Tips for Navigating the Current Recruiting Landscape for Lacrosse
How involved should parents be? What's the best way to reach out to coaches? How do I know which events to go to? We'll discuss all of this and more!
We are in the middle of a lacrosse BOOM and it's awesome!
If you choose to look at it the right way...
New programs are starting up all over the country. Division I lacrosse is being televised at a higher clip than it ever has. Due to the transfer portal and surplus of talented players, there's been a "trickle down" effect and Division II and III programs are becoming stronger by the year. Even the MCLA (college club) has experienced a boom. A lot of seriously talented players chose to play club at a school that provides an awesome college experience. High school programs are popping up all over the country. We should be celebrating all of these things and hoping they continue in the years to come.
Any time something grows, there's going to be some "baggage" that comes with it. Growing pains for lacrosse are a very real thing. Most commonly: costs associated with barrier of entry, a need for educating the public on "reclassing", rising costs of travel ball teams, and a diluted "events" market that can overwhelm the average family. As the sport continues to grow, families/players who want to play in college will need to learn how to navigate some of these obstacles.
These should not be deterrents, they are simply challenges. And facing challenges starts with taking a small step to make it seem less daunting.
If you're a parent or player reading this, you might be thinking "where the hell do I start?". We're going to give you some very simple tips that will leave you feeling better about the college recruiting process!
1)Parents: Listen to your son and let HIM be responsible for his own recruiting process!
As parents, you 100% deserve to be involved in the college selection process. You've most likely driven them to and from practices, you've sat in the baking sun at tournaments for hours on end, you've paid for their equipment, some of you may have also paid for travel ball teams, hotels, private lessons etc. OF COURSE you have earned a right to have a say in where he goes to school. BUT.....think about it like this...
Genuinely ask yourself this question: Which option is better between the two below?
a) your son chooses a school that makes his parents happy without considering what he wants. He makes it work for a while, but eventually you see his performance slip and his happiness goes shortly after. He calls you 2 months into his sophomore year and says "I don't want to play lacrosse anymore and I'm not sure I want to go here". He feels like he's let you down somehow and that he's "quitting"
OR
b) you LISTEN to him throughout the college selection process. Find out what what's really important to him, what kind of things he's looking for in a program, what he liked about college A, what he didn't like about college B. You choose a college that WANTS HIM. They offer his major and a great education, and he has the best 4 years of his life. It may not be the college you envisioned for him necessarily, but he plays all 4 years and gets that degree. It makes it all worth it.
Unfortunately Option A is ALOT more common than people think...
I'm not advocating that 17-18 year old men know what's best for themselves (it takes much longer for us to figure that out). All I'm saying is: your son would love an opportunity to have a voice. At some point, you're going to have to trust him to be a part of decisions that impact his life. Guide him as he makes his choice...but LISTEN as well.
2) College coaches don't want to hear from parents, they want to hear from the player.
Tip #1 makes up a small % of this. How does a college coach decipher if a player is reaching out because they're generally interested vs. them reaching out to appease their parents.
The player should reach out and include: his first and last name, position, grad year, height and weight, desired major/career path. Don't forget this incredibly important part: include something about the program and school. Something that shows you've done your research.
Don't send "my name is John Smith, I'm a 2030 Midfielder and I want to study Biology" and expect an offer.
DO Send: "Morning Coach ______, my name is John Smith and I'm a 2030 Midfielder out of Charlotte, NC interested in pursuing my Biology Degree. I had a chance to research the School of ______ Biology Program and I think it would be a great fit for my academic goals. One of the things that stood out about the lacrosse program is _________________".
Address it directly to the coach, don't just copy and paste and mass email a bunch of programs. If you do that, you're going to be much better off.
3) Do I need to pay/play for a National Team and how many showcases should I do?
First off, before we talk about events I want to make something very clear that often time gets overlooked...especially at the younger ages:
You still have to be a good lacrosse player to get recruited.
With so many events, highlight reels, showcases etc. popping up all over the country, it's very easy to fall into the trap of "I went to 20 events this summer I'm going to get recruited". That logic works for the top 5% of players who are going to receive DI offers. For everyone else, I'd suggest another approach...
-if you are not in your recruiting window...make it about DEVELOPMENT. Not to burst your bubble, but the HC of Duke or ND is not going to be watching your son play in a 7th grade bracket up in Maryland. Choose a club that has a proven track record of player development. A good club will lead off with exactly that: "here is our proven method to make players better". Imagine going up north and not being able to scoop a GB in traffic or use your off hand. That's what is at stake here.
-exposure to higher talent is very important. If you're going to go to big events, temper your expectations. Don't be a defeatist, but don't be disappointed when you don't see 500 college coaches on the sideline. If you're going to big events (especially at younger grad years) you should do it with the intention of "seeing what the big dogs look like" and then reflecting internally and asking "how far off am I?"
-targeted showcases and a realistic approach will always beat "volume". This one is tricky. Don't do 2 showcases and then sit back/wonder why you haven't gotten a phone call yet. That's not how it works. But also, going to 20 prospect days when you're only a fit for about half of the schools is a waste of your time and resources. The answer?
Start small. Sit down and make a list of 5 schools/programs that you realistically can see yourself enjoying as student and as a player. Remember, the goal is not to get you to a college. The goal is to get you to THE college. Have an honest conversation with yourself about your talent level without selling yourself short. Once you have that list, contact the coaching staff and ask if they have any upcoming prospect days that you can attend (using the suggested template above). You can also find out if those schools are attending any of your upcoming events.
Once you've gone through your "first 5" you can always add options later on. But go slow and give the schools an actual chance!
Stay open-minded. You may think a school is a top 5 fit for you, then get there and realize "I can't see myself going here". That's OK! That's why we're doing this.
4) Be Patient.
When I was getting recruited in High School, players were getting their offers by Fall/Winter of their Junior year. There were less options and today there is a significantly higher volume of incredibly skilled players. The transfer portal also played a very limited role which is not the case today.
Point being: if you're entering your Junior year and you don't have an offer by September...RELAX. You're not behind. You don't suck at lacrosse. The world doesn't hate you. A large majority of players are experiencing the same thing. It's becoming increasingly more common for players to commit in the summer of the Junior year and even the Fall of their senior year. Don't panic, stay patient and continue to put your attention on what matters: finding a school where you're going to get a great education, be HAPPY, and be a part of a great program. Forget about your instagram post for a second and "what people are going to think of your choice". This about about you.
Enjoy the process, this should be exciting NOT a constant stressor. Experience the ups and downs.