Hey everyone,

Today’s note is about resilience and how we respond when things don’t go our way (spoiler: they often won’t).

One quick piece of advice for parents helping their players through stressful moments: trust your gut. We’ve had many conversations with parents who have the right instincts but lack conviction, usually because they feel uncertain about the “lacrosse landscape.”

We believe this: you almost never go wrong by doing the right thing. Be accountable. Control the controllables. And learn how to respond when things don’t go your way. Honestly, that might be the whole point of sports.

Let’s get into it. Happy Friday ☕️,
Matt & Deemer

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Sports teach many lessons. You will often hear employers talk about the benefits of hiring former student-athletes, citing work ethic, time management, ability to work with others, and many other positive traits that come from being a former athlete. One trait to keep in mind this summer is resilience.

The mindset cultivated through sports may be its greatest long-term value.

As we’ve mentioned in prior posts, this time of year can be especially stressful for rising juniors navigating the recruiting process.

After every tournament, showcase, or prospect day, many student-athletes (and parents) are left wondering: “Am I still on their list?”

Unfortunately, the answer isn’t always yes. Coaches’ boards shift. Players fall down or off lists altogether. That’s part of the process.

While no player wants to hear this, the only thing that matters is your response. Are you going to point fingers? Complain? Talk negatively about the school and the coach? Sulk at the next event and ignore the staff? Or are you going to be resilient.

Resilience is the ability to adapt, recover, and grow stronger after facing adversity, stress, or failure. It’s what allows you to stay focused, maintain effort, and bounce back when things don’t go your way.

Are you going to train harder? Watch more film? Hustle more? Acknowledge where you can be better?

Like we spoke about last week, different players shine at different events. Going one step further, different players shine in different drills and different forms of scrimmages.

There are many instances where a player doesn’t show well in a drill but lights it up in a game, and vice versa. Maybe a coach only watched you play in drills and didn’t love your game. Maybe they saw you in a scrimmage where you were playing with selfish players and never touched the ball. College coaches can’t watch every rep.

With this being said, it’s up to you to prove them wrong the next time they watch you play. We have seen time and time again players get back on a schools lists. The players that are focused on improving their weaknesses, playing harder, being more competitive, and being a better teammate are often the ones who do.

Best,
Coach Class and Coach Dunn

In this week’s recruiting section, we are highlighting some standouts from our inaugural High School Nationals Tournament!

Check out the full High School Nationals Standouts from June 30-July 1.

Morgan Ruhnke | 2026 | Midfield | Portsmouth | Committed to Loyola

Ruhnke was a force for Portsmouth. She did it all - DCs, goals, assists and tough defense. She was one of the most impactful midfielders at the event. She has great athleticism and strength and is poised for success as a college midfielder.

Ryan Rodgers | 2027 | Midfield | Deerfield Academy | M&D

Rodgers had a dangerous shot using a hard wrist snap to fire the ball past the keeper. She is gritty on groundballs and fights to get out of trouble in transition. A magnet to the ball, Rodgers is key on the draw.

Price Orcutt | 2028 | Midfield | Conestoga | Philly Blast

Orcutt is a sophomore to keep on the radar. The lefty had speed and a knack to attack the net. You can feel her presence on the field and she was constantly involved for Conestoga.

FCL Athlete & Boston College attacker Mckenna Davis ended her college career with a bang, posting career highs in goals (28), assists (77) and points (105). Check out her full 2025 highlights:

Applications are open for our Best in Class 2026 events!