Out of HS, In College...How to get Recruited?

[LaxImus]

Hey everyone, im just have some questions and am looking for some advice about being recruited. My situation is a little weird so let me try and explain.

Heres the deal, I started playing lacrosse in 2nd grade. I started playing goalie when I started and that is all I have ever known. Coming up through all of the Leagues I played club lacrosse as well as on many of the all star teams in the very competative MD-DC area where I am from. Going into HS I had the options of going to a variety of the top High School lacrosse programs in the area and nation. Moving into HS was tough for me as I was alot younger and smaller than many of my classmates and other players. I ended up attending school at one of the top ranked schools in Maryland. Trying to get into the program did not go well for me, lots of Politics and other good players led to a very frusterating and shortlived high school lacrosse career. I continued to play club lacrosse and on all star teams all through High School. Bottom line is I eventually got burned out and really did not look at lacrosse in College or my playing college lacrosse.
Bottom line is my little brother is I feel going to be a top player out of our area and its just getting me jealous of what I may have had as a potential college career. Had I continued playing or gone to a different HS I feel I have had the opportunity to play pretty darn competative college lacrosse. I have friends now, who play at the D1 level all of whom I consider to be at the same skill level as myself. I am going to be playing USLIA D1 club lacrosse next year, but my questions are what can I do in the future and was looking for some help from you all.

Here are my Questions:

1. By being in college and playing CLUB not NCAA sanctioned lacrosse do I lose any of my eligibility if I were to say one day play NCAA lacrosse. Does my being in school go against or not affect my eligibility?

2. Secondly how could I go about getting looked at by colleges and should I approach it. I hope that my Club Lacrosse next year will bring me some exposure.

3. Is this a bad idea? Should I even bother? Im going to be 21 this year and are my dreams of playing competative college lacrosse too little too late?

4. Hah or should I be happy with what I have and play on a team which could have potential to win a D1 USLIA championship? I guess im caught up in the glamour and all that would come with playing college lacrosse.

Any advice is appreciated, thanks for reading it all and let me know!!!
Peace

[The Doors]

By playing for the USLIA-MDIA, you lose a year of NCAA eligiability.........also, you probably will not be looked at by any NCAA D1 schools. However, the USLIA has come so far in the past few years, you will be playing against some real good competition none the less....The top teams in the MDIA Division A league are CSU, Colorado, BYU, Sonoma, and Michigan could probably compete with many D1 schools. I'm not saying they're as good as Hopkins or Virginia, but they are quite skilled nonetheless.
There is plenty of glamour and prestige to be earned in the USLIA as well, especially if u make the tournament in Dallas this year.

Playing in the USLIA instead of the NCAA isn't like AAA to the MLB. There are many quality players on some real quality teams in this league. A student from Lindenwood University (GRLC A division) used to play for UVA, a former player from Harding University (GRLC B division) was invited to an NLL tryout, and the former goalie from CSU is now the goalie for the Denver Outlaws.

What I'm saying is that even though this isn't NCAA D1 ball, you will still get to shine and play in a very competitive environment. Trying to get into a Top D1 school after this year is totally up to you, but I wouldn't bank on anyone from top East Coast schools to come knocking on your door.

Good Luck with your season and dreams...

Love, The Doors

[RYU]

1. By being in college and playing CLUB not NCAA sanctioned lacrosse do I lose any of my eligibility if I were to say one day play NCAA lacrosse. Does my being in school go against or not affect my eligibility?I posted this answer in another thread. Your NCAA eligibility starts running out as soon as you enroll in college.

"In general NCAA rules stipulate that you get 5 yrs to play 4 seasons. Occaisionally they make exceptions for a 6th yr. The clock starts running as soon as you enroll in an accredited post-secondary school learning institution. Community colleges count as that. Things like vo-tech, culinary school, massage therapy school I doubt count against it. Post-grad prep schools are still considered secondary schools, so they don't count against your eligibility."

2. Secondly how could I go about getting looked at by colleges and should I approach it. I hope that my Club Lacrosse next year will bring me some exposure.Firstly, D1 coaches aren't going to be looking for you at all, unless maybe you were a blue chip recruit in HS who happened to choose to go to a non-varsity lax school but then reconsidered Div1. Second, don't expect them to give you the time of day unless you have at least two yrs of eligibility left.

3. Is this a bad idea? Should I even bother? Im going to be 21 this year and are my dreams of playing competative college lacrosse too little too late?If you want to pursue it, then do it, but don't expect it to be easy -- at all. Be prepared to meet a lot of rejection, b/c MDIA is not a recruiting ground for Div1 coaches. If you're on pace to graduate in 4 yrs, are you willing to extend that schedule to 5 yrs so a Div1 coach can get an extra year of eligibility out of you?

Another thing is nearly every college is done w/ next fall's admissions, so it's too late to submit a transfer application. You could apply for next spring, but no coach will take on a spring transfer.

4. Hah or should I be happy with what I have and play on a team which could have potential to win a D1 USLIA championship? I guess im caught up in the glamour and all that would come with playing college lacrosse.MDIA is a different level of lax. Obviously, it's not nearly as competative as NCAA ball, but then there's considerably less commitment involved as well. You get more time to yourself, to study, to socialize (i.e., party, date), etc.

A lot of players play JuCo lax for two years and then transfer to D1 programs, so if you have at least 2 yrs eligibility left, then your situation isn't that different. But like I wrote above, it's an uphill battle for you. You will have to be extremely persistent & proactive. No one's going to offer you a scholarship.

I think most coaches would tell you that if you reallly wanted a shot at playing for their team, then you can:

1. Apply to their school as a transfer student and gain admission under your own merits.

2. Attend team walk-on try-outs in the fall.

Unless their team is understaffed, then you're going to have to blow the doors off other players to be taken in as a walk-on.

Does that answer you questions? Good luck in your pursuits.