Chicagoland Lacrosse Player Experiences NSR’s Dedication to Her Success

At NSR, our OTG (on-the-ground) scouts are constantly scouting prospects in their areas in search of top-quality high school student-athletes that have the athletic talent, desire, character and family support to become legitimate college prospects.  Only about one in ten prospects we initially identify are eventually accepted and enrolled by our scouts as they carefully vet each one.  While any one compliance shortcoming does not always disqualify a prospect from NSR enrollment, we know that our standards are consistent with the criteria college coaches look for in recruits.  And, as we begin our 32nd year of offering college athletic programs with reliable prospects for evaluation, NSR is firmly positioned as the globe’s number one OTG scouting organization.  

Our OTG scouts encounter all sorts of scenarios, naturally.  Occasionally, though, we come across a situation which merits notice as a prime example of how NSR and the company’s scouts deliver extraordinary results for prospect-clients and their families.  Below is such an example.  As you read this account of what happened with this young student-athlete, keep these pertinent questions in mind:  What would have happened to this young woman without NSR?  Could my child benefit from being associated with National Scouting Report? 

In June of this past summer, NSR Chicagoland Area Director, Andrew Novelli, sat down to interview lacrosse prospect, Alex Olsen, a rising senior at Hinsdale Central High in Hinsdale, Illinois.  Andrew was referred to Alex based on a glowing recommendation from her high school coach, Lindsay Finocchairo, a coach whose judgment goes without question. 

Even though Alex was Illinois All-State selection and captain of the IHSWLA State Championship runner-up squad, Andrew determined during his in-home interview with the family that Alex had not received any college interest. With numerous athletic honors and a 4.3 GPA, it wasn’t that she didn’t deserve attention from college coaches, but rather that they had no idea who she was, a dilemma thousands of high school seniors around the world find themselves each year. 

Alex’s parents, after learning about NSR‘s aggressive promotional campaign which would immediately ensue on Alex’s behalf, enrolled her with NSR and Andrew.  Within days, after sending out Alex’s information to college coaches all across the nation through NSR’s targeted Regional College Search, she was flooded with emails from more than 50 college lacrosse programs.  The family was overwhelmed with NSR‘s effectiveness.  The inquiries, however, were mostly from NCAA Division II and III colleges.  Nonetheless, ultimately it was Alex’s dream was to play DI lacrosse and Andrew was confident that given the opportunity Alex had the resume and skills to play DI. 

With time running short on the opportunity to receive a DI offer, Andrew personally emailed every DI women’s lacrosse college coach in the United States to see if anyone was still looking to sign a 2012 prospect.  As expected, almost every coach confirmed what Andrew anticipated — DI programs had already finished their 2012 recruiting class and have moved on to the 2013’s.  However, he did hear back from one coach still looking, the University of New Hampshire.

Head Coach Michael Daly of the University of New Hampshire informed Andrew that he was actually in Chicago for the IHSWLA State Championship and had the opportunity to watch Alex during the tournament. Checking back to his notes, Coach Daly expressed that he was quite impressed by her abilities.  He then let Andrew know that he may have one spot still available for his 2012 recruiting class and he was looking to finalize it over the course of the next month.  He was already evaluating one prospect from the Chicagoland area, but he was certainly interested in learning more about Alex. 

After a few weeks, Alex was able to set up a visit to meet with the coaching staff and take a tour of the UNH campus in Durham, New Hampshire.  Upon her return to Hinsdale, Alex realized she loved the UNH campus and surroundings and would cherish the opportunity to play lacrosse there.  However, there were two other young women competing with Alex for the same scholarship, the last remaining NCAA DI lacrosse spot in the country.  While waiting for the coaching staff to make their decision, Alex frequently emailed Coach Daly and had her high school coach and club coach call him on her behalf. 

Fast forward and only a few days ago Alex received a call from Coach Daly in which he offered her the scholarship.  With her NSR AD (Area Director) Andrew Novelli working on her behalf to find the right opportunity, Alex’s dream of playing Division I lacrosse will come true. 

Alex’s story is one of the best we have heard in recent years because not only did a quality NSR prospect realize her aspirations of playing college sports, but also because her NSR scout played an integral role in her successful journey.  NSR‘s OTG scouts worldwide do this same sort of work for their prospect-clients every day.  Our scouts do not always get noticed or recognized for their extraordinary efforts, but they thrive off of stories just like Alex’s.  At NSR, it’s a never ending passion to provide high school prospects with the unique opportunity to play college sports.  We live it.  We breathe it.  We love it.