Gone Campin’ ]
[ YOUR EDGE recruiting
Have a plan to navigate the summer camp and recruiting scene By Spike Malangone
The recent proliferation of club teams, camps, tournaments and showcases has crowded the summer recruiting landscape. Just turn to page 89, and you’ll fi nd a bevy of opportunities in Lacrosse Magazine’s annual summer camp directory.
Remember when summer was a time to recharge, enjoy the weather and make some extra money? Ah, the good old days of 2005. The once-tranquil summer season has now become the most important period for a lacrosse player to be recruited by college coaches. With the right plan, your journey can be successful. Occurring simultaneously with this growth has been the loosening of contact restrictions between prospects and college coaches by the NCAA. What once was reserved for July 1 after your junior year — when coaches can call you for the fi rst time — now occurs much earlier in the form of text messages and emails. These variables have accelerated the recruiting process at an alarming rate. Some freshmen in high school are now committing to colleges before having played a high school game.
While the merits of this timeline are up for debate, that conversation will not change the recruiting reality of 2013. The more useful discussion for a prospective college lacrosse player is how to navigate this space. Here are four steps to picking your summer lacrosse destinations.
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1. Be honest with yourself. Seek input from high school coaches and club coaches for an honest assessment of your abilities. If you can play top-15 Division I lacrosse, you might look to attend events like Nike Blue Chip or Showtime. If you’re leaning toward Division III, New England Top 150 or Good to Great would be time (and money) best spent.
By being honest with yourself about your ability, you can narrow down the summer schedule to events that will get you seen by the correct coaches. Opening your search in this way also will put you in better position to choose a school.
80 LACROSSE MAGAZINE October 2012>> August 2012 >> LACROSSE MAGAZINE 1
A Publication of US Lacrosse
2. Identify your targets academically and athletically. Make a list of 15-20 schools that would be a good fi t based on academics in addition to athletics. Research the schools absent of lacrosse, taking note of factors such as the majors they offer and the campus culture. You go to school and play lacrosse. You don’t go to school to play lacrosse. Once you have done your homework, you can identify where these schools will be in the summer and make an educated decision as to which events to attend to ensure those coaches see you play.
3. Be proactive.
Contact coaches to show your interest in their schools and programs. Send personalized notes — not form letters — to demonstrate your knowledge of a team and your excitement about potentially playing there. Make sure you are on a coach’s radar before an event you know they will attend. Make it as easy as possible for him or her to see you. Remember, you do not go to recruiting events to be discovered — you go to be seen by coaches who already know you but want to see more.
4. Drown out the noise. While the recruiting scene may seem chaotic and overwhelming, don’t get caught up in the comparison game. (“My teammate just committed, I need to make a decision now!”) Have a plan. Be patient and proactive. These traits will help you not only on the recruiting trail, but also when you get to college.
— Spike Malangone
LacrosseRecruits.com
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