Have two sons who were recruitred for lacrosse ask me anything and I will provide candid responses

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did you create the video you sent to the coaches.

We videotaped them at their games in the summer and they did the editing, there are many online easy to use programs that nearly all the teens know how to use/edit. Many of their school games and some club games were videotaped by a hired videographer (by the club or school) so they would edit from that film.
Also each game was only maybe 30 seconds or so, with a total game tape being about 4-6 minutes max. VERY important to have this.

So you took video from Freshman year, and sent it when? August before sophomore year?

Yes starting freshman year but really focused mostly on the rising sophomore summer and on, about equal footage of summer/school games and again just short clips from each,you want to keep the viewer interested and the idea is to highlight their strengths but not having a highlight film that's more about 5 min or so max. My oldest started sending it out with an introductory email summer before sophomore year and started corresponding with a core group of coaches that year (throughout the year) my younger son who plays D3 started this process in his junior year. Very different timelines for D1 and D3, it would pay to read up on them and they are ever changing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, are you a public or private school family?

Hi my son went D1 went to public and my son D3 private.

Did going to a private make the recruitment process any easier?

No I cannot say it did, only real difference was that in one school the advisers had far less kids to oversee whereas in public obviously they have a larger group to advise but with recruiting for ANY sport, you really have to be your own advocate, I cannot stress it enough. You cannot assume that the school adviser is well versed and up to speed with the fast changing game of recruiting. We did our due diligence and homework in helping our sons and frankly did not see any difference worth mentioning in private vs. public. Bottom line is if you have a kid who is a college level player and coaches want him, it will not matter if its in a private or public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, are you a public or private school family?

Hi my son went D1 went to public and my son D3 private.

Did going to a private make the recruitment process any easier?

No I cannot say it did, only real difference was that in one school the advisers had far less kids to oversee whereas in public obviously they have a larger group to advise but with recruiting for ANY sport, you really have to be your own advocate, I cannot stress it enough. You cannot assume that the school adviser is well versed and up to speed with the fast changing game of recruiting. We did our due diligence and homework in helping our sons and frankly did not see any difference worth mentioning in private vs. public. Bottom line is if you have a kid who is a college level player and coaches want him, it will not matter if its in a private or public school.

Thanks for this information!

My son is an excellent player. For a number of reasons, he cannot participate with a club team in high school. He is at a competitive lax program in a MoCo public school, and according to the coaches, will lily be a future first team All Met. Will the coaches recommend him to summer recruitment tournaments? Is there any way my son can get recruited without playing for a club team?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, are you a public or private school family?

Hi my son went D1 went to public and my son D3 private.

Did going to a private make the recruitment process any easier?

No I cannot say it did, only real difference was that in one school the advisers had far less kids to oversee whereas in public obviously they have a larger group to advise but with recruiting for ANY sport, you really have to be your own advocate, I cannot stress it enough. You cannot assume that the school adviser is well versed and up to speed with the fast changing game of recruiting. We did our due diligence and homework in helping our sons and frankly did not see any difference worth mentioning in private vs. public. Bottom line is if you have a kid who is a college level player and coaches want him, it will not matter if its in a private or public school.

Thanks for this information!

My son is an excellent player. For a number of reasons, he cannot participate with a club team in high school. He is at a competitive lax program in a MoCo public school, and according to the coaches, will lily be a future first team All Met. Will the coaches recommend him to summer recruitment tournaments? Is there any way my son can get recruited without playing for a club team?

I am no expert but I have to say of what I do know, club teams are extremely important. I am not saying you can't get recruited but will have to work that much harder. If he cannot commit to an all summer deal then could he maybe attend some of the tournaments with a team? If he is that good, chances are a top team would be happy to have him part of the time instead of none of the time. The exposure is huge as that is when most college coaches are scouting for their future players. They are all over the place and normally one of the first questions from a coach to a perspective recruit is "what tourneys are you playing this summer"? The biggest tournaments get the biggest turnout. I would really see if you can get him to at least a few summer events. Get in contact with respective program directors for those teams and explain your situation, maybe they will invite him for a practice to see how good he is and then consider having him on a "stand by" basis, things happen all the time.

Honesty is best policy when communicating with any coach, so tell them upfront if he will definitely not be participating in summer ball but if I were you I would do my best to see if you can get him out there at least for a few events. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Are all the club teams in the close-to-DC suburbs that do a good job of getting your DC exposure to college recruiters in NOVA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Besides playing in college and scholarships that come with that, what are some other benefits of playing?

Not OP, but if I saw a resume come through my desk from a Div. 1 lacrosse player, it would definitely be put on the top of the pile. I would know that this person is a hard worker, can set his/her sights on a goal and achieve it, and would be a great team player.

[Anonymous]

What age did your kids start playing? Where/what club?

My sibling and I were Div 1 soccer players, but the travel soccer thing these days make me want to stab my eyes out.

Son is 8. DH went to Hopkins son is no gung-ho to quit travel soccer and go into LAX.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What age did your kids start playing? Where/what club?

My sibling and I were Div 1 soccer players, but the travel soccer thing these days make me want to stab my eyes out.

Son is 8. DH went to Hopkins son is no gung-ho to quit travel soccer and go into LAX.

For privacy I would rather not state which club(s) hopefully you understand, this is a smaller community than many realize but suffice to say definitely two of the most highly regarded clubs in the area. Oldest started playing around 10 and youngest a bit later I think around 12 or 13 when he made the switch from soccer to lacrosse and never looked back.

At 8 its a great time (crazy as it might sound) to commit to a sport if he really loves it and has the talent to play at a high level. Things are starting so young now its crazy, but it is the reality and nothing is going to change that right now. If you think a switch from one sport to lacrosse is inevitable i would do it now than later. Let it be what your son wants to play and nothing else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Besides playing in college and scholarships that come with that, what are some other benefits of playing?

Not OP, but if I saw a resume come through my desk from a Div. 1 lacrosse player, it would definitely be put on the top of the pile. I would know that this person is a hard worker, can set his/her sights on a goal and achieve it, and would be a great team player.

Hopefully not just a div.1 player and hopefully not just a lacrosse player I think ANY athlete for ANY sport shows 4 years of dedication, loyalty and discipline/work ethic that is coveted in today's marketplace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What age did your kids start playing? Where/what club?

My sibling and I were Div 1 soccer players, but the travel soccer thing these days make me want to stab my eyes out.

Son is 8. DH went to Hopkins son is no gung-ho to quit travel soccer and go into LAX.

My kids do travel soccer and lacrosse. If soccer makes you want to stab your eyes out don't play lax, it is much worse.

If you are in MD you are stuck with Bethesda and Club blue. You could drive to VA and play madlax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are all the club teams in the close-to-DC suburbs that do a good job of getting your DC exposure to college recruiters in NOVA?

Certainly cannot speak for all but I would say that most of the top level clubs have excellent associations with various college coaches as they are used to being part of the recruiting process for their older players if they are a team that produces that caliber player. So they build these relationships over time, and are often on the pulse of what is going on in the lacrosse community at large.

That is why fair or not, developing a strong relationship with your club coach AND your high school coach can have a huge impact on your reccruiting process. If they believe in you and are plugging away for you, chances are you are getting noticed by the right people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What age did your kids start playing? Where/what club?

My sibling and I were Div 1 soccer players, but the travel soccer thing these days make me want to stab my eyes out.

Son is 8. DH went to Hopkins son is no gung-ho to quit travel soccer and go into LAX.

My kids do travel soccer and lacrosse. If soccer makes you want to stab your eyes out don't play lax, it is much worse.

If you are in MD you are stuck with Bethesda and Club blue. You could drive to VA and play madlax.

Have to agree here, soccer is much more "tame" and less of "scene" than the lacrosse field sidelines.....TRUST ME on that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which schools are the big LAX recruiters? Any on the west coast?

Any west coast schools these days? I played div 1 lax 20 years ago but it was only big at a handful of schools. Is it more popular now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What age did your kids start playing? Where/what club?

My sibling and I were Div 1 soccer players, but the travel soccer thing these days make me want to stab my eyes out.

Son is 8. DH went to Hopkins son is no gung-ho to quit travel soccer and go into LAX.

My kids do travel soccer and lacrosse. If soccer makes you want to stab your eyes out don't play lax, it is much worse.

If you are in MD you are stuck with Bethesda and Club blue. You could drive to VA and play madlax.

Have to agree here, soccer is much more "tame" and less of "scene" than the lacrosse field sidelines.....TRUST ME on that!

Ha!! Thanks for the tip. I grew up in am intense soccer family. The problem with soccer is the picks are soooooo political--even if you are David Beckham you have a good chance of not making the National team.

Crazy parents I can tune out---shady, political shit not so much.

Is it straightforward or does it also have that element?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What age did your kids start playing? Where/what club?

My sibling and I were Div 1 soccer players, but the travel soccer thing these days make me want to stab my eyes out.

Son is 8. DH went to Hopkins son is no gung-ho to quit travel soccer and go into LAX.

My kids do travel soccer and lacrosse. If soccer makes you want to stab your eyes out don't play lax, it is much worse.

If you are in MD you are stuck with Bethesda and Club blue. You could drive to VA and play madlax.

Have to agree here, soccer is much more "tame" and less of "scene" than the lacrosse field sidelines.....TRUST ME on that!

Ha!! Thanks for the tip. I grew up in am intense soccer family. The problem with soccer is the picks are soooooo political--even if you are David Beckham you have a good chance of not making the National team.

Crazy parents I can tune out---shady, political shit not so much.

Is it straightforward or does it also have that element?

LAX is all politics, soccer less so.