The recruiting process is an exciting but daunting time. Overall the process is a positive experience, but it can feel long, frustrating, and confusing.
There is a lot of information out there (especially coming from other players and parents), but our goal is to at least provide a starting point and to provide quality, reliable information sourced directly from college coaches and players that have gone through the process. Please keep in mind every situation is slightly different, and overall the process is equal parts luck, skill, attitude and hard work.
This section provides an overview of the entire recruiting process, with timelines, descriptions of what a day in the life of a student athlete looks like at each division, hard questions you will have to consider as you go through the process, some templates for tracking and organizing the process, do’s and don’ts and much more.
When you finally decide on a college, the goal is to pick with the confidence of knowing you did your due diligence and there is no better school in the country for you. While there is pressure sometimes to just make a decision, visiting campuses, talking to coaches, and being very deliberate in your decision is the best thing you can do.
Keep in mind some of the key rules:
Commit because of the school and the lacrosse program, not only because of the coaches.
Do your own research, show that you are putting the effort in when speaking to college coaches and your own coaches that are helping you through the process.
Keep your process private between yourself and your family.
Stay patient. It feels good to be recruited, but try to understand the difference between finding a fit for your goals and finding a fit because it feels good.
RECRUITMENT GUIDELINES
HIGHLIGHT REEL
Especially for athletes in non-traditional areas, having a highlight reel is critical. While you do not need any fancy video editing software or a pro to put the film together for you, there are some key elements you should have in putting together a highlight film.
RECRUITING CAMPS
With an unlimited budget and time, players would be able to go to all of the camps of the various schools they are interested in, work with the coaches, meet the teams and have a chance to showcase themselves.
RECRUITING TOURNAMENTS
While there are a ton of new tournaments every year, it is not necessary to go to every one. A lot of club teams will have a handful of mandatory tournaments, but if you are able to go to a few on your own either as a free agent or with another team, this list should give you an idea of what to focus on.
RECRUITING EMAIL
The recruiting email. One of the more painful parts of the recruiting process, but unfortunately a necessary evil. Make sure to give yourself enough time to write drafts of each of these emails, and to personalize each one. If available, ask a parent or coach to proofread before sending out, and give them enough time to make edits and send back to you.
