Recruiting guide for scholastic girls' players
(CONTINUED)
Rising Juniors
-Create a player profile that you can send to colleges you are considering.
-Write a letter of interest you can send to the schools on your list. This letter can be sent via US Mail or e-mail, along with your profile. Include a copy of your team(s) schedule indicating the important games for them to watch.
-Play in the summer recruiting tournaments. Wear something that stands out (bow, neon shoelaces, colored cleats), so it is easy for coaches to see you easily.
-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.
-Attend college games. Get a feel for the coaching style/intensity/team camaraderie.
-Tentatively plan “unofficial visits” to your top schools during the late spring and summer.
Freshman/Sophomores
-Get Organized: Get a file tote/box and make a hanging folder for each college you get interested in. Include all mailing material you receive from the school/coach/lacrosse program/camps offered (you will get a lot!)
-Stay on top of your schoolwork. NCAA eligibility standards keep getting tougher. The grades you earn now will determine admission to college, initial NCAA eligibility, and your future success.
-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.
-Attend lacrosse camps at the colleges (Penn State/UPenn) or college types (ie D1, 2-3 hours away, large schools) that you are interested in. Take notes after camp on what you liked and didn’t like about each camp (dorms, food, distance). Keep this information in your file.
-Play club lacrosse and attend the recruiting tournaments All Star Express and National Draw.
-Request academic and admissions information from college admissions offices.
-Begin researching colleges that have women’s lacrosse. Make a list of all the schools that meet your criteria (for example: Division III private schools in New York that offer physical education teacher certification as a major). The list should include 10-25 schools.