How did the school you chose separate itself from the others you considered?
The United States Military Academy is a place like no other; I immediately fell in love with the coaching staff and the team’s values. While it took some time for me to come around to the service aspect, I believe that deciding to attend Army is a phenomenal decision for not only lacrosse, but for my future. Although any school can guarantee you playing time, or your major of choice, there wasn’t a single school that could offer the level of experience and development of life skills I will receive at West Point.
How would you describe your recruiting process overall?
It was longer than expected and was plagued with injury, but overall I found the perfect fit and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
What was your favorite part of the recruiting process?
My favorite part of the recruiting process, like many athletes, was receiving calls from programs I dreamed of playing for. I remember watching college lacrosse as a young kid and saying, “Man, I want to be like these guys”. Fast forward to 2019 and what were once goals had become a reality. Knowing that my dream of playing college lacrosse came true is an extremely fulfilling thought to consider.
What opportunities and information assisted you during your recruiting process?
I learned many valuable lessons during my recruiting process that I believe will be applicable to various aspects of life in the future. The most important information I valued during my process was to do what’s best for you. Don’t let anyone else decide what’s in your heart and what/where will be the best fit for you. Knowing that helped ease my process and allowed me to make an informed, confident decision.
In addition, I looked to Ryan as a mentor through my recruiting process. I always sensed that he believed in me and had my best interests in mind. Having someone like Ryan, a well known and respected individual in the lacrosse community, as my advocate to coaches gave me a lot of confidence and sense of security.
Did you feel like you had support from the Team 24/7 Staff during your process? If so, how?
Most definitely. Ryan and all my summer coaches were very supportive of me and advocated for me to colleges who showed interest. I wouldn’t be where I am without Team 24/7.
What individual or showcase events, if any, did you find the most beneficial during your process?
The two recruiting events I participated in were Maverik Showtime and UA All-American Underclass Games; both were very beneficial in their own ways.
Maverik Showtime helped open my eyes to the incredible amount of talent there was in my class, and if I wanted to be recruited, that I needed to improve all aspects of my game. The Under Armour All-American Underclass games was a great experience for me because not only was I able to play in front of tons of schools, I was able to represent the South and compete against other regions of the country. Advancing to the semifinals in the UA Games was a huge morale builder for me because I realized that being a lacrosse player from the South did not put me at much of a disadvantage; I too could be recruited by D1 programs.
What would you tell younger players or parents to help them prepare for the recruiting process?
When the time comes, don’t worry about who committed where or who got called by who, just play the game and worry about the things you can control: your attitude and your effort. Control those things, put in the work when nobody’s watching and everything will fall into place.
