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RECRUITMENT

RECRUITING TIMELINE:

What you should be doing and when you should do it! 

Rising Seniors (Class of 2009)

  • Create a profile sheet that you can send to colleges you are considering.  Make sure your parent or a coach proofreads your profile before you send it. (See sample copy)
  • Begin narrowing your list of potential colleges.  Some factors to consider: Academic profile, level of lacrosse, type of school, distance from home, and cost of attendance.  Be realistic when focusing your list – include “sure things”, “reaches”, and a “long shot” on your list.
  • Contact the coach at the top five to ten schools you are considering – let them know they are one of your top choices.  Include your summer lacrosse schedule so they can see you play.
  • Prepare videotapes to have available for coaches that request them.  Videos should include at least 30 minutes of unedited game footage.
  • Have copies of your transcript, SAT/ACT scores, and senior class schedule available to sent to coaches, particularly those you intend to visit.
  • Tentatively plan “unofficial visits” to your top schools during the late spring and summer.
  • Be proactive – if you are very interested in a particular school, make sure they know it.

Rising Juniors (Class of 2010)

  • Begin researching colleges that have men’s lacrosse.  Make a list of all the schools that meet your criteria (for example: Division III private schools in Maryland/Virginia that offer physical education teacher certification as a major).  The list should include 10-25 schools.
  • Work on the profile sheet that you will be sending to colleges on your list.  Make sure your parent or a coach proofreads your profile before you send it.
  • Write a letter of interest you can send to the schools on your list.  Ask a coach, parent, or teacher to help you write the letter.  This letter can be sent via US Mail or e-mail, along with your profile and summer lacrosse schedule.  Make sure you verify the coach’s name and mailing address on-line or with a phone call before you send the letter.  Spell-check everything before you send it.
  • Return all questionnaires and requested info to the schools you might consider.  If you know you are definitely not considering a particular school, let that coach know.  Honesty is important.
  • Remember that college coaches are restricted by NCAA rules regarding phone calls and contacts off their institution’s campus.  E-mail is the most efficient way to correspond until you have finished your junior year.

Rising Sophomores/Freshman (Class of 2011)

  • Stay focused academically.  NCAA eligibility standards keep getting tougher.  The grades you earn now will determine admission to college, initial NCAA eligibility, and your future success.
  • Play lacrosse, but don’t burn yourself out.  Attend lacrosse camps and play club lacrosse, but not to the exclusion of everything else.  Coaches and Admissions counselors look for well-rounded student athletes.
  • Start researching colleges.  Consider what each level of college lacrosse entails (Division I, II, and III).  Begin thinking about academics – what are your career goals, and what types of things might you study to achieve them?  Talk to your parents, guidance counselors, teachers, coaches, siblings, and older teammates to get information.
  • Request academic and admissions information from college admissions offices.  NCAA lacrosse programs cannot provide athletic recruiting information other than a questionnaire and camp information until September 1 of your junior year in high school.