College Recruiting –What, Why and How
Getting recruited is more than going to a tournament and hoping that you may catch the eye of some random college coach who happened by chance to be walking by your game who is more likely there to see someone else.
Point #1 - Have a plan
Without a plan you are prone to spend excess money and time trying to get noticed. The old adage of “throwing mud on a wall to see what sticks” can be an expensive and frustrating method for selecting a college.
You and your parents need to address the following questions in order to make a productive plan to help you on your college selection process.
Environment – What are you looking for that will result is a positive experience for you and provide a springboard for your future? Do you want to leave your local area? What are the standards of the school you want to go to? What is the social scene like? Am I more likely to succeed in a large or smaller school? You need to address these questions in a general sense first then start to look at schools that meet these criteria. Bottom line, if lacrosse is out of the picture (and it easily can be due to injury, burnout, coach changes or whatever) would I want to attend this school?
Cost – What is your budget for college? It is prudent to discuss with your parents your plan to finance your college education. It is great to have a goal to attend a top lacrosse school, but is your family prepared for the $50,000 per year cost to attend that university? Understand that there are no full athletic scholarships for lacrosse. As a matter of fact, a fully funded NCAA Division I program only has 12 scholarships for the entire team. Nearly every program will divide that scholarship money amongst the players rendering each player only a small portion of a scholarship.
Academics – Do you have the academic aptitude to succeed at your school of choice? It does you no good to attend an Ivy League school if you can’t keep up academically. Can you get admitted to the school of your choice? Lacrosse is not like football where institutions will make admission exceptions for those who are academically challenged. Often the first question a coach may ask a recruit is what are your grades? What is your ACT score? You have to be a good student to have options to play in college.
Athletically – See the lacrosse question above. Moreover, can you compete athletically with athletes at your target level? Are you willing to work? Are you willing to be coached? College coaches are looking for gritty, tough kids who are humble and willing to work on their weaknesses. Are you willing to integrate into a team? You need to seek honest feedback from coaches and professionals. Don’t rely on those who are too close to you. They tell you want you want to hear. Also, they may be living vicariously through you and making this their dream and not yours.
Lacrosse – Since this is geared toward lacrosse players let’s lastly ask the question, “Do you want lacrosse to be part of your college experience?” The obvious answer seems to be YES, but let’s dig a bit deeper.
Lacrosse Levels:
NCAA Division 1 – 73 Total teams, 12 total scholarships per team
NCAA Division 2 – 61 Total teams, scholarships vary by school
NCAA Division 3 – 236 Total teams, no athletic scholarships
MCLA Division 1 – 74 Total teams, most schools are pay to play
MCLA Division 2 - 80 Total teams, most schools are pay to play
After going through this exercise you can then create a plan.
The plan should include: (in order of importance)
Myths:
1. All your friends are getting recruited. This is likely not true. Kids embellish to make themselves look better. Don’t believe everything you see or hear on social media.
2. Go to a recruiting tournament improves your chances of being recruited. Well maybe as opposed to staying home on the couch it might improve your chances only slightly.
Large tournaments may have 100 plus teams, over 400 games. There may be 40 college coaches at this event. Physically the coaches can’t see every game. So what do they do? Just as we noted above they have a plan. They identify the types of players they are looking for (position, class, athletically, etc.), they identify games that have players they are already talking to, then they often attend games to find reasons to cross players off the list (is a kid disrespectful to a coach, does he go 100%, does he do the little things right, etc.) Rarely do they happen across a surprise player they know nothing about. The top schools all have the same guys on their list. They all talk with each other.
Just looking at the dollars, if you took the same amount of time and money that it takes to attend a tournament and applied it in another way to develop as a lacrosse player, it would most likely produce greater results.
3. I will get a college lacrosse scholarship. Full athletic scholarships for lacrosse are unheard of. See above.
4. Playing on a certain club team will get me recruited. Maybe, but with the right advocates any player with the ability can get recruited.
5. I need to be committed during or before my sophomore year. NCAA rules prohibit coaches from any direct contact with a player until September 1 of their junior year.
Point:
Have a plan. You should drive your desire to play lacrosse in college. Advocates are a strong benefit in the process. Don’t rely on what club coaches tell you. Many are trying to build a brand and not developing players.
Best way to get recruited??? Get better!
Coach Marty Wescott
Advice From College Coaches and Athletes
Andy Shay, Yale men’s lacrosse
Q: How can a recruit get noticed by you and your coaching staff?
A: The best way to be seen by our coaching staff is to come to our prospect day. Really, it’s the only way that you can guarantee that we’ll see you. Unfortunately, there will be 100 kids at our prospect day and a large portion of those players aren’t going to end up here. That’s just the reality of recruiting. But, if you do show up to our prospect day, it’s a guarantee that we will see you and be able to evaluate your chances of playing at Yale. And, as a recruit, that’s all you can ask for. You should want to be seen. The alternative is the slim chance that we will see you at a tournament, with 80 other teams. That’s just not very likely.
Q: How can a recruit do his or her best to make the right college decision?
A: So much of the recruiting process and making a college commitment is centered on what you the athlete, is told by the coach that’s recruiting you. And, I get how that might make sense. But, I am the last person you should want to talk to about whether you want to come here, or not. Because I have no idea what it’s like to be a lacrosse player at Yale. Yes, I am an employee of the university and I love my perspective of our program. But, my perspective is that of an adult. Not, a student-athlete. I don’t attend classes. I don’t socialize with the players. I don’t live in the dorms. I don’t do the homework. I don’t get coached by myself and on and on. As an adult at Yale, I am very happy. But from my perspective, I’m 25 years older than you. My message to recruits is to ask questions of the student-athletes at the schools you’re considering. Ask them the questions you’re not comfortable asking the coaches. Ask them about the coaches. Ask them about practice. Ask them about day-to-day life on campus. Because if you can do that everywhere you visit, you’re going to come to the right conclusions and figure out what’s important to you. That’s when you can know that you’ve made the right decision.
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Lacrosse Players & Families,
It’s an exciting time of year. Your high school or middle school season is approaching fast. Club team tournaments and recruiting events are over for now. But does that mean that the recruiting process stops? Of course not. College coaches will continue to evaluate you, even if you are committed, just as you and your family will continue to evaluate where the right fit may be.
As a guy who has been a college coach for over 20 years, one of the things I can bring to this conversation is the perspective of someone who’s been on that side of things. But I don’t want to just give you the standard recruiting talk that you hear at events. Let’s go a little deeper.
As a college coach I had a reputation as a great recruiter (so I hear), but I’ll let you in on a little secret. I never felt like I was doing that great a job at it. Sure, I could identify talent. And yes, I was very comfortable talking about my team and my university and the values that were important to me. But I still felt like something was missing. More on that in a bit.
This brings me to today’s topic: What is a college coach really looking for?
You can make a list of all the things you hear all the time – athleticism, grades, leadership, lacrosse IQ, motor, specific skills, etc. But really this question boils down to just two things.
1. Will this person help us improve our culture?
2. Will this person help us win?
For some coaches #1 is more important (that’s why I put if first). For others #2 is most important, and #1 could even be rephrased to say “will this person do no harm to our culture?” Regardless, these are the two things every coach is looking for, and they are directly related.
Let’s look at the culture factor first. Every team’s ideal culture is different. It is based on a lot of factors including overall school culture, coach’s philosophies and values, team goals and priorities. Notice I said “ideal” culture. It’s something every team is striving for but will never quite reach. Some places may have clearly defined definitions for what it looks like. Others don’t. The best come the closest to reaching and maintaining that ideal.
Teams, and therefore coaches, need players who will help the program reach the ideal. This is where I felt most uncomfortable as a recruiter. I never felt like our process gave me the time or the information necessary to make good enough reads on how someone would fit the culture we were building. This doesn’t mean we were getting a bunch of bad kids. Far from it. The vast majority of our guys were great people with the right intentions. But I didn’t really know how they would fit until they got there.
Does this sound familiar? Your coach (club or high school) tells you a college is interested. You call the coach and talk a bit. You visit, either for an unofficial or a prospect day. You talk a few times on the phone before and maybe after. The coach offers. You commit (or not, but let’s tell the commitment story here). That was the D1 recruiting process in a nutshell. And believe me, it makes culture focused coaches very uncomfortable.
Yes, I would ask our recruits’ coaches questions about what kind of people they were. But I almost always felt I needed more. There is simply not enough time, and college lacrosse teams don’t have the resources, to be able to get to know a recruit in the way they would like.
I think the second factor, “will this person help us win,” is a little simpler to describe. Sure, it mostly boils down to athletic ability and lacrosse talent and work ethic and ability to fit whatever role is needed at the time. You know how to make that impression. Execution and effort take care of most of it, and both can be controlled by the work you put in and the attitude you bring every day. If you have the God-given athletic ability necessary, you know what you have to do to show you can play at a high level.
But this is where we come back to #1 because your influence on winning also has to do with the kind of impact you will have on the team culture. What kind of leader, on and off the field will you be? Just as important, what kind of follower will you be?
So, in a process where the college coaches aren’t getting the information that will make them comfortable that you will be a great fit, what can you do to help them (and yourself)?
1. Put some thought into what your own goals and values are. Write them down and keep them somewhere that reminds you daily. Your locker, your wall, your wallet, your phone’s screen saver, wherever.
2. Share them. With teammates, friends, parents, teachers, counselors and current coaches. This keeps you accountable, and it also helps you refine them.
3. Then find ways to share them with college coaches during the recruiting process. You’ll have opportunities to do this directly, and if you’ve been open with others the college coaches will hear about them (and how you are following through on them) from the people they talk to about you.
4. Admit when you slip up. Nobody is perfect. Coaches want people who are self-aware and confident enough to honestly track their growth. If you do slip, a defined set of values and goals makes it much easier to get back on track and to prove to others that you are serious about doing so.
One other note on communicating with college coaches; Have a plan whenever you connect with them. How do your questions and answers and stories fit into a true picture of you? Let them get to know you. This will help them make the best decisions, and ultimately that will help you end up at the right place.
Recruiting, and from your perspective the college selection process, is not a perfect science. Mistakes will be made. But there are ways to make it better, and thinking about this from the perspective of a college coach can be valuable.
I hope this was helpful. Again, if you have issues you’d like me to address, let me know. Next up – “Our sport is not elite, but you can help it get there.”
Passionately,
John Paul
WCS Recruiting Consultant
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College Lacrosse Recruiting Tips From Current College Lacrosse Players
01/27/2019 By Nick Bonsignore
College Lacrosse Recruiting Tips
The Dream to play college lacrosse is one that is shared by most players. Those who truly love the game and want to further their education see this as a no-brainer. College and lacrosse at the same time? Why not!
Recruiting for College Lacrosse Is Your Job
Recruiting is exactly why not! College teams have limited spots for the most part and this is truer the higher the division. While there are DIII schools that have amazing teams, they are more likely to pick players than most DI teams because of scholarships. Only DI and DII schools may offer you scholarships so if you are not 100% committed to playing I’d start looking DII before the others. If you really are unsure then look at Club MCLA or NAIA schools because they will be more open to taking you. The biggest problem you will have is finding a school/team that accommodates your major, level of play, and comfort level.
Let me explain these:
Your Major/Your Life | College Lacrosse Recruiting Tips
The biggest mistake you can make with recruiting is looking at schools that won’t help your future. Professional lacrosse will more than likely not pay the bills considering most pro players have day jobs, and most players don’t go pro. So find somewhere that has a major you want to study and a good program behind that major. Lacrosse will be fun most places you go, so make sure that the other 20 hours of your day can be fun and productive too.
The best place to find out this information is on a sites admission page. There you can normally find anything you need, and if not there should be a number for someone to call. You can also get in contact with the coach if you have their info, and they should be able to help you out. Once you have figured out what you want to study, you need to find where you can really play.
Getting on the Field in Under Four | College Lacrosse Recruiting Tips
Playing college lacrosse is all about playing. So make sure you go somewhere that will allow you to actually play. Going to a better school, a better team, or a better location and sacrificing playing time can be a very difficult decision. While it is a little unlikely that many teams will allow you to be on the team if they don’t see you as an impactful player, it happens more often than you think. Coaches see many players as expendable, or “practice players”, who are meant to help better players get better. While you are part of the team and help improve the quality of the team, getting on the field is what really matters to most players. Certain places will offer more chances for field time than others, so do your homework.
That’s why having an honest discussion with your high school coach about your skill level and where you can play is important. Reaching out to college coaches and gauging their interest in your skill is also another option. In fact, you may be seen as more valuable to a college coach than your current coach. It is, after all, a matter of perspective for that specific team. Sending an email and some footage of you can get most coaches to be rather honest about where you will land on a team’s depth chart. Or whether you won’t land there at all.
Get In Contact!| College Lacrosse Recruiting Tips
When actually talking to college coaches remember that they are trying to sell you on the school. They will focus on positives and not mention negatives so do your homework. Coaches may also not be 100% on what they say about you. I would still take the best things coaches say about you as a bit of flattery and the worst things as motivation. If a coach says he thinks you could start your freshman year, don’t think it’s a sure thing and take it easy. If a coach says he thinks you could squeeze on the team and likely will not play, don’t take that as your destiny. There is always a lot of time to improve or disappoint so make sure you make the most of it.
Comfort over Championships | College Lacrosse Recruiting Tips
A personal recruiting story of mine is that I was recruited by Limestone College in Gaffney, SC. I was told I would be offered a scholarship on my visit, and I was offered a free trip to visit the school. About a week before the trip I canceled, and now I write this article as a 0-time national champion compared to those in my class who decided to play at Limestone who are 2-time national champions. It doesn’t bother me though.
I canceled the trip because I knew I wouldn’t enjoy Gaffney or the school. Then I turned down DI looks because the major I actually wanted wasn’t good enough there. I declined following my high school teammates because what they wanted wasn’t what I wanted. The decision of where you play college lacrosse can be changed with a transfer if need be. It might alter your path, but it won’t destroy it. But I followed my heart and went where I was comfortable with the school, team, coach, and culture. Luckily, I don’t regret it at all! Unfortunately, I have seen many players leave because it wasn’t right for them.
Ok, I Know Where I Want to Be. How Do I Get There?
Getting noticed can be difficult and many players expect to just get letters in the mail from coaches/schools. Well, that’s not how it works. You will get letters and emails from some schools, but most will not be about lacrosse. The way that schools/coaches notice you is through playing. That means either getting a coach to come to your high school game, or getting them to watch you at a tournament. That isn’t all though.
You have to make sure that the coaches are looking for you. This means getting in contact with the coach before the game. Even days before the game is honestly the smarter plan. Finding a coaches email off the school site is easy, and sending a simple email with some footage and a schedule of when/where you will be playing does wonder for your chances.
Imagine that coach you emailed will already be at one of your games to watch the other team’s goalie. He would have never heard of you without your email. Now when you score on the goalie he is interested in, you become that much more valuable in his eyes. Coaches are always looking for talent. Find somewhere they will be and they will have to watch you too!
Well, what if they respond that there isn’t time to come watch me? That’s why you send film! If your games aren’t being filmed then you need to find someone to film them. If they are being filmed get your hands on the film. Showing coaches a full game along with a highlight tape is your best bet so they can really see how you play. Everyone looks good on a highlight reel and coaches will be just as interested in your mistakes as your triumphs.
I Found the School. Now what?
You should absolutely visit any school you are seriously considering. Being there doesn’t compare to pictures. Also, if the coach allows it, make it an official overnight visit. This lets you really see what the team is all about and the visits are normally lots of fun. You are allowed 5 total overnight visits, so choose wisely and make sure to take a few so you compare schools. Lacrosse will only be 4 hours out of your day on average, you gotta make sure the other 20 are good. So try the food, find out how far the walks to class are, see the dorms, sit in on a class, talk to a girl that goes there, and try the best local restaurant. There is so much more to college than lacrosse so make sure that you are happy with all of them!
After visiting and seeing what the school/team are like, you have to apply. Getting in can be a challenge at some schools, but coaches should ask about grades before visits. If they don’t, get in contact with the admissions department to gauge your likeliness. Remember that the better your grades the more schools you can go to. This can be the difference between your dream school and regret, so study up. Once you get in, because you got good grades, you get to attend and play!
The Dream
Once you’re at school you’re living the dream. You will be able to truly experience a new brand of lacrosse. Days will be long, but worth it. You will get tired, but smile. And you may think about quitting, but the dream is too sweet. College lacrosse is an amazing time as a player and it needs to be enjoyed. However, once enjoyed it needs to be shared through posts on a Lacrosse website called Stringers Society so that more players get themselves recruited. It’s on you and every day you aren’t getting better you’re getting worse. So go get yourself recruited & follow these College Lacrosse Recruiting Tips!
Getting recruited is more than going to a tournament and hoping that you may catch the eye of some random college coach who happened by chance to be walking by your game who is more likely there to see someone else.
Point #1 - Have a plan
Without a plan you are prone to spend excess money and time trying to get noticed. The old adage of “throwing mud on a wall to see what sticks” can be an expensive and frustrating method for selecting a college.
You and your parents need to address the following questions in order to make a productive plan to help you on your college selection process.
Environment – What are you looking for that will result is a positive experience for you and provide a springboard for your future? Do you want to leave your local area? What are the standards of the school you want to go to? What is the social scene like? Am I more likely to succeed in a large or smaller school? You need to address these questions in a general sense first then start to look at schools that meet these criteria. Bottom line, if lacrosse is out of the picture (and it easily can be due to injury, burnout, coach changes or whatever) would I want to attend this school?
Cost – What is your budget for college? It is prudent to discuss with your parents your plan to finance your college education. It is great to have a goal to attend a top lacrosse school, but is your family prepared for the $50,000 per year cost to attend that university? Understand that there are no full athletic scholarships for lacrosse. As a matter of fact, a fully funded NCAA Division I program only has 12 scholarships for the entire team. Nearly every program will divide that scholarship money amongst the players rendering each player only a small portion of a scholarship.
Academics – Do you have the academic aptitude to succeed at your school of choice? It does you no good to attend an Ivy League school if you can’t keep up academically. Can you get admitted to the school of your choice? Lacrosse is not like football where institutions will make admission exceptions for those who are academically challenged. Often the first question a coach may ask a recruit is what are your grades? What is your ACT score? You have to be a good student to have options to play in college.
Athletically – See the lacrosse question above. Moreover, can you compete athletically with athletes at your target level? Are you willing to work? Are you willing to be coached? College coaches are looking for gritty, tough kids who are humble and willing to work on their weaknesses. Are you willing to integrate into a team? You need to seek honest feedback from coaches and professionals. Don’t rely on those who are too close to you. They tell you want you want to hear. Also, they may be living vicariously through you and making this their dream and not yours.
Lacrosse – Since this is geared toward lacrosse players let’s lastly ask the question, “Do you want lacrosse to be part of your college experience?” The obvious answer seems to be YES, but let’s dig a bit deeper.
- Are you willing to commit up to 35 hours a week to lacrosse? Practice, conditioning, weight room, film, yoga, counseling, physical therapy, study hall, team activities, etc.
- Are you willing to make sacrifices of sleep, time, other sports, social life and activities (i.e. skiing)?
- Are you willing to sit the bench and develop into the player you need to be to play at that level?
- Are you willing to work hard enough? Again, honesty with this question is a must.
Lacrosse Levels:
NCAA Division 1 – 73 Total teams, 12 total scholarships per team
NCAA Division 2 – 61 Total teams, scholarships vary by school
NCAA Division 3 – 236 Total teams, no athletic scholarships
MCLA Division 1 – 74 Total teams, most schools are pay to play
MCLA Division 2 - 80 Total teams, most schools are pay to play
After going through this exercise you can then create a plan.
The plan should include: (in order of importance)
- Communication with coaches from your potential school. See below.
- Find advocates that can make recommendations for you.
- Attend schools prospect camps and clinics. Visit the campus of desired schools.
- Club team tournaments. Go to events that desired coaches may be attending.
- Create film highlights and include some straight game film.
Myths:
1. All your friends are getting recruited. This is likely not true. Kids embellish to make themselves look better. Don’t believe everything you see or hear on social media.
2. Go to a recruiting tournament improves your chances of being recruited. Well maybe as opposed to staying home on the couch it might improve your chances only slightly.
Large tournaments may have 100 plus teams, over 400 games. There may be 40 college coaches at this event. Physically the coaches can’t see every game. So what do they do? Just as we noted above they have a plan. They identify the types of players they are looking for (position, class, athletically, etc.), they identify games that have players they are already talking to, then they often attend games to find reasons to cross players off the list (is a kid disrespectful to a coach, does he go 100%, does he do the little things right, etc.) Rarely do they happen across a surprise player they know nothing about. The top schools all have the same guys on their list. They all talk with each other.
Just looking at the dollars, if you took the same amount of time and money that it takes to attend a tournament and applied it in another way to develop as a lacrosse player, it would most likely produce greater results.
3. I will get a college lacrosse scholarship. Full athletic scholarships for lacrosse are unheard of. See above.
4. Playing on a certain club team will get me recruited. Maybe, but with the right advocates any player with the ability can get recruited.
5. I need to be committed during or before my sophomore year. NCAA rules prohibit coaches from any direct contact with a player until September 1 of their junior year.
Point:
Have a plan. You should drive your desire to play lacrosse in college. Advocates are a strong benefit in the process. Don’t rely on what club coaches tell you. Many are trying to build a brand and not developing players.
Best way to get recruited??? Get better!
Coach Marty Wescott
Advice From College Coaches and Athletes
Andy Shay, Yale men’s lacrosse
Q: How can a recruit get noticed by you and your coaching staff?
A: The best way to be seen by our coaching staff is to come to our prospect day. Really, it’s the only way that you can guarantee that we’ll see you. Unfortunately, there will be 100 kids at our prospect day and a large portion of those players aren’t going to end up here. That’s just the reality of recruiting. But, if you do show up to our prospect day, it’s a guarantee that we will see you and be able to evaluate your chances of playing at Yale. And, as a recruit, that’s all you can ask for. You should want to be seen. The alternative is the slim chance that we will see you at a tournament, with 80 other teams. That’s just not very likely.
Q: How can a recruit do his or her best to make the right college decision?
A: So much of the recruiting process and making a college commitment is centered on what you the athlete, is told by the coach that’s recruiting you. And, I get how that might make sense. But, I am the last person you should want to talk to about whether you want to come here, or not. Because I have no idea what it’s like to be a lacrosse player at Yale. Yes, I am an employee of the university and I love my perspective of our program. But, my perspective is that of an adult. Not, a student-athlete. I don’t attend classes. I don’t socialize with the players. I don’t live in the dorms. I don’t do the homework. I don’t get coached by myself and on and on. As an adult at Yale, I am very happy. But from my perspective, I’m 25 years older than you. My message to recruits is to ask questions of the student-athletes at the schools you’re considering. Ask them the questions you’re not comfortable asking the coaches. Ask them about the coaches. Ask them about practice. Ask them about day-to-day life on campus. Because if you can do that everywhere you visit, you’re going to come to the right conclusions and figure out what’s important to you. That’s when you can know that you’ve made the right decision.
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Lacrosse Players & Families,
It’s an exciting time of year. Your high school or middle school season is approaching fast. Club team tournaments and recruiting events are over for now. But does that mean that the recruiting process stops? Of course not. College coaches will continue to evaluate you, even if you are committed, just as you and your family will continue to evaluate where the right fit may be.
As a guy who has been a college coach for over 20 years, one of the things I can bring to this conversation is the perspective of someone who’s been on that side of things. But I don’t want to just give you the standard recruiting talk that you hear at events. Let’s go a little deeper.
As a college coach I had a reputation as a great recruiter (so I hear), but I’ll let you in on a little secret. I never felt like I was doing that great a job at it. Sure, I could identify talent. And yes, I was very comfortable talking about my team and my university and the values that were important to me. But I still felt like something was missing. More on that in a bit.
This brings me to today’s topic: What is a college coach really looking for?
You can make a list of all the things you hear all the time – athleticism, grades, leadership, lacrosse IQ, motor, specific skills, etc. But really this question boils down to just two things.
1. Will this person help us improve our culture?
2. Will this person help us win?
For some coaches #1 is more important (that’s why I put if first). For others #2 is most important, and #1 could even be rephrased to say “will this person do no harm to our culture?” Regardless, these are the two things every coach is looking for, and they are directly related.
Let’s look at the culture factor first. Every team’s ideal culture is different. It is based on a lot of factors including overall school culture, coach’s philosophies and values, team goals and priorities. Notice I said “ideal” culture. It’s something every team is striving for but will never quite reach. Some places may have clearly defined definitions for what it looks like. Others don’t. The best come the closest to reaching and maintaining that ideal.
Teams, and therefore coaches, need players who will help the program reach the ideal. This is where I felt most uncomfortable as a recruiter. I never felt like our process gave me the time or the information necessary to make good enough reads on how someone would fit the culture we were building. This doesn’t mean we were getting a bunch of bad kids. Far from it. The vast majority of our guys were great people with the right intentions. But I didn’t really know how they would fit until they got there.
Does this sound familiar? Your coach (club or high school) tells you a college is interested. You call the coach and talk a bit. You visit, either for an unofficial or a prospect day. You talk a few times on the phone before and maybe after. The coach offers. You commit (or not, but let’s tell the commitment story here). That was the D1 recruiting process in a nutshell. And believe me, it makes culture focused coaches very uncomfortable.
Yes, I would ask our recruits’ coaches questions about what kind of people they were. But I almost always felt I needed more. There is simply not enough time, and college lacrosse teams don’t have the resources, to be able to get to know a recruit in the way they would like.
I think the second factor, “will this person help us win,” is a little simpler to describe. Sure, it mostly boils down to athletic ability and lacrosse talent and work ethic and ability to fit whatever role is needed at the time. You know how to make that impression. Execution and effort take care of most of it, and both can be controlled by the work you put in and the attitude you bring every day. If you have the God-given athletic ability necessary, you know what you have to do to show you can play at a high level.
But this is where we come back to #1 because your influence on winning also has to do with the kind of impact you will have on the team culture. What kind of leader, on and off the field will you be? Just as important, what kind of follower will you be?
So, in a process where the college coaches aren’t getting the information that will make them comfortable that you will be a great fit, what can you do to help them (and yourself)?
1. Put some thought into what your own goals and values are. Write them down and keep them somewhere that reminds you daily. Your locker, your wall, your wallet, your phone’s screen saver, wherever.
2. Share them. With teammates, friends, parents, teachers, counselors and current coaches. This keeps you accountable, and it also helps you refine them.
3. Then find ways to share them with college coaches during the recruiting process. You’ll have opportunities to do this directly, and if you’ve been open with others the college coaches will hear about them (and how you are following through on them) from the people they talk to about you.
4. Admit when you slip up. Nobody is perfect. Coaches want people who are self-aware and confident enough to honestly track their growth. If you do slip, a defined set of values and goals makes it much easier to get back on track and to prove to others that you are serious about doing so.
One other note on communicating with college coaches; Have a plan whenever you connect with them. How do your questions and answers and stories fit into a true picture of you? Let them get to know you. This will help them make the best decisions, and ultimately that will help you end up at the right place.
Recruiting, and from your perspective the college selection process, is not a perfect science. Mistakes will be made. But there are ways to make it better, and thinking about this from the perspective of a college coach can be valuable.
I hope this was helpful. Again, if you have issues you’d like me to address, let me know. Next up – “Our sport is not elite, but you can help it get there.”
Passionately,
John Paul
WCS Recruiting Consultant
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College Lacrosse Recruiting Tips From Current College Lacrosse Players
01/27/2019 By Nick Bonsignore
College Lacrosse Recruiting Tips
The Dream to play college lacrosse is one that is shared by most players. Those who truly love the game and want to further their education see this as a no-brainer. College and lacrosse at the same time? Why not!
Recruiting for College Lacrosse Is Your Job
Recruiting is exactly why not! College teams have limited spots for the most part and this is truer the higher the division. While there are DIII schools that have amazing teams, they are more likely to pick players than most DI teams because of scholarships. Only DI and DII schools may offer you scholarships so if you are not 100% committed to playing I’d start looking DII before the others. If you really are unsure then look at Club MCLA or NAIA schools because they will be more open to taking you. The biggest problem you will have is finding a school/team that accommodates your major, level of play, and comfort level.
Let me explain these:
Your Major/Your Life | College Lacrosse Recruiting Tips
The biggest mistake you can make with recruiting is looking at schools that won’t help your future. Professional lacrosse will more than likely not pay the bills considering most pro players have day jobs, and most players don’t go pro. So find somewhere that has a major you want to study and a good program behind that major. Lacrosse will be fun most places you go, so make sure that the other 20 hours of your day can be fun and productive too.
The best place to find out this information is on a sites admission page. There you can normally find anything you need, and if not there should be a number for someone to call. You can also get in contact with the coach if you have their info, and they should be able to help you out. Once you have figured out what you want to study, you need to find where you can really play.
Getting on the Field in Under Four | College Lacrosse Recruiting Tips
Playing college lacrosse is all about playing. So make sure you go somewhere that will allow you to actually play. Going to a better school, a better team, or a better location and sacrificing playing time can be a very difficult decision. While it is a little unlikely that many teams will allow you to be on the team if they don’t see you as an impactful player, it happens more often than you think. Coaches see many players as expendable, or “practice players”, who are meant to help better players get better. While you are part of the team and help improve the quality of the team, getting on the field is what really matters to most players. Certain places will offer more chances for field time than others, so do your homework.
That’s why having an honest discussion with your high school coach about your skill level and where you can play is important. Reaching out to college coaches and gauging their interest in your skill is also another option. In fact, you may be seen as more valuable to a college coach than your current coach. It is, after all, a matter of perspective for that specific team. Sending an email and some footage of you can get most coaches to be rather honest about where you will land on a team’s depth chart. Or whether you won’t land there at all.
Get In Contact!| College Lacrosse Recruiting Tips
When actually talking to college coaches remember that they are trying to sell you on the school. They will focus on positives and not mention negatives so do your homework. Coaches may also not be 100% on what they say about you. I would still take the best things coaches say about you as a bit of flattery and the worst things as motivation. If a coach says he thinks you could start your freshman year, don’t think it’s a sure thing and take it easy. If a coach says he thinks you could squeeze on the team and likely will not play, don’t take that as your destiny. There is always a lot of time to improve or disappoint so make sure you make the most of it.
Comfort over Championships | College Lacrosse Recruiting Tips
A personal recruiting story of mine is that I was recruited by Limestone College in Gaffney, SC. I was told I would be offered a scholarship on my visit, and I was offered a free trip to visit the school. About a week before the trip I canceled, and now I write this article as a 0-time national champion compared to those in my class who decided to play at Limestone who are 2-time national champions. It doesn’t bother me though.
I canceled the trip because I knew I wouldn’t enjoy Gaffney or the school. Then I turned down DI looks because the major I actually wanted wasn’t good enough there. I declined following my high school teammates because what they wanted wasn’t what I wanted. The decision of where you play college lacrosse can be changed with a transfer if need be. It might alter your path, but it won’t destroy it. But I followed my heart and went where I was comfortable with the school, team, coach, and culture. Luckily, I don’t regret it at all! Unfortunately, I have seen many players leave because it wasn’t right for them.
Ok, I Know Where I Want to Be. How Do I Get There?
Getting noticed can be difficult and many players expect to just get letters in the mail from coaches/schools. Well, that’s not how it works. You will get letters and emails from some schools, but most will not be about lacrosse. The way that schools/coaches notice you is through playing. That means either getting a coach to come to your high school game, or getting them to watch you at a tournament. That isn’t all though.
You have to make sure that the coaches are looking for you. This means getting in contact with the coach before the game. Even days before the game is honestly the smarter plan. Finding a coaches email off the school site is easy, and sending a simple email with some footage and a schedule of when/where you will be playing does wonder for your chances.
Imagine that coach you emailed will already be at one of your games to watch the other team’s goalie. He would have never heard of you without your email. Now when you score on the goalie he is interested in, you become that much more valuable in his eyes. Coaches are always looking for talent. Find somewhere they will be and they will have to watch you too!
Well, what if they respond that there isn’t time to come watch me? That’s why you send film! If your games aren’t being filmed then you need to find someone to film them. If they are being filmed get your hands on the film. Showing coaches a full game along with a highlight tape is your best bet so they can really see how you play. Everyone looks good on a highlight reel and coaches will be just as interested in your mistakes as your triumphs.
I Found the School. Now what?
You should absolutely visit any school you are seriously considering. Being there doesn’t compare to pictures. Also, if the coach allows it, make it an official overnight visit. This lets you really see what the team is all about and the visits are normally lots of fun. You are allowed 5 total overnight visits, so choose wisely and make sure to take a few so you compare schools. Lacrosse will only be 4 hours out of your day on average, you gotta make sure the other 20 are good. So try the food, find out how far the walks to class are, see the dorms, sit in on a class, talk to a girl that goes there, and try the best local restaurant. There is so much more to college than lacrosse so make sure that you are happy with all of them!
After visiting and seeing what the school/team are like, you have to apply. Getting in can be a challenge at some schools, but coaches should ask about grades before visits. If they don’t, get in contact with the admissions department to gauge your likeliness. Remember that the better your grades the more schools you can go to. This can be the difference between your dream school and regret, so study up. Once you get in, because you got good grades, you get to attend and play!
The Dream
Once you’re at school you’re living the dream. You will be able to truly experience a new brand of lacrosse. Days will be long, but worth it. You will get tired, but smile. And you may think about quitting, but the dream is too sweet. College lacrosse is an amazing time as a player and it needs to be enjoyed. However, once enjoyed it needs to be shared through posts on a Lacrosse website called Stringers Society so that more players get themselves recruited. It’s on you and every day you aren’t getting better you’re getting worse. So go get yourself recruited & follow these College Lacrosse Recruiting Tips!