It is important for rising juniors and seniors to spend time preparing for the recruitment process. The amount of colleges playing lacrosse is amazing. What the student athlete and his family need to decide is at which level they might like to compete, DI, DII or DIII. There are extremely competitive teams at every level for every caliber of player.

Fall is also an excellent time for student athletes to visit colleges. E-mail coaches and let them know you will be visiting a school on a particular day and see if you can stop in to say hello. Follow that visit up with an e-mail thanking the coach for his time and information.

At Blaze Lacrosse we will do anything we can to help our members during their recruitment process. Also understand that your high school coach is still the best avenue for help with college admissions. This recruitment page will offer advice and information that should help in your process.

If you have further questions or need more assistance, please e-mail us and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Our high school coach is not helping us that much, what should we do?

Speak to your coach and ask if he could offer you more help and guidance. Some coaches wait for parents or players to ask for help and then they are more than willing to do their part.

Try to make your coach's job easier – come prepared with a list of schools you are interested in, including those you know you can get in (and make the team) and those that may be "dream" schools. Have your list of what club or summer teams you play for and which tournaments you will be attending. Have your unofficial transcripts in hand.

Also speak to your college counselor at school and see if they can help with narrowing your list of schools and help with setting realistic goals. If you need more assistance please don't hesitate to contact us for advice and information!

As a rising JUnior, WHAT SHOULD i BE DOING?

The biggest change over the last 5-8 years is how the recruiting process has changed. It is not uncommon to have Juniors verbally commit to top schools. More and more college coaches are looking at rising sophomores and juniors to stay ahead of the recruiting process. So as an underclassman you need to work hard academically, to help with the process when coaches call.

You also should try to attend camps and tournaments where you can be seen by college coaches, who are always gathering names and information on young players.

As a rising junior, now is the time to see as many schools as possible. Long weekends or an overnight trip to look at as many campuses as possible is a great idea. E-mail coaches of schools you are interested in and ask if you can see the facilities when you plan a visit to the school. Keep in mind all visits are unofficial and coaches may have specific guidelines that they follow in regard to junior visits.

Concentrate on your SAT/ACT exams. Take a proactive attitude when taking them; work hard to get the best score you can.

See as many schools as you can and be open to anyone who may send a letter or speak to you.
 

We haven't been contacted by the schools we wanted?

College recruitment is an objective process with many variables. College coaches are under a lot of pressure and restraints with recruiting.

Certain years a school may have nine returning midfielders and only five returning defensemen. A college coach in that position is not going to spend a great deal of time on midfield recruits. Don't take anything during this process personally. Keep in mind that you need to find the best situation for you and don't worry about the fact that John's Hopkins isn't returning your calls.

Ask your high school coach for his opinion on your level of play and narrow your list to those schools.

Also remember just because you have not been contacted by a school does not mean they are not interested. Reach out to them via your coach or e-mail and let them know of your interest.

Keep in mind recruiting is a business as much as coaches need to and do personalize it. Coaches begin by speaking to as many players as possible. As more information and commitments from players are made, there sights narrow to their top 8-12 choices, just as your do with college selection. If a coach is showing less and less interest, e-mail him or have your high school coach contact him to see why his level of interest has waned. In most cases it is just a game of numbers and you need to move to your next choice on your list of schools.

Remember, keep moving forward despite any frustrations you may encounter.

SHOULD WE DO A HIGHLIGHT TAPE?

In most cases, college coaching staffs will want to receive a highlight tape (less than 10 minutes) and one full game tape.

While you want your highlight tape to include the good stuff, DO NOT FORGET THE FUNDAMENTALS!

Besides the sweet goals, assists, faceoffs and takeaway checks, attackman should include highlights of their ability to ride. Defensemen include your ability to clear the ball, be the SECOND slide and think on your feet. Midfielders include your ability to play defense!
 

 What is the NCAA Clearing House and why do I need it?

The clearing house in an eligibility system set in place by the NCAA to ensure all prospective division I and II athletes meet the minimum academic requirements necessary to be eligible to play as college freshman.

Rising seniors will need to fill out the clearing house application in order to be eligible for the following season.

The clearing house checks the core classes of the student athletes and makes sure they are taking at least the minimum amount of core classes needed to meet requirements.

You may use the link below on the NCAA web site to browse the site and even to fill out an application. Underclassmen can check requirements as well (without applying) so they can familiarize themselves with the requirements.

www.ncaaclearinghouse.net