Part 3 of an off-season series. Part 1: is high school talent down? Part 2: can the game grow too fast?
I think by now, we’ve established that, if there’s not less talent overall at the high school level in the State of Michigan, it’s at least a bit diluted, which has, in part, led to some decrease in overall team quality. With the same number of talented players, but more schools to share the wealth, there are fewer really good teams, allowing someone like Brother Rice to dominate in-state competition, despite some struggles out of state.
However, talent level aside (because Brother Rice is going to consistently have some of the best talent in the state, no matter what), are there some systemic factors, particularly in the rules of the Michigan High School Athletic Association, that are preventing teams from taking the next step to greatness? I’ve argued before, from a football perspective at least, that this is the case. In lacrosse, the problems are at least as bad, and I’d argue that the relative youth and exposure of the sport, the same rules create even worse problems.
A few of the MHSAA rules that are really restricting the growth of the game, and the improvement necessary at the high school level:
- The 300 mile rule. When I wrote about this for football, it was along the lines of “gee, wouldn’t it be cool if a team from Michigan could play a team from Florida?” For lacrosse, however, it’s not so much a “wouldn’t this be cool” question, but one of whether good teams are allowed the opportunity to test themselves against good competition. Unlike football, lacrosse is not a national sport at this point. Preventing a team like Brother Rice from being tested against anyone except teams from Ohio and Ontario (and Indiana) is limiting them. If there’s a better standard to strive for – i.e. the opportunity to beat a team from Baltimore or Long Island – it can help grow the game, and raise the overall level of play. Of course, Rice hasn’t been able to beat the best from Ohio lately, either.
- Offseason practice. Lacrosse is an inherently skill-based game. Whereas football players can only develop so much skill in offseason workouts (it’s more about developing physically), the main gap between lacrosse in the Midwest and on the East Coast is that East Coasters grow up with a lacrosse stick in their hands, and practice with it practically year-round their entire lives. Although club lacrosse during various seasons can help fill the void in Michigan, creating a system that serves only to force teams to find various (completely legal) ways to skirt the letter of the law while laughing in the face of the spirit of it – well, that speaks for itself.
- All-Star participation. This is perhaps the most frustrating rule, because while the others seem to serve legitimate purposes (more on that in a moment), there doesn’t seem to be a benefit – certainly not one that even approaches matching the cost – of this rule. Players who participate in all-star events in their high school sport, under MHSAA rule, forfeit their eligibility. For example, a football player who participates in the Army All-American Game can no longer participate in a spring sport under the jurisdiction of the MHSAA. In lacrosse, this means that junior all-star showcases are off-limits, as are rising senior events, etc. etc. For a growing sport in a non-hotbed state, that limits the exposure for Michigan players on the national level, reducing college opportunities, and serving… exactly no purpose.
As I mentioned above, there are some valid explanations behind 300 mile rule and offseason participation limits. Without those rules, the sport can become a serious burden to high schoolers, as traveling a long distance to participate, or being forced by a coach to participate in the offseason can put stresses on a young player. However, high school sports also happen to be voluntary. If a player doesn’t wish to participate (in a particular event or the sport writ large), that’s their choice.
The Great Divide
Lately, there has been more discussion of why public and private schools participate in the same divisions in State Playoffs (and other competition). It certainly doesn’t seem like any sort of magic bullet – and as far as I can tell, only a few states have separate divisions for public and private schools – but in a sport where there seems to be a big divide between the public and private schools (for various reasons, both obvious and not-so-obvious), maybe it would help spur growth at schools that are not traditional powers.
Certainly, if the MHSAA isn’t willing to let the cream of the crop do what it takes to perform at the highest level – and give their players more college opportunities – it’s something to keep in mind.