post grad year

[thechosenone]

right now im a sophmore and i play for a really bad high school team but im hoping to play in college (ivy or NESCAC). im a small kid only about 5'6" and 135lbs but i should grow this summer and into the next year. also, i lift and run so im in pretty good shape and can play with pretty much anyone. another thing is that i play for the top gun littlenecks which is the best cub team for freshmen and sophmores in new england and we get really good college exposure. lastly, im a really good student and have over a 4.0 GPA with nhs and other extracurricular activities. however, im a younger kid (just turned 16) and i think that my age and body wont be ready to play college ball when i graduate so im thinking about a PG year. my parents totally support it but i want your opinions. have you done a PG year? what was it like? how were the academics and does it give you a better chance to play in college or get into a better college? how was the admissions process?

any help would be great.

thanks.

ps- im looking at phillips andover, phillips exeter, hotchkiss, and deerfield (all in new england)

[laxme]

I grew up in MO, and coming out of high school had no idea what a PG year was. I didn't start playing lacrosse until my sophomore year of HS, and could have really used a PG year. I was recruited by some middle of the road DI, a top DII, and some good DIII schools, but if I could have gotten better exposure I may have played at a more competive level. Which kind of sounds a little like your situation.

My suggestion to you would be go to a lot of camps during the summer to increase your exposure to college coaches, in order to gauge what level you could play at coming right out. If you aren't happy with it, and have the means & support to do a PG you should. I coach now and have sent a few kids to prep schools, 2 at Salisbury, and they are going to top DI schools next year. Make sure you look at these prep schools and ask how the coach can help in the recruiting process, but I am sure Deerfield & Hotchkiss can help, but am unfamiliar with the other two shools you mentioned.