<p>Hi, my son is currently in 8th grade and I am looking into sending him to a prep school if possible. My question is, how does a sport like lacrosse factor into admission? I have red that it is a hook, but how so and how much so? Would I have to contact the coach or would the school simply know that my son plays lacrosse and not much more about that? He is quite gifted and plays on the best team in area, but seeing as he is just now in 8th grade, I don't really have any film to send to a coach for him. Could someone please help me understand this process? Thanks</p>
<p>I’m not an expert but I’ll give you a few thoughts. With most schools it can be a significant advantage, and with some schools it is only a small help. It is possible that with a particular coach and a particular school it could be a huge help. Your son (with your assistance) will need to bring it to the attention of the coaches. I would recommend letters to the coaches, and perhaps a copy of letter of recommendation from his club coach (of course, this last thing might not be feasible). He might suggest in his letter to the coaches that he could come to the school to meet the coach at the coach’s convenience. A mere notation on your son’s application that he plays lacrosse will not do it.</p>
<p>Taft, Andover, Deerfield are 3 schools I’m aware of that traditionally field strong men’s lax squads.</p>
<p>Berkshire School, too.</p>
<p>Many schools have a Prospective Athlete tab on their website. If a school doesn’t offer an Athlete Inquiry page make sure you request a meeting with the coach when you schedule the interview. Good luck!</p>
<p>^^Just to clarify one thing: I’ve always found it helpful to schedule the interview/tour first and then fill out the Athlete Inguiry online. One of the questions you’ll be asked online is the date for your interview. </p>
<p>Also, when you’re scheduling your interview (on the phone) with the AO, mention you’ll be filling out and submitting the Prospective Athlete form online and ask if they can arrange a meeting the lacrosse coach at one point during the interview/tour. They’ll do their best to accommodate you and your son. Fall is such a hectic time of the year for all schools, so it’s always a good idea to do both. </p>
<p>Don’t be disappointed or discouraged if your meet and greet with a coach happens on the run. Most SS coaches wear other hats and sometimes their schedules don’t allow for a long discussion/ Q&A, but they’re usually good about answering questions afterward via email. Just go with the flow and you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>Oops-Inquiry not Inguiry. Jeepers.</p>
<p>Our coach meeting ended up being 15 minutes in a stairwell but that was fine actually - as mentioned many schools also offer an application supplement for athletes to submit to coaches that specifically asks what level the child competes at - regional, national etc - and how the coach would rank him or her according to the coaches experience- even if your child isnt a star its a good idea to have a coach fill this out - or write a letter- if you feel the coach can highlight other good qualities like leadership, sportsmanship and the like.</p>
<p>Most prep schools are in very tough leagues- so even if they may not be the best in their division, the competition is very good. Many schools will recruit players, even the top academic schools- however, kids still have to be able to be a fit for the school academically, etc. If your son is in 8th grade this coming year, he should consider playing on an elite summer team as well as your home Spring season team. Summer tournaments and showcase tournaments/camps are a great way to get your son noticed- by prep schools and other schools. Hard to believe but colleges are beginning to scout Freshman and middle schoolers! Let any prospective coach know where your son is playing (ie summer tournaments) in case he (or a scout) happen to be attending. Depending on the summer team your son plays on, this may be sufficient information for the coach to know how good your son is. Laxpower.com will give you rankings of the best schools to help you gauge where your son might fit. Compare your local HS (what you know) vs the schools you are considering. For example, Deerfield is considered to be one of the best lacrosse schools in the nation! Many of their kids are D1 players, most if not all will play D1, 2, or 3 lacrosse. Serious competition! good luck</p>
<p>Many mid or high level prep school coaches have formal or informal ties to successful club teams. To some extent they feed standout players back and forth.</p>