It is a word spoken around a lacrosse program too many times to count. Be it defenders talking through assignments on the field or a coach trying to instill a message off of it, the word is one with multiple levels of importance.
Communication.
On an overcast Saturday in mid-January, a conference room in Philadelphia is filled with an audience of college coaches, high school coaches and club team administrators. They are listening intently to a panel at the front of the room.
The panel is comprised of a group of established college coaches, national team coaches, and high school coaches, put together by US Lacrosse to lead a discussion and share their experiences on the trials and tribulations of the recruiting process. The word that to resonated throughout their discussion?
Communication.
Lacrosse has exploded in popularity across the country. This is perhaps best highlighted by the growth of the involvement at the youth and high school levels. When combined, the sectors saw a 19.1 percent increase in participation in 2011 over 2010, according to the most recent US Lacrosse participation survey.
With so many players 636, 556 combined youth and high school per the survey and an increase in events, coaches cannot possibly see every player in the country.
So what did the panel recommend?
Recruit the school that recruits you was one phrase that was uttered.
Contact a coach before and after an event you attend was another.
We want to have direct contact with the prospect was yet another.
The theme throughout the messages was fairly consistent: Coaches want to communicate with prospects, and doing so is of paramount importance.
Taking this idea to the next level, this seems to be true on two levels.
First, and perhaps most obviously, communication with a coach will simply help a recruit to get on their radar. This may be an obvious statement, but it is always step one. If a player plans on attending, say, the Jake Reed Blue Chip event, letting a coach know is vital. Otherwise, they are just one of the 120 players looking to be seen.
Second, once a recruit is on that radar, communication good communication can make all of the difference.
As the panel noted, not all communication is created equal. A prospect can most certainly over-communicate with a coach and become an annoyance. The quality over quantity approach seemed appropriate. Similarly, form letters and non-personalized emails can turn a coach off immediately.
The take-home message: being proactive and communicating effectively are two of the most important steps a high school athlete can take to ensure they are able to play the game at the next level.