Lots of great advice here. Thanks to all. I’d emphasize the seemingly obvious but often overlooked issue of grades. Possibly a bigger deal in D3 but every meaningful contact my daughter has had with coaches from top 25 SLACs has included the topic of grades and test scores. That ten goals a game scoring average won’t get you a sniff at Haverford if you have a bunch of C’s.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Let's be transparent here -- your son got recruited via Blackwolf, not from his high school play.

I am curious, since my son plays lacrosse but is still in elementary school -- is it possible to play high school lacrosse and play club lacrosse? Don't high school teams practice five days a week? Does that conflict with club practice (how often do high school club teams practice)?

Clubs work around HS season. All the top HS players play club as well. All college recruiting happens via the club in the summer and fall.

Clubs don't really play together during high school season. Recruiting happens at the clubs, but there is a lot of recruiting at the high school level with the better programs. College coaches attend Landon, Prep and Bullis games in the DMV area as well as MIAA games in Baltimore and games in Darien, CT and on Long Island.

College admissions has gotten beyond crazy competitive. If you are not a URM or first in your family to attend college, super high scores and perfect grades guarantee you nothing. Having an insider-advocate on your behalf is more than the overwhelming majority of applicant will have. If the only “offer” from the coach is that he/she will support my kid with admissions, we’ll take it! That’s worth bank.

After a pre-read, a D3 coach can offer his support. For some schools, that’s basically guaranteed admission. For others, it’s a factor to be considered. Not determinative. But at least a hook.

Anonymous wrote:When do offers for D3 usually get extended?

What is it that you think the DIII is offering?

There's no Letter of Intent to sign on a date ahead of the regular Admissions notification date.

The coach can't guarantee admission. The Admission Department does that.

The coach might submit a prioritized list to Admissions. And he might tell you you are at the top of it, but there's no way you will know if that is true or not.

If you don't know this, there's a lot of half-truths and subtle mis-leading that goes on in recruiting and there's more of that at DIII because there are far fewer rules and requirements.

In DIII, you apply and then wait to see if you are admitted. That's it.

Now coaches might ask you to verbally commit. And they might profess their undying love and admiration.

But because there are no scholarships and therefore no limit on the number of players, its to the DIII coaches advantage to have as many kids apply as he possibly can get to do so.

Anonymous wrote:

Let's be transparent here -- your son got recruited via Blackwolf, not from his high school play.

I am curious, since my son plays lacrosse but is still in elementary school -- is it possible to play high school lacrosse and play club lacrosse? Don't high school teams practice five days a week? Does that conflict with club practice (how often do high school club teams practice)?

Clubs work around HS season. All the top HS players play club as well. All college recruiting happens via the club in the summer and fall.

Let's be transparent here -- your son got recruited via Blackwolf, not from his high school play.

I am curious, since my son plays lacrosse but is still in elementary school -- is it possible to play high school lacrosse and play club lacrosse? Don't high school teams practice five days a week? Does that conflict with club practice (how often do high school club teams practice)?

When do offers for D3 usually get extended?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tip 1. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and play for Madlax, VLC, Crabs, DC Express.

Tip 2. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and have your kid play for Bullis or Prep or Landon if D1, any other IAC if D3 focused.

My S didn't play for one of those elite clubs. He attends public school. He'll be playing D3 lax next year at a school that is a great fit for him. He'll get a good chunk of merit aid. There are multiple avenues to achieve the goal. I guess this is Tip 3.

Ditto. Not a top D3 program for DS but a great school with terrific young head coach and significant merit money. What we've learned is that if DS or DD want to play in college it is possible to find a good fit for them even if they are not a top-tier athlete. More and more DII and DIII schools are starting men's and women's programs every year. So there are more options now for kids than ever; the key thing is that they are enthusiastic about attending the school. If it makes sense for them academically and financially, and they can play lacrosse, then its a great situation even if they're not on a top 20 program.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are new to the area, TX transplants. My son is a converted football player, whose athleticism and good hand eye has made him a very good player. He is now a rising sophomore and would like to try to get recruited to play at the college level. The process is all so confusing. For example, how important is it to play for a club team? How important is it to attend a private school? What's the deal with all of these recruitment tournaments - 900 dollars or more for a recruitment camp? Please help me sort through all of this. Thank you!

My son goes to a Loudoun County public school with a strong lacrosse team. He also plays on BlackWolf. Never had to pay for showcase tournaments or camps. He basically got recruited out of high school. He's off to a D1 school.

I know pleanty of parents who sent their kids to private school to get seen. This had been totally unnecessary in our case.

Let's be transparent here -- your son got recruited via Blackwolf, not from his high school play. He may never have participated in any showcases or camps, but for sure you're paying BW for the tournament exposure.

I'm not judging or saying that is a bad thing, my son does the same. I could probably guess who your son is too based on him playing for BW and for a LCPS school - congrats to him on the accomplishment!

Just don't want parents here thinking if you play for a top public program, college coaches will flock to watch you and recruit you (they won't). Right or wrong, club ball is here to stay and it is the primary driver that will get you recruited.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tip 1. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and play for Madlax, VLC, Crabs, DC Express.

Tip 2. Swallow your pride, open your wallets, and have your kid play for Bullis or Prep or Landon if D1, any other IAC if D3 focused.

My S didn't play for one of those elite clubs. He attends public school. He'll be playing D3 lax next year at a school that is a great fit for him. He'll get a good chunk of merit aid. There are multiple avenues to achieve the goal. I guess this is Tip 3.

There are exceptions to the Rule, but as a general matter a public school kid not playing for an elite club will not land in a top D3 lax program. reality hurts.

Eek...my sin is going to be playing at Navy. Public school.

Anonymous wrote:We are new to the area, TX transplants. My son is a converted football player, whose athleticism and good hand eye has made him a very good player. He is now a rising sophomore and would like to try to get recruited to play at the college level. The process is all so confusing. For example, how important is it to play for a club team? How important is it to attend a private school? What's the deal with all of these recruitment tournaments - 900 dollars or more for a recruitment camp? Please help me sort through all of this. Thank you!

My son goes to a Loudoun County public school with a strong lacrosse team. He also plays on BlackWolf. Never had to pay for showcase tournaments or camps. He basically got recruited out of high school. He's off to a D1 school.

I know pleanty of parents who sent their kids to private school to get seen. This had been totally unnecessary in our case.

For D3, look at any top 25 school. Majority prep school kids. Yeah, “side door” to admissions for sure.

As with life, having money helps. It helps you fund those money-grab but necessary showcases, clubs, private school tuition, film and private coaches.

College coaches rely on the clubs to find the best players in a given area. The thinking goes, if a kid makes Madlax or Crabs or VLC, they are talented players. Adding to a recruits attractiveness is playing for a top private like Landon or Zaga, or even places like Ehs or sta with weaker programs, because they all play each other and other privates capable of playing high level lacrosse. Sure, there are and always will be kids at public schools who get recruited, but a star prospect even at a public school powerhouse like Churchill or Robinson are simply not going to be challenged by most of their opponents.