Collegiate Lacrosse Recruiting Guide 2016 Contents Important Questions to Begin with . page 2 Inside the Recruiting Numbers . page 3 Measuring Your Athletic Marketability . page 4 General Recruiting Timeline . page 5 School Comparison Checklist . page 6 Become a College-Reader Lacrosse Player . page 7 Common Q & A . page 8 Publications for Thought . page 9 1 Important Questions to Begin With Q: How important is the sport to you? • Consider what investments you are willing to make in High School o Developing your lacrosse skills outside of practice o Traveling to Camps and Showcase events in the offseason o Unofficial visits to colleges • Consider what kind of time commitment and effort are you willing to invest in collegiate lacrosse? o Weightlifting & Cardio training o Film study o Team Meetings & Team Events o Lacrosse Practice and games *Each Program is different but generally speaking premiere DI programs will have the biggest time commitment during season and in the offseason, top DII programs will be only slightly less. Do your research and ask the college coaches for answers) • Consider how will the sport impact your goals for college? More time dedicated to lacrosse means less time to dedicate to clubs/organizations, travel abroad opportunities, and other student life experiences. Q: What are your grades now? What’s a realistic GPA at graduation? What are realistic SAT/ACT scores? • Consider how hard do you work in school? • Consider what did you get on your SAT/ACT’s? • Consider what kind of classes are you taking? *The higher GPA and SAT/ACT scores, the more attractive you are to the coaches and schools. They want balanced student athletes. The less they need to deal with admissions offices the better. Q: Ask yourself…. • Are my parents and I ready to drive the recruiting process? o Your coach is not responsible to market you to college coaches. YOU are responsible! • What are my goals for my college lacrosse experience? • What are my goals for my college education? • What are my goals for life after college? *After answering all of these questions, see if they tie together to form an achievable plan Be prepared to be asked by coaches…. • What are your grades like? • What other schools are you interested in? • When do you want to make a decision on which college you will attend? • What are you looking for in a college? • Can you play any other positions? • What questions do you have for me? 2 Inside the Recruiting Numbers (*2014 data) Collegiate lacrosse programs & players: DI DII DIII MCLA NCLL NJCAA Totals Programs 67 56 216 210 126 32 707 Players 3,015 2,520 9,720 9,450 5,670 1,440 31,815 • Total boys High School lax players: 170,632 • Percentage of High School boys that play lax in college: 18.6% • Odds of playing for a DI program: 1.8% Remember that most elite recruits still come from the northeast states of Maryland, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Thus if you live in a state where lacrosse is still developing you need to factor in this bias. Therefore in Utah your chances of playing DI are even less than 1%. Scholarships: • Division I program have 12.6 scholarships per team (not all DI programs are fully funded) • Division II programs have 10.8 scholarships per team (not all DII programs are fully funded) • Division III programs have 0 scholarships per team for men (only merit based) • Fully Funded programs in 2014: 35 • Total lacrosse scholarships available: 441 • Collegiate lax players receiving some scholarship over part of their four years: 1,470 • Odds of any high school male lax player landing a D1 scholarship: 0.86% To sum-up, be educated and have realistic expectations to drive your decisions 3 Measuring Your Athletic Marketability Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4 Description Top Division I programs Lower Division I programs Top Div II & III programs Lower Div II & III programs Club Multiple Year Tournament All All Star Honors at multiple All Star nominations and all Multiple year participant Experience Star & MVP Honors events tournament recognition High 2 or 3 year varsity starter. All All State. Multiple years all Multiple year starter Multiple year Varsity School American and/or nominee. All region, area, county. 2 year and/or contributor member & 1 year starter Experience State multiple years. varsity starter. Approx Size: 6'1", 200 Lbs. Approx Size: 6'0", 195 Lbs. Approx Size: 5'10", 185 Lbs. Able to take over a game at Shows flashes of taking over A consistent ability to find Approx Size: 5'9", 175 Lbs. any point. Handling of ball games. A consistent threat teammates for scoring Steady contributor on with pressure from the to score and put up points. chances and steady offense. Good athlete Attack opponents best defender. Handles the ball often. offense. Moves the ball and quick. Uses their Notes High IQ and quarterback of Might not be the flashy well and can make a solid advantages very offense. Threat to score or player but always getting the impact in goals and assist. well. Finds a way to be a distribute. Tough player with job done. Does all the little Good athlete who has the steady threat. great change of direction and things well and competes. ability to create offense. vision. Approx Size: 6'2", 215 Lbs. Can Approx Size: 6'1", 205 Lbs. take over a game or the player Steady influence on the Approx Size: 6'0", 190 Lbs. Approx Size: 5'10", 180 they're covering. Great on- player they are covering. Solid athlete who is a Lbs. Steady contributor in ball skills and the commander Steady mix of GB's and 1v1 steady contributor. team concepts. Good Defense of the defenders around them. defense. Shows flashes of Handles the ball often and athlete and help defense. Notes Handles the ball often and a being the top defensive fins roles they succeed in. Uses their advantages threat in the clearing game. player on the field. Can Can cover solid offensive very well, and really helps Always covering the top cover the top tier offensive threats and performs well. out with communication. offensive player for the other threats. Great athletic team. ability. Approx Size: 6'2", 210 Lbs. The Approx Size: 6'1", 200 Lbs. Approx Size: 6'0", 190 Lbs. ability to take over a game at Great athlete who moves the Approx Size: 5'10", 180 Good athlete who knows any point. Handling the ball ball and is a steady Lbs. Strong contributor on their role. Finds a way to with pressure and confidence. contributor on the score offense and truly finds Midfield steady be a factor and A high IQ and a threat to score sheet. Shows the ability to their niche. A threat in Notes difference maker. Solid and distribute. Tough player demand extra attention on transition and finds dodger and feeder. Shows on offense, defense, and the offensive end. Solid on teammates to incorporate flashes of the ability to be transition. Performs well in defense & specialty positions / create scoring chances. the go-to player. the biggest stages. - FO / DM Can take over the game at any Solid in net with moment. Every goal comes Shows flashes of greatness fundamentals. with difficulties. Makes all the and very stubborn in net. Gets to all the steady Communicates well with "must" saves and many that Communicates and leads the saves. Strong Goalie the defense and can keep a should not even have a chance defense in front of them. communicator in the net Notes team in the game. Strong on. Great at communication Strong with handling the ball and handles the ball often in the clearing game and and the leader of the defense. in clearing game. Leads in the clearing game. handles the ball with Can lead the break out and those around them. confidence. accurate in the clearing game. 4 General Recruiting Timeline Freshman Year: • Create a list of 100 prospective schools consider both athletics and academics • Create a film/highlights tape • Send introduction letters to coaches • Go on at least a couple unofficial visits to colleges • Build relationships by making phone calls, send letters and emails • Join a local Lacrosse club team Rules/Tips to Remember: Coaches are watching your development throughout high school at camps, in school and on the field Standouts are proactive, it’s never too early for YOU to write a letter or make a call to coaches DI and DII coaches can’t personally contact you until junior year, but YOU can contact them DIII and NAIA coaches can contact you at any time. Sophomore Year: • Add to your film/highlights tape – keeping film clips from previous year • Get an evaluation of your skills tape • Continue to research prospective schools • Continue to build relationships by making calls, sending letters, emails with the RIGHT coaches • Fill out questionnaires • Make unofficial visits Junior Year • Add to your film/highlights tape – keeping film clips from previous years • Follow-up with coaches you’ve contacted in a TIMELY manner • Invite coaches to your games- let them know about your season schedule • Ask coaches where you stand on their recruits list • Fill out questionnaires • Respond to EVERY coach • Make unofficial visits to schools • Narrow down your prospective schools list Rules/Tips to Remember: September 1st of your junior year is the first day DI and DII coaches can send you letters and emails DI and top DII programs will make offers during junior year If you haven’t heard from DI coaches, start reaching out to DII, DIII or NAIA programs Senior Year: • Make official visits: What does your gut tell you while walking around campus? Is the school too big, too small, or just right? Does the school offer academic programs that I am interested in? • Follow-up with coaches and respond in a TIMELY manner • Apply to the schools- applications& Apply for Financial aid – fafsa.ed.gov starting Jan.