On September 1st do coaches just touch base with players they like or are there actual offers? I'm a new to the process and not sure how it works. Thanks
It all depends on the player and the coaches... Just remember that it is not a sprint. For most players it will be a process. Coaches have their lists and they will try to nail down the players that they have ranked highest but remember that No Coach gets all of their top recruits. If a coach is bringing in 9 recruits it is not likely that they will get 1 - 9 on their list. Every time a player at the top of a coaches list commits to another school the coach has to adjust their list and bump a player up. Make sure the the coaches on your daughters list know that your daughter has genuine interest in the program and the school. When coaches are looking at multiple players of similar ability, the coach will most likely offer a spot to the player who really wants to go to the school.
Completely agree with the comments above. Also keep in mind that there is a huge transfer portal now too. And not everyone in the portal is transferring for just their 5th grad year. Many undergrads in there looking for different schools and playing opportunities for 2-3 more years. Many coaches will prefer to take a proven college transfer player vs an unproven HS recruit. Less roster spots available overall and coaches taking longer than ever to pull the trigger. Reason you are still seeing many 22 commitments occurring. I wouldn’t be disappointed if it is fairly quiet on Sept 1st. It’s only day 1 and just know that it is a fairly long process if done correctly. Both sides need to be sure it’s a good fit. The transfer portal is full of undergrads who rushed to decide to eventually realize the college and/or team was not the right fit.
Also keep in mind that larger D1 rosters mean less playing time. Your daughter may want to consider a different division too where she will actually be able to play and contribute more. Lots of pre-Covid D1 recruits won’t see the field in post-Covid D1 until their senior year. Instead they could be a superstar on a D2/D3 roster with 4 years of playing time. A lot more fun to actually play. Too many older players on the roster ahead of them now. Look at the University of Maryland’s roster now as an example. So many transfers in just the past couple of weeks. I would detest to be a 21 or 22 recruit at Maryland. Unless you are considered an immediate impact player and year 1 starter, they will have to wait so much longer to actually see the field. And we all know Maryland never subs so these girls will truly never see the field in a game at all until possibly year 3-4 and some will never take the field in college. They will always be part of the practice squad.
Obviously you have an issue with Maryland. Many students, not just athletes transfer from many schools for a variety of reasons all of the time. To say that going DII or DIII will guarantee that a player will see playing time all four years and or be a superstar is not the best advise, you have no idea if a player will play or be a superstar. Many players do not get much playing time at the DII and DIII level no guarantee anywhere. Sure, if a player is offered a spot at a place like Maryland there is a very good chance that the player would start and be a superstar at the DII or DIII level. However, many people choose the school for a combination of Academics, Athletics, Social Life and overall college experience, playing time is just a part of the equation. Look to find the best fit, look for schools that your daughter would be happy at if she was not playing lacrosse.
Actually I have ZERO issues with Maryland. I am actually an alumnus and it was never a school on my daughter’s list. She wanted to go OOS. Maryland is too close. However, I have seen MD’s recent IG posts announcing their incoming transfers and know some girls who have played at UM in recent years and know CR’s coaching style. She doesn’t sub often. That is a well known fact. There are many HS superstar recruits over the years who have never seen the field in college. EVER. If these girls were good enough to be recruited by Maryland, they are good enough to be recruited by most teams. Obviously different coaches look for different things but a player who is the caliber of a UM recruit could probably play at any school. And as a UM alumni myself, it’s safe to say that there are many academic equivalent options as well - including reputation, school size, town size, academic offerings, etc. I’m just making the point that a 2023 recruit should not limit themselves to a specific school or division. The bigger and broader their list, the better chances of landing a school they will be happy with long term. I said there were MANY important factors to consider when choosing a college not just playing time. Bottom line is don’t just choose because of a player or parent ego. Choose the best overall school for you - including potential playing time. I’m guessing most girls would actually like to play in games in college vs just being part of the practice squad.
If only the girls who get regular playing time stay at a school coaches couldn’t even hold a practice. Players ride the bench at every school.
I'm not one of the previous posters, but yes, obviously every team has bench players. Some don't see much game action at all, some are regular subs every game, and some are in between. Coaches definitely have different styles in how they value and develop players from top to bottom. Maryland for example has a roster full of top ranked recruits and UA Senior All Americans, yet is known for limited subbing and is now bringing in transfers instead of developing and making the best with the players they chose to sign. It's their choice to do so - not bashing MD, UNC, etc. - but it is something for recruits to consider because even though the extra covid year is going to run its course, I'm guessing there will continue to be more transfer movement moving forward if players aren't happy with their situation after freshman and sophomore year. A kid who is truly top talent will have a chance to play at MD or UNC right away, so go for it committing to those schools. A player who is ok not getting game time, but wants to be on a team competing for conference and national championships, will be fine at those schools. A player who really wants playing time needs to think carefully and realistically about how their skills fit in at a particular program, and how much effort is put into developing players who have a lot of protentional but need a little more work to make an impact during games.
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