I got the opportunity to talk on the phone with the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners lacrosse team, Brendan Klein, and he gave me some great insight on the MCLA as well as his growing program. The Sooners play in the LSA, and have been improving every year under 2nd year coach Klein. Klein believes he has the best recruiting class in program history coming in 2015 as the Sooners are looking for young players to buy in to their program.

What advice do you have for players interested in MCLA programs?

Biggest advice I would give is pick school for academics first. You see when kids decide between D3 schools that they are sometimes limited with liberal arts schools. The MCLA offers the opportunity of a lacrosse career and paying the bills after you graduate. Choose the school you want and choose your lacrosse team as a 2nd part of your college experience. MCLA programs are on the rise. When we talk to recruits we are honest with kids about the program we want to run. We want players to buy in to the program.

What is the best way for players to get on your recruiting radar?

The best way that we go about recruiting student-athletes is by talking to students on a one on one basis that have an interest in lacrosse. Players can find out about our team through our online presence and I want recruits to reach out to us as well. The more info players get the more they are able to respond effectively. Any resource like ConnectLAX that gives players more info gives us help.

What type of player’s do you primarily look for, a raw athlete or refined lacrosse player?

We look for a good mix of all of them really. There is a role for just about everybody. The number one thing that factors for what we do is commitment and willingness to play a certain style. Attitutde is more important than any physical attributes. There is room for anyone as long as the attitude is there.

I want guys who want to go to OU first of all. As our profile grows , we are able to reach out more nationally as an up and coming program. A lot of the dallas TX area lacrosse is growing and it hits the right marks. It has been really cool to see the game grow.

What areas of player development would you recommend players to focus on?

Fundamentals. Throwing and catching. Doing everything the right way. If you have those things mastered you can move on to bigger and better concepts. We make sure everyone is on the same level of proficiency. I’m big on hammering in fundamentals. It will give us a big advantage. Hit the wall and make sure you’re doing everything correctly with mechanics. Fundamentals at this level could be the difference maker.

What type of student-athletes finds MCLA programs to be the best fit for them?

Every type of student athlete. Guys who can go D1, good for them. But I think the MCLA at the right program can be a good fit for even the best lacrosse players. Potential d3 guys that are looking for a larger school.

How does the camaraderie of MCLA teams match that of NCAA lacrosse teams?

The bond and camaraderie matches that of D3 and D2 lacrosse. To find that camaraderie in the MCLA, if you have a program with clear-defined goals and every player is working for the same goal, that’s where you find success. Navy Seals gave us a week long training and made us pay attention to detail and helped us with team chemistry. It has had a huge play on team success.