If you\u2019re a high school lacrosse player with dreams of playing at the next level, here\u2019s a truth you need to hear early:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
College coaches aren\u2019t going to magically find you\u2014you have to introduce yourself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n They\u2019re not going to show up at your high school games. And they\u2019re not going to notice you at a tournament with thousands of players\u2026unless you\u2019ve contacted them first. That doesn\u2019t mean spamming inboxes or writing a novel about your life story. It\u2019s about learning to communicate clearly, confidently, and professionally. And once you understand the basics, reaching out to coaches isn\u2019t so hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sooner than you think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most athletes wait too long because they assume they need varsity stats, highlight reels, or a certain number of goals. In reality, coaches expect to hear from players early in high school\u2014often as early as freshman or sophomore year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if recruiting conversations can\u2019t officially happen yet, there\u2019s a benefit to introducing yourself early on to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think of it this way: you\u2019re not asking for an offer at this time\u2014you\u2019re starting a conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In today\u2019s world, you have many ways to reach out to coaches, but not all of them are appropriate. For example, social media has its place, but for recruiting, email is still the preferred method, at least initially. Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A call might not get returned. A text or DM might get overlooked. A well-written email? Much harder to ignore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is where many players struggle, but it doesn\u2019t have to be complicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aim to write an email that is clear, concise, and easy to scan. A good length is 150\u2013250 words total.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Include these components:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make it easy for the coach to know who you are immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Start with the basics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if you\u2019ve contacted this coach before, you\u2019ll want to remind them of who you are by re-stating the above facts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is your opportunity to stand out. Use 1\u20132 sentences. You don\u2019t need a paragraph\u2014just enough to demonstrate that you\u2019re familiar with the team and you\u2019ve personalized this email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Avoid generic lines like \u201cI love your school.\u201d Instead, mention something specific, such as the team\u2019s:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consider these examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was really impressed by how your team pushes transition offense. I love playing fast-paced lacrosse.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYour team culture really stood out to me, especially the way your players support each other on and off the field.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI watched your game against [Opponent], and I loved how your team communicates and executes plays. They are a well-oiled machine!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Coaches appreciate quick, scannable information. This is a great place to use bullet points:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is often the most important part of your email. Make sure your link is correct and it\u2019s easy to access. You might introduce the link with a sentence such as, \u201cBelow is a link to my 2-minute highlight reel, which includes plays from the current season.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n End with something polite and confident:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019d welcome the opportunity to learn more about your program and how I might be a fit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This can be challenging. You don\u2019t want to be forgotten but you also don\u2019t want to become a nuisance. Consistency shows interest. Overdoing it feels pushy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A good rule of thumb is to send an initial email and then follow-up two to three weeks later if you don\u2019t hear back. Then provide periodic updates every few weeks to perhaps mention a new highlight video, your attendance at an upcoming tournament, or some achievement whether academic or athletic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t make these mistakes: <\/p>\n\n\n\n First impressions are important. Put thought into your emails to improve your chances of getting a response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You don\u2019t need to sound like a professional writer. You want to come across as respectful, genuine, and enthusiastic. Position yourself as a motivated, coachable athlete who\u2019s serious about playing at the next level. That\u2019s what coaches are looking for.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you\u2019re a high school lacrosse player with dreams of playing at the next level, here\u2019s a truth you need to hear early: College coaches aren\u2019t going to magically find you\u2014you have to introduce yourself. They\u2019re not going to show up at your high school games. And they\u2019re not going to notice you at a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":305,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-389","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/laxrecruitguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/389","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/laxrecruitguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/laxrecruitguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laxrecruitguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laxrecruitguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=389"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/laxrecruitguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/389\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":390,"href":"https:\/\/laxrecruitguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/389\/revisions\/390"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laxrecruitguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/305"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/laxrecruitguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=389"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laxrecruitguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=389"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laxrecruitguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}When Should You Start Contacting Coaches?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Why Email Is Your Best Move<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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What to Say in Your Email to a Coach<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
1. A Strong Subject Line<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
2027 Midfielder \u2013 [Your Name] \u2013 Highlight Video Included<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n2. A Quick Introduction<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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3. Why You\u2019re Interested in Their Program<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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4. Key Athletic & Academic Details\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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5. Your Highlight Video Link<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
6. A Simple Closing<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
How Many Times Should You Reach Out?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Avoid These Common Mistakes<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Keep It Simple<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n