team to only 6 all-stars. . .but a coach will only be allowed to put up to 6 names on his nomination list. Obviously, if a coach puts a player on their first-team all-league ballot, but his own coach does not put him on the list (for whatever reason), the player will still be given all-league consideration.

Secondly, each coach will be required to submit a "first team all-league" roster that DOES NOT include any of his own players. The first team will be listed in the following manner: 3 attack, 4 midfield, one FOGO, one LSM, 3 defense and one goalie.

The executive board will collectively take all of this information into consideration and compile the all-league roster as we've done in year's past.

We think this format will best enable us, as a conference, to recognize the most deserving players for all-league consideration.

[woulax23]

I like it. With the system from last season it felt like teams with more games scheduled could have an advantage as their "all-stars" would naturally be able to recieve more votes. So even if a school had mikey powell on their team and he got a vote in each of his team's eight or nine games, he would get beaten out by prhaps a less talented player who recieved a vote in each of his team's sixteen games. If i am wrong about how that worked last season than disregard this post. either way i still like this way a lot. it allows for entire league input, and not just oponents, and for coach input. kudos to whomever came up with this system.

[Linfield]

Is there a time line for this, or will we be submitting them at the end of the regular season?

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

We will request them within a few days after every team completes their final regular season league game. There will be a timeline, but it won't be a long one. We'll need quick compliance from the coaches so we can compile all of the data, and set up a conference call for the seven executive board members to put the teams together for the A and B division -- and obviously we'll have a short amount of time to do this before the teams are announced during our Final Four weekend in Eugene.

[Hi-Line Lax]

Will there be an All-Star game this year? If not, we would still love to host a PNCLL All-Star thing in Missoula after the season is over...if people are interested.

[Dan Wishengrad]

While almost everyone would love for us to hold a true All-Star exhibition, I'm sorry to say I think playing the game is no longer a viable option. If you schedule it during the "Final Four" (actually final eight) post-season tournament, you lose participation of all the players from those eight playoff teams. If you hold it after the MDIA national tournament in Dallas, you lose many players to graduation, summer travel, etc. There just isn't, logistically, a way to truly showcase the PNCLL's best anymore. The folks who conduct the Washington High School Championships at Qwest Field aren't interested in having us play there -- that event is about selling tickets and putting fannies in the seats. Playing a MLL game does that, a PNCLL All-Star game does not.

I don't know of any MDIA conference who holds an All-Star game any more. I have fond memories of WCLL and PNCLL All-Star games I witnessed in the past, highlighted by last game held at Qwest (then still called Seahawks Stadium). But these will have to remain just memories, I'm afraid.

[Bronco1]

The RMLC still has an "All-Star" game that is played the morning of the last day of playoffs. Yes, the teams that are competing for the conference championships are absent from the "All-Star" game, but it still allows the other teams to send their best to play with the best of the rest. The teams are seperated into "West" and "East" with division A and B players on the same teams. It works. It's fun for those involved, and it gives those guys who are on the teams that didn't make the conference finals one more game. My guess is that the players on the teams that are playing for the conference championship that would be playing in a "All-Star" game don't care about an "All-Star" game as they are usually recognized with "All-Conference Player" awards anyways.

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

I have always been very fond of the All-Star games we've had in years past, and personally I'm not opposed to suggestions for future all-star exhibitions. . .

There was talk last year of sending a PNCLL All-Star team to the Victoria tournament, but when it folded so did that idea. . .

I love the invitiation that Montana has made, but like Mr. Wishengrad I don't see it happening from a schedule perspective.

Could we see a return of an all-star game to the Finals weekend? Maybe. If players feel strongly about it, I think it would be a great discussion to have at the next League AGM.

The main problem we've had with a game during Finals weekend is that typically the best players in the league are in the Final game. . .and so you've got 10-12 of the best A division players and 10-12 of the best B division players unable to participate, which often leaves a serious void in the talent department. Last year you would have played the All-Star game with no Oregon, Simon Fraser, PLU or Montana players - that represented a large percentage of the best this league has to offer. . .

Just some food for thought. . .

[muchachojones]

I think it would be a good idea. Even though, as Jason pointed out, there would be a lot of talent missing, there is still a ton of talent in the league that would make for a great game.

[Jolly Roger]

Host it as the close to fall season (maybe the weekend prior to Thanksgiving). Rosters made up of "preseason all conference/all-star/player to watch" categories.

[Dan Wishengrad]

Well, Jolly Roger, that would be one way to guarantee the most miserable weather we could possibly get up here in the Northwest!

But perhaps we should return to the idea of putting together an All-Star team to play in a different event in late spring or early summer -- like that Victoria tourney. The team could be comprised of the 1st team A & B All-Conference selections. After asking each player to RSVP, the coaches could invite other All-Stars who didn't get picked 1st team to play in place of any player who couldn't make the event. Let this team play multiple games at a tourney, maybe even with a day of practice beforehand, and it might really be a fun time for all.

[Jolly Roger]

Well, Jolly Roger, that would be one way to guarantee the most miserable weather we could possibly get up here in the Northwest!

Certainly would be in that marvelous facility at UW

[Kyle Berggren]

As far as the Victoria Tournament goes, especially in accordance with the All-Star team, if there's enough interest I can start working a few things out with my business partner, and between himself & I, we maybe able to co-sponsor a team of current PNCLL All-Stars, and maybe a Past All-Stars team as well. We'll have to kick the idea around a bit and play with the numbers. Right now our business (Sound Lacrosse) isn't really set up to make a ton of money, but we may be able to find a way to cover the cost. If people are interested in it, shoot me an email, we'll see what type of team that could create, but keep in mind, we wouldn't pay your way for fun, we'd subsidize it & hopefully cover the cost of the jerseys, balls, etc.

[Hi-Line Lax]

The Vail tournament might also be a possibility, although probably not for this year. There is also a tournament in McCall, ID in August that I have gone to the past two summers. I know Blake, Cody, and a few of the Albertson guys were there this past summer and the teams are made up of high school through adults (including at least one adult that I don't even want to speculate on age). It's a much more relaxed environment, but there are good teams there and it's a lot of fun. Also, just to expand on our offer to host an All-Star game...even if we can't get an "official league All-Star Game" this year, Montana would still like to host a game of whoever is interested.

[Linfield]

All-Star games are always a great show of talent, and certainly make for some new rivalries. However, I think entering our All-Stars as a tournament team is a great tool for promoting all of the teams in our conference. Oregon is still a few years behind Washington in the development of the sport, but I am amazed at how many High School coaches are unaware that there are no men's varsity teams at the college level in the NW. I am also amazed at how many high school players are completely unaware of how many "small" colleges in the NW have teams. The more we can promote the strength of the conference, the better lax in the NW will be.