Team 24/7 Lacrosse Player Spotlight
2020 Colby Barsz
Learn more about some of the top High School lacrosse players in the Carolinas this Spring with the Team 24/7 Lacrosse Committed Player Spotlight
Getting to Know Colby Barsz
Player Name: Colby Barsz
College Commitment: Towson University
High School: Weddington
Position: Defense
Graduating Class: 2020

What other schools did you consider?
Army, Vermont, Boston University, Delaware, and Dartmouth.
How did the school you chose separate itself from the others you considered?
Towson separated itself because it felt like home to me. Coach Nadelen is a great coach that brings out the best in players and I loved that. I also loved the physicality in practice; every practice was treated like a game and overall the school didn't feel too small or too big for me.

How would you describe your recruiting process overall?
My recruiting process was almost split in two. I broke my arm in the Summer and went on a visit, but since I was not able to play football I took two more tours in September. Once football season ended I finished my visits and made my decision in the Winter of my Junior year. It was nice to have that time period away from the recruiting process as I was able to digest all the information the coaches were telling me. It also gave me time to make a top 5 that I could see. I was able to go at my pace and not feel rushed.

What was your favorite part of the recruiting process? 
My favorite part of the recruiting process was getting to know all the coaches and seeing a variety schools. It was also great getting to see the different styles programs had. Knowing that not everyone is given the opportunity that I had, I felt blessed and completely embraced it even when it could be stressful. 

What opportunities and information assisted you during your recruiting process?
Sports Recruits was my number one resource. I sent a ton of emails from sports recruits because it is easy to communicate through their platform. Ryan made me feel prepared once September 1st arrived. We would text after a coach called me and would discuss the opportunities. After all my visits my dad made a spreadsheet that had a bunch of different categories and I ranked the schools which ultimately helped me make my final decision.

Did you feel like you had support from the Team 24/7 Staff during your process? If so, how?
I always felt like I could text Ryan if I needed anything. It made it much easier knowing that I had someone that was helping me and knew what he was doing because he had done his own process before. Ryan also has a lot of connections which was great because he was able to talk to a ton of coaches.

What individual or showcase events, if any, did you find the most beneficial during your process?
Showtime and NLF Futures were great opportunities as I was able to compete against tough, high-end competition at an early age. It allowed me to understand what I had to fix and how I needed to develop in order to become a recruitable player. 

What would you tell younger players or parents to help them prepare for the recruiting process?
I would tell players and families to enjoy it because this process doesn’t happen for every aspiring athlete. Also, it’s not a race. Take your time in order to find the perfect fit for your son and family.
Coach Flanagan on Colby
"Like so many of our guys that go one to play at the next level, Colby is one of those guys who works relentlessly to improve his game and is never satisfied. Colby first joined us after moving down from Pennsylvania in middle school and we put him on what most would consider a "B" team that first season (along with a few other guys that are headed to play college lacrosse). He used it as motivation going forward and it helped him become the player he is today.
Colby is the type of player that will ask you questions about how he can get better after every practice and game. He is a student of the sport and it is very common for him to come up to myself or one of our other coaches after a rep in practice or at a timeout in a game and ask what he could have done differently. He isn't just asking to ask either. He is asking because he is genuinely curious and you will see him implement your suggestion in the next rep or matchup. As the years went by and Colby continued to sharpen his game and build on these lessons, he started to become one of the best cover defenseman in the 2020 class.

I'll always remember one of the practices leading up to the summer before Colby's junior year. This is the summer coaches are going to start recruiting. We were doing some type of even-man drill and Colby was matched up with one of our attackman who was also very good. Colby started the drill with a hard check right across his arms and proceeded to drive him away from goal line extended. The attackman pulled the ball out and tried to redodge Colby. Same result. He eventually moved the ball on and the drill ended. I remember pulling our attackman after the drill and asking him what he thought of Colby. We both had the same thought. He was really good. All the work he had put in over the years developing his IQ, his footwork, his strength and his stick were coming together. On top of that, he was playing violent and with a chip. When he was covering you, you knew it because his checks were hard, fast and on your hands. That summer, he went on to cover some of the best players in the 2020 class and won a majority of those matchups. He will head to Towson as the top defenseman in their 2020 class.

Off the field, one of that things that has made Colby special to me is his willingness to give back. He is one of the first guys asking if he can volunteer at one of our intro programs or speak to some of our younger players about his experience as a younger player or what his recruiting experience was like. Colby could have 2 touchdowns in a big Friday night football game and when you get to the field at 8am on Saturday morning, he is teaching our 2nd and 3rd graders how to cradle.

I can't wait to see what he does at the next level on the field and where life takes him off of the field."
We hope you've enjoyed reading this Player Spotlight! Please share it with anyone you think would be interested. They can subscribe by hitting the link below.
Charlotte Boys & Girls Summer Camps
Whether your son or daughter is new to the sport or has been playing for years, a 2020 Charlotte Lacrosse Boys and Girls Day Camp presented by Team 24/7 Lacrosse is perfect for them!
Click Here to learn more and register today!
Questions? Email  info@team247lax.com