Come back every Thursday for Athlete Interviews on college recruiting and advice.

Jenny L'Hommedieu was a three-sport athlete in high school, playing field hockey, basketball and lacrosse. She was named a FHCA Member of Distinction in 2017, 2018, 2019 and earned Academic All-League and Academic All-Ohio honors. Her skill level brought her to St. Lawrence University to further her field hockey career. Collegiately, she was recognized by the Liberty League as the offensive player of the week in September 2021 and today, L'Hommedieu is a rising senior midfielder with the Saints. 2aDays was able to set up an interview and get her perspective on the recruiting process and what hers was like. 

Related: Rate St. Lawrence University

Q: When did you start talking to coaches and were there certain interactions that were better than others? 

A:  I started talking to coaches junior year of high school in the winter/early spring. Some interactions were better than others as some coaches were more engaged and willing to communicate over email or meet in person.

Q: Did you talk to multiple coaches? How was that process and were some better at communicating over others?

A:  I did talk to multiple coaches. Some initiated a conversation with me and some I reached out to first. If I was scheduling a tour of the school, I would email the coach expressing my interest to play for their program and request a meeting. Some were better at communicating than others, and their interest in me definitely factored into where I considered playing. I tended to take schools off my list when coaches seemed less engaged in the process or indifferent to me. 

Q: What were you looking for in an athletic program?

A:  I wanted a coach who would let players study abroad, as well as a multifaceted school that allowed students to engage in different areas of curriculum and activities. I wanted an athletic program that was competitive and had a sense of rigor, whose players were excited to play for their school and were very close with each other. I also looked at the facilities in the athletic departments comparing their weight rooms, fields, and other amenities that were offered.  

Related: Rate your Coaches, Facilities, and Campus Visits

Q: What was your deciding factor for choosing to play field hockey at St. Lawrence?

A:  I loved SLU and kept coming back for tours and interviews. I felt the team dynamic at SLU was the best I had seen. I loved the facilities and the coaches expressed their interest in me by keeping in contact throughout my junior and senior year. Overall, I felt like it was an institution that could meet my academic and athletic expectations.  

Q: How did you go about contacting coaches? Email? If so, what did you say in these interactions? Did you send game footage?

A:  I first emailed coaches before I would visit their school. I had the chance to meet many coaches once I was on campus. I was able to play in front of a few coaches too during club games and play days hosted by the school itself. I sent game footage to one coach and had a profile made on a field hockey recruiting website, though I did not upload film there. During the interactions with coaches I would ask questions about their programs, see what they expected of their athletes, particularly in the off-season, see if study abroad was allowed, find out what an average schedule looked like in season, and often had the opportunity to speak with players. 

Related: https://www.2adays.com/blog/all-athletes-reaching-out-to-coaches/?utm_medium=article 

Q: What characteristics do you see in yourself that contributed to you being recruited? 

A:  Expressing interest in the school and its program by reaching out to coaches first definitely helped initiate future conversations to stay in touch. 

Q: Do you have any tips for athletes going through the recruiting process? 

A:  Reach out early and often! If you tour a school try to sit down with the coach, as well as a few players, to get their insight into the program. Also, keep in contact with a coach throughout your regular season to update them on your application process and ask them questions you might have. Some coaches might be more outgoing and responsive than others, but take your experiences in high school or from your club team and use that to assess what you like in a school and what you want to get out of a college program!  

Have a story idea or know an awesome athlete/coach we should interview? Email us at [email protected]

* Originally published on July 14, 2022, by Casey Chizmazia