At the end of every season, as we gear up for the playoffs, players, parents, and coaches often have questions about our bracket system. Our system is designed to align with our mission of promoting fairness and competitive balance, ensuring that every team, including the lower-seeded ones, have a fair shot at competition and play more than a single playoff game.
The SCLA Bracket approach was developed several years ago in response to a situation where the emphasis was disproportionately placed on regular season wins and goal differential to achieve higher seedings. This overemphasis on seeding resulted in several negative impacts such as reduced playing time for newer or less skilled players and a discouraging atmosphere for lower-seeded teams and players to participate in the playoffs. This was counterproductive to the goals of recreational lacrosse.
Our bracket approach has lower seeds competing against each other in initial rounds, thus providing more opportunities for extra games compared to club tournament brackets. For example, in an SCLA 8-team division, initial match-ups would be 7 vs 8 and 5 vs 6, with a semi-final round of 1 vs 3 and 2 vs 4, all competing for a chance to advance to the championship.
This system ensures that all games are competitive, with closely ranked teams playing against each other. It is specifically designed for recreational lacrosse to foster team and player development through more balanced competition, preparing them for club team play after the spring season.
In contrast, club or travel lacrosse, which are usually comprised of skilled teams and players seeking dominance, compete in weekend tournaments using a Tournament Bracket approach designed for competitive lacrosse. For instance, initial match-ups would be 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, etc., with a semi-final round of 1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3 for a chance to advance to the championship. This approach also aids in wrapping up tournaments promptly.
Our approach has provided a more enjoyable and equitable experience for all players, coaches, and families. Every year we are open to changing our system and poll our program leaders with their preferences.
I hope this helps you understand and align with our values and mission.
The SCLA Board