College recruiting seems to bring a new headline every few months: roster caps, the transfer portal, changes to NCAA eligibility. With each new announcement comes the same question from parents: What does this mean for my son or daughter?

It's a fair question. But there's a better one to ask.

While the rules surrounding recruiting continue to evolve, the people making recruiting decisions haven't fundamentally changed what they're trying to accomplish. College coaches are trying to build programs that win games.

John Galloway captured it well during our parent panel this summer when he said, "Our job is to put together a successful program." Many of the other coaches in attendance nodded in agreement.

That simple idea explains far more about recruiting than any rule change ever will.

Once you understand that a coach's job is to build the best possible team—not simply sign players in September—a lot of recruiting decisions start to make more sense.

Coaches must factor in things like transfers, injuries, and de-commitments. That's why they continue evaluating players long after the first wave of commitments. Their needs evolve because their roster evolves.

It also explains why some players who commit early eventually lose their spot while others earn opportunities later than expected. And why late bloomers have always been, and will always be, part of college recruiting.

Don’t get us wrong. Classes will start to fill up this fall for the 2028s at the D1 level, particularly the top 20 programs. But that is just the start of it.

Coaches don't stop recruiting because the calendar changes. They stop recruiting a class when they believe they've found the players who give them the best chance to build a successful program.

Late bloomers are very real, and coaches know it.

Players don't all develop at the same rate. Some physically mature earlier than others. Some make huge jumps in confidence or decision-making during their junior year. Others don't truly hit their stride until the summer before college.

I experienced that firsthand.

I didn't commit to Maryland until May of my junior year. At the time, it felt very late. I remember wondering if I'd missed my chance. But looking back, I realize how minimal that timeline was to my overall journey. And now, with some perspective, I see multiple examples of this happening every single year.

One of the best examples is Pat Kavanagh. When Pat entered high school, he was just 4'10" and weighed 85 pounds. Even as a junior, he was still only about 5'4". He wasn't the player everyone assumed would become one of the best in college lacrosse.

Instead of worrying about who wasn't recruiting him, he focused on becoming impossible to ignore. He developed elite stick skills, a high lacrosse IQ, and a relentless work ethic. Eventually, Notre Dame saw what everyone else would soon see.

The point isn't that everyone becomes Pat Kavanagh. The point is that development rarely happens on a predictable timeline.

Read full article on “Pat Kavanagh: The Underdog Story” here.

Why do we keep harping on this? Because it's easy to become consumed by commitments, rankings, and recruiting announcements. Social media has a way of making it feel like everyone else's journey is moving faster than yours.

Sometimes that's true. Often it isn't.

What social media doesn't show are the players who continue developing, the recruiting boards that change throughout the year, the roster needs that evolve, or the countless conversations coaches continue having long after September.

Remember the question coaches are actually trying to answer: Can this player help us build a successful program?

Everything else is secondary.

That's why our advice has remained remarkably consistent over the years.

If September goes exactly how you hoped, keep developing. Earning an opportunity is only the beginning.

If September comes and goes without the call you wanted, keep developing. Coaches will continue evaluating players, rosters will continue to change, and opportunities will continue to emerge.

The recruiting landscape will keep evolving, rules will change, and timelines will shift.

But one thing hasn't changed.

College coaches wake up every day trying to build the best program they possibly can. The players who continue improving give themselves the best chance to become part of that program. Keep your eyes on the long game.

Coach Class and Coach Dunn

Forwarded this email? You can subscribe here to stay in the loop 👍.

We are returning to IMG Academy in Florida for another year of our Winter Showcase!

Registration is now open at the link below.

We are excited to announce an additional Long Island fall training location in Suffolk County! Registration is now open and be sure to check out all the locations below.

Other locations include:

All registrations posted on the link below.

American Select brought together the top players from across the country to compete for regional bragging rights. We were proud to be a partner of the event for the 3rd year.

Check out some more of the content our team made from the event:

The Class of 2030 is entering high school. Best In Class is a kick off for this group. Learning how to play with pace, space on the field, and hone in on key lacrosse concepts is a focus. This group of standouts shows promise, but we know there is more work to do. Let’s see who stood out in this group of rising stars!

For coaches who want to level up, the FCL Coach Community is the best resource on the market for men’s and women’s coaching staffs looking to continue developing.

It includes over 40 college coach webinars, 150+ drills for offense, defense, and full-team compete, as well as sessions focused on schemes and strategies.

Every two weeks, we release a newsletter specifically tailored to coaches.

To check out previous newsletters or to subscribe, you can visit the Full Coaches Corner Archive Here.