If you’re serious about playing college lacrosse, you need one thing: a highlight reel. It doesn’t matter if you’re aiming for Division 3, Division 2, NAIA, or even MCLA—every coach wants to see video.
But, most highlight reels are too long, too cluttered, or just plain confusing. If you want your video to stand out, here’s how to do it right.
Keep It Short and Sweet
Coaches don’t have 20 minutes to watch your full game film. They want the highlights.- 2–4 minutes max—anything longer risks losing their attention.
- Put your best plays first. Don’t save them for the end. Coaches might not get that far.
Make Yourself Easy to Spot
This sounds simple, but a lot of players forget: coaches don’t know your number, your team colors, or which side of the field you’re on. Help them out.- Use an arrow, circle, or spotlight to clearly identify yourself on every clip.
- Keep the marker simple—don’t cover the play.
- Don’t assume they’ll figure it out. The easier you make it for a coach to watch, the better.
Show Variety in Your Game
A great highlight reel isn’t just the same move over and over. Coaches want to see your full skillset.- For attack/midfield: dodging, passing, shooting, riding, ground balls.
- For defense/LSM: on-ball defense, slides, clears, ground balls.
- For goalies: saves from different angles, outlets, communication.
- For faceoff specialists: clamp speed, exits, ground ball scrappiness.
Quality Over Quantity
It’s better to have 10 great clips than 30 average ones. Every clip should answer the question: Why should a coach want me on their roster? And yes, hustle plays count. A coach loves seeing a ride that causes a turnover or a ground ball in traffic just as much as a highlight-reel goal.
Add the Right Info
At the beginning or end of your reel, include:
- Name, graduation year, position, and club/high school team
- Contact info (email + mobile phone)
- GPA and test scores (if strong)
Uploading and Sharing Best Practices
- Upload to YouTube and / or Hudl: YouTube is free, easy to share, and coaches are used to it. Hudl and similar platforms are also widely accepted.
- Set privacy to “Unlisted,” not private: This way only people with the link can see it, but it won’t clutter search results.
- Use a clean title: Example: “John Smith – 2026 Midfield – Highlight Reel.” Keep it professional.
- Send direct links in emails: Don’t make coaches download a file. Copy/paste the link into your email to them.
- Pin it on your profile: If you use Twitter/X, Instagram, or LinkedIn for recruiting, make your highlight reel your pinned post so coaches see it immediately.
- Update often: Each new season, refresh your reel so the link always has your most recent film.
The easier it is for a coach to watch your film, the more likely they are to actually watch it.Keep It UpdatedDon’t send a reel from 9th grade when you’re a junior. Update your video every season (fall + spring) so coaches see your progress.
Final Thought
Your highlight reel is often a coach’s first impression of you. Keep it short, clear, and full of variety. Show the skills that make you unique, upload it in the right way, and make it easy for a coach to picture you on their roster.
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