<p>fun is fun, New Jersey has some excellent lacrosse teams, especially public schools. Lawrenceville also beat 3 NE West I opponents (Choate, Hotchkiss, Brunswick) and finished the season 20-0. Loomis and Salisbury only finished 14-2 after playing schedules that were only marginally harder than Lawrenceville. At 11-4, Avon's record is weak in comparison. Loomis ranked 29 in SOS, Salisbury ranked 30, and Lawrenceville ranked 51. With almost 2500 teams in the country, those SOS differences are statisically insignificant.</p>
<p>If they actually played each other anything is possible, but I don't think there is any argument for Lawrenceville being over-rated.</p>
<p>Regardless, MD MIAA is probably harder than any league in NJ or CT.</p>
<p>I played for a top 10 team and then in college and coached HS until 2 years ago and while laxpower is a flawed system -- as is any system that ranks all US schools in anything must be -- I think it's useful when you look at bands. Lawrenceville could play with any of the top 10 teams. My school refused to play them because of their PGs -- which is one of the disadvantages of having PGs. (They weren't as kind to us when I attended, and the PG schools generally poured on the pain, in so many ways.) My take on Lawrenceville last year -- without seeing them, mind you -- was that they're ranked about in the correct place. I think my school was rightfully apprehensive about playing Lawrenceville and, well, I certainly didn't argue the point when the AdCom rep claimed that we backed down because of fear, and not because the school insurance plan doesn't allow for interscholastic competition against PG schools.</p>
<p>WADR, a lot of those NJ public schools aren't very good, but of course there are exceptions and I realize that these are traditional rivals and I'm in favor of that. I just don't think L'ville would have been undefeated playing a West I schedule.
Agreed that the MIAA is the best (who could really argue?), but for an elite player looking to board West I is where it's at.</p>
<p>Sports-wise:
St. Paul's - Historic, Strong Crew Program</p>
<p>Exeter - Dominant at Boy's Water Polo and Swimming, Boy's Soccer team was very good this year. </p>
<p>Andover - Back-to-back NE Div 1 Football Finalist, Girls Volleyball Champs, Boys and Girls XC Champs, Semi-finalist at England's Royal Henley Regatta for Crew, Reigning Girls Swimming champs</p>
<p>Deerfield - All-around good sports program</p>
<p>Founder's League Schools (Salisbury, AOF, Hotchkiss etc.) - Top of the line for hockey and lacrosse. Salisbury was NE football champion this year and sends many kids d1 for hockey.</p>
<p>Sorry if I added more info for Andover than other schools; that's where I go so I know the most about sports teams there.</p>
<p>Northwestern's summer debate camp requires either a national,regional or state ranking. UCLA also has a great summer debate camp,but I do not know the requirements. Contact either program for suggestions for someone at your level and age.</p>
<p>It's only for one week, and this would sort of be an alternative to Andover Summer Session. It seems pretty intensive, and it's at a Canadian boarding school so I could sort of get a feel for boarding school life. It's only $875, so the cost wouldn't really be a problem. Do you think this would prepare me for a debate team at a top boarding school, or even the local prep school I applied to?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Edit - Also, many campers have gone onto the World Individial Speech and Debate Competition, Junior Nationals, and the International Independent Schools Public Speaking Competition.</p>