Steve Koudelka has been the head coach at Lynchburg College for 18 seasons now. During his tenure, Koudelka has recorded an overall record of 213-92 including 16 straight winning seasons. Lynchburg has advanced into the NCAA Tournament six times in the last nine years. In 2012 the program set the record for most wins in a season with 17, which included a 16-game winning streak, the longest in LC history. The Hornets won the program’s fourth conference title and advanced to the NCAA tournament. Coach Koudelka was named ODAC conference Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2011.

As a player, Coach Koudelka was a two-time all-America goalkeeper at Gettysburg College. He was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in the fall of 2006. He was one of just 12 goalkeepers invited to try out for the 1998 U.S. World Team. Koudelka played professionally for two seasons with the New Jersey Pride for Major League Lacrosse.

Coach Koudelka encourages players to take ownership of their recruiting process. He invites players to ask coaches about their own coaching style. He believes work ethic and competitiveness are the key qualities that turn good high school players into great college players.

What advice do you have for young players interested in playing DIII lacrosse?

I would tell families that there are a lot of schools out there to match their needs. There are over 300 schools between Divisions I, II and III. A young player looking to play college lacrosse should pick a school based on academics first, then lacrosse.

What’s the best way to get on your recruiting radar?

The best way is to reach out via email or even the old fashioned way-a letter in the mail. We don’t get many of those anymore. Use the internet to find out everything you can about the school including majors, size of the student body, faculty to student ratio, etc. This way you can be direct and specific when reaching out. The more direct you are, the better response you’ll get from coaches.

I advise not having your parents reach out to coaches on your behalf. It’s important to take ownership in your college search process. I know kids have the ability to use cell phones and send emails.

What’s a question you wished players asked more during the recruiting process?

Ask a coach what their style is. Figure out what type of lacrosse the coach likes to play. Every program is going to have its own brand. This is especially true in instances where the head coach has been with the program for a while.

What type of player do you look for-a raw athlete or refined lacrosse player?

I believe the game should be played fast. We take kids who are pretty athletic. It’s all about getting them on the field and just letting them play.

I see a lot of high school kids that have the tools. They have a good mix of athleticism and stick skills. We just have to determine who will be good at the next level. There’s being a good high school player and then there’s being a good college player. The key for making a successful transition is being a hard worker, seriously competitive, and having some ability to adapt. We try to identify those types of qualities in potential recruits.

What’s special about being a student-athlete at Lynchburg?

It’s a nice sized school with a little over 2,000 students. We’ve got strong athletics across the board. We frequently win our ODAC conference and compete in the NCAA DIII tournament for several different sports.

At Lynchburg, you’re a big fish in a small pond. As a student and an athlete you are very visible on campus. When you leave Lynchburg in search of a job you’ll have two or three professors or coaches that will be able to vouch for you. The ability to build good relationships with faculty and staff is pretty special.

How has the accelerated recruiting process impacted your approach to recruiting?

It hasn’t impacted us much. We see a lot of juniors play, but still want to see kids play again. We’re not necessarily looking for that great high school player. It’s about recruiting someone who will be a great college player. When we analyze recruits we think about how much they’ve improved their game since we’ve seen them play last. Then we think about how much better they could get at the next level. It goes back to a player’s competitiveness, work ethic, and ability to adapt and develop their game.

Remember, it’s a simple numbers game now. A ton of kids are going to college to play. There are new and emerging programs and there are also a lot of young players yet to be discovered.

Thanks Coach Koudelka, any final thoughts?

Parity is the theme. There are lots of colleges out there that are constantly getting better. Take your time in making this big decision. When you find the right school you’ll know. You get that gut feeling, listen to it. Once you make your choice go have a great four years.

ConnectLAX is a third party recruiting service and not affiliated with or endorsed by Lynchburg College or Steve Koudelka.