Richie Palazzese ’14
When asked about the college recruiting process, Episcopal lacrosse player Sam Lawlor ’12 said, “It’s actually not as different as someone would expect.” The recruiting process is known for being difficult and tedious, with lots of behind the scenes work that, for many, goes unnoticed. Because of NCAA regulations, coaches of underclassmen must act as advocates for the athletes, because prior to September 1st of an athlete’s junior year, college coaches cannot initiate contact with the athletes; all contact must be started by high school or club coaches, or by the athletes themselves. Megan Quinn ’13 states that “On September 1st of your junior year, things start to get crazy. College coaches can email you and send you any mail at this point.”
The process can be short for some and drawn out for others, and Lawlor states that “[the process] is exciting and stressful at the same time,” which is a sentiment echoed by many student-athletes. For Connor Haab ’12, the process took longer than expected due to injuries, “some of it is definitely rushed, but it was prolonged with a couple of injuries.”
For many student-athletes, high school and club coaches play an important role in the process. They are often the first means of contact between college coaches and athletes, and they assist and mentor older athletes with the process. Mike Avato, NXT Lacrosse assistant coach mentions that the NXT coaches frequently talk with college coaches about players on their club lacrosse team because of their desire for the athletes to succeed. For Haab, Episcopal Head Boys’ Lacrosse Coach Andy Hayes was helpful. According to Haab, “he was telling me what to do, what coaches to email, when to email them, how many coaches and how frequently to email them.” Hayes also shared the valuable information that even if a coach doesn’t respond to an email or phone call, it does not mean that they are not interested.
Many athletes are first introduced to college coaches at tournaments and showcase events. These events such as the Philly Showcase held at Episcopal boasted athletes from thirty states and Canada. The showcase is a two day tournament and is a premier recruiting event in the nation, as there are over 200 college coaches watching approximately 450 student-athletes.
Many athletes who have been through the process before can also offer helpful advice and insights. Quinn notes that the process is often fast moving, and so it is up to the athletes to show their interest in each school. She suggests making a list of your top ten schools, and then emailing those coaches. Often, it is up to the students to initiate contact and show their interest through emails and recruiting questionnaires. Though many students note that this is a tedious process, it is vital to getting on coaches’ radars. Lawlor affirms that coaches are looking for athleticism and multi-sport athletes. “Coaches love it when you excel at more than one sport as an athlete because it shows your athleticism and competitiveness.”
Aside from your coaches, Quinn adds that “your parents are your biggest advocates, and having them there for me always made the process a little bit easier.” Haab summarized the long procedure: “It really shows what the recruiting process is, which is all over the place.” Lawlor notes that “it is an experience that is unique for athletes; it is a big part in taking the next step as an athlete and growing up.” Quinn also remarked that “the process is definitely crazy and time consuming, but so much fun as well.”