Our Philosophy - Club Teams
Maryland Lacrosse Club (MLC) has been a part of the Baltimore youth lacrosse scene since the 1990s. Our program focuses on the development of the whole player--meaning we emphasize the importance of teamwork and character just as much as we develop individual skills and team strategy. We believe that athletics--and lacrosse in particular--can teach boys a variety of valuable lessons about teamwork, resilience, and dedication (among other things), and in our view those lessons are best taught by expressly discussing and emphasizing them as part of practice. We hope that your son's experience on the lacrosse field will complement the character development lessons he receives in the classroom and at home.
In making decisions for our Club teams (for the 2025 season, only the 2033 team), we are guided by several principles. These principles are similar to those for our rec program, but they reflect the greater level of commitment and competitiveness that we expect from players on our club teams.
Kids should play multiple sports. MLC encourages our players to participate in other sports in the fall, winter, and summer seasons. We do not believe that single-sport specialization is beneficial or appropriate for young athletes. From a lacrosse perspective, we believe participation in other activities is important for fostering creativity on the field and protecting against over-use injuries and burn-out.
Practice should be meaningful. Practices should develop players’ skills and game awareness and keep players moving rather than waiting in line. We expect players to attend a substantial majority of practices and to prioritize participation on the team in the spring season. We recognize that competing family, personal, and work obligations may necessitate occasional absences. Regular attendance, however, allows your child to develop their lacrosse skills, learn our team’s offensive and defensive strategies, and build chemistry with teammates. While we also offer out-of-season activities in the summer, fall, and winter, those activities are purely optional (and we hope your child will prioritize their in-season sports during those times).
Players should have the opportunity to compete. Young players cannot improve sitting on the sideline. Accordingly, all team members will get a meaningful opportunity to play in games (roughly, a third of the game time), but playing time will not necessarily be equal for all players. Additionally, coaches will consider the competitiveness of a particular game, practice attendance, and familiarity with team offensive and defensive schemes in determining lineups.
Youth sports should be fun. While sports offer a variety of educational and character-building benefits, the reason that sports are a great vehicle for those messages is that they are and should be enjoyable. We aspire to develop a love for the game in our players that will fuel their participation in the sport for years to come.
More is not always better. While we offer a high quality lacrosse experience with excellent coaching, we believe in providing time for players to enjoy being children away from the lacrosse field. We do not compete in off-season leagues so players may participate in other sports and activities. Our in-season schedule includes several off days per week to allow for rest, to lower the chance of burn-out, and to avoid overburdening families.
At-home work is important. While our official practices (where we teach skills and strategy) are limited, we do strongly encourage players to practice their skills at home. An additional 30-50 minutes/week will help your player’s skills improve dramatically. This can be done in small chunks alone, but it is also a great opportunity for you to spend some time with your child (and—honestly—no lacrosse experience or skill is necessary to help them improve!). Please check back for our forthcoming Skills Development Page for more information and ideas.
High Quality Coaching. We select coaches who will create a positive and supportive atmosphere to help our young players build confidence. Our club coaches all have significant coaching experience (and, in many cases, are also current or former teachers/educators).
Participation should be affordable. While there are many financial costs associated with running our program, we strive to keep costs low and pass those savings on to MLC families. MLC is a non-profit entity, and there is no for-profit venture associated with our program (unlike some other youth sports organizations). All of our coaches are unpaid volunteers.