Back of THE CAGE Forums NORTHEAST LACROSSE BOTC MAIN FORUM Boys 2022-11th Grade Fall 2020/Summer 2021

I've read this board for 8 years and this is my first post. I was compelled to write because of the sincerity of parents looking for a realistic pathway to play D1 lax.

For those that did not get D1 looks, here are the options: Post Graduate year, consider teams in bottom half of D1, Top D2, D3 schools and Community College. Send video to Coaches at targeted schools and follow up with attending Prospect Days when they become available. You will know if your son is a D1 player when D1 coaches speak with him. It really is that simple. Painful but true.

At the same time Academics play a huge role. Your son may be valuable to a Program if their GPA and SAT are above average compared to the schools acceptance data. If your son is focused on D1 lacrosse and has the size, speed and athleticism (not skill, that can be taught) according to an objective evaluation invest in an SAT Tutor. A coach may be able to use your son's academics to pull in a stud with an SAT/GPA too low to gain admission by averaging the two applications. Increasing an SAT score is likely to increase academic money which is much more bountiful than lax scholarships. Lax scholarships are mostly offered to nationally ranked players which does not apply to the players we are discussing.

Thanks a great post. I personally feel that a low D1 school is a tough choice unless your son is in love with the school and area of study. Then no-brainer. However, kids do pick the program first and at this point the best programs are D2 and D3. So it is an interesting choice, D1 with a program that isn’t that successful vs a D2 or D3 program that is nationally ranked. I bet a lot kids must be wrestling with this scenario right now.

So sound off, which do you think is the best choice?

I think you really have to evaluate this from school to school. My brother went to Wagner college over 20 years ago. It was D 1 men’s program. However, when he was there their head coach wasn’t even a full time employee. He was a grad assistant. Which means they kids had a new coach every 2 years. As a result the team got crushed and my brother was miserable. I’m sure things are different now but you get my point. In my opinion you are much better off going to an elite D2 school than a bottom of the barrel D1 program. Of course this all being that he loves that same D2 school.

Thanks a great post. I personally feel that a low D1 school is a tough choice unless your son is in love with the school and area of study. Then no-brainer. However, kids do pick the program first and at this point the best programs are D2 and D3. So it is an interesting choice, D1 with a program that isn’t that successful vs a D2 or D3 program that is nationally ranked. I bet a lot kids must be wrestling with this scenario right now.

So sound off, which do you think is the best choice?

I think you really have to evaluate this from school to school. My brother went to Wagner college over 20 years ago. It was D 1 men’s program. However, when he was there their head coach wasn’t even a full time employee. He was a grad assistant. Which means they kids had a new coach every 2 years. As a result the team got crushed and my brother was miserable. I’m sure things are different now but you get my point. In my opinion you are much better off going to an elite D2 school than a bottom of the barrel D1 program. Of course this all being that he loves that same D2 school.

100% agree. You have to consider the school and the program. No disrespect to schools that are low end D1, but it’s not one or the other. It’s a balance. For example, if the academics were similar, do you pick low D1 vs top 10 D2 or D3?

I fear that college athletics will begin to contract severely, especially if they cancel spring sport seasons again. How long can they keep these non income producing programs afloat?

It is a risk. Commit and then the program is suspended

The scam that college is could clearly afford to carry these sports....