Finding your match

With this demanding environment in mind, it’s far too easy for wide-eyed recruits to be wowed by the lacrosse-only locker room (with Xbox consoles and Ping-Pong) or the flashy video on InsideLacrosse.TV about a team’s latest “swag report.” But, in reality, it’s far more important to consider what will truly define your college lacrosse experience.

Recognize that the relationships you’ll develop and the lessons you’ll learn—both on and off the field—are what matter most. While playing on Division III team, you may end up dressing in the visitor’s unwanted equipment room and you may have to buy your own cleats, too.

Yet take lacrosse entirely out of the equation for a moment. Once you graduate, you may never need that nasty left-to-right split dodge again. Attend a regular admissions tour, and then ask yourself, “Would I be happy at this school without lacrosse?”

If so, and if you add a great match in a lacrosse program along with it, you’re well on you way.

The complete college experience

Your four years in college are truly a time like none other. There are opportunities at every turn. For Division III programs, limitations on out-of-season practices promote a balance between academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities.

Several of my teammates have competed in another sport during the fall, many others have studied abroad everywhere from Chile to Australia. Some teammates have gained invaluable work experience through internships, while others have volunteered each week at local schools.

During my time in college, I’ve even started a company of my own to build mobile apps for speech therapy. So when I sit down in a lecture hall, I’m just another student taking notes feverishly before next week’s political philosophy exam—all before the whistle blows later that afternoon.

These are just some of the opportunities that exist beyond the college lacrosse field.