We are proud of our ongoing efforts to inform athletes and families about the college recruiting process of which we are a part.
A vast number of youngsters start playing lacrosse each year (facts).. of these a certain number find a love for the sport and may stand out in skill development. For others the skill development may blossom later. The first young team leads to another level, U10, U12... and the level of play and challenge increases. These are critical times for young lacrosse players. Finding good coaching which focuses on basic skill development, team play, and sportsmanship will provide a sound base for the major challenges to come.
By U13 and U14, boys are moving in more advanced club teams and Rising Freshmen scholastic teams. Coaches expect more; games begin to become more challenging, and as surprising as it may seem, college coaches are beginning to pay attention. So these years are the time to support your son's interest with the level of supportive coaching matching his interest. If the interest is there, this is the time for clinics, youth programs with good coaches, developmental camps, even private lessons, and certainly encouragement for lots of casual play. Recent changes in recruiting practices have pushed recruiting to younger and younger ages.
By U14 and U15 (Rising Freshmen and Rising Sophomores), the top players will be identified at camps, club teams, coaches and others and it becomes significant to signal to college coaches your son's interest in colleges. Here comes the rub: at this age few boys are ready to understand the significant dynamics of college life that will match their interests. This means that as parents it is incumbent on you to support college visits, attendance at college nights, online campus tours, discussions of life in the big city, small town, coed or singer gender school, large college or small, special majors or liberal arts. Recognizing that these are likely to change it remains important to balance the glamor of the college interest with the reality of the role of college in life.
By U16 and U17 you should be well into active college recruiting mode: helping your son identify a range of colleges, reaching out to colleges, gaining a realistic appraisal of his skills, completing the standardized examinations, understanding the admissions standards of his college interests, and helping your son reach out to coaches and evaluate their responses By this point you should be planning your son's profile, highlight video, recruiting camp attendance, continued college visits, understanding of the college recruiting process and rules and more.
We will continue to write more about these steps in future blogs. Meanwhile if you have questions drop a note to me.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Your Recruiting Homework
Summer seems far away at the moment and holiday events are more likely on your mind, but the secret of building a recruiting plan is the word "PLAN." The earlier you start the more likely you are to wind up with a result that will meet your goals.
"If you don't know where you're going any road will do." The point is to have your destination or at least a number of possible destinations in mind when you begin. All your recruiting efforts will be of little value if you wind up at a college or university that isn't a good fit for you. So Step One is know what you're looking for. There are dozens of college selection web sites, books, and applications. Use them to make a list of schools and visit. Use all your criteria to make your list: your field of interest, coed or not, public or private, city or country, local or far from home, dorm or commute. Good resources for this first screening include: Peterson's College Guide, College Confidential.....
Do all the work you can screening schools until you have your best shot at a visit list.
Then visit each school when it is in session. Do the tour. Hang out in the student union. Visit a class or two. See if you can stay overnight in a dorm. In other words, walking through an empty campus is almost a waste of your time. Get the feel of the campus and the community around it. You will know when a campus feels "right."
After your visit make a list of colleges that would be good fits for you. Make sure your grades and standardized scores are in their admissible range. Research the lacrosse team, its record, the coaching staff; look at the roster and measure its strength at your position; look at the home towns of the team. Are they all local to the college or regional? Is there anyone you know? If so, get in touch with them and ask them about their experience.
Now you have a list of target schools that feel right, are within reach academically, have the kind of lacrosse program where you feel your position and skills may be needed, and where the program feels good. Now you're ready to start contacting coaches. For each college write several paragraphs about why you want to go to that school specifically. It might be because they have a special major, because of their location, the strength of the lacrosse program, the reputation of the quality of the coaching staff, the organization of its curriculum. Each one must be unique and believable. Coaches want to know that you have taken time to consider their program and truly want to be there.
Now, write a letter (not an email) to each coach by name (no "Dear Coach") and express your interest in his school and his program. Include your paragraphs as to the reasons for your interest, and go on to provide a brief overview of your athletic and academic record. Include a statement of your schedule of games, tournaments and camps for the next season and invite him to attend. Tell him that you appreciate his interest and hope to hear from him. At the same time, go to the program's web site and complete the Prospective Recruit Questionnaire.
Look at the locations of your schools and choose camps and tournaments which make it easy for coaches to attend. Consider "guesting" with local teams for tournaments. Research what camps the coach attended last year and consider attending. Most obviously, attend the on campus camp of the school in which you have the greatest interest. Not only will the coach get to see you (and you him), but you will gain valuable insights into life on campus.
Prepare a video highlight reel with the best quality games and technical production you can. If you can afford to use a commercial service do it. If not survey your friends for the best techie you can find and make this a priority. Complete your lacrosse profile (many sites offer free services for this), and draft a cover letter that is directly and personally addressed to the coach. Keep the coach informed of your schedule updates.
Spend some time learning the NCAA rules regarding recruiting. If they are clearly not interested move on to other schools. Learn what you can and cannot say to coaches. Equally, find out what they can and cannot say to you and the schedule of their recruiting program. How to talk to coaches is a subject in itself so read on for another blog entry..
Planning is the key to recruiting. Doing your homework on this major life decision. Put your best effort into each step of the process. Four years of your life and all that that leads to depend on how well you do this homework assignment.
"If you don't know where you're going any road will do." The point is to have your destination or at least a number of possible destinations in mind when you begin. All your recruiting efforts will be of little value if you wind up at a college or university that isn't a good fit for you. So Step One is know what you're looking for. There are dozens of college selection web sites, books, and applications. Use them to make a list of schools and visit. Use all your criteria to make your list: your field of interest, coed or not, public or private, city or country, local or far from home, dorm or commute. Good resources for this first screening include: Peterson's College Guide, College Confidential.....
Do all the work you can screening schools until you have your best shot at a visit list.
Then visit each school when it is in session. Do the tour. Hang out in the student union. Visit a class or two. See if you can stay overnight in a dorm. In other words, walking through an empty campus is almost a waste of your time. Get the feel of the campus and the community around it. You will know when a campus feels "right."
After your visit make a list of colleges that would be good fits for you. Make sure your grades and standardized scores are in their admissible range. Research the lacrosse team, its record, the coaching staff; look at the roster and measure its strength at your position; look at the home towns of the team. Are they all local to the college or regional? Is there anyone you know? If so, get in touch with them and ask them about their experience.
Now you have a list of target schools that feel right, are within reach academically, have the kind of lacrosse program where you feel your position and skills may be needed, and where the program feels good. Now you're ready to start contacting coaches. For each college write several paragraphs about why you want to go to that school specifically. It might be because they have a special major, because of their location, the strength of the lacrosse program, the reputation of the quality of the coaching staff, the organization of its curriculum. Each one must be unique and believable. Coaches want to know that you have taken time to consider their program and truly want to be there.
Now, write a letter (not an email) to each coach by name (no "Dear Coach") and express your interest in his school and his program. Include your paragraphs as to the reasons for your interest, and go on to provide a brief overview of your athletic and academic record. Include a statement of your schedule of games, tournaments and camps for the next season and invite him to attend. Tell him that you appreciate his interest and hope to hear from him. At the same time, go to the program's web site and complete the Prospective Recruit Questionnaire.
Look at the locations of your schools and choose camps and tournaments which make it easy for coaches to attend. Consider "guesting" with local teams for tournaments. Research what camps the coach attended last year and consider attending. Most obviously, attend the on campus camp of the school in which you have the greatest interest. Not only will the coach get to see you (and you him), but you will gain valuable insights into life on campus.
Prepare a video highlight reel with the best quality games and technical production you can. If you can afford to use a commercial service do it. If not survey your friends for the best techie you can find and make this a priority. Complete your lacrosse profile (many sites offer free services for this), and draft a cover letter that is directly and personally addressed to the coach. Keep the coach informed of your schedule updates.
Spend some time learning the NCAA rules regarding recruiting. If they are clearly not interested move on to other schools. Learn what you can and cannot say to coaches. Equally, find out what they can and cannot say to you and the schedule of their recruiting program. How to talk to coaches is a subject in itself so read on for another blog entry..
Planning is the key to recruiting. Doing your homework on this major life decision. Put your best effort into each step of the process. Four years of your life and all that that leads to depend on how well you do this homework assignment.
Tweet Your Way To Recognition
The world of college recruiting is a dynamic one, and the dream of "if you build it, they'll come" is even less true today than ten years ago. Even as the sport expands into new areas of the country, the number of skilled players in hotbed areas offers easy pickings for college coaches with limited time and even more limited travel budgets.
Luckily, the internet offers a great levelling effect for players to get the attention of college coaches with a variety of tools that can be used to great effect. Most college coaches have been adept at using the tools of internet communication and will be responsive to your presentation online.
An important starting note. The song says "you are what you are, and you ain't what you ain't." In planning for college it behooves you to know the difference. Set your college goals for schools that fit you, feel right, and offer a path to your adult life. Athletically, know your level of reach. Get feedback from coaches as to the reality of your dreams. Don't be afraid to think big, but don't set yourself up to frustration and failure either. So, make a list of colleges that are a fit academically, socially, and athletically.
Create a video highlight reel. There are many guides for this, but the key is WOW! - powerful, well produced, complete presentation of your skills. Place it on YouTube and be sure that it loads quickly, plays well and has your contact information at least. A screen shot of your academic and bio information is helpful.
Go to the lacrosse page of each college - usually athletics, mens' lacrosse, and get the email address for all the coaches. Most often the recruiting is done by an assistant so all the addresses are important. Then navigate to the Prospective Student Questionairre and complete it. This will signal your interest and put you on the radar as a candidate.
Send the coach a letter (yes, snail mail is still helpful) saying you are interested in their school and why. Don't be vague. "I am interested in ______ because of the friendly community, my anticipated major, the quality of faculty, proximity to family..." whatever it may be, but be real. Include a DVD of your highlight reel and your contact information.
Now you are ready to show the coach that you are a great find for his program. Email him your schedule for school or club games, tournaments, and camps. Tweet your specific tournament schedule, number, game schedule, and any honors such as all star selections. Your goal is to make it easy for him to see you play, have someone scout you, or notice your achievements in quality competition.
Engage the coach and respond to communication from him or his staff. Be timely. There is an expectation of responsiveness online and delays are seen as lack of interest. Respond to all contacts. Even if it is from a second choice school respond genuinely. Coaches talk to one another and are looking both for good athletes and people who are easy to work with. Be respectful. The internet is no place for snide, snarky.
Monitor all your online presentations. Everything you write and post is fair game for review. If you have some inappropriate photos or crude text it will work against you.
Whether you are in a hotbed area or the remote part of the midwest, the internet and its tools can assist you in achieving your post high school goals.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Recruiting Video Highlight Reel
Recruiting Video Highlight Reel
There are some facts of life in recruiting - if you are in the top 25 players in the country they may not apply to you, but for the rest of the "prospective student athletes" there are some things you MUST do to maximize your recruitment opportunities.
One of these is obtaining a highlight video reel. Most of your dads will say "Simple, I'll just take the video cam and shoot some footage, edit it down and send it out, and save all that money." Unless your dad is a professional videographer who knows lacrosse very well and doesn't get excited and wave the camera around when you're about to score, this is a VERY BAD IDEA!!!
Pretend you're a lacrosse coach at a D1 (could be D2 or even D3) college or university, and in your daily mail are 50, 100, or more video reels and letters. Having spent more than 15 years as a D1 coach, I can tell you that watching these for quality recruits gets mind numbing very quickly. Poor quality, difficulty seeing the player being presented, shots of sky and grass, good play against weak teams, and on and on are just a few of the reasons for yanking a video in order to move on through the endless tide of arriving videos.
What do you need to do to get the coach to sit up and watch your video closely?
1. Create an opening page with your main statistics - GPA, SAT, ACT, AP, Honors - If your record is good and you can pass Admissions he'll pay some more attention.
2. If your size and speed are in your favor include them. If you're 5'8 and 130 pounds it might be better to let that wait a bit, but if you're 6'4", 220 and can run the 40 in 4.5 seconds this is good info to put up front.
3. Have your video taken by a professional if at all possible. The best editor in the world can't fix bad shots. Filming lacrosse is not easy and is best done by someone with both talent and experience to get the best sequences to demonstrate your talents.
4. Choose your plays carefully. Remember the coach is going to tune out quickly and you have to capture his attention so put up just enough clips to demonstrate your ability is each aspect of your game. Take your time and get outstanding shots. Remember your video will be judged against the rest of the stack that day, that week, that month. You are looking for the WOW factor to capture the coaches' attention.
5. Get your plays against top competition. An experienced coach can tell in a few moments if your opponent is inferior, and your outstanding play is just the result of poor skills by your opponent.
6. Put your contact information on the video. Your letter of interest may become separated and you want the coach to be able to find you.
7. Prepare a detailed yet brief letter to the coach explaining your interest in his school. After a while coaches can smell a form letter and that works against you big time. If you don't know why you're interested in this school either find out or don't bother to apply.
8. In you letter tell the coach what you offer to his team. Without bragging, tell the coach about your achievements and personality traits that make you a good prospect.
9. Observe recruiting time lines. If you're a senior and sending your video to one of the top ten schools your chances are not so great. If you're in 7th grade it's still a bit early. Recruiting is moving to earlier and earlier and if you're a rising sophomore it is not too early to get started.
10. As lacrosse expands throughout the country the pressure on coaches to find admissible, talented players has increased faster than travel budgets. Recruiting highlight videos, properly done, accompanied by a well written letter, can do much to advance your options for college recruitment.
There are some facts of life in recruiting - if you are in the top 25 players in the country they may not apply to you, but for the rest of the "prospective student athletes" there are some things you MUST do to maximize your recruitment opportunities.
One of these is obtaining a highlight video reel. Most of your dads will say "Simple, I'll just take the video cam and shoot some footage, edit it down and send it out, and save all that money." Unless your dad is a professional videographer who knows lacrosse very well and doesn't get excited and wave the camera around when you're about to score, this is a VERY BAD IDEA!!!
Pretend you're a lacrosse coach at a D1 (could be D2 or even D3) college or university, and in your daily mail are 50, 100, or more video reels and letters. Having spent more than 15 years as a D1 coach, I can tell you that watching these for quality recruits gets mind numbing very quickly. Poor quality, difficulty seeing the player being presented, shots of sky and grass, good play against weak teams, and on and on are just a few of the reasons for yanking a video in order to move on through the endless tide of arriving videos.
What do you need to do to get the coach to sit up and watch your video closely?
1. Create an opening page with your main statistics - GPA, SAT, ACT, AP, Honors - If your record is good and you can pass Admissions he'll pay some more attention.
2. If your size and speed are in your favor include them. If you're 5'8 and 130 pounds it might be better to let that wait a bit, but if you're 6'4", 220 and can run the 40 in 4.5 seconds this is good info to put up front.
3. Have your video taken by a professional if at all possible. The best editor in the world can't fix bad shots. Filming lacrosse is not easy and is best done by someone with both talent and experience to get the best sequences to demonstrate your talents.
4. Choose your plays carefully. Remember the coach is going to tune out quickly and you have to capture his attention so put up just enough clips to demonstrate your ability is each aspect of your game. Take your time and get outstanding shots. Remember your video will be judged against the rest of the stack that day, that week, that month. You are looking for the WOW factor to capture the coaches' attention.
5. Get your plays against top competition. An experienced coach can tell in a few moments if your opponent is inferior, and your outstanding play is just the result of poor skills by your opponent.
6. Put your contact information on the video. Your letter of interest may become separated and you want the coach to be able to find you.
7. Prepare a detailed yet brief letter to the coach explaining your interest in his school. After a while coaches can smell a form letter and that works against you big time. If you don't know why you're interested in this school either find out or don't bother to apply.
8. In you letter tell the coach what you offer to his team. Without bragging, tell the coach about your achievements and personality traits that make you a good prospect.
9. Observe recruiting time lines. If you're a senior and sending your video to one of the top ten schools your chances are not so great. If you're in 7th grade it's still a bit early. Recruiting is moving to earlier and earlier and if you're a rising sophomore it is not too early to get started.
10. As lacrosse expands throughout the country the pressure on coaches to find admissible, talented players has increased faster than travel budgets. Recruiting highlight videos, properly done, accompanied by a well written letter, can do much to advance your options for college recruitment.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Can You Beat the Lottery?
Did you hear the odds of winning the Powerball lottery last week- 500,000,000 to 1. Yet, millions of people flocked to vendors and plunked down their money to challenge the odds.
I have some odds for you that are almost equally daunting:
1. There are ______ slots each year in professional lacrosse.
2. There are _____ slots each year in college lacrosse
__________ D1
___________ D2
____________D3
Total: ________________
3. There are __________ slots in this year's graduating high school class:
4. There are _________ players in youth lacrosse as of
5. ____________ new players join lacrosse programs each year.
It would take a better statistician than I am to tell you your personal odds of becoming a college lacrosse player or a D1 college player. But for sure the odds are about the same as being struck by lightening while sitting in the basement.
So why not give up? -
The answer is that there is one crucial difference between winning the lottery or being struck by lightening - you can improve your odds. The first two are random evens and generally speaking each person has an equal chance of winning (or er.. of losing).
So what are you going to do to change the odds in your favor? Many will see the odds as too long and stop trying and content themselves with recreation , intramural, pickup games, but a few will take a dream, make a plan, follow the plan and find success. If you are one of these we want to hear form you.
We are going to invite your comments - What are YOU going to do to beat the odds? What are you going to do to win the lottery?
When we receive two hundred responses we will pick a plan at random and award a Blue Chip Hoodie ...... and you'll be on your way to winning already. Sit down and think about YOUR plan and let us know!
I have some odds for you that are almost equally daunting:
1. There are ______ slots each year in professional lacrosse.
2. There are _____ slots each year in college lacrosse
__________ D1
___________ D2
____________D3
Total: ________________
3. There are __________ slots in this year's graduating high school class:
4. There are _________ players in youth lacrosse as of
5. ____________ new players join lacrosse programs each year.
It would take a better statistician than I am to tell you your personal odds of becoming a college lacrosse player or a D1 college player. But for sure the odds are about the same as being struck by lightening while sitting in the basement.
So why not give up? -
The answer is that there is one crucial difference between winning the lottery or being struck by lightening - you can improve your odds. The first two are random evens and generally speaking each person has an equal chance of winning (or er.. of losing).
So what are you going to do to change the odds in your favor? Many will see the odds as too long and stop trying and content themselves with recreation , intramural, pickup games, but a few will take a dream, make a plan, follow the plan and find success. If you are one of these we want to hear form you.
We are going to invite your comments - What are YOU going to do to beat the odds? What are you going to do to win the lottery?
When we receive two hundred responses we will pick a plan at random and award a Blue Chip Hoodie ...... and you'll be on your way to winning already. Sit down and think about YOUR plan and let us know!
Did You Give It Your All?
Here are the facts of life and they may not be pleasant: A coach friend of mine was considering a highly recruited goalie. He had evaluated him for six months, watched him play, had goalie coaches and even professional goalies observe him, and the word came back: "He's the real deal." The evals said, "nice kid, intensely coached by a world class coach since age 8, successful in every league including adult leagues at 14, highly motivated, driven to succeed, came early, stayed late"; in other words - a coach's dream.
His grades were solid B range with lots of honors and AP courses, but a few C's and even a D or two. The victim of a hearing disorder, his struggles in the classroom were real, and his mediocre grades belied his almost genius IQ and demonstrated standard test successes.
And you know the rest of the story - At this highly selective school with the support of the entire athletic department, his standing as the grandson of a prominent graduate of the school, the pleading of the coach with the admissions office... The team was in desperate need of a top goalie candidate, and the coach was convinced his team's next several seasons hinged on this successful admission.
And here is the bottom line - the Admissions Office knew that his chances of successfully completing the academic curriculum with his demonstrated academic record were slim, and it would do that athlete a disservice by granting him admission only to flunk out with major disappointment to him and the sports program both.
In this situation the moral is simple - there are situations where your ability, drive, coachability, commitment to the school, first choice for early decision, the need of a coach for a player in your position - aren't enough.
But... but.. when asked the question "could you have dug a little deeper on some classes," gone in for more tutorials," "made flash cards" tape recorded classes and so on just a little bit more could you have made the grade. You know the answer.
So, whatever your handicap, whatever your distraction, whatever the drains on your time, it is up to you to dig a little deeper for your goal, press a little harder, worked harder and make your dream come true so that when someone asks "Did you give it your all?" not just on the field, but in the classroom, the homework, the rehab after an injury, your strong statement that "I gave it my all" will forever free you from the "if onlys" that will stay with you for years to come.
His grades were solid B range with lots of honors and AP courses, but a few C's and even a D or two. The victim of a hearing disorder, his struggles in the classroom were real, and his mediocre grades belied his almost genius IQ and demonstrated standard test successes.
And you know the rest of the story - At this highly selective school with the support of the entire athletic department, his standing as the grandson of a prominent graduate of the school, the pleading of the coach with the admissions office... The team was in desperate need of a top goalie candidate, and the coach was convinced his team's next several seasons hinged on this successful admission.
And here is the bottom line - the Admissions Office knew that his chances of successfully completing the academic curriculum with his demonstrated academic record were slim, and it would do that athlete a disservice by granting him admission only to flunk out with major disappointment to him and the sports program both.
In this situation the moral is simple - there are situations where your ability, drive, coachability, commitment to the school, first choice for early decision, the need of a coach for a player in your position - aren't enough.
But... but.. when asked the question "could you have dug a little deeper on some classes," gone in for more tutorials," "made flash cards" tape recorded classes and so on just a little bit more could you have made the grade. You know the answer.
So, whatever your handicap, whatever your distraction, whatever the drains on your time, it is up to you to dig a little deeper for your goal, press a little harder, worked harder and make your dream come true so that when someone asks "Did you give it your all?" not just on the field, but in the classroom, the homework, the rehab after an injury, your strong statement that "I gave it my all" will forever free you from the "if onlys" that will stay with you for years to come.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Getting On the Board
Every college coach keeps a record of prospective student athletes who may become recruits and possibly even move on to become contributors to his team's success. This list comes from many sources: friends, other coaches, alumni, current and past players, web sites such as Inside Lacrosse and other online publications, newspapers, resumes and videos mailed in, and players he may see in camps and tournaments as he and his assistants scout for talent. Remember: a coach will have hundreds if not thousands of prospects to choose from. However successful you are in the sport there is likely to be someone as good who may win out based on the intangibles a coach views.
Most often the coach is seeking players to fill current or anticipated vacancies in his program. A team with three goalies all sophomores may not be looking to recruit another goalie in the next class coming in. Coaches may have certain sets of traits they value particularly - size, speed, agility, aggressiveness, leadership, coachability, height, weight (or the lack thereof). They may be particularly responsive to players with outstanding grades (and a low chance of academic failure), active community involvement, and a dozen and one other traits, skills, and talents.
Some things we know that EVERY coach is looking for:
1. Coachability - do you take directions well, do you modify your play based on coaching, are you able to take criticism, can you handle frustration without negative reaction. In other words, are you easy to work with; do you do what you're instructed to do with enthusiasm and commitment. Do you keep your cool under criticism.
2. Family Support - Here's a secret you won't hear in many areas, but coaches are people too, and if they feel badgered by parents, if they are frequent recipients of second guessing calls from family; if they are emailed from parents about the playing time their son is receiving a college coach might find another player of equal ability minus the intrusive parents. Conversely, coaches may value parents who are supportive, cheer games, support the team, appreciate his work.
3. Respect - A prospective student athlete who is surly on the phone, has wild facebook pages (and don't think coaches don't check), shows a history of being in trouble, shows up for formal or informal visits poorly groomed and slovenly dressed is not going to enhance his chances to receive favorable evaluation in the competition to stay on the recruiting board.
4. Maturity - Coaches will admit that they want to hear form prospects directly. Having all the communication come from mom and dad is a warning flag to a coach. They are more likely impressed by a prospect who calls or emails directly, respectfully, and intelligently. That doesn't mean what mom and dad shouldn't take part, but as the prospect you should be in the lead.
5.Best Foot - Wearing a tie to an interview will not by itself get you a scholarship to a top D1 school, but dressing down could well reduce your changes. Dress as you would for an important event, demonstrate that meeting a coach is an important event. Sullen silence will not work in your favor. A firm handshake with eye contact and a polite thank you for the coach meeting with you will create a good first impression. Answer questions fully, (you may not get a second chance), bring out your successes without bragging ,. Don't ramble on with irrelevant information. Be prepared to tell the coach why you are interested in his school - be specific. If being at his school is not important to you, you are less likely to commit the effort to stay and that is not a good thing for the coach so this point matters. At the conclusion of the meeting, thank the coach for his time. Ask him if you might keep him apprised of your schedule, and if there is any further information you can provide. The point here is: look good, be respectful, be informed, be engaging, and seek a way to stay in touch.
These points matter whether you are meeting a coach at camp, at a clinic, in an informal campus visit or an official visit.
6. Line up Your References -You can be sure that coach will be talking to your high school and club coach. He will ask about your attitudes, your coachability, your work ethic, your sportsmanship, your ability to handle losing, take criticism.. Lots of find players miss opportunities for bad relationships with school and club coaches.
7. Back to the Board- Lots of outstanding athletes do everything right, captain of the team, great work ethic, strong skills, very coachable and more but yet are see by a college coach. Here is the bottom line lesson: there are a lot more players for coaches to find than there are teams in colleges that meet your goals. Over my years in coaching I have seen hundreds of outstanding players not reach their school and team goals because they waited to be discovered. Simply: unless you are in the top 1 or 2% of your national class of lacrosse players you will have to sell yourself - not the other way round. Lesson Number 2 - If you wait it's going to be too late. If you are a rising senior the best trains have left the station. If you're a rising sophomore, that's right - a 9th grader- it is not too early to begin to map your college search and plan to get on the board.
8. What price will you pay? - Every day there are thousands of lacrosse players aiming at the same slots you are. They are up early working out, lifting weights, keeping their grades strong, working at learning new moves and perfecting old ones, working on their stick skills so it's second nature. They are evaluating colleges, looking for teams likely to need their skills. They are prepared when the time comes to meet the coaches they want to reach - at camp, at a tournament, on campus. These guys are the big time winners - the rest of the pack is wondering why no one discovered them. Which are you?
Most often the coach is seeking players to fill current or anticipated vacancies in his program. A team with three goalies all sophomores may not be looking to recruit another goalie in the next class coming in. Coaches may have certain sets of traits they value particularly - size, speed, agility, aggressiveness, leadership, coachability, height, weight (or the lack thereof). They may be particularly responsive to players with outstanding grades (and a low chance of academic failure), active community involvement, and a dozen and one other traits, skills, and talents.
Some things we know that EVERY coach is looking for:
1. Coachability - do you take directions well, do you modify your play based on coaching, are you able to take criticism, can you handle frustration without negative reaction. In other words, are you easy to work with; do you do what you're instructed to do with enthusiasm and commitment. Do you keep your cool under criticism.
2. Family Support - Here's a secret you won't hear in many areas, but coaches are people too, and if they feel badgered by parents, if they are frequent recipients of second guessing calls from family; if they are emailed from parents about the playing time their son is receiving a college coach might find another player of equal ability minus the intrusive parents. Conversely, coaches may value parents who are supportive, cheer games, support the team, appreciate his work.
3. Respect - A prospective student athlete who is surly on the phone, has wild facebook pages (and don't think coaches don't check), shows a history of being in trouble, shows up for formal or informal visits poorly groomed and slovenly dressed is not going to enhance his chances to receive favorable evaluation in the competition to stay on the recruiting board.
4. Maturity - Coaches will admit that they want to hear form prospects directly. Having all the communication come from mom and dad is a warning flag to a coach. They are more likely impressed by a prospect who calls or emails directly, respectfully, and intelligently. That doesn't mean what mom and dad shouldn't take part, but as the prospect you should be in the lead.
5.Best Foot - Wearing a tie to an interview will not by itself get you a scholarship to a top D1 school, but dressing down could well reduce your changes. Dress as you would for an important event, demonstrate that meeting a coach is an important event. Sullen silence will not work in your favor. A firm handshake with eye contact and a polite thank you for the coach meeting with you will create a good first impression. Answer questions fully, (you may not get a second chance), bring out your successes without bragging ,. Don't ramble on with irrelevant information. Be prepared to tell the coach why you are interested in his school - be specific. If being at his school is not important to you, you are less likely to commit the effort to stay and that is not a good thing for the coach so this point matters. At the conclusion of the meeting, thank the coach for his time. Ask him if you might keep him apprised of your schedule, and if there is any further information you can provide. The point here is: look good, be respectful, be informed, be engaging, and seek a way to stay in touch.
These points matter whether you are meeting a coach at camp, at a clinic, in an informal campus visit or an official visit.
6. Line up Your References -You can be sure that coach will be talking to your high school and club coach. He will ask about your attitudes, your coachability, your work ethic, your sportsmanship, your ability to handle losing, take criticism.. Lots of find players miss opportunities for bad relationships with school and club coaches.
7. Back to the Board- Lots of outstanding athletes do everything right, captain of the team, great work ethic, strong skills, very coachable and more but yet are see by a college coach. Here is the bottom line lesson: there are a lot more players for coaches to find than there are teams in colleges that meet your goals. Over my years in coaching I have seen hundreds of outstanding players not reach their school and team goals because they waited to be discovered. Simply: unless you are in the top 1 or 2% of your national class of lacrosse players you will have to sell yourself - not the other way round. Lesson Number 2 - If you wait it's going to be too late. If you are a rising senior the best trains have left the station. If you're a rising sophomore, that's right - a 9th grader- it is not too early to begin to map your college search and plan to get on the board.
8. What price will you pay? - Every day there are thousands of lacrosse players aiming at the same slots you are. They are up early working out, lifting weights, keeping their grades strong, working at learning new moves and perfecting old ones, working on their stick skills so it's second nature. They are evaluating colleges, looking for teams likely to need their skills. They are prepared when the time comes to meet the coaches they want to reach - at camp, at a tournament, on campus. These guys are the big time winners - the rest of the pack is wondering why no one discovered them. Which are you?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)