Varsity Letter Senior Year

wmap

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Hello,

I've played lacrosse my whole life including my Freshman and Sophomore year of high school. During freshman year I started Varsity and was awarded Midfielder of the Season by my team. My team did not participate in awarding Varsity Letters that year. I then moved to Utah to one of the best HS teams in the nation and was a main player on JV. I was not eligible for Varsity anyways so couldn't play swing; if I would've been eligible, however, I would have. I received a JV letter this year.

Now, in junior year, I made Varsity but I decided to take a break from lacrosse this season leaving me with no HS sports Junior year, but I have been doing sports outside of school. I plan on playing 2 varsity sports during my senior year. I will most likely receive a letter. How will the SAs view this as my application would've already been turned in? Is it seen the same way as receiving a letter any other year?

Thanks.
 
Hello,

I've played lacrosse my whole life including my Freshman and Sophomore year of high school. During freshman year I started Varsity and was awarded Midfielder of the Season by my team. My team did not participate in awarding Varsity Letters that year. I then moved to Utah to one of the best HS teams in the nation and was a main player on JV. I was not eligible for Varsity anyways so couldn't play swing; if I would've been eligible, however, I would have. I received a JV letter this year.

Now, in junior year, I made Varsity but I decided to take a break from lacrosse this season leaving me with no HS sports Junior year, but I have been doing sports outside of school. I plan on playing 2 varsity sports during my senior year. I will most likely receive a letter. How will the SAs view this as my application would've already been turned in? Is it seen the same way as receiving a letter any other year?

Thanks.
Is your other sport besides lacrosse a fall sport? The varsity letter you'd earn for lacrosse is unlikely to help your app since it won't be awarded until late spring. You would be able to report being on the varsity team. My ds, currently a junior, will face a similar issue as he will be named team captain for varsity lacrosse next year but not until spring.

I think lacrosse missing from your junior year will be noticed since you were successful in the sport the previous two years. You might want to think about how you'd explain that if asked.
 
Is your other sport besides lacrosse a fall sport? The varsity letter you'd earn for lacrosse is unlikely to help your app since it won't be awarded until late spring. You would be able to report being on the varsity team. My ds, currently a junior, will face a similar issue as he will be named team captain for varsity lacrosse next year but not until spring.

I think lacrosse missing from your junior year will be noticed since you were successful in the sport the previous two years. You might want to think about how you'd explain that if asked.
My son had 9 varsity letters. He included ones earned at the time of application whether received or not.

When he earned basketball in winter … and when he was voted captain by teammates - he updated admissions.
 
My son had 9 varsity letters. He included ones earned at the time of application whether received or not.

When he earned basketball in winter … and when he was voted captain by teammates - he updated admissions.
My USAFA 2026er was able to report his team captaincy his senior year but had his appointments in hand by the time he earned his last lacrosse varsity letter in May. If he had still been waiting, he would have tried to report it. May is just so late in the process. Ds#2 will be in a similar boat. They both already had/have varsity letters in addition to other non-school sports so it probably wouldn't add as much value to an app as a first varsity letter would. However, that is purely speculation on my part.
 
So you finally made varsity , on allegedly one of the best HS teams in the country , and at that point close to that coveted varsity letter you decide to quit.

I would spend some time figuring out how to describe this in a positive way. And don’t use words like I have been doing this all my life, or burn out, etc.

Without good insight as to why this would be a red flag for me
 
So you finally made varsity , on allegedly one of the best HS teams in the country , and at that point close to that coveted varsity letter you decide to quit.

I would spend some time figuring out how to describe this in a positive way. And don’t use words like I have been doing this all my life, or burn out, etc.

Without good insight as to why this would be a red flag for me
My son didn’t want to play his senior year basketball and was seriously thinking about quitting. He already had a nom and LOA so it had no bearing on his admission.

Starting shooting guard and backup point guard.

In the end he played. Why? Because as I gently reminded him - he owed it to his teammates who he played with since 4th grade and he was the best shooter on the team.

And we are in the Syracuse league - most teams have D1 prospects. Good team with a winning season - but not good enough to win sectionals.
 
I personally don't think high school sports are as relevant as they once were. If you are actively participating in sports outside of high school, you are probably covered. Except for perhaps football, the 'club' sports sanctioned by USSSA, AAU, etc tend to be more competitive.

You mentioned doing sports outside of school as long as it isn't the local church league, I doubt it raises any flags or questions. Though you won't have the 'varsity' letter to check.
 
Agreed. The level of competency in many high school sports is an order of magnitude lower than in the corresponding club systems. Participating in high school can actually impose a negative impact on the training regimens of the athletes. However, being able to point to high level achievement on the club side while also including leadership on the high school side lets the athlete check both boxes. So you can point out that you are a nationally ranked athlete and also a team captain, mentor, and player-coach for the high school team. And you get those spiffy varsity letters to put on the letterman's jacket that hardly anyone buys anymore.
 
HS sports per se for the serious player may not be nearly as important as club. Club and AAU more often is where the really serious can be found.

But no one reading this should equate that to HS sports are not all that important for admission to a SA.

HS sports with a varsity letter, many with a captain position , or serious club or a black belt etc——-85% of those admitted will have these.

Not having any of these puts someone at a real disadvantage that they must make up somehow to have a shot at that 15%.
 
The participation in high school or club sports are used as a proxy for other indicators such as teamwork, leadership, time management, perseverance, fitness, camaraderie etc. These are skills they expect to see at a SA but there may be other ways to demonstrate too. For example performing near the top end for the CFA, involvement in other activities that demonstrates similar attributes will help.
 
The scouts in basketball go to AAU events for a reason. They want to see how players play against equally skilled players.

They don’t want to see them dunking over less competitive players in high school.
 
The participation in high school or club sports are used as a proxy for other indicators such as teamwork, leadership, time management, perseverance, fitness, camaraderie etc. These are skills they expect to see at a SA but there may be other ways to demonstrate too. For example performing near the top end for the CFA, involvement in other activities that demonstrates similar attributes will help.
For the 8th grader or parent, or the next one thinking of quitting their sport, who are reading this , who wants to attend a SA , but will not be playing sports. What then do you suggest?

what other activities would you suggest so they can get into that 15% of those admitted who do not play sports.

Id think planning on a new record in the CFA to be a bit risky as a plan.

Sports are also used as a proxy for physical toughness.
 
Club vs high school varsity sports depends also on what sport and in what state. For example, in Minnesota, high school hockey eclipses even US National Junior team (except perhaps in an Olympic year). Nearly all graduating varsity hockey players in the top teams in class A and class AA receive D1 scholarships offers.
 
Club vs high school varsity sports depends also on what sport and in what state. For example, in Minnesota, high school hockey eclipses even US National Junior team (except perhaps in an Olympic year). Nearly all graduating varsity hockey players in the top teams in class A and class AA receive D1 scholarships offers.
Well, that’s a bit of an overstatement. The NTDP is composed of the best players in the entire country. Not only are they all D1 players eventually, they are all drafted. Many in the first round.

But yes, many Minnesota high school hockey teams are better than many club programs, but it depends on the tier and the state. Minnesota is unique in this regard in hockey. The proliferation of club sports plays a role in this. Many (most?) Tier 2 and Tier 3 hockey organizations are little more than house programs that travel.
 
Is your other sport besides lacrosse a fall sport? The varsity letter you'd earn for lacrosse is unlikely to help your app since it won't be awarded until late spring. You would be able to report being on the varsity team. My ds, currently a junior, will face a similar issue as he will be named team captain for varsity lacrosse next year but not until spring.

I think lacrosse missing from your junior year will be noticed since you were successful in the sport the previous two years. You might want to think about how you'd explain that if asked.
I will be wrestling, which is a winter sport. Unfortunately, I would've had to submit my application before I received a Varsity letter, however. I guess my only option would be to update my application when I receive the letter. With that said, how effective is updating your application?

In addition, isn't there a section on the application where you note upcoming plans? For example, playing soccer in the spring of my senior year? How much of a difference do these make on your application?

I really appreciate all the help.
 
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