What showcases should my son be playing In this summer as a rising sophomore?
He does not play for an NLF member "AA" team so he is not going to Crabfest, young guns, Platnium Cup, NXT where there will be coaches watching.
Any insight????
Since you're asking the question, I'm going to make the assumption that you're not completely familiar with the recruiting process. Here's a general guideline to help:
1. Have your son make a list of schools he would like to attend. First and foremost, the SCHOOL should be a good fit for him and his interest. LACROSSE comes second. There is a big difference in environments from say a Big 10 school vs. a Patriot. Injuries happen, passion fades, etc. etc. Have your son go to a school he would attend regardless of lacrosse.
2. After you have your list, make your highlight tape. If you don't have a tape, make one. There are countless online examples. Keep it short, simple and put your son's BEST highlights first. This isn't a movie to build up to a big bang. Coaches probably watch 45 sec - 1 minute of a film and have a good idea if the player would be a good fit.
3. Email your highlight tape and introduce yourself to the colleges and put in your contact info (i.e. Club Director, Coach so they can contact them. Not your kid). You can ask to see what tourney's/showcases they will be attending in the summer. If they like what they see, good chance they'll contact your Director/Coach
4. Schedule your summer schedule based on exposure to the coaches/schools you want to play for. This is why showcases/club teams matter. Not every coach is going to every showcase/tourney. They're going to the premier events where they can see a higher % of the kids they're interested in. Folks like to say "money grab" a lot, and in some respects that's true. But it isn't a "money grab" if the school you're interested is there, you've coordinated with the coaching staff that you're playing there, and they're expecting to see you play. It's a process and your son has to own it.
5. Follow up with coaches through your club or coach after tourneys, showcases, etc. to gauge interest level. If they like what they see, they'll schedule a visit.
All that being said, if your son isn't playing at the top team events I'd suggest moving to a club that does so he can attend those top events. Sadly with early recruiting, he's already behind in terms of the top D1 programs. DIII is a different ballgame completely; and there may be a good fit for him there as they're more regulated with recruiting.
