What advice do you have for players interested in Division III schools?

When searching for the right school and right team, do your homework. First thing is to find a school that offers all that you are looking for in a college. Second, look at the talent level of the program. There is a huge range of talent among the 300+ D3 teams. You need to decide what works best for you and if you are looking to be an immediate impact player or work your way into the line-up. Lastly, don't underestimate the strength of good grades and speed. Both are a year round commitment.

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

Once you find the school that fits you, don't be shy about emailing the coach and letting them know that you did your homework and feel that their college fits what your looking for. Get on campus and show the coach that you are serious about their school and lacrosse. Provide coaches with your game schedules and video if available. Also, avoid sending out mass-mailing emails to every college out there. You'll dilute the pool of schools that you care about and coaches will know that you're not serious about their school and may not respond.

What type of players do you look for and where?

Athletes who love the game. The biggest benefit of playing D3 is representing your college and those that love the game will make the sacrifices and commitments necessary to compete. Skill-wise: speed, awareness, and stick handling. Couple those with a good attitude and smarts and we have the making of great prospect.

Travel showcases, recruit websites, and high school games are great sources for finding these players. There's a lot of ground to cover, so players shouldn't be shy about contacting coaches and expressing their interest. Almost every college has a webpage with a recruit form to make your interest in their school known.

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

Players need to know the game. Those that can move correctly without the ball standout. We encourage players to watch full games online, not just the highlights. Watch how players move offensively and defensively to put themselves in the best, most effective position. Focusing on explosive movement is also key to elevating their game. If you're gonna go, go hard!

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

For the most part, it clarifies early on who's going D1 and who isn't. This helps mostly with the parents and players who had visions of full-boat scholarships and national titles. For D3, recruiting hasn't changed too much other than emphasizing the various degrees of success in college sports. Being a practice player on top D1 team is absolutely one level of success, but so is being an impact player and a leader on a D3 team.

Are there any last pieces of advice for players and families you'd like to share?

When visiting a campus and meeting the coach be open and honest and ask for the same in return. Don't be afraid to ask the tough questions about tryouts, roster positions, where you rank in their list of recruits, or what they think you need to work on to be a starter. Once you decided that a school is right or not right for you, share that information with the coach. You may be surprised on their response!

ConnectLAX is a third party recruiting service and not affiliated with or endorsed by Jeff Pechulis or Westfield State University.