DEVELOPING AN “A-list”
When the recruiting process begins each year, coaching staffs assemble an “A-list” of high school sophomores and juniors they are interested in recruiting. The names on this list are athletes the coaches have seen in action at camp, state and regional games, or tournaments. They also come from referrals by trusted sources like other college coaches, boosters, former athletes, and some high school coaches.
It is important to remember that their “A-lists” are composed of high school juniors-to-be, meaning they appeared on their rader long before their junior year. With this in mind, place yourself in position to be noticed and/or evaluated by recruiters before your junior year.
This can be accomplished by: playing for prominent league teams outside of school; participating in college camps held by coaches at school that interest you; attending showcase camps college coaches attend; and, personally notifying the coach of your interest in his program and letting him know your qualifications. LacrosseRecruits.com is a great way to get on a coach’s radar as you can put your profile and video in front of all the coach’s that interest you. One click and the coach is viewing your profile and video. If you are the type of player he is looking for, you are now on this coach’s radar.
Determining Who Is Interested
Questionnaires are sent to every athlete on a coach’s “A-list,” as well as to any athlete who writes or phones the coach’s office expressing interest in the program. If you receive a questionnaire, you will be asked to provide detailed academic and athletic information about yourself and to return the form promptly. If you neglect to return it quickly, be aware that you are sending a strong message that you are not interested in being recruited. Some elite athletes on the “A-list” who do not return their questionnaires may receive a follow-up phone call to determine their interest level, but most will not.
Returning the questionnaire promptly does more than tell the coach you are interested in his program. It also tells him you are conscientious, able to follow instructions and pay attention to detail. Sometimes, little things like that can make all the difference in the world. While you may not stand out from the crowd by doing this, you’ll definitely stand out if your questionnaire comes in late, is completed in a sloppy fashion or lacks important information. A LacrosseRecruits.com profile is another great way to present your information in a professional manner and allow any coach to watch your video with the click of a button.
Working With Admissions Officers to Narrow Down the List
Coaches meet periodically with their college’s admissions officer liaison to discuss prospective recruits. This is where your ability on the playing field can help you get admitted to a good academic school to which you might not qualify on grades or test scores alone. A coach will compile a list of his top recruits so the liaison knows which athletes are the coach’s highest priorities.
Based on your academic credentials, the liaison will often tell the coach who has a chance to be admitted and who does not. Some admission departments will be flexible and accept top recruits who may fall slightly below the academic requirements, but this happens only if you are in high demand by the coaching staff.
The coaching staff will then begin to reduce the “A-list” to a more manageable and realistic pool of candidates. It will only contain students who can contribute athletically, fill a position of need on the team, and possess the academic marks to get accepted to the school.
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