June 15 has become field hockey recruiting's most exciting yet most feared date.
Social media turns it into a spectacle. Parents whisper about it in the stands. Players count down to it like New Year's Eve.
I'm writing a ton of newsletters about it right now, so I might not be helping!
As if your teenage years aren’t challenging enough, the weak voice in your head might be shouting some loud, unhelpful self-talk to you right now.
Let's try to dismantle some of those fears.
Limiting Belief #1
"If I don't get calls on June 15, my recruiting process is over"
This fear assumes June 15 is a report card on your entire athletic career. It's not.
You shouldn't turn a single date into an emotional referendum on your athletic identity.
June 15 is simply when coaches are allowed to contact you directly. Some will. Some won't. Some will wait a few days. Some will reach out weeks later.
While college coaches contact their "top" recruits on June 15, not all players who will end up at a specific program are on that initial list.
Recruiting is a fluid, ongoing process with multiple entry points. Players might self-select off a school's list, or coaches might add more players to their list upon further evaluation.
Even if you don't get the contacts you want, your process isn't over - it might just need to be adjusted. More on that in a few weeks!
Limiting Belief #2
"I'm worried I'll fall behind in the process"
Every year I talk to players in June or July who are convinced of this - typically because they're waiting to do visits, but they've seen some people commit.
This is because social media creates a mirage that doesn't represent the entire recruiting landscape.
Thankfully, so far in field hockey, we have been spared the "I have been blessed to be offered an official visit to School X" vanity posts.
Nobody needs to know which schools you're "dating".
However, you will likely see a few people announce verbal commitments either on June 15, or in the days afterwards.
The truth is that June 15 represents different stages for different players:
- End stage: Players who've done extensive campus visits, built strong relationships, and are ready to commit quickly if their dream school offers them
- Beginning stage: Athletes who are just starting to seriously consider college play
- Middle stage: Most recruits, who have written emails and gone to showcases, but now need time to explore options
Over the past few years, fewer than 50 out of roughly 300 annual D1 verbal commits from American players have happened before September 1.
June 15 is the middle of the process for the majority, not the end.
Comparison is the thief of joy, as the old saying goes. Blocking out the noise to focus on yourself and refusing to play the comparison game would be a great start.
Limiting Belief #3
"Everyone else knows what they're doing but I feel completely lost"
The real truth here is that almost everyone feels completely lost.
Most families are navigating the process for the first time. Even if they've had a daughter go through it before, and even if it was in the same sport, this will still be a unique experience.
Yes, some families hire recruiting advisors. But the most successful athletes aren't the ones with the most expensive help - they're the ones who take ownership of their process.
I've seen players with $10,000 recruiting packages make terrible decisions because they never learned to think critically amid uncertainty.
And I've seen athletes with zero outside help find great fits because they did their homework, and focused on what they could control:
- Make sure you've thought about what your dealbreakers are
- Ask questions that matter to your priorities
- Be authentic in your interactions with coaches
- Focus on fit over status
- Sleep on any potential decision that could alter your process before making it
A little bit of intentionality will go a long way.
Nobody has all the answers, and you will have to make choices with incomplete information, but most people are in the same boat - even the ones who are good at pretending they have it all figured out.
Ultimately, June 15 is not judgment day. It's not even a finish line. It's just another step in your athletic journey.
Some of the most successful college athletes weren't top recruits on day one. They were athletes who stayed persistent, worked hard, and remained open to opportunities.
Your recruiting story is still being written. And you hold the pen.
If you found this useful and want more budget-friendly assistance for this part of your process, try The Commitment Countdown, a 75-minute video course with actionable frameworks for navigating coach conversations, decoding true intentions, and confidently handling offers. You can get it for 20% off until midnight tomorrow, Wednesday June 4 via the link below.
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