The 10 All-America selections from Section 1 (including four honorable mentions) were announced at the all-section dinner tonight at the Casa Mia Manor House in Blauvelt. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to tape Nyack coach Al Pesner as he offered his commentary on each player. This list will have to suffice.
All-America:
Hannah Frey, Nanuet
Melissa Gonzalez, Lakeland/Panas
Kaitlyn O’Sullivan, Yorktown
Chelsea Robinson, Lakeland/Panas
Jessi Steinberg, Suffern
Amy Voelkel, Lakeland/Panas
Honorable mention:
Julia Braun, North Rockland
Sam Fontanella, Suffern
Courtney Miller, Horace Greeley
Ali Steinberg, Suffern
49 Comments
My thoughts on all American selection: Where are the rules to follow the standard of selection?i.e. A player who gets a red card is ineligable for all american honors. We need to have a more involved process for theses selections other than a handful of coaches who trade favors. Let’s all be involved in the process. These few spots are very important to those players who are comitted to the game of lacrosse and want to play in college. Why should the seletcion of honors go to the whim of coaches who owe each other favors. It seems very random and unjust.
There are alot of deserving players who get overlooked for one teams glory. This year especially was arbitrary. We are looking at all american honors for girls that don’t even want to play in college but were named all americans because of the hope that they would become triple state champions. Not a good thing. Let’s look at players who stand out on their own, teams aside. They are just great athletes who can’t help what league they are put in but still perform at an above level standard. Let’s all get involved for our children’s sake and give a message to our coaches: Be involved, show up for meetings and voice your oppinions. I do not mean to diss any players who were honored but I believe that the process of selection should be more fair.
Well stated Angelika. Section 1/Hudson Valley lacrosse will not consistantly grow State champions and Empire winners until the politics and favoritism is put aside and players from all schools, regardless of size or location within the Section, are given the chance to compete and be recognized fairly.
How about turning the tables…coaches who get a red card can’t have a say in the AA selection process. That might have produced VERY different results this year!
It seems very illogical to give girls who don’t intend on playing the sport in college All American honors. Is it because they received no recognition in the sports they do intend on playing ? The award should go to the girls who have a passion for the sport rather than be a throw away award for a sport that only kept them in shape for the sport they really like. Lacrosse awards should honor the sport and the recipient.
Do you have any info on the empire roster yet? Also who made all state? I disagree with the reasoning behind choosing all american regardless of whether they intend to play that sport in college if they deserve the award they should be recognized. That being said I have a hard time believing that other girls weren’t more deserving including members of their own team.
All American honors should go to the best players. If you want sportsmanship to play a roll in the decision process that’s fine, but whether or not someone plans to play in college is irrelevant. Besides, kids change their minds about that all the time.
I’ve been watching girls lacrosse grow over the past ten years. The game is growing and becoming more competitive.
In five years you won’t have power leagues. The “athletes”
make the game exciting. As parents we have to thank the “Coaches” for bringing the level of play to where it is and also to where it is going. It’s great to see more competitive teams. Congrat’s to all Section One Girl Lacrosse players, it was a great year.
Mike lacrosse is getting more competitive and you daughters are great players but would she be an all american if she played for the district she lives in PV
I’m not sure if that would be possible, I really don’t know the system. It’s great to be able to compete on the high school level. My oldest daughter was a club Gymnast and her best times were competing for her high school. But, in today’s athletic circle you have to do more then High School. High School is one avenue to get better. The High School athlete today boy or girl has to do more. There are club sports that offer other opportunities. If the goal of an athlete is to go to the next level, club sports are the other avenue. The opportunities to make other teams are out there. My youngest daughter took a risk and tried out for the USA U-19 Team. The process allows anyone to try and be selected. It doesn’t matter where your located. There are great opportunities to be seen by College Coaches. Women’s lacrosse is booming and more and more Colleges are picking up the sport because of Title IX. If you want to go to the next level there are alot of opportunties. Section one Lacrosse is on the verge to really compete, in a couple a of years with Long Island. The Coaches are the lightning rod for this. It’s great to see three Section one schools in the State’s.
You don’t just try out for the U19 team…it is part of another politically loaded tryout- The National school girl tournament. Those tryouts are in April, on a Saturday in season, in upstate NY. The evalutors are high school coaches,in some instances club team coaches, and there is alot of “taking care of one’s own”. The rules clearly state no ribbons, school colors or identifying clothing- yet every year certain high school players show up fully dressed and well labeled. Most girls in our Section wouldn’t know about this try out unless their coach was well connected and may not be able to partake-it does take place in late April and many teams had league games scheduled. One way to allow everyone info about these “opportunities” would be to post it on the Hudson Valley website. You are correct, the sport is booming, but it will not really catch on until all teams and players are allowed fair access to learning, playing and award opportunities.
well said luvwatchinlax. Mike how long have you been coaching (25+ years)you of all people know the system. Obviously you knew the answer about playing where you live or she would be at PV I can’t blame you to give your children every opportunity to succeed and she is a great player and has been exposed to every advantage. I believe the L/P coach is involved with US lax, futures and empire state games etc right? My point is that there are girls that deserve awards and are great players but because they don’t have the opportunity to choose where and who they play for they aren’t recognized. Goes back to just because your on a good team doesn’t make you a great player and the awards (I hate to say) are at the whim of coaches.
Its not like some players don’t persevere and succeed, and are even recruited D1, it’s just that it is so sad when the agendas of a few are so blatantly exposed. But beyond that, EVERY All Section Senior at the Section dinner who is going off to play at college, be it D1,D2 or D3 deserved to be recognized. Couldn’t the Section chairs have done a bit of homework and at least added an “Honor Roll” to those fancy programs? I believe alot of the frustration felt each year is because of this type of “oversight”. Too many players go home feeling dissed with just a few, who (surprise!) mostly draw from two or three HS teams or one local club team, go home elated.
Checked the Metro Club Lax site; 8, yes 8, players made it to the NCAA D1 Final Four. Takes time and travel but that’s how you get it done.
Everyone can allege politics and influence, but the fact is that the 10 girls who received AA honors are absolutely 10 of the best players in Section 1. If you asked every coach and every player in the Section to make a list of the top 15 or 20 kids, these ten would be on every single one of those lists. So, congrats to these fabulous players and kudos to the coaches who made the selections.
GirlsLaxFan what flavor was the kool aid you drank? their were girls on their own team who were overlooked. To Quote Mike Robinson on his own child if playing for another school if she would have made AA and I believe she deserved it. He stated “I’m not sure that it would be possible” How is that not influence? if she deserves AA no matter where she played according to you she would have gotten it. One of the 10 didn’t stand out on her own team.
laxd,
Different opinions are what make blogs successful (and fun)and I respect yours. But I have seen all ten of these girls play on numerous occasions and I stand by what i wrote. I believe they are definitely 10 of the best players in the Section. Is the selection process perfect? Of course not…there is no such thing as perfection when it comes to something as subjective as athletic ability and skill.
Harold,
Do you have the Empire roster yet?
They may be (arguably) some of the best in the section but were talking not about the section or even the state but all american and thats a big difference and if they didn’t play for who they did they may not even have made all-section and I believe their were better players on their own team that were overlooked
GIrlslaxfan,
I talked to Empires coach John Callanan tonight, he said he would have the final list (with alternates) tomorrow.
also, how many are juniors? 4? Were they all freshman phenoms? All section,etc freshman year on? Several seniors with impressive accomplishments(Empires, National team participation,)from several schools were overlooked. How does a senior 4 year varsity starter, 3 yr all league all section, 2 year journal news first team, empire member, 2 yr capt,2 year top 5 scorer, 3 sport athlete get “overlooked”? Call it what you want but I am tired of making excuses and telling this player to rise above it…
I have seen Chelsea play many games and she is MORE than deserving of All-American honors, but if she played at Putnam Valley, she would not have recievd the exposure she truly deserves. No offense to the Putnam Valley program, but this girl has worked her tail off in the last three or four years to get where she is. She has worked with her dad, her sister who was a good lax player in her day and coahc Sarsen, eho is one of the finer coaches in the nation. Put Valley could not provide her with the consistent coaching or the exposure that has gottener to where she is today. It’s not political, it’s a situation where an opportunity to be in the best program has been presented and she took advantage of that opportunity and good for her and her dad for making that decision. She may have been AA at PV, but L/P has been the doorway for other prestigious opportunites to be presented and Coach Saren has been able to fin tune her skills much better than PV would have been able to.
Pardon my typos. It’s late. I think y’all get my point though.
I certainly hope the teenaged girls in question have better things to do than keep up with this blog so they don’t have to see themselves dissected by you people. You think this kind of blogging is ‘fun?’
Congratulations to all the players in Section I! I hope they keep playing hard for love of the game, rather than to garner awards for their parents. Nasty politics only trickle down to our kids when parents continually point it out to them. Is this the right forum for what we all hope to accomplish for the sport?
The blogs should not use names or be used to put down individual players . The accomplishments of those players honored are genuine and deserved. The blog IS a good forum for information distribution in a Section/US lacrosse chapter that is lacking such. The sport is growing so fast yet many players have to look to NJ or CT for club teams; info on local camps, clinics and tryouts is hard to find. By not having info easily available only those “in the know” have players participating and the impression of favoritism arises. More girls want to participate- enable them and the level of playing will only get better!
I don’t understand some of these entrees. There’s a girl who lives in PV who play on Lakeland ?? There were many blog entrees prior pointing out that Lakeland takes the “cream of the crop” from 2 schools and combines them into one team. Does this mean they actually take the “cream of the crop” from 3 schools ?
If you read more carefully I never put the girl down I agree and stated many times that she is a great player and deserved her honors My Point was that if she didn’t play for that program she would not have gotten the same opportunities or recognition and its time to even up the playing field for all section 1 players
Let’s face it, some coaches are more committed than others. Go to the Brewster winter league games and you will see some of these coaches, spending their Sunday afternoons coaching their teams. That sort of commitment, over a long period of time, pays dividends. Success breeds success.
In particular, I think achieving AA status requires effort by a girl’s HS coach. Instead complaining about how some girls are unfairly advantaged because they play in a program with a coach that makes that effort, I think concerned parents should be taking their beef to their school’s AD.
Also, and this is not to denigrate the girls that got AA awards, all of whom are excellent players, getting AA is not determinative for college recruiting.
As to the politics in the ESG try out process, all I can say is that I know at least one girl that does not play in a prominent Section 1 program and has no “connections” to the ESG coaches, showed up for the 2 tryouts and made the team.
Laxman,
It is correct that achieving AA status requires effort from a HS coach. In fact, pre-nomination forms need to be submitted to US Lacrosse by April dealines, and the submitting coach needs to be a US Lacrosse HS Coaches Council Member prior to April 1st. You can find the exact selection criteria here:
http://www.uslacrosse.org/womens_div/hsaa_selectionprocess.phtml
It really does take some effort on the part of the coach to fill out all these forms, and player cannot be selected for All American if these forms are not submitted by the deadline.
First of all…Chelsea Robinson is the best player I saw all year in Section 1. She makes all her teammates better. She plays a complete game. She would make AA no matter where she played. There are some other players that made AA that may not have made it in lesser programs. They are good players playing with other good players. When there are only one or two good players on a team…they get face guarded and doubled constantly, and it is that much more difficult to put up AA type numbers. It’s harder to do this against a talented team because there are 3-4 other kids sure to burn you. Secondly, a case can certainly be made for several players who did not make AA. It’s better to do this than try to discredit anybody who did. I have heard through the grapevine that at least two coaches who had deserving players never got the paperwork in on time. Say what you want about the nepotism and influence used by certain coaches in the selection process, but I would rather have a coach go to bat too much for a kid than too little any day of the week. And lastly, Section 1 only gets 6 slots because quite frankly we are NOT that strong in lacrosse. We may send a team up to Cortland in any given year that will beat a team from say Long Island, but the competition is better on the Island and will be for a long time. Drive through Garden City or Massapequa or Manhassat or anywhere else in LI on a Saturday or Sunday morning and every field is occupied by both young boys and girls playing lax. Our good players may be as good as theirs but they just have lots more of them. Hence they get more slots for AA. Some of the girls playing regulary in the lesser Section 1 programs would never see JV playing time on most LI teams. AND the Syracuse area is even better than LI!It’s going to take awhile before Section 1 catches up to these areas, but then and only then will more of our kids get AA honors.
Response to Section 1 all the way..Silly comment. If you are the better player you should receive AA plain and simple.You could be AA in possibly three sports and obviously you can’t play three sports in college. Face the facts, some athletes are just incredibly talented. If you are the best in your sport you deserve the accolades. If you play one sport or five sports and you are the best at all of them, then you deserve the recognition. You do not deserve AA just because you want to go play that sport in college…..
Just because a coach has families and can’t give up their Sunday’s etc shouldn’t mean that the athletes from their programs are not given the credit they deserve. THE AWARDS and RECOGNITIONS are suppose for the girls who deserve it not just the ones whose coaches are involved but the individual athletes merit
You are just not being realistic, PVparent. I don’t care what you are talking about-
teaching, business, coaching-some people work harder than others and usually harder working people are more successful. Part of putting together a successful high school sports program is seeing that your kids win awards. Part of the job.Some coaches go the extra mile for the kids in their program, giving up their Sunday’s to coach, staying late at the office to get in that AA paperwork on time, devoting the extra time necessary to be involved in the administration of their sport. And some coaches just mail it in.
It is not suprising that kids playing for hard working, well organized coaches receive more recognition. Maybe that’s not right, but the answer is not to cry foul and criticize the coaches that go that extra mile. Rather the answer is to find out why the coach at your school is being out worked by others. (BTW, please don’t take my comments as a rap on any particular coach or school. I have no one specific in mind)
Unrealistic to believe that an award should go to the most deserving players based on their work and achievment NOT THE COACHES shame on me. And I try not to sugar coat it to kids, you don’t always get what you deserved because politics get in the way and as someone wrote earlier to rise above it and play your best anyway. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS OVER AND OVER WE DON’T HAVE TO SAY ITS RIGHT AND CONDONE IT. especially when children are involved
you all make valid points. Believe me the girls that play and are serious about playing in college know their place and do not need their parents to point out the obvious, They look for the acknowlegdement and the honors that should be coming their way. We the parents and the athletes put in the time and enthusiasm and it would be nice to be recognized. How is it fair that a player gets honorable mention when she is clearly a standout player even if her team didn’t make it to states. 4 years on varsity and travel teams and the coaches always told her how good she is. And as her mother I do know how good she is and yet the coaches get to decide who is deserving and then tell her how big of an honor it is to get honorable mention AA. Give me a break. She didn’t get a red card she did everything possible to play the game and win and yet here we are honorable mention. It is unfair.She is a senior and should have been recognized as the talented player she is and will be. Juniors still have another year to get recognized. And I would like to challenge the oppinions of the coaches who voted, and say that she could run circles around at least 3 players who were voted above her. Julia Braun is one talented player and should have been voted AA. Coaches you seriously messed up. And with that said it is important no matter what you think. Going into D1 that kind of recognition does carry importance.
First, I don’t think anyone should be playing a sport for individual awards. First, they should be having fun and second, they should be playing for the team. I think these awards mean more to the parents than the kids.
And anyway, AA is not important for college recruiting. There are an incredible number of AA awards given out every year. They don’t mean that much. Several college coaches have told me that they don’t pay any attention to the “all-something” awards.
What do they pay attention to? Game tape, attendance at recruiting tournaments and camps. They make their own decisions on talent and don’t rely on lists published in a local newspaper. I think everyone of the girls on the AA lists played National Tournament and will play ESG. Coaches were there and will be there to evaluate and recruit. Any girl that is good enough to run rings around this year’s AA winners will stand out and have no problem finding a good college program.
We could get into a friendly debate over the most successful player to come out of the HV area in the last 3-4 years, but a good case could be made for Morgan Lathrop, the goalie for two time NCAA DI champion Northwestern. She wasn’t AA and she’s making her second visit to the White House next week.
Look, I know from personal experience that if a kid is really athletic and can play, the college coaches find them. And they could care less about AA or any other “all-something” award.
Don’t kid yourself the girls look forward to these awards and are hurt when they don’t get the recognition they deserve. The parents are hurt for them, to say it doesn’t matter is ludicris. Of course some kids succeed in college and elsewhere inspite of the politics or perhaps they came into their own later. Colleges do indeed look at these awards and the awards may bring the attention to the athlete, granted a good coache will further evaluate the individual. The awards may also build a athlete in confidence on and off the field.
Laxd—which college coaches have told you they take AA awards seriously?
Over the past few weeks people on this site have called the selection process “random”, “unjust”, “arbitrary”, “corrupt”, etc, etc, comments I think you agree with. And you think these views are limited to Section 1? WRONG. Read the lacrosse forums from other parts of the state and the country. People everywhere have the same complaints.
Why would college coaches pay any attention to awards given pursuant to a flawed process? The answer is they don’t. The UVa coach tells recruits not to bother telling her about individual honors, that she just wants to hear about how the TEAM is doing.
As far as I’m concerned the ONLY thing that matters is winning championships, whether they are league, section or state.
Is AA a nice honor? Sure. Is it outcome determative for college recruing. Not even close.
I’m tired of people saying it doesn’t matter…IT MATTERS or there wouldn’t be such heated debate. I can only speak for my player and can tell you she is hurt as Angelika says her player is. She has been recognized frequently for her achievements but this was “the gold ring” so to speak and she quietly hoped to be recognized. In our house we believed that AA was an accolade bestowed on players who have proven their lacrosse skills to be strong and their sportsmanship, leadership and athleticism admirable throughout a high school lacrosse career. It was the final leveler that said it didn’t matter what League your team played in or which club team you played for – you were one of the best. Pretty naïve, huh? This is actually the first time in 4 years I have heard such an open exchange and hope it will bring some change. Players on BOTH sides of the bridge (especially C league teams!) deserve a fair shake!
Well, it seems to me the only people that seem to be over heated are the parents of the disappointed players.
It is naive to put so much weight on a single award that a player isn’t even eligible for if her HS coach doesn’t fill out a form in April.
Kudos to the coaches that do fill out the forms and lobby for their players and congrats to the girls that got it, fine players all, but winning AA under the present system is like getting your name in a Who’s Who volume. All you have to do is buy the book!
It counts for zero in college recruiting.
I’d just like to say that Juniors may have another year to get recognized, but many of them deserve AA just as much as the Seniors. You can’t take their award away just because they are a Junior -they’re just as talented, if not more. And yes, mothers do think their daughters are great, but honestly moms aren’t the judge (I’m sorry).
And Anjelika- I’d really like to know what 3 players your daughter would “run circles around” because every girl on AA is where she should be and every girl on AA Honorable Mention is where she should be. So please, stop glorifying your DAUGHTER and start respecting other people’s daughters. Honorable mention is just as great of an award – many coaches see them the same.
Everyone needs to start celebrating the awards of their daughters (be happy!) and stop criticizing coaches and other people.
My intentions actually were to get a dialogue about this issue with all of us parents who see their daughters as I see mine. I will not mention names other than my daughter’s since everyone knows who we are by my name appearing up there.First I would like to say that I think that my daughter was feeling a bit overlooked as she has most of her highschool career. Believe me we have had many conversations and she felt as I do that if you don’t speak up and if you don’t want to be in everybodies face you will be overlooked. The squeeky wheel gets the grease.It is important to know that we are there for our children who often times can’t express their feelings out of fear that it would backfire on them.
I don’t feel like I have a lot to loose or gain by making my comments here. It is important to me to get the people who are in charge of these divisions and awards to level the playing field so that the deserving athletes get the acknowledgement they deserve. This sport is getting bigger and more competitive and it deserves to be looked at again and reevaluated.
sct1lax: Your question as to who the 3 players are, they are my private thougts and maybe you can figure it out yourself.I was a little aggressive in that statement but why not? Maybe I can help some upcoming student achieve the fairness that I believe my daughter didn’t get. We will see what the future brings. Let’s keep the dialogue open and keep our coaches involved as I know ours was. By the way why not say who you are as I have so I know where you are coming from? Just a thought.
Angelika,
It’s refreshing that you are able to use your name, most will not some because of fear of retaliation on their younger children, believe me it happens. Others benefit so why would they complain more bury their heads and pretend its not happening or make excuses to justify it. Than you have those who just don’t have the _alls they can say anything they want under ananimity. I don’t see much changing the new powers that be usually start off with good intentions but it doesn’t take long for that to change.
sct1lax did you really want her to name the girls? I had similiar thoughts about a few players when I read the list and I did watch them play better choices could have been made.
You named the three players in your first commment-
Chill Lax
You must be seeing something I don’t see I don’t believe any comment made reference to anyone in particular who didn’t belong and there is only one who could have have 3 state championships in one year
Player- Sorry- only two were named. The one going for the triple and the one who will not play lax in college.
Even though only a junior I felt Collins stood out on her team, was a solid player and major force on the field
Ok here is the way it has been, as Mike Robinson stated. We have been watching girls lax together and as competitors travel team parents, High School and College for at least 10 years and have been and seen great times and moments
Julia is a great all around athlete and should be proud to have been on the North Rockland teams that has become a team to reckon with and will be a Sec 1 title winner soon. The committments from the School and Coaches, have given the the girls lax athletes are what I base this on. There rise to the top is great for all of Sec 1
That being said, not unlike any other sport there are coaches with years of respect, experience and knowledge whose opinion is heard and cosidered deeply during the voting process for all sports, may not seem fair to a parent.Look and see other great athletes who are not on the AA list from other Sec 1 schools (no blogs from them)
Womens and girls lax basiclly follow the same guide line in the selection process. Players of the years or the Tewarrton award are give post season and have a direct result on the teams final accomplishments. (A Notre Dame player and previous Sec 1 all american player was neck in neck for the award last year in the NCAA final four, here team lost a heart breaker and the award was give to the eventual well deserving winner of the winning team)
All the girls that are on the AA list for Sec 1 have worked very hard all year and DESERVE THIS !!!!! Another previous AA from Lakeland Panas and player of the year chose not to play lax in college, but played field hockey instead. All this has no bearing on what a student athlete chooses to do in college My daughters have had a great college expierences playing or not playing and I wish all the kids the same. a quote from a a person I hold dear. ” Hey Dad, look I am on the sidelines with nine all americans”
I have never responded to a blog before and never will again. But I felt I had to because it hurt some good kids
PS running circles that a track thing? haha
Fred
You make some good points, I don’t think anyone is trying to belittle the girls who made it but to bring out the point that not all programs have coaches that have been around for years and are involved. What I would hope to accomplish is that the athletes are looked at individually by their ability, work ethic and accomplishments whether they play for a L/P, Suffern, Pearl River, Yorktown, PV, North Salem,etc. they get the recognition they deserve. Most of them cannot choose what school they play for but that shouldn’t minimize them as players
Hey Fred,
I know what you are saying but the fact remains that it is a biased process. In no way did I intend to belittle the acomplishments of any of the girls. But when you look around now things have changed as far as the lacrosse programs go in North Rockland and Westchester.It has become more competitive than it ever has been and so should the process of awards etc.
What are you doing anyway reading these blogs? Are you bored or something? Your girls are great players and they played in competitive programs a little while ago.
At that time the competition was amongst players on the same team rather than in the same league. Not so anymore and the focus should be broadend to include all teams.Meaybe there should be a selection of AA for Westchester and one for Rockland. That might even out the playing field. I agree that the players should be looked at individually and awarded by their abilities.
The term running circles around someone was just a figure of speach. All the girls that were honored are good players and athletes and deserve the recoginition and I apologize if I insulted anyone. As a parent I look out for my child and may be I just want things to become more fair for the kids that are coming up and hope to become successful in this sport.
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