Lacrosse Video Guidance
Having the right video is key to the recruiting process. Coaches want to learn everything they can about athletes before recruiting them and the best way to do this is by watching their videos.
FieldLevel has spoken to numerous college lacrosse coaches about what they want to see AND what they don’t want to see in an athlete’s video.
Here are the most important things you can do to impress college coaches and have the best video possible.
1. Create a Highlight Reel
Your highlight reel is a chance to showcase your best moments as an athlete that will catch a coach’s eye. Post the highlights that you do have and continue to upload new ones as time goes on.
| Your highlight reel should… | Your highlight reel should not… |
| – Be between 2-4 minutes long, no more, and front load your best highlights. – Include an introduction slide listing your name, school/club name, grad year, GPA, contact info, coaches’ contact info, and jersey number. – Showcase a variety of skills — display the use of both hands when catching and throwing, defending in 1-on-1 situations, and off-ball plays. – Include the context of what led up to the highlight and the results after. – Include halo, circle, or any identifying features so coaches can spot you easily in your highlights. | – Just show the good plays — make yourself stand out to coaches by showing them where you made mistakes and how you reacted and recovered. – Include clips that are cut too early — make sure you show the full story of a play. – Show multiples of the same highlight or too many clips from one game. – Use replay, slow motion, or any unnecessary effects. Include music or any types of sounds. |
Don’t cut the clips short. For example, don’t show yourself winning a face-off, throwing the ball to a teammate, and end the clip when the ball is in the mid-air — coaches want to see what happens next!
2. Have Game Footage Readily Available
Coaches will also want to study your game tape to verify the talent they saw in your highlights is consistent throughout a game. They will use your game video to see how you move, interact with your teammates, improve from game to game, and evaluate your attitude and leadership abilities. It’s important to have game footage readily available in case college coaches request it from you.
| Your game videos should… | Your game videos should not… |
| – Be compact — cut out any dead periods to save time and highlight yourself before any standout plays. – Include a timestamp list (e.g. when you score a goal in the film) — this can be included on an intro slide to the video or in the video comments. – Feature games against good competition — one goal against a good team can be worth five against a bad one. – Showcase your positioning on the field with and without possession, body language, defensive and offensive skills, and show your ability to use both hands. – Show how you recover from mistakes and maintain poise. | – Be shot from too far away — give coaches a clear view of you and the field. – Have unnecessary music or edits — coaches need to see plays in real-time and hear communication on the field. – Have poor or shaky footage — game film is only helpful if coaches can distinguish what they are seeing. |
Game footage is what coaches look at “deeper in the recruiting process” to really understand and evaluate recruits they’re tracking.
3. Showcase Your Positional Skills
Coaches might also be interested in seeing clear videos of you going through drills or showing your position-specific skills. These videos capture game-like situations from clear angles and help showcase fundamentals and athletic ability.
| Your skill videos should… | Your skill videos should not… |
| – Be from small games or 1-vs-1 drills done at full speed. – Display positional footwork checks, change of direction, defensive positioning, and stick checks. – Include shooting, receiving, and throwing from both sides if you’re an attacker. – Show your footwork around the net and clearing if you’re a defender. – Focus on your ability to make saves from various angles and against different shot types, throw clearing passes, and have solid footwork if you’re a goalkeeper. – Highlight your ability to take draws if that’s part of your role (FOGO). | – Showcase the same skill repeatedly. – Include drills or skills that will not translate to game-like situations. |
“Coaches want to see your skills in a variety of different game-like situations.”
4. Record Verified Measurables
Coaches will sometimes want to verify that your physical measurements are accurate. Measurable verification usually happens during visits, but you can make it easier for coaches by verifying your measurables with video.
| Your verified measurable videos should list… | Your verified measurable videos should not list… |
| – Your height. – Your weight (for men). – Your wingspan (for goalies). – Your dominant hand. | – Any false information — video doesn’t lie. |
“If you fake your athletic metrics, you will be exposed once on the college field.”
These things will likely impress any lacrosse coach you speak with during the recruiting process. If you have any questions about video or the recruiting process, the FieldLevel team is here to help you and support you. If there’s anything we can do, please contact us in one of the following ways:
Phone: 888-908-7124
Email: support@fieldlevel.com
Demo: Schedule a Time
