Ryder Mitchell '23 Recruiting Profile

I've grown up in a home that values competition, hard work, and a great education.  My father played football for Army, and my mother played Softball at a high level winning multiple world championships with her national team.  I have played multiple sports the last several years, but I felt a true love and calling to lacrosse given its pace of play, physicality, and the communication and technical skills required to play well.  I pride myself right now on moving my feet well, but I love getting physical.

I've only been playing for two years, but I was fortunate enough to make a Select Team my first year, and just a few weeks ago competed at the US Lacrosse combine's final cuts in Sparks, MD.  I did not make the final US team, but I felt like I competed well and won most of my match ups with some of the best individual skill payers in the country.  It was an awesome experience, and one that has me motivated to make the U15 team next year when I tryout again.  I also have a goal of making my High School Varsity team this year as an incoming freshman.  Our high school is usually in the final four of Georgia's largest schools in the state lacrosse tournament.   I believe I can not only make the team, but I'm hoping to make a positive impact and contribute to a solid defense.   Some of the drills, skills, and confidence from competing at the US Lacrosse combine has shown me the things I really need to work on, and that will better prepare me for the high school tryouts.  It has given me more confidence in matching up against high level players.

I've learned the value of working on my own and that playing at a higher level requires dedication, training, and even studying.  Playing for the first time as a 7th grader against kids that had many more years of experience made me figure out different ways I could get an advantage.   Sometimes I am bigger and more physical,  sometimes faster, or sometimes had to think smarter, but it taught me there are different ways to win match ups.   It helped me overcome my initial lack of technique and low lacrosse IQ.  It also made me realize I had to study videos and learn the game quickly to compete at the level I thought I could with Select and National Team levels.  I also learned how to be extremely coach-able and apply the drills and skills being taught to me.  I still don't know the game as well as I could, but I am overcoming that athletically and with training, but I am also more motivated than ever to learn the game more. 

My goals are to play lacrosse at the highest level possible.  I am working in the classroom to make the grades that will not limit my opportunities.   My dad owns a business, and I want to study Business in college so that I can own my own company one day also.