Editor’s Note: Today we welcome Ana Henrich from Sean Kelly’s Sports and Mental Preparation Facility to share some wisdom and tips for motivation that we all can benefit from. Ana played attack for the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays before furthering her career at Kelly Performance! Take it away, Ana!
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As the summer lacrosse tournament and showcases are in full swing so is the anxiety about the lacrosse recruiting process. I vividly remember the conversations my parents and I had.
How will I know which school is right for me? Will we be able to afford the tuition? What if I don’t get accepted into the school of my choice?
Here are 5 Tips I can offer to you and your family as you go through the lacrosse recruiting process in the future months:
1) Make a List and Check It Twice
Make the list of colleges based on your child’s wants/needs. The following topics are a good starting point:
- Location
- Size of school
- Academics (Does the school offer the potential major your child wants?)
- Program ranking
- Tuition
- Scholarship money offered to incoming students
- Social scene
These are all incredibly important topics and will vary greatly to each family. Have one or two dream schools on the list. It gives your child a goal to reach athletically and academically every day. And you never know it could work out… it did for me!
2) Location, Location, Location
As you are making the list of colleges, you need to ask your child how important it is for them to be close to home. For me it was imperative that my parents could come to every home game. If they are interested in a school across the country they need to understand that they may only be able to come home 2 to 3 times a year. If that makes them uncomfortable then maybe going far away isn’t the best option.
3) The Money Talk
Yes, this in itself can be awkward and can cause a family some stress, but it is a conversation I had with my parents and it’s a conversation you need to have with your kids! When you start narrowing down your list of schools and the conversation of scholarships or lack of scholarships are on the table, this is when it is most important. Lay it out for them and be honest!
4) Talking the Talk
Hey parents, every coach around the country wants to hear from your child, NOT YOU! When a coach asks the question, “Where is our school/program on your list?” your child needs to be prepared to answer honestly and with confidence. If the school is on your child’s list of top 5 schools, then make sure they know that. If it’s more toward the bottom of his/her list then you can say “we still have some more visits scheduled to see other schools, we will touch base after we make those visits.” If the school is their top choice, you can (and should) say that too! However, make sure you are not telling 3 different schools that they are your child’s top choice. The lacrosse community is small and coaches talk!
5) Enjoy it!
As you start to narrow down your list of colleges, visits are a crucial part of the process. Take it as a time to not only explore the school and the lacrosse program but the city or town that the college resides in. Research the town and find out where the locals are eating and hanging out. This will not only give you a great memory but a clear understanding of whether or not your child enjoys the social setting the college is set in. Also, don’t waste the opportunity to use this time to enjoy your child. Before you know it they will be off to college and it’s inevitable that you will begin to miss him/her greatly. Create memories that will last forever that stem from enjoying the time you have with them.
