Recruiting classes

[x1dschm]

since it seems like everyother conference is talking about this... who has the best incoming class of freshmen and transfers? Also, who is the Y getting back this year from missions? Who is going?

[byualum]

I can only go by what's listed on BYU's website and the laxpower.com recruit list...but I know one player listed by laxpower, Dan Aletto, is NOT playing lacrosse at the Y. He will be walking-on to the football team this fall.

[the lax]

Thanks to CSU's private summer camp, I'm sure the pipeline will be in place for years to come.

[onpoint]

"Private??" Hardly. The last thing the CSU camp is trying to do is to exclude people who want to come. I always think it's funny when people talk about "recruiting" at MDIA schools. None of us recruit. Most teams are lucky if they even know who is going before they get there. It's really a misnomer and should be called "incoming freshman class" because there is not an iota of recruiting going on at most, if not all MDIA schools. If you make your program attractive, it recruits for itself. Besides, who is to say that many of the "blue chip" recruits that do end up at MDIA schools are going to stick it out and end up playing in the spring anyway?

[TrojanLaxman5]

I always think it's funny when people talk about "recruiting" at MDIA schools. None of us recruit. It's really a misnomer and should be called "incoming freshman class" because there is not an iota of recruiting going on at most, if not all MDIA schools.

I have to disagree with you there Alex, unless you are defining recruiting as purely NCAA standards where there are lots of scouts, official visits with paid travel, scholarship and walk-on offers. If that is your definition, then yes you are correct. I feel that there is recruiting at many MDIA schools, but it's obviously much different than NCAA. MDIA recruiting takes place in many forms:

-Some coaches work camps and talk to/try to convince players to play for their university

-Players submit recruiting forms on teams' websites which sets up a line of communication providing them with information on the program, school, and other such info that may ultimately lead to that player selecting that school

-Coaches call or write letters to players they have seen or heard are good

-Teams invite visiting HS players to come watch practices or games in hopes of convincing them to attend

-Teams often host players during school visits to meet guys on the team, meet the coaches, attend other team events

-Teams have exhibitions, such as Santa Clara's "preview day" where they played UCLA during the same weekend as some sort of University student recruitment effort and had all interested potential players come see their game and meet the coaches.

-Teams hold camps to generate interest in their program

-Some coaches (ie: Steve Dini) are involved in the youth lax programs in their area and get to know players from the youth level, often times bringing them to their college

-Some teams DO have limited influence with their admissions departments and can recommend potential student-athletes for admission or write recommendations on their behalf

These are just a few examples, but I definitely feel that they are all legitimate showings of how many MDIA teams do recruit. CSU's program definitely does speak for itself which is tremendous and it's great if they don't have to do much else. Many other programs that are not so close to the top MDIA teams do rely on recruiting efforts in order to attract good players in the hopes of building legitimate programs like the Michigans, Sonomas, and BYUs.

[x1dschm]

Well said Brian, I agree that there are alot of schools that do at least two or three things on your list if not all of them. Unfortunately, most programs are not as "attractive" as CSU and cannot rely solely on kids contacting them about joining there program. Most programs spend a fair amount of time marketing their team to local high school kids and keeping involved in the High School events... Even Flip has the Vail Shootout. Which granteed he may be super busy at but he still has to opportunity to see potential kids play from all over the country.

[Danny Hogan]

Even Flip has the Vail Shootout. Which granteed he may be super busy at but he still has to opportunity to see potential kids play from all over the country.

i would think the recruiting tool there is more the kids seeing Flip/CSU presence than flip actually seeing individual players.

[John Paul]

Well said Brian. I could list at least 20, probably quite a few more, IA programs who recruit using several of the methods you listed. A couple of programs even have limited scholarship money available. We certainly recruit much like any varsity team does (but without admissions influence or scholarship money). CSU is fairly unique to be able to achieve their level of success without any recruiting plan.

It's actually an interesting issue. 1 - How do you effectively recruit to a club program? 2 - Do we need to regulate it?

There are a ton of factors that go into recruiting at any program, but obviously recruiting to the club level can have its own unique challenges.

More interesting is the question of regulation. We don't have the resources to monitor recruiting in the IA yet, and I don't think we want to get into that unless schools start abusing the process. Since we don't regulate it, however, we aren't bound to follow NCAA recruiting guidelines. So far that hasn't been an issue. If some of our programs gain a distinct advantage over varsity programs they are recruiting against, it may become an issue. If programs start abusing the process such that they are doing a disservice to high school kids, that will obviously be an issue. We generally try to follow the NCAA recruiting calendar, just to keep things even.

[CATLAX MAN]

It would seem that until there is some influence with the school's admission department & policies, there really shouldn't be any need for regulation of the recruiting for IA lacrosse. Abuse of the process happens when students get into schools they're really not qualified to be admitted to because of outside intervention. I would hazard to guess that this does not happen at the vast majority of the schools that participate in the IA.

[the lax]

I meant that the camp is private in the sense that CSU operates it at CSU. It also helps that camp pictures make the website especially the award winning player photos. And since there are no recruiting rules for club sports, what's the problem with Flip and company showing off 8th grade and younger awward winners. Those little kids were probably star struck with the CSU mantra. Why not try to woo the players away from NCAA.

I believe Michigan runs a camp as well.

http://www.csulacrosse.com/2005/camp/awards.htm

[WyoPoke]

I can only go by what's listed on BYU's website and the laxpower.com recruit list...but I know one player listed by laxpower, Dan Aletto, is NOT playing lacrosse at the Y. He will be walking-on to the football team this fall.

I remember UW recruiting Dan Aletto and I thought he accepted a scholarship to BYU.

[byualum]

I can only go by what's listed on BYU's website and the laxpower.com recruit list...but I know one player listed by laxpower, Dan Aletto, is NOT playing lacrosse at the Y. He will be walking-on to the football team this fall.

I remember UW recruiting Dan Aletto and I thought he accepted a scholarship to BYU.

No, he's a perferred walk-on. His brother, Nick, was recruited as an offensive lineman last year and is currently on a mission.

[WyoPoke]

That's right. Once I read Nick Aletto it clicked perfectly.