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Demand for Late Bloomers Has Never Been Higher

By Apex Lacrosse Staff, 05/23/18, 3:15PM EDT

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The recruiting timeline has been pushed back - here are two trends you need to know about.


Trend #1 - Late Bloomers, Finding the Next "Diamond in the Rough"

Coaches focus on identifying players with a lot of potential, and then developing them once they get to college. A player's true athletic potential may not be apparent until junior or senior of high school. The best player in 8th grade is not going to be the best player in 10th grade, and he’s not going to be the best player by sophomore year of college. Every athlete will develop at a different speed. Dozens of factors such as skill development, coachability, strength and agility training (to name a few) make every player's growth trajectory different. Scores of successful college players were undersized and under-recruited during freshman and sophomore years of high school, only to blossom their junior and senior years.

Intangibles Matter
Once a player proves that he has the athleticism and skills to play at the D1 level, then the intangibles come into focus. Does the player like to compete every day? What is his work ethic like? Does he want to improve or is he complacent where he is now? It’s the intangibles that will make the difference over a player’s college career. Four years is a long time and there will be challenges every player will need to handle. Also, coaches want to know what the player is like in the huddle, in the locker room and off the field. Coaches seek out players with character and integrity, as they know that will serve their programs well in the long-term.

Coaches like to see players later in the summer to re-evaluate and make informed decisions.

Trend #2 - Re-Recruitment Growing

Being re-recruited is a trend that is growing, especially with the new rules. Previous commitments are not considered "untouchable" as college coaches look to see how players progress by their junior and senior years of high school. The days of respecting commitments are over as college coaches go after players already committed to other schools. The number of de-commits is growing as players can have more options if they stay patient and develop their game!

The new rules help level the playing field and take some of the anxiety out of the recruiting process for players and parents. Since players can no longer verbally commit to college coaches before Sept. 1 of their junior year, the late bloomers don't feel "left out" of the discussion in 9th and 10th grade. 

Bottom Line: New Recruiting Rules Give Players More Time to Develop and Coaches More Time to Recruit!


Apply for the Apex 60 Summer Finale Showcase
 

The end of the recruiting calendar for the summer is August 1st, 2018. Do you want to give yourself more time to grow and develop?  Want to be seen at the end of the summer? Apply now for a spot at the Apex 60, applications are open to all players! For two days, receive interactive exposure from some of the nation’s best coaches. July 28 – 29th at Rider University, open to Grades 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019.

Only 60 Players Per Grade, Apply Now!
Interactive Exposure - College Coaches Will be on the Field with Players for two days 

Here are a few of the Coaches on Staff for Apex 60

  • Matt Madalon (Princeton)
  • Chris Wojcik (Harvard)
  • Jordan Stevens (Cornell)
  • Ben DeLuca (Delaware)
  • Jake Padilla (Rutgers)
  • Simon Connor (Villanova)
  • Jason Archbell (Bowdoin)
  • Torrey Martone (Wesleyan) 

See Full List Here

Apex 60 accepted players highlights!! Become a part of before spots run out! Apply Now

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Questions? Please email Paige Nardella @ pnardella@apexlacrosseevents.com for any Boys Lacrosse Issues and Alexandra Heard @ alexandra@apexlacrosseevents.com  for any Girls Issues

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