Sport: Soccer Position: Midfielder Class: 2011 School: San Marcos High School San Marcos, CA
The Knights’ Brian Paleo helped his team to a win against Fallbrook with a goal and an assist in the 3-0 victory. Captain of his squad, Paleo continued his success with two assists in his team’s 6-5 win over Escondido. Paleo is also a high points leader in the San Diego section.
Sport: Water Polo Position: Goalie Class: 2012 School: The Bishop’s School La Jolla, CA
Junior goalie, Gabby Stone, helped her team to a championship win along with a 5-0 record in the TYR Cup at El Dorado High School. Stone allowed just 10 goals in the 5 games of the tournament and was named Goalie of the Tournament. To view Gabby’s complete SportsForce profile click here – http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/gabby-stone-waterpolo-2012
Scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for College Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com
Sport: Basketball Position: Center Height: 6’4″ Class: 2011School: La Costa Canyon High School Carlsbad, CA
Madisen Irwin scored an amazing 42 points in the Mavericks 90-43 win over Torrey Pines this past week. Irwin also scored the game winning free throw in the last 1.7 seconds of the game in her squad’s tough win over Poway. Irwin chipped in for the win with 13 points and13 rebounds. She is committed to the University of San Francisco.
As you may know from our earlier posts, SportsForce Athlete Eric Sanschagrin committed to Princeton Lacrosse over the summer. Mavericks Lacrosse Goalie Eric and his family put a lot of thought and time into the decision, from researching to visits to just gut feelings. Eric was extremely helpful when we asked him what advice he had for athletes looking to accomplish the same thing he did and be just as successful in their recruiting journey. See what Eric had to say in his own words below.
1. Stay on top of your grades! Also, freshman year shouldn’t be taken lightly! The pace at which many top Division I colleges are moving along with their recruiting processes only continues to speed up and schools are actively recruiting when only freshman and Sophomore grades are available. Don’t limit your options because of laziness freshman year!
2. Start early and be proactive. It’s hard enough for Western (lacrosse) players to get recruited as it is, make sure to you give yourself plenty of time to get noticed by the schools where you truly belong. No one wants to be left with their last choice, or no choice, because they didn’t move along fast enough in the process.
3. Make sure that you organize and prepare everything you need in advance of your Junior year and add to it as you go along. Don’t waste a coach’s time with half-ready emails. For emails this includes: Name, School, Position, Hand, Class (Year), Team Success (Highlights), Personal Awards, Upcoming Events you plan to attend (Team and Recruiting), GPA, Test Scores (ACT,SAT and even PSAT if you haven’t taken the ACT or SAT), Game Film (3 to 5 minutes of highlights and 2 of your best uncut game halves which can come from different games), A link to your SportsForce page, NCAA Clearinghouse ID #, High School Coach’s Phone # and email, Club Coach’s Phone # and email, and provide your phone # and email. Also, list that your transcript is available to be faxed to them if they want it from your school. Put the best parts in the title! Most coaches get hundreds of emails, so put your best foot forward with the title. Example: Eric Sanschagrin-All-American Goalie-Class of 2011-Lefty-La Costa Canyon High School-Attending California Gold. If no representatives from a school that you emailed respond within a few days, keep sending it periodically until they do. I’ll attach the email I used as an example!
4. Don’t be afraid to reach for the sky. Sending out emails to top schools is something everyone should consider, but be realistic. If you aren’t sure where you stand then ask your coaches for help. Even if you aren’t sure, send out a few recruiting emails and test because it can’t hurt.
5. Don’t rush into anything. It takes some time to decide which school best fits you for the next four to five years. Talk it over with your parents and coaches.
6. Have a plan and ask for help. It was nice to have my coaches, SportsForce, and my parents to help guide me through the process. Make a checklist to help manage what you have done and what you want to get done.
Over the summer we shared some tips on how to prevent athlete burn out. These tips may not have rung too true at the time, as many student-athletes do get a break over the summer. Now that you’re deep in the school year and the season, it’s time to check out those old tips and see below for few more.
1. LEARN TO RELAX: Life as an athlete is extremely busy and stressful. Slow down and take at least 15 minutes a day to relax; read a book, listen to some music, or write in a journal. You’ll find that taking a few minutes everyday to recharge your batteries will give you more energy to perform well on a daily basis.
2. FIND A BALANCE: Sports are time consuming and can easily become the single focus in your life. Force yourself to find a balance between sports, school, extracurricular activities, and a social life. This will help prevent you from getting both physically and mentally exhausted.
3. MORAL SUPPORT: You need support and encouragement to succeed in athletics. Make sure you have a parent, coach, or teammate who acknowledges your achievements and dedication to the sport, and who will encourage you to continually improve your game.
Be sure to visit our Education Page for more resources for student-athletes and parents.
Sport: Basketball Position: Guard Height: 6’1″ Class: 2011 School: Otay Ranch High School San Diego, CA
Otay Ranch senior Alex Perez kicked off his season right at the Holiday Hoops Tournament at Mt. Carmel High School. Perez scored at least 30 points in each of two wins for his team. Perez scored 30 points in a win over Mission Viejo Trabuco and followed up that performance by scoring 34 points in his team’s win over Mission Hills.
Congratulations to La Costa Canyon Mavericks Boys Lacrosse goalie Eric Sanschagrin who committed to Princeton Lacrosse over the summer. We caught up with Eric and asked him a few questions to see how he made his decision and what he is most looking forward to. See what he had to say in his own words below, and check back later this week for his great advice for other athletes in the recruiting process.
What factors made you decide on Princeton?
– My main priority was to attend a top academic school, regardless of how good the lacrosse team was. Yet, like many aspiring lacrosse players, I had my heart set on playing Division I lacrosse. I decided early on that I wasn’t going to travel back east for school if it was just for athletic pursuits. I’d have rather played MCLA Lacrosse at an excellent academic school out west than at a lower level Division I school where I wouldn’t have fit academically. So, I sent out my emails to coaches whose schools fit my requirements. I emailed every coach or staff member listed on each school’s website. Thankfully, I got some responses and I was fortunate enough to hear from Princeton! Luckily, they were going to be at Under Armour All America tryouts in Ohio which I had already planned to attend. They noted that they would make sure to have their coach watch me while I was there. After a few follow up emails, I visited Princeton unofficially in July and absolutely loved the feel of the campus and the town of Princeton. During my visit I met most of the coaching staff and toured the campus and facilities. The coaching staff is made up of truly amazing individuals and I couldn’t be happier to have them as my future coaches. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to commit in July and I wasted no time in saying yes.
Were there any other schools you were seriously considering?
–No other schools made it past the “We’re interested” or “What camps will you be attending?” emails. I decided against doing a giant summer recruiting tour and only attended three camps/tournaments. This limited which coaches could have seen me. So, I was extremely fortunate to have Princeton make it to two of them. I was interested in the University of Pennsylvania, where my former teammate Reid Tudor is now a Freshman, as well as the other Ivy League Schools. Honestly, I probably would have settled back west if I hadn’t found something I truly loved.
What are you most looking forward to most about playing for the Princeton?
– After recently visiting Princeton for my official visit, I finally got to meet the team for the first time. First off, I’m really excited to learn from Tyler Fiorito (future teammate and goalie) We are both left handed goalies and I cannot think of a more qualified current college player to learn from. He will be a senior for the 2012 season when I’m a freshman. It will be nice to learn from a player whose prep lacrosse path was so different from mine. He entered Princeton as the top recruit in his class while my light summer schedule has left me largely unnoticed by most talent scouts and recruit evaluators. Also, I met my recruiting class while on my official visit and I was impressed by how down to earth our “Class of 2015” truly was. Coach Bates dubbed 2015 the “Unheralded Class” because we aren’t all well-hyped recruits and we have a lot to prove. I can’t wait for more time with the team and the chance to attend the University!
