Kevin Lytle

kevinlytle@coloradoan.com

Jake Frane isn't old enough to drive himself to school, and it will be years before he can buy a lottery ticket.

Most kids his age are more worried about fitting in at high school than making big decisions about college.

Not Frane.

He's not just thinking about college, he's already picked where he's going.

The 15-year-old sophomore-to-be at Fossil Ridge High School has put himself on the national lacrosse map by becoming one of the first commits in the class of 2017.

And it's not just any school he's pledged his skills to. Frane has verbally committed to play at Notre Dame, a perennial top-10 team that lost in the national title game this year.

It's been a wild year for Frane. A year ago this month, his family moved to Fort Collins from Portland, Oregon. After he performed well in a couple showcase tournaments, recruiting interest launched into super-speed, leaving the entire family in awe.

"All of a sudden you start getting these letters. You go, 'sure.' You hear about early recruiting process and you kind of blow it off," said Tom Frane, Jake's dad. "Then the phone calls come."

One day Frane is watching the University of Virginia play on TV, the next he's talking to the Cavaliers' Dom Starsia, one of the coaches he's always admired.

All the big-time lacrosse programs were among the more than 20 schools to recruit Frane. Back-to-back national champions Duke called. Johns Hopkins, the University of North Carolina and the University of Denver all wanted a shot to land Frane before he had played a minute of high school lacrosse. Each one of those teams made the 16-team NCAA tournament in 2014.

"When it first started, it was really stressful for me," Frane said. "When I would call coaches, I would worry about what the right or wrong things to say would be. Talking to schools during my freshman year was like a 'wow' factor for me."

Slowly, Frane got used to the wild world of recruiting and started to narrow his choices.

In the meantime, he starred for the Fort Collins Unified team. The midfielder recorded 29 goals and 11 assists in 15 games.

He was first-team Front Range League All-Conference and one of two freshman to receive honorable mention all-state recognition from the Colorado High School Lacrosse Coaches Association.

Ultimately, he ended up choosing Notre Dame for its storied lacrosse program, academics and its vast, nationwide network of alumni and connections he could use after graduation.

The process of recruiting this early is a growing trend in lacrosse, but it's still fairly unique. Frane is one of the first 40 in his class to commit. For Frane, the stress relief of deciding early was worth it.

Instead of spending the next three years trying to impress coaches and earn a spot on a roster, he can focus on continuing his development.

Also a football player, Frane was the Fossil Ridge freshman team's defensive player of the year on a team that went undefeated.

The process still is a little surreal to the entire family, but it's also something Frane has prepared for.

Frane, who was coached by his father until high school, is virtually ambidextrous after spending hours of practice passing and shooting left-handed.

College coaches can't comment on a recruit until they've signed a financial agreement, but the fact Notre Dame made Frane its first recruit of the 2017 class speaks for itself.

Frane talks quietly with a bit of shyness, but he carries his 6-foot-2 frame with the confidence and comfort of someone much older.

His quiet intensity shines through after making his choice. He knows schools will continue to recruit him, but he says it would take a special offer to sway his choice.

"Now it's more (about) making a name for yourself nationally," Frane said. "It's more about earning a rep because you're the first recruit for Notre Dame, so show that they made a great choice in selecting you."

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle at twitter.com/Kevin_Lytle and at facebook.com/KevinSLytle.

Jake Frane file

Age: 15

High school: Fossil Ridge

Sport/position: Lacrosse, midfield/face-off

Notable: Earned honorable mention All-State honors as a freshman and was First-Team Front Range League…Had 29 goals and 11 assists in 15 games for the Fort Collins Unified team as a freshman...Was named Fossil Ridge freshman football team's top defensive player in 2013...First verbal lacrosse commit to Notre Dame for the class of 2017.