The Comprehensive Guide to the College Lacrosse Recruiting Role

The Core Role of the Player

Initial Focus and Weight: The player role is the first part of the recruiting process discussed because it carries the most weight and responsibility.
Commitment Requirements:
- The player required for the college level is significantly more advanced than the player in youth or high school lacrosse.
- College play involves a much higher level of commitment and a significantly higher level of play.
- The level of play is much more physical, necessitating a faster pace of play to succeed at the collegiate level.
The Development Mindset:
- Consistent skill improvement and development is the primary task of the player.
- A common theme among successful college athletes is that they never feel "good enough" or "too good."
- Players must possess a commitment to skill levels, a desire to play, and a willingness to be coached.
Engagement at Practice:
- The player must be fully engaged during practice time.
- They should actively crave coaching rather than being "fake" about it.
- Authentic interactions involve having conversations with coaches to ask specific questions, such as "How can I improve my shot?" or "How can I improve my footwork?"
- Commitment includes working even on days when the player lacks motivation.
Walking the Walk:
- Recruitment is easier when players "walk the walk" by training and doing extra work without constant reminders from coaches or parents.
- On a scale of interest, players must be heavily tilted toward being "into it."

Passion and the Grind of Development

Internal Passion: Passion for the game must come from the player internally.
- While Coach Katie, Coach Pimac (P Mac), and high school coaches may love the game, it is the player's own love for lacrosse that sustains them through daily practice and the grind.
- Without passion, other daily options and distractions will appear more desirable than the field.
The Adam Grant Perspective:
- The notes reference a quote from Adam Grant: "People usually become passionate about what they're good at, not always become good at what they're passionate about."
- This suggest that work often comes before passion; passion develops as a player becomes one of the best in their class, school, or grade.
Compound Interest in Skill:
- Development is compared to saving money or fitness: it may not start looking great on day one, but consistent daily commitment results in "compound interest" that pays off over the long term.

Athleticism, Nutrition, and the Weight Room

Becoming a Great Athlete: Beyond being a great lacrosse player, one must focus on the weight room, athleticism, and nutrition.
The High School to College Magnitude: The expectations for athleticism magnify $10 \times$ to $100 \times$ when transitioning from high school to college.
The Division I Experience (P Mac's Insights):
- Expectation of basically "living" in the weight room.
- Training frequency is often $5$ to $6$ times per week.
- Activities are split between the weight room and the track (strength and conditioning).
- The amount of running required can make lacrosse feel like a track team.
- Athletes must work both the body and the mind, including dedicated film time.
Nutrition and Fueling:
- Athletes must take care of their bodies by fueling correctly.
- Consistency is key: "If you're going to McDonald's every day," you are not fueling properly for the lifestyle required at higher levels.
Injury Prevention:
- The weight room is not just about strength; it prepares the body to handle the increased physicality of high school and college sports.
- Transitioning from $14$ u and $12$ u to high school is a rapid shift from a "little kid sport" to a "big kid sport."
- A high school season typically lasts six days a week against older, stronger athletes; without physical preparation, players risk being sidelined by injury.
Structured Programs:
- Programs like Farmington High School are mentioned as having structured weight room programs.
- Players are encouraged to learn proper techniques from a strength coach at their high school or a professional gym.
Evolution of Training:
- Training techniques have evolved over the last $20$ years.
- Modern training focuses on movement and structure rather than simply loading as much weight as possible onto a bar (e.g., back squatting every day is not the norm).
- Training can include competitive and fun elements like tug-of-war.

Perspectives on Female Athletic Development

Moving Past Antiquated Models: Coach Katie notes that the industry should move away from "antiquated football programs" that focus solely on bulk.
Agility and Pace:
- Rule changes in the girls' game are frequently designed to increase the pace of play.
- This requires higher levels of agility, endurance, and overall strength.
Accessibility of Training:
- Strength training does not necessarily require expensive personal trainers.
- Low-cost options include running outside or performing basic bodyweight movements found on online portals.
Longevity: Building a strength foundation creates longevity in the body, allowing players to play better and receive more playing time because they remain injury-free.

Mental Health and Grit

Defining Mental Health in Sports: It goes beyond clinical definitions like depression or anxiety to include:
- Grit.
- Competitiveness.
- Motivation.
- Mental toughness (e.g., showing up for practice even when there is a major test the next day).
Energy Management:
- Players must manage their energy to avoid burning out before they even reach the college level.
- The goal is for recruitment to be a "stepping stone" to playing more, not an end point that leaves the player exhausted.
Environmental Factors:
- When choosing a college, players must consider factors that impact their mental state: distance from home, the specific environment of the state/school, and proximity to parents.
Coaching Shifts: The era of the "hard ass coach" who berates players is passing. Modern coaching focus on holding players accountable while building their confidence.
Social Media and Consumption: Players should be deliberate about what they consume emotionally. Limiting negative drama on social media in favor of positive influences improves the mental state needed for intense training sessions.

Academic Responsibility and Leveraging Lacrosse

The Student-Athlete Barrier: If a player's academics do not meet the school's standards, their lacrosse ability won't matter; doors will be shut.
Early Focus:
- It is vital to start strong in freshman year and maintain a high GPA rather than trying to "play catch up" in junior year.
- A strong GPA keeps the maximum number of doors open for the future.
Lacrosse as Leverage:
- As of $2023$ , professional lacrosse does not offer "Patrick Mahomes money."
- Therefore, players should use lacrosse to leverage their academic situation, whether that means getting into an Ivy League school like Harvard or simply securing a path to any college.

Player Ownership in Marketing

Proactive Marketing:
- While clubs and high schools can send materials, the most successful players take ownership of the process.
- Responsibilities include: putting film together, sending emails, taking phone calls, and updating their "Sports Recruits" profiles.
- Players should look for extra opportunities like local showcases to increase visibility.

Questions & Discussion

Dialogue on Physicality: The panel discussed the transition in physicality. P Mac noted that high school involves playing against kids who are much older and faster, which can lead to getting "beat up" if the player is not physically prepared.
Dialogue on Training Evolution: The speakers emphasized that training has moved toward biomechanics and movement structure over the last two decades.
Dialogue on College Environment: The group discussed how mental health can be affected by the distance a player travels for school. For some, getting away from home is beneficial; for others, staying close to family is essential for their mental well-being.