LHS Minutemen Boys' Lacrosse

Parents' Page

Last updated January 7, 2010

College Recruiting 1 / College Recruiting 2 / Player Self-Improvement / Expectations of Parents & Players

Hello Parents of lacrosse players, and welcome! The purpose of this page is to help you get a sense for what to expect when your son plays lacrosse at LHS, and hopefully to answer some questions that I often hear from parents. If you have more specific questions that are not addressed here, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time. By the way, if you are not already on my regular emailing list, email me and I will be sure to include you!

What the Program Expects from Parents and Players -- The most important request I make of the parents is their attendance at our games, as much as possible. The players really need your vocal support on the sidelines. From there, our Boosters club needs your support with many of the logistics and activities during the season, including cook-outs and fundraisers. For varsity games, we are in need of parents who are willing to film games. Any manner in which you can help would be much appreciated. Please email me if you are willing to help.

Commitment to the program is expected of all players. During the season, student-athletes are expected to do everything in their power to help our program succeed and excel, to maintain a successful enough academic record, and to be a good sportsman on the field and a good citizen off the field. Players are expected to take care of their academic responsibilities first. Skipping classes, including study halls, will not be tolerated, and off-the-field behavior will impact playing time. Freshmen, unless they are on the JV, do not have any games during the April Break (although they will probably have one or two practices at the very end of the break). Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors should know now that they have committed April Break to the lacrosse team, and they are expected to attend every practice and contest. Missing any part of April Break will mean that the student-athlete will lose playing time when he returns, and he risks being removed from the team permanently, depending on the circumstances. Players and parents, especially those of Varsity players, should be aware that Sunday practices may be necessary in certain circumstances.

What to expect from the LHS Boys' Lacrosse Program -- The other coaches and I believe in the connection between fundamentals, fitness, commitment and success, so our practices - at all levels - are geared toward improving the players' specific lacrosse skills and their fitness level. You can expect that your son will be challenged to work hard and earn his playing time, and that if he does so he will receive a great deal of support and individual attention from his coaches. We hope to create for each player an experience that is fun and provides the opportunity to enjoy success. I measure success in many ways, and the development of the players as young men is an important part of what we do. However, wins and losses do become more important at the high school level. Below are some things to be aware of:

Equipment: The lacrosse program provides lacrosse helmets and game jerseys only. We do have some equipment for players brand new to the sport, but it is in very limited supply and not of the best quality as it has been used several times over the years. In general, players are responsible for providing their own gloves, elbow pads, shoulder pads, athletic cup, and cleats (molded are ideal for the turf fields). Players should keep a pair of sneakers in their lockers as well for indoor practices and long distance conditioning. Each player will need to pay a fee of $25 to help off-set the costs of game shorts and practice pinneys, which they will own and keep.

Cuts May Occur: I always hope to give as many players who want to play lacrosse the opportunity to do so. However, as numbers begin to exceed 80, the amount of available playing time and the amount of attention individual players can actually receive from the coaches will suffer, hurting the overall potential success of the program. There is a point of diminishing returns. In the seven years I have been the head coach, I have had cuts twice. In some seasons, we have carried nearly 100 players, which is logistically and financially difficult. Decisions on whether or not cuts will occur are determined in the first few days of try-outs. In general, we will try not to cut Freshmen or Sophomores, but that is not a set-in-stone rule. We have allowed Juniors to play on the Junior Varsity in the past, but in general, Juniors who do not appear ready to contribute to the Varsity team should understand that they may be cut from the program. Players will be evaluated on their lacrosse skills, athleticism, fitness, and attitude, and their potential to contribute eventually at the Varsity level. If we determine that a player may never turn into a Varsity player who will get much playing time, we may cut him. Students' academic performance and off-the-field behavior may also be considered in this decision. In other words, if it seems that it is in a player's best academic interest to not play or in the program's best interest to not have him involved, we will cut him.

Playing Time is Not Guaranteed: We try to make sure that all players at the Sub-Varsity levels see at least some time in each contest, but this is easier said than done when each team carries between 22 and 30 players. When a Sub-Varsity contest is still close in the fourth quarter, the coach has the disgression as to which players are put on the field to try to get the win. At the Varsity level, we are trying to win each game. The players who give us the best chance to win and have earned their time by working the hardest will get the most time. At the Varsity level, some players may not see any time in a given contest, depending on how the contest goes. Again, we try to be cognizant of getting players into games, but we can not guarantee it.

Player Self-Improvement -- Players should strive to improve on their own, especially during the off-season. Dedicating one's self to his own improvement of course makes him a better player and gives the entire program a greater likelihood of success.

Attend Summer Camp: The best lacrosse players attend instructional camps in their developmental years to accelerate the improvement of their skills and abilities. Camps are available throughout Eastern Massachusetts for players of all ages and ability levels. Parents should weigh the quality of these camps in terms of cost, player-to-coach ratio, years of service, and location (convenience). While I do not consider whether or not a player has attended camp when deciding whether he should have a spot on the team, players who do not attend camps are likely to be by-passed eventually by those who do because it will show in their skills. See the Links page for the instructional camps that I recommend.
Be Athletic: The best lacrosse players play at least one other sport during one of the other athletic seasons. Consistent involvement in daily competition helps athletes maintain a competitive nature and develop what I call "athletic intelligence." Also, in playing another sport they train other muscles in their bodies, making themselves stronger, more versatile athletes. Physical and mental athleticism atrophies in young people who go long periods of time without playing a sport. Therefore, I discourage the idea that a lacrosse player should only play lacrosse. For those lacrosse players not currenlty playing a second sport, they should consider the following: football, cross country, winter track, and wrestling. Those four sports tend to give opportunities to any student-athletes who do not have experience in their respective sports, and the skills and conditioning for those sports translate to lacrosse very nicely. Typically, those who play soccer, basketball, or hockey develop into excellent lacrosse players as well, but to pick up those sports during high school without having played them before is difficult and the likelihood of being cut is high.
Fitness: Student-athletes must develop a habit of improving their fitness, through regular running and weight-lifting. If players have trouble motivating themselves to maintain a regular fitness schedule on their own, they should consider joining a gym where training specialists work with them. These are expensive and still require self-motivation, but the amount of money paid by parents tends to be motivation enough! See the Links page for information on recommended professional training programs. Another way to motivate one's self to condition is get together with several friends on a regular basis. It is expected that players who want to play on the varsity level demonstrate a dedication to fitness.

The College Recruiting Process -- First is a list of the top 10 "Do's and Don't's" in the recruiting process, provided by several successful college coaches themselves. Below that, I have made some observations about the process and how a student-athlete can improve his chances of playing at the next level.

10. When narrowing down your schools, have a few schools in each category (dream school, great school, safety, etc.). This way you are safe all the way through the process.
9. When you email or write a coach about your interest, make sure you include your home address and phone number as well as what you are interested in at the time.
8. If you decide to take an "unofficial visit" with your parents on campus or a coach comes to your home, let the player do the talking and answer the questions, rather than the father or mother speaking too much on behalf of the student-athlete. The coaches want to get to know the student-athlete in the interview process.
7. When you play in tournaments where you know there will be a lot of college coaches, make sure that your coach has given the tournament directors the correct jersey number and name of the player so the college coaches evaluate the right player. You want the college coach to be evaluating your son and not someone else because of inaccurate information on the roster. Be sure to check the roster at the start of the tournament to make sure you are represented properly.
6. Be pro-active in finding out about a school, and don't put too much stock in what your friends say or what you read on the internet. Schools appeal to student-athletes for many different reasons, so take unofficial visits to the places that interest you.
5. When a coach calls you, ask questions of the coach that you think are important, and don't freeze when the time comes to ask them. Everyone has different needs and expectations about his potential college experience, and sometimes you go to a place as a freshman and find it's not what you believed it would be. This is often not the coach's fault, but rather the lack of careful investigation done by the student-athlete on the school.
4. If you decide to send a coach a film or video of you playing, make sure you send an entire game, not just highlights. The ideal video includes a short hightlight portion plus an entire game. Make sure you list your number and color of the jersey as well.
3. When you are competing in front of college coaches, you are being evaluated on a lot more than how skilled you are as a lacrosse player. Your attitude, how you treat your teammates, how hard you play, and how you act on the sidelines are equally important as anything else.
2. During the recruiting process, be completely honest with coaches. If you commit to a school, go out of your way to let all of the other schools know you have committed so they don't waste their time continuing to pursue you.
1. When you decide to take an "official visit" to a school you are particularly interested in, remember that you are not only evaluating the school, but you are being evaluated by the coaches and the players as well. Be a standup person and carry yourself in a way that is respectful and courteous to those around you. No matter how good a player you are, if the players and coaches are not impressed, they will lose interest in you.

Coach Walsh's Recommendations and Observations about the College Recruiting Process - Below are things every player and parent should be aware of before beginning the recruiting process.

Grades: The bottom line is that a student-athlete's performance as a student will matter most in his ability to play at the college or university of his desire. To that end, he should strive to achieve and maintain a GPA of at least a 3.0 to keep college coaches interested.

Test Scores: Studies show that the more times a student takes the SAT, the better he does, even if he hasn't taken a test-taking course such as Kaplan. I recommend that the student take the SAT at least twice, and maybe a third time if he is still unsatisfied with his score. Many college coaches also recommend taking the ACT, as it provides them more information to use when convincing their admissions department that this student-athlete should be accepted. (Info websites on the ACT: www.actstudent.org ; www.act.org)

Exposure to Coaches: For student-athletes who really hope to play at the college level and have demonstrated the athletic potential to do so, you need to be pro-active in making yourself known to college coaches. Most college coaches will not be able to see you play during the spring season, unless you send them a tape of you playing. Crucial in terms of timing, then, is the summer after your junior year. You need to dedicate at least a couple weeks of your summer to attending recruiting camps where college coaches will be hoping to see players that would help their programs. (See the Links page about recruiting camps I recommend.) Be warned that these camps are invariably expensive, and they do not necessarily include much in terms of instruction. You are essentially paying to be noticed, and nothing is guaranteed except that certain college coaches will be in attendance. You should contact coaches of the colleges you are interested in and find out where they will be that summer so you can attend at least one of those camps; or, contact a coach and let him know the camps you will be attending. He may try to see you or send an assistant coach to see you.

Many of the more exclusive recruiting camps require a recommendation from the player's high school coach in order for an athlete to be accepted, and they only allow on average about four recommendations per coach/team. Contact me in late October or early November if you want a recommendation.

Post-Graduate Year: One path that some students decide to explore is doing a PG year at a prep-school. The New England area has many prep schools with excellent lacrosse programs that make use of "fifth-year seniors". The advantage to the student-athlete is that he gets another year to develop himself as a student and a lacrosse player. He will be involved in highly competitive lacrosse and get plenty of exposure...if he gets playing time. College coaches always consider these players because they have matured both mentally and physically, arriving as freshmen more prepared to succeed at the college level both athletically, academically, and socially. There are several risks to be aware of when considering a PG year. A year at a prep school is usually very expensive, often as expensive as a year at a private college. Also, while a prep-school coach may be interested in your son, there are no guarantees for playing time, as he is competing against players who have been there for three years as well as other fifth-year seniors. The opportunity to play is more competitive than regular high schools. As lacrosse is a spring sport, played after the college application process is complete, the PG year really offers the lacrosse athlete the opportunity for more exposure during his traditional senior year at LHS, as well as the opportunity to attend additional recruiting camps in the summer prior to that PG year. I strongly recommend that the student speak with his guidance counselor to get further perspective.

*For current juniors (rising seniors): the time is now!
- If you are playing on a club team, attend one recruiting camp, not more than two.
- If you are not playing on a club team, attend two recruiting camps.
- Gather a broad list of colleges that have programs and consider your chances of acceptance, chances of playing, and the likelihood that you will like it there. Then pair it down by size of school desired, type of school/curriculum, area of the country
- Begin calling coaches, expressing interest. Inform them of camps and tournaments you will be at this coming summer. Games you will play in this Spring.
- Plan on improving SAT scores and gradesÖopen more doors for yourself! Make it easier on the coaches to advocate on your behalf to their admission boards. No Dís, bring those Cís up to Bís, get some Aís on your report card. (Get the GPA at least above the 3.0 mark.) Take the SAT at least twice, maybe a third time. Take an SAT prep class.
- Look into taking the ACT (see websites below), another standardized test that coaches can use to convince admissions departments of your potential as a student.
- Gather film...highlight tape, but a full game or a half-game so the coaches can see all aspects of your abilities.
- Talk to parents of players who have gone through this process. Get their take, hear their experiences!
- Put me to work...whom do you want me to contact on your behalf?

*For current sophomores (rising juniors): Coaches can't actually contact you directly until your junior year.
- Go to one, maybe two recruiting camps. Go to one skills-development camp. (You need to get better first!)
- Consider trying out for a club team (talk to parents about their experiences with other programs)
- GRADES! Do as well as you can possibly do. Get serious about your school work. No D's, bring those C's up to B's, get some A's on your report card. (Get the GPA at least above the 3.0 mark.) Consider taking one or two upper level classes next year if possible. If you really want to play a college varsity sport, prove it through your academics first.
- Improve your non-athletic extra-curricular resume: legitimate volunteer work, try to publish a piece of writing, get involved in class council, student senate, drama or improv. In other words, be able to demonstrate a more rounded experience.
- Get serious about physical conditioning. Get stronger.
- Develop another lacrosse skill, become an unusual player: become a face-off middie, become a long-stick who can face-off, try long-stick and being an LSM

*For current freshmen (rising sophomores): Don't worry too much right now about college lacrosse, but...
- Go to two skills-development camps, maybe one recruiting camp. (You need to get better first!)
- Plus the other information written above for current sophomores.

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