Be seen by the best / Learn from the best
If you are serious about pursuing a path to college using your strength in athletics, showcases are a great way to get in front of those college coaches. It’s important to get this exposure early on and to get out there consistently. But, choosing the right showcases is critical. After all, you want a showcase to do exactly that: showcase your skills and talents.
Unfortunately, not all showcases are equal. Be sure to call the Showcase Director before registering and ask the important questions.
What do you need to know before signing up?
Find out the basics first: when and where is the event being held, how much does it cost and what does that cost include?
Then, learn more about the coaches: what coaches are going to be there, are they working the event or just recruiting and who is coaching the players?
Next, get a feel for the caliber of the players you’ll be competing against. For example, you’ll want to know if this is an invitation event, where do the players come from and how do they get picked for an event?
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Showcases offer tremendous advantages:
• Exposure to college coaches
• Growth as a lacrosse player
• Insight into the recruiting process
• Chance to meet other players
• Collegiate-level coaching
• A feel for your competition
You’ll get to see how you stack up against elite players locally and often nationally. You’ll travel to great venues and get to visit some colleges. Best of all, you can get a real taste of the college experience. That’s right, some of the best showcases have players stay in the college dorms, eat in the campus cafeterias and get coaching from college coaches!
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What to Avoid When Deciding on a Lacrosse Showcase
As we said before, not all showcases are equal. Be sure to steer clear of showcases that:
• Provide unequal playing time for participants at the event
• Don’t encourage passing, so that you may never get to touch the ball
• Don’t offer enough game time. If your team never wins a face-off, you may never get to touch the ball
• Enlist coaches to work their showcases who would rather not be there
• Make false promises. Showcases may advertise one thing, but provide another!
• Offer no or low-quality video highlight footage to capture your plays
• Allow any kid to sign up and play at the event. You want to be among serious quality players in order to show off your skills.
The bottom line: talk to the Showcase Director before you register. Get the answers to all your questions and make a smart choice that can really make a difference in your future.
Good luck!
