From Julie and Steve Mattei whose son Jack was admitted to

YALE

Ken, 

How can we begin the thank you? Jack has been at Yale for two weeks, and he is home!! He loves all 4 of his roommates, his teammates are amazing, and the bonus, he loves the dorm food!! He is exactly where he needs, and wants to be! Thank you for all you did to help to get Jack to Yale. He is so happy! We realize the tough stuff is to come, but the transition has been amazing. 
Thank you!
Julia and Steve Mattei

From Tracy and Nick McKee, whose son Chris is headed to

Trinity

Dear Ken,

By the time we found you, we had spent precious weekends and many thousands of dollars on showcases and tournaments that proved utterly useless when it came to getting Chris recruited. Were it not for you, we would have spent many more. If we look at our retention of you purely as a financial investment, you are the best one we’ve ever made given that you saved us multiples of your retention fee.

The dollar savings, however, pale in comparison to the stress and time that you saved us. Nick and I consider ourselves to be bright and savvy people, but only deep knowledge and experience can help a player wend his way through the byzantine process that is lacrosse recruiting. When it came to trying to understand how to help Chris realize his goal of being recruited to play competitive lacrosse at an excellent college, we were virtually helpless and certainly at a great disadvantage.

How wonderfully relieved we felt that we could turn to you and get a straight and thoughtful answer to any question that occurred to us. And we did turn to you often. And you were always there. And your advice was a perfect mix of tough honesty and useful advice.

Chris has just sent his ED application off to Trinity College and, while we are looking forward to this immense stride forward in his life, we will also treasure his remaining time home with us. You have made the last few years with him so much richer by allowing us to focus our precious time together on only the lacrosse events that mattered. 

Thank you for everything. We can recommend you without reservation to any family embarking on a process that only seems to get more convoluted and challenging every year.

Warm regards,

Tracy and Nick McKee

 From Janice and Brian Sullivan whose son Will  recently committed to

YALE

 Ken,
 I am not sure how to begin this letter but I do know that a mere "thank you" would never suffice.
 I remember the first time we spoke. I made the decision to contact you because Will wanted to play lacrosse in college and we had no idea how to make that happen. To further complicate matters, Will wanted to attend an Ivy League School! Although you informed me that this was no easy feat, you were not discouraging, even for a second! 
 You brought Will to your travel team, LI Sting, and it has been an awesome experience. He loves your coaching style and has flourished on the field.
 With regard to his academics, Will followed your advice and challenged himself in the classroom. Once again, he excelled. 
 Your guidance, support, humor, and coaching proved to be the ingredients Will needed to get noticed by several Ivy League Schools. 
 Your insight played a huge role in helping us. We truly believe that without your knowledge, expertise and advice none of this would have been possible. 
 We are extremely grateful for everything! 
 Sincerely,
 The Sullivan Family

From Jody and Jeremy Schneider whose son Jake headed to..

Middlebury

 
 Dear Ken
 It is with tremendous pride, great joy and undeniable gratitude that we're writing to let you know that Jake has been accepted as a "student-athlete" at Middlebury College. Jake, Jody and I will be forever indebted to you for turning the nightmare of the college lacrosse recruiting process into a dream come true. Your knowledge of the game and insight into the recruiting process allowed us to navigate the normally uncertain and frequently treacherous waters with an uncanny sense of calm. Who knew that we would need to call you or meet with you at any hour of the day or night to "pick your brain" about a "serious lacrosse problem". But we did; and your availability, accessibility and patience saw us through these "emergencies".
 You were honest in evaluating Jake's talent and in managing our expectations, while at the same time being acutely aware that the emphasis in the phrase "student-athlete" was, and should always be on the word "student".
 Some say "it's better to be lucky than good". Others say "you make your own luck". Well, we were lucky enough to have a good man like you, whose expertise and experience put Jake in the best position to succeed.
 You told us right from the start that you believed "absolutely unequivocally" that Jake could play in the NESCAC. You were right!
 And we were right to trust you with Jake's future. All that being said, we can say "absolutely unequivocally" from the bottoms of our collective hearts that you made our dreams come true.
 THANK YOU!!!
 Jeremy, Jody and Jake Schneider. 

From Rosemary Badgett whose son Brian is headed to…

   Boston University

  Ken,

              It’s funny how things sometimes just happen for a reason.  All of a sudden everything falls in place as you hoped they would.  I believe that for my son, Brian, you were the reason that the pieces fell perfectly into place. 

There are so many summer lacrosse teams, with everyone promising you playing time, exposure, opportunity, and hope. We have been on six different summer teams since Brian was in the 6th grade, with as many different coaches.  Most of these teams were overcrowded, and the coaches were inaccessible. The support and guidance we received from you was immeasurable.  Meeting at a fall recruiting tournament was the beginning of an ongoing relationship.  Not only did you make Brian feel confident, comfortable, focused, and worthy of playing at the Division I level, but also provided the support we needed to help navigate the recruiting maze.  You were always available to answer our countless questions and help direct us in the decision process. 

         Your ability as a coach to recognize an athlete’s strengths and showcase them in front of the best coaches in the country is tremendous.  Another great quality of your coaching skills, is that you speak directly to the athlete, very straightforward, about what needs to be done.  The kids also enjoyed your quirky humor and it was a stress reliever on some of the long hot afternoons when everyone's energy was starting to fade.  

         Ken, we can’t thank you enough for the time and energy you spent mentoring Brian.  I know that even through his college lacrosse experience, he will feel comfortable reaching out to you for guidance or advice.  Brian is very excited to be committed to Boston University.

 Warmly,

Rosemary Hennig

 Brian Badgett

Garden City High School

2013

From Donna and Tony Quinn whose son Michael is headed to…

YALE

Ken, this morning as I saw my son Michael leave at 5:30am to coach for the Sting at the Yale Tournament, my mind drifted back to the first day we met, more than 12 years ago.  Tony and I, with Michael, then 6yrs old, brought Anthony our 10 yr.old to try out for a team called the “Sting”.  Little did we know that this was the beginning of a journey that would impact all of our lives, especially Anthony and Michaels’.

Anthony played each summer for you and when the time came to think about college, we reached out to you for guidance on the process.  You spent much time speaking to Tony and myself and Anthony and even came over and had dinner with us while formulating a plan of attack. No matter how many times I called you worried and lost in the process you always reassured me about Anthony’s ability and advised me on how to present him to the D1 College Coaches at the Recruiting Tournaments. I did exactly as you told me and created a packet of information on Anthony, complete with a picture.  Much to the embarrassment of the men in the family, I went around in my sunhat to any Coach I could get near and while apologizing for disturbing them, asked them to take a look at the packet and watch for my son Anthony.  One of those coaches called Anthony and offered him a spot on the Holy Cross Lacrosse Team.  Coach Pascal later told me that we had met before at a tournament when I had handed him a packet about Anthony!

Anthony loved playing for HC and by this time Michael was playing for you in the Summer and began thinking about where he wanted to play D1.  Michael wanted to go to an Ivy and he e mailed coaches and sent his films etc. He was not getting the response he wanted and you recommended to us that he take a prep year and e mail every D1 and Ivy coach to tell them the he had decided to do a prep year.  Yale recruited him for the Fall of 2012, after graduation from Hotchkiss.  Throughout this process, you advised us,   calmed us down and lifted us up when we needed it by assuring us that “Michael is the Real Deal”.

Well, here Michael is, in the middle of July 2012, preparing to start his first year at Yale and play the sport he loves so well.  Tony and I want to thank you for all the guidance and for caring about our boys’ aspirations and helping make them come true.

Tony and I will miss the Summer tournaments but are very excited to be cheering for the Yale Lacrosse Team.

From Laura Wood whose son Wyatt is headed to..

Having the opportunity to play for Ken Miller’s Long Island Sting was a fantastic experience for my son Wyatt. Making the decision to retain Ken for his expertise during the recruiting process was the best decision I have ever made regarding my child and his athletic/academic future.  We were initially excited about the exposure just playing for a Long Island team through the summer recruiting tournaments could bring for a kid from Indiana. Playing for Ken’s Sting gave immediate legitimacy to my son’s skills.  However, many college coaches will tell you its very difficult for them to make to all the games at these tournaments to see all the kids. We spent a couple of tournaments playing and indeed got some cool exposure from some good D3 schools. It was really great.

  However, when we decided to retain Ken the climate changed and the intensity of the process blew up. With Ken’s prodding we were communicating with D1 coaches in the top 10. As Ken predicted, many of these schools were interested in learning more about my son. We were chatting and sending film to all the Ivy’s. It was insane. A kid from Indiana was getting noticed!!   Some of these college coaches, I believe, rely on guys like Ken to bring them the diamonds in the rough because they can’t be everywhere.  No matter who you think you know and who might be able to help with this school or that school it will never compare to what Ken can do for your son.

 Working with Ken is a whirlwind. You have to keep up and you have to trust his expertise. We listened to every word he said and did everything he told us to do. It’s an everyday exercise. He is always at work for you.  At first I was uncomfortable calling these coaches and emailing them my son’s highlights. There were many times during this, sometimes, cruel process I was ready to quit and so was my son.  Ken wouldn't let us. When we were tired of it Ken was the guy saying” don’t give up”…he was the marathoner. He kept his cool, his head down and kept going. He had prepared us to take a PG year and continue the process but he hadn't given up.  In the eleventh hour all the efforts and hard work came to fruition.  My son will be playing for the Maryland Terrapins this fall. Thanks to Ken we hit a home run and although my son received other offers he helped us find the perfect fit for Wyatt.

From Rich Glicini whose son Mark is headed to…

From Barabara Albert whose son Elliott is headed to...

From Craig and Rosalie Medwick whose son John is headed to…  

From George and Lisa McReddie whose son Matt is headed to…

From Connie Hughes whose son Brett is headed to... 

This week we received Brett's likely letter from Admissions to The University of Pennsylvania. We are humbled by this monumental achievement for Brett. You have been with us every step of the way in this most arduous recruiting process. It will be difficult to express my gratitude, but I will try.

I think you will agree our story is unique in that, we live in Maine and Brett is a senior at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, a long way away from The Sting and Ken Miller. I have never met you in person, and Brett has played for The Sting in only one tournament this summer at UMBC.

As you know, on June 15th my sister-in-law passed away suddenly from cancer. Not only was this an emotional loss, but a significant blow to our small business here in Maine. Since it is family run, we rely heavily on each other, and my husband and I were overwhelmed with keeping the business going. As timing would have it, it was the beginning of our busiest season. Consequently, the College Recruiting Process was forced to take a lower priority as we dealt with the matters at hand.

Enter Ken Miller... You called me one day in July after you had seen Brett play at Elite 180 in New Hampshire. After saying many wonderful things about Brett, you asked him to join The Sting for a tournament at UMBC. We were apprehensive about sending Brett down to Maryland. We had never heard of "The Sting" and didn't know if it would be worth the time and effort. Fortunately, with much persistence on your part, my husband and Brett headed down to Maryland a few weeks later. Undeniably that was the best decision we could have ever made for Brett's future in Lacrosse/College.

From that time on, you never wavered in believing that Brett could play D1 Lacrosse. Your notable reputation with college coaches brought calls to Brett from Notre Dame, University of North Carolina, Ohio State, Dartmouth, Yale, University of Maryland, Brown University, Providence College, Lehigh, Colgate, Amherst and the list goes on. You gave us a crash course on "the recruiting process". "Ken Miller" became a household name at The Hughes.

The most amazing thing about this was that there was no mention of your recruiting service in the beginning. You were doing all of this for Brett simply because you believed in him and you did not want him to go unnoticed for lack of exposure. When you eventually did offer your recruiting service we were delighted to make it official and felt better about the fact that you would be compensated for all the time and energy you had already put into Brett. This took a tremendous load off of our minds knowing that Brett's college search and recruiting journey would be in competent caring hands.

Ken, you gave us more knowledge, expertise and personal attention than any college counselor, book or web site ever could. You gave me the courage (and counsel) to call college coaches (and who would ever think these guys wanted to hear from a Mother?), but they did and it helped.

Thank you. Ken, from the bottom of my heart, for your honesty (sometimes painful, but that's okay) and for keeping me motivated when I would become weary. Mostly, I wish to thank you for believing in my son and your personal campaign on his behalf This is your "WIN" as much as ours. We have been truly blessed by this opportunity and will be forever grateful to you.

God Bless,

Connie
 

From Martha Gantsoudes whose son Spencer is headed  to...

Georgetown

Ken,

When you introduced yourself to Spencer and me last May, I was woefully ignorant of the great adventure that would become our summer, the recruiting process. With a rather dismal list of potential school options suggested to us by the mighty prep school counselors, I was prepared for a treacherous summer navigating our way towards mediocre college options. I was dreading the role of mom pleading and arguing with her head strong senior to make sense of a senseless journey. So my dear Ken, your arrival in our lives, with your wisdom, your experience, and your confidence in Spencer's abilities, was unequivocally the reason that Spencer was able to choose from schools with strong lacrosse and academic programs.

He was humbled by his choices; I was humbled by the interest in him, and we both thank you for your complete and honest support and expertise throughout this whirlwind adventure. You commented early on that I would not exhaust my time quota with my endless queries; I knew I was testing your patience, but I learned to relax a bit and feel no guilt for asking way too many questions.

Thank you for that... even though I knew that caller ID could have easily made me disappear, you seemed to always find quality time to discuss the subject you know so well, matching talented lacrosse players to quality schools. Most notably Ken, you stepped into another role, you touched our lives with a sensitivity to understand your charges, your role a coach, as mentor and guide to so many young men. You shined and made an impact that I know will travel along with Spencer and many other players for a lifetime. Truly, that is big, and the best part of this journey with you. So. with good cheer, I thank you for making Spencer's opportunities vast, and look forward to another adventure with Nick in the future.

I will be a bit wiser and you will have, no doubt, an expertise to deal with another Gantsoudes with the same humor and skill with which you use with all your talented recruits. We wish you the best, and are forever grateful for the opportunities that you have made possible for Spencer. No question we could not have done this without you.

Martha Gantsoudes

From Fred and Ellen Groen whose son Zach is headed to…

Tufts

Dear Ken,

How can we thank you for all you have done for Zach…

I still remember our first meeting on the bleachers at a Choate lacrosse game last spring. You introduced yourself, said how impressed you were with Zach and invited him to try out for the Long Island Sting. Friends of ours on Long Island (the Safrans) had been encouraging us for years to have Zach play for the Sting, so we figured this was an Omen.

At first it seemed like it was going to be a logistical nightmare to coordinate, but once Zach started playing the experience took on a life of its own. We came to look forward to our trips to Long Island, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, etc. We looked forward to your phone calls and e-mails, discussing Zach and the recruiting process.

Ken, from the very first meeting, until the final letter of acceptance you guided us. You helped us all navigate a system that was unfamiliar, unnerving and exhausting. All the while never doubting there would be a happy ending. What you gave to Zach in the end is something he will never forget. Having a coach who believed in him and helped direct him to the school of his dreams is something larger than words can ever express.

Your guidance and support through the recruiting process was invaluable. Whenever we think about Zach going to Tufts in September, behind the tears are thank you’s to you for helping Zach accomplish his goal.

We all look forward to sitting on the sidelines next spring when Tufts beats Amherst in lacrosse!

Fondly,

Ellen & Fred

From the Hebert family whose son Jeff is headed to…

Trinity

From Valerie Ghittelman whose son Adam is headed to the...

University of Virginia

Dear Ken,

It is truly remarkable how time flies.  It seems like yesterday that we were at the Peddy tournament in the snow.  

I just wanted to touch base and let you know that Adam is now at UVA and loving every minute of his college and lacrosse experience.  I have never seen a happier kid!  His brother Jake, who I don't think you met, will also be attending UVA but will first attend a prep school which is something we are working on deciding now.

I don't think I ever got a chance to thank you for all of your guidance and support while I was helping to guide Adam along in the recruiting process but I do appreciate your help. I hope all is well with you.

Regards,

Valerie Ghitelman

From the Conneely Family whose son John is headed to... 

University of Pennsylvania

Dear Ken,

My wife and I wanted to thank you for your invaluable advice and assistance regarding the college lacrosse recruiting process.  At the very beginning of the recruiting process you indicated that you believed that the University of Pennsylvania would be a good fit for John.

John also enjoyed playing for you and he learned a lot from you when he played for the Sting.  Moreover, you were extremely helpful in evaluating his talents and abilities.  Indeed, you correctly predicted that John would make the Long Island Empire lacrosse team and he went on to become a started on attack on a team which won another gold medal for Long Island.

The timing, nature and requirements of the recruiting process are very confusing and stressful.  However, you were already available and able to provide clear, concise and realistic advice and insights about various college coaches and college programs.  Your advice and insight always seemed to be "right on" every step of the recruiting process.

John is looking forward to playing lacrosse for Coach Brian Voelker and the Penn lacrosse program this fall and we believe that you have played an instrucental role in helping John achieve his goals.

Thanks again for your help, and I wish you and your family continued success.

Sincerely,

Brian S. Conneely

From Dr. Andrew Laster whose son Nick is headed to…

Brown

Nick’s dream has been to play Division I lacrosse at a major college but growing up in North Carolina he realized that would be difficult. Nick transferred to a prep school in New Hampshire in his junior year and his coach suggested that he try out for the Sting during the summer. Playing both attack and midfield, the exposure to college coaches at the major tournaments last summer was invaluable. Equally important, however, was your clear guidance in the intricacies of college lacrosse recruiting. Ken, your knowledge and recommendations were invaluable as we progressed through the recruiting process: identifying which tournaments to play in to maximize exposure, putting together a highlight video etc. Nick was elated when Brown offered him a position for the 2008 academic year. Coach Lars Tiffany, his staff and the Brown players are an amazing group and we graciously thank you again for helping Nick to realize his dream.

From the Zetlin family whose son Zach is headed to…

Amherst

Dear Ken,

We finally got it! ...Zack’s acceptance letter to Amherst. We wish you could have seen Zack light up. As you might imagine, Gerri and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

We owe you a tremendous debt of gratitude. Without your assistance and guidance, we are well aware this never would have come to pass.

When you first came to visit us a little over one year ago, we were clueless about the recruiting process. We also had no idea if Zack, a kid from a small school with little name recognition, had the talent to play lacrosse in college. You explained that if he had some talent and worked hard on the field and in school, he’d have doors opened to many colleges. You stressed to Zack that he better devote intense effort to his school work and SATs. Your words hit home with Zack and he heeded your advice. He excelled in 11th grade and he reached new heights with lacrosse, particularly with the Sting team where he was exposed to highly competitive tournaments.

You spent countless hours, with admirable patience, answering questions, even when Gerri was a bit boisterous. We always felt like you were treating Zack as if he were your own son. You wisely nudged him in the direction of Division III, and you opened our eyes to a whole new world of colleges – the NESCAC schools – that we never contemplated. Amherst was the first college you had us visit. When Zack walked the campus last winter, he realized that attending Amherst would be like winning the lottery.

We are extremely grateful for the friendship Gerri and I have developed with you and your family, your commitment to Zack, and the opportunity Zack will now have to walk the hallowed halls...

Thank you,

Michael and Gerri

From the Tinari family whose son Michael is headed to…

St. Mary's College

On behalf of my son Michael, my husband Frank, and myself, please accept our gratitude for your guidance and assistance as we navigated the often complex landscape of college selection over the past year.  The good news is that Michael has been admitted, early decision, to St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Maryland’s public honors college.  St. Mary’s boasts a stunning campus overlooking the Chesapeake River and is consistently ranked as one of the “best values” in education by such publications as U.S. News and World Report and Kiplinger.  It also fields a competitive Division III lacrosse program with a Laxpower national ranking of 14 after the 2006 season.  The majority of its roster is composed of Boy’s Latin High School (Md.) (Laxpower national ranking of 13 after 2006 season) alums.  Head coach Jayme Block apparently decided he wanted to round out the finesse of the Maryland style of play with some “physical” Long Island players.  Based on your extensive knowledge of coaching trends you made us aware of his interest and suggested that St. Mary’s might be an excellent fit for Michael.  The decision to pursue early admission to St. Mary’s was facilitated, in large measure, by your efforts.

Mike played for St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington for years and then elected to join his former teammates at Huntington High School for his junior and senior years.  Your counsel played a pivotal role in the decision to transfer back to Huntington.  It was, of course, a very wise move.  Michael’s opportunity to play with the New York State champion team had broader implications than we were able to appreciate at the time.

Equally important was your participation in the college search process.  With your extraordinary input we were able to make informed decisions regarding the relative merits of a postgraduate year at prep school (which were numerous) with the opportunities which emerged based upon Michael’s performances with the Sting and at Huntington.  During our search we traveled to a number of wonderful prep schools and were also invited to visit several outstanding colleges.  Everywhere we went during this process, we observed that the coaching staffs were well acquainted and favorably impressed with the Sting program.  Its reputation among both top tier prep schools and elite colleges is incredibly strong.  The list of schools which Mike’s teammates from the Sting will be attending in the fall attests to its success. 

It was a very difficult choice to decide between prep school and college for Michael.  We can truly say however that as a family, with your help, we were able to make the right decision.  And, most important, Michael is thrilled.  At the end of the day there is a statistic which trumps all those noted above.  St. Mary’s is ranked 11th in the nation for “happiest” students by Princeton Review 2007.  When it comes to your child that is the kind of outcome which is the most important of all.

Ken – you clearly care about our son and the person who he will become.  He loved playing for you and we loved your entire approach with our family.  Our youngest son Patrick will definitely be playing for you as well.  We wouldn’t entrust our sons to anyone else. 

Again, our deepest heartfelt thanks.

Sincerely,

Marian and Frank Tinari

From the Miller family whose son Peter is heading to…

Trinity College

Dear Ken, 

Peter will be calling you to tell you that he just received official word of his acceptance Early Decision I at Trinity College. He is absolutely thrilled, as are Liz and I. (I don't know if you've yet spoken with Coach Finlay) Pete has loved the place, and Jim Finlay, from his first visit in April, and Trinity has always been his first choice. Pete now has the difficult task of informing all of the other coaches and admissions people that he won't be submitting EDII applications because he's been accepted at Trinity. Pete isn't looking forward to that, because (thanks to you) he's been recruited by some top notch schools, and by some superb coaches, who also happen to be great people. I'm trying to convince Peter that this is a wonderful problem to have.

Thank you for all of your help and guidance along the way. We still remember that first IAS Winter tourney with the Sting where 15 year old Sophomore Peter, coming around the crease, got decked by a Deerfield PG defender. (Ken, if Liz had seen that first hit, Peter would never have played lax again!!) Pete learned a lot from you and your assistant coaches, and looking back, regardless how good or bad the hotels and restaurants were, we'll never forget the great times we all had, and the friends we made, on Sting road trips to tournaments and camps.  

Your taking Pete onto the Sting, and into the recruitment service (even before you had a catchy name and logo) made all the difference. The exposure to college coaches that Pete got while playing with the Sting was unbelievable. He's developed super friendships with a bunch of great Sting players, some of whom are now his Choate teammates. (or his Deerfield opponents) Your advice, as a consultant, to Pete, Liz and I, was always spot on. You've been great, in that regard, from your referral to the SAT tutor program, to the suggestion that Pete consider a PG year, (and the calls to prep school coaches for us - do you know EVERYBODY??) to the whole college recruiting and application process.

As I said earlier, as a coach, Pete learned a lot from you and the impressive group of assistant coaches you've been able to put together over the past three years.  The good friendship we've developed has been an unanticipated bonus.

I'd say I'm going to miss driving to all the Sting practices, tournaments, etc., but that won't be the case, as we'll be starting up the process again with Tristan, now. We'll also be seeing you when our Pete and your Brett (and all the other LI Sting Alumni) face each other at the Trinity / Amherst lacrosse games. In fact, as we look at this year's Sting Seniors/PGs receiving their acceptances and start committing to colleges, and look the success of your Sting Alumni from the past two years, it's apparent that we'll all be seeing a lot of old Sting friends at all of the NESCAC games. 

We'll be speaking with you soon.

Bruce

From the Behr family whose son Kevin is heading to…

Hamilton College

Dear Ken,
   
Frank and I would like to thank you for the help you gave Kevin this past year. As we all know finding the right college that will fit a person both academically and athletically can be very difficult. You really helped Kevin and us by opening us up to colleges we were not considering.

Knowing we have gone through college admissions twice already and  the athletic recruiting process before with our daughter we were skeptical in how you could be helpful to us with Kevin. You have done Kevin and us a great service by showing us what to consider in a college for each of our individual children. 

As you know Kevin had his heart set on one college after playing in a summer tournament with you and getting a call form a coach you had spoken with at the tournament about Kevin. Kevin decided this was the college for him. You encouraged him to keep his options opened and as time went by quickly we all became unsure of this college coach.  With your guidance and a push from you to go visit Hamilton College we had more to consider. Again, we were skeptical but went to meet the coach at Hamilton. It did not take us long to realize what a great college and opportunity this would be for Kevin. It seemed to be a great fit for Kevin. You were such an instrumental part in the recruiting process for Kevin simply because the Hamilton lacrosse coach told us that “a huge part of his interest in Kevin was after speaking with Coach Miller about Kevin as a person and a lacrosse player.” The coach told us that if another coach speaks highly of a student athlete, as you did about Kevin, it has a great impact on his recruiting decision.

Frank and I always tend to do things ourselves and it took us {especially me} a lot of convincing by Kevin to use you services. We know now it was the right decision and we are very grateful for your assistance in opening our minds to Hamilton College.  Kevin not only loves the College but he loves the coach and the lacrosse program much better then his first choice of colleges. Thank you again for helping Kevin with the complicated recruiting process. 
 
Sincerely,

Frank and Jennifer Behr

From Tod Dodge whose son Tommy is on his way to…

University of Pennsylvania

Ken,

I don't know how to thank you enough for your help with the recruiting process with my son Tommy. As you know, Tommy started playing for the LI Sting during the summer going into his Junior year. He worked hard at all of your tournaments that summer, and continued to play in your fall and winter tournaments. As a result of playing all of these games his skill set improved dramatically, along with his confidence.

We appreciated all the time you spent with its discussing the schools that might be a fit for Tommy academically as well as athletically. You always encouraged Tommy to aim for the top schools and made sure that they knew about his ability. During his junior year lacrosse season when things did not always go as planned you were there to listen to my concerns and to reassure us that everything would turn out alright.

You always told us to he ready for the Empire tryout because that was how Tom was going to differentiate himself. In the end, Tommy made the Empire team. He started and played the entire game helping to win the Gold medal.

Thank you for all of your guidance and I hope this LI Sting player gets to play for the National Championship some day!!!!

Sincerely,

Tod Dodge

From The Brugal Family whose son Johnathan is headed to…

Harvard

Dear Ken,

Johnathan has been accepted at Harvard. I want to thank you and the Sting organization for the integral role you played in the process. The Sting enabled Johnathan to improve as a player and get the exposure that he needed to attract coach Anderson's attention. When it came to crunch time you not only helped keep me calm but provided the final push that was necessary for this dream to come true. My family and I will be forever grateful. You pushed for my son, and it will always be remembered. The road has not always been smooth for Johnathan, but the final destination, for college, makes the journey well worth it. You and the sting are the best!

Sincerely,

Niel Brugal and family

From The Gause family whose son Trent is headed to…

Yale

Hi Ken,

It is with much relief that I write you today. I know that Trent called and told you the wonderful news that he was accepted at Yale but Trent, and I wanted to express our gratitude to you for helping make this opportunity possible for our son. We received his likely letter today, and the official letter will come in December. Your advice and direction throughout the recruiting process prepared us step by step. Through your summer lacrosse league Trent was exposed to many different college coaches at the tournaments which enabled him to express his ability and love for the sport. This whole experience was truly a memorable one.

As the process evolved, you were always there to answer any questions over and over again. I shall always remember the day when you encouraged me to make that phone call to the coach. I was so afraid that I might say something wrong. I never realized just how big of a part the mother plays in this process. You really do your homework. We know that without your commitment, encouragement, advice, and guidance, Trent would not have this wonderful and exciting opportunity to look forward to. Not only will he play lacrosse for a coach that has so much desire and enthusiasm, he will also continue to be academically challenged and prepare him for future endeavors. Again, thank you for all of your efforts and for encouraging Trent to work hard, stay focused and believe in his ability to reach a goal. Keep in touch.

Sincerely,

Trent and Patty Gause

From Chris and Lorraine Chalavoutis family whose son Michael is headed to…

Wesleyan

We received great news last week. Coach John Raba called to let Michael know that he was accepted early decision to Wesleyan University. Mike will be playing for a great school and one best and nicest coaches.

Coming from a small school, which provided limited experience and  even less exposure., playing for the Sting team made a crucial difference. The  competitive tournaments and the quality coaching improved Mike's game to the point were he was brought up to Varsity as a Sophomore. Under your direction, Mike continued to work hard and trained the entire summer. With his determination and dedication to the game he is now the captain of his lacrosse team this season.

In addition to the playing experience, traveling to various tournaments enabled us to visits schools such as Duke, Delaware and Rutgers etc. This proved invaluable in helping Mike make his final decision. I have to admit I enjoyed the quality time my son and I had attending these tournaments. We still talk about the experience we had at the Duke Tournament two years ago.

None of this would have been possible had it not been for the Sting and your guidance through the recruiting process. You were honest and straight forward with us, in matching the schools that would be a good fit for Mike.

We again thank you, and would highly recommend you and the Sting program.

Christopher and Lorraine Chalavoutis 

From Madeline Sabala whose son Alex is headed to...

From Larrv and Susan Brennan whose son Gavin is headed to…

Wesleyan

Dear Ken,

We just received the great news that Gavin has been admitted Early Decision 1 to Wesleyan University. He will be playing for Coach John Raba, one of the nicest people we have ever met..

It is solely through your efforts that he was recruited there and we are extremely grateful to you.

When we first met at our home last spring, you thoroughly outlined your recruiting approach, candidly discussed realistic goals for him, and probably answered 200 questions.

You quickly identified that his greatest strengths were his speed and quickness at attack, his excellent grades, and his playing for Coach "Doc" Dougherty at Garden City High School.

As a reserve player on a nationally-ranked team, we had not been too optimistic about his prospects. You corrected this impression and confidently explained that there would be multiple opportunities for him, particularly at the N.E.S.C.A.C. and similar D3 colleges.

Most importantly, you fully respected that our overriding concern was the academic quality of any school we might be interested in.

At every step of the way - from the summer tournaments and camps through the fall recruiting season - you were always available to us. Your reasoned, objective advice helped us all survive this frequently confusing experience.

After his overnight visit at Wesleyan, and after meeting Coach Raba and the team, Gavin was fully committed to applying there. We were particularly happy because it is one of the finest schools in the country and is less than two hours from our home. It was a perfect match. Needless to say, you proved to be 100% correct in everything you had said at our initial meeting.

His official letter of admission was the grand prize after navigating the strange maze called "The Recruiting Process". Simply put, this would not have happened without your experience and guidance.

Thanks again for everything you have done. You are a true professional, and a great friend.. We are looking forward to having a celebration dinner with you very soon.

Sincerely,

Suzanne and Larry

 From The Posner family whose son Eric is headed to…

Harvard

Dear Ken,

Today we received the formal notification of Eric's acceptance into Harvard and we are celebrating with joy and gratitude at this wonderful news! We've always been so proud of Eric's accomplishments, but getting into Harvard we feel is his ultimate achievement so far. We can't wait to see what the future has in store for him.

We would like to personally and sincerely thank you and all of the Sting coaches for your kind words, guidance and advice throughout the recruiting process. Your communications were invaluable. The Sting allowed Eric to play year round at a more competitive level, which absolutely improved his abilities. It provided the college exposure and interest that he wasn't getting through Huntington High School alone. In addition, he had a lot of fun traveling, and made friends all over the Island.

There should be more people in life like you who take the time and interest to help our children excel.  It was amazing how your guidance was always there just at the moment we needed it.

Once again, please accept our deepest gratitude for helping create this amazing outcome for Eric!

Sincerely,

Lois & Michael Posner

From The Solomon family whose son Malik is headed to…

Wesleyan

Dear Coach Miller,

We are ecstatic that Malik has been recruited by Coach Raba, has been accepted to Wesleyan University, and will be playing lacrosse there next spring. When we look back to the circumstances that he faced several years ago as a sophomore, and observe the situation now - celebrating a dream come true - we can attribute the amazing transformation to two things, one: Malik's perseverance as a lacrosse player, and two: finding your organization.

Coming from a young and relatively obscure program out here on the East End which could provide only a limited range of experience, and from a family which had no familiarity with the sport, it was clear that Malik though showing an innate talent for the game, would need help developing and eventually getting seen. Finding Sting in the summer of 2004 made the crucial difference in Malik's lacrosse life. First of all, you saw in him, the potential he felt inside himself. Throughout that summer and fall, and again last summer, you gave him many opportunities to learn and to shine. The incredible tournaments he got to play in, the other great players he played with, the many college coaches you encouraged to watch him, helped Malik achieve the goal. The calls by numerous college coaches from all divisions (including some from championship teams in DII and DIII) that came during this past recruiting season, certain indicated, like nothing else, that Malik had indeed achieved his potential.

Spending this summer with Sting and the STX Team was a very valuable and enjoyable experience for Malik. He definitely learned to the fullest extent what it means to be a Long Island lacrosse player it was amazing to watch how fired up the boys got from the pregame speeches given by you, Coach Walsh, and Coach Howley. Possibly even more amazing was witnessing how they fired each other up in the huddles, on the sidelines, and on the field. If someone were to look over at our team at STX in the blistering heat, and see the boys stretching in a circle, clapping after each stretch in perfect resonant unison, they might think that this team had been together for years and years.

As much fun as the tournaments were, the recruiting process on the other hand was often grueling and stressful. You were always there to support and provide confidence. And when it came down to the wire, your sage advice provided Malik with the best options for his future, not only as a lacrosse player, but more significantly, as an aspiring young man at the beginning of adult life.  Wesleyan is a perfect fit for Malik, as a student and athlete. That you facilitated such a positive outcome for one who wanted something so much, should be the most rewarding thing imaginable and underscores the level of service you have dedicated yourself and your staff to providing. We will always be grateful to you for everything you have done.

With best regards,

Claudia and Mike Solomon

From Amy Motschwiller whose son Max is headed to…

Harvard

Ken,

Max received his likely letter and has committed to Harvard for the fall of 2005. As his staunchest supporters from early on, we appreciate all of the hard work and advice you provided to us as we navigated the recruiting process. You recognized in Max his talent and academic ability and never wavered from your initial assessment that his dream to attend Harvard would be realized.

It is an amazing ride the recruiting process and the support you provided through your tournaments was irreplaceable to raising Max's profile as he comes from a school that has no track record with lacrosse.

Thank you for your confidence and commitment to my son. It has meant the world to us all. Good luck with this year’s class, we hope to be at PEDDIE and win with the STING!!!!

Amy Motschwiller

From Silvana Palliser whose son Chris is headed to…

Lafayette

We received the best Christmas gift yesterday, Chris received his letter of acceptance from Lafayette College. He will be playing lacrosse at Lafayette, something Chris has always desired, to be part of the Patriot League.

This seemed like a dream he would never reach up until a few short months ago. When we started looking at colleges for Chris we realized it was going to be a difficult task to find the "right fit" for him, both academically and athletically. Chris comes from a high school where the team has not been able to achieve much in the way of recognition from college coaches. Last year was the first time in 11 years that the team made it to the play-offs. We knew this would make it very difficult for Chris to be recruited.

Then in June we met you, and Chris joined the Sting team. This turned everything around for him. He played in four of your summer tournaments.  Chris was able to play with great players, therefore, step up his game and get the exposure he needed from college coaches.  Ken, not only did Chris play a tremendous amount of lacrosse this summer, but my husband and myself had the best summer ever watching our son play. It is an experience we will remember always, and it was so great to be with all the other parents and kids.

Ken, thank you for making me call the coaches. When you first mentioned I should call them, I thought, is he crazy? Why should I call? But then the cold sweats started in the middle of the night, and panic would strike. What if no coach calls? The calls started coming, and then the excitement and confusion began. If it wasn't for your belief in Chris we probably would not have pursued the schools we did. You made it possible for Chris, and us as his parents, to hold on to what we believed would be the best school for him.

Ken, I know there were many times I was being difficult, but I truly want to say, thank you, for the support and confidence you gave Chris in this "ridiculous" recruiting process. I am convinced that without STING and you, Chris would not have had all the options that became available to him.

Merry Christmas to you and your Family and a Very Happy, Healthy New Year!

Silvana and Robert Palliser

From Kathy Webber whose son Paul is headed to…

Villanova

 

Ken......Where to begin? I guess at the beginning.

Paul and I both decided at the beginning of 11th grade that the best route for him to college was do a P.G. year. Before speaking with you, I had never even heard of it.

But where? I did my homework and studied about six of the New England schools, and I visited them alone and then with Paul. Got a call from you one day and you asked if we had looked at Lawrenceville. I said no, thought it was probably a real stretch for a few reasons. You knew the coach and that they were looking for a couple of pgs. You made the call, we started the journey and after a very grueling process with all the schools, we got the news that he had been accepted. We both were awed. He has now almost finished his first trimester and has never worked as hard in his life.

Now, to lacrosse... After breaking a bone in his hand in the summer of his junior year after his first tournament with you, it made things a bit difficult to think he might be noticed considering he couldn't play for the rest of the summer. Then came the season of his senior year.

Then came the summer. Then came four tournaments with you. Then the phones started ringing. I remember the first camp/tournament "Elite 180". I got there the second day. Was sitting in the lobby with a couple of Manhasset dads, and the Amherst coach came in. He started talking about a kid that he had seen the day before. Didn't know his name, didn't know where he was from. All he knew was that he was going to Lawrenceville as a pg. Talk about making my day. He asked where he wanted to go to college and when we could talk. That was the beginning.

Paul had always wanted to go to Villanova and had written to the coaches a number of times to tell them who he was and where he would be. Then came the second and third tournaments. We got home and there was the call. Paul, we both watched you play and are very interested in talking to you". That is when it began. But not when it ended. I thought it would never end. The other schools called they wrote, they emailed and it was all because they saw him play for you and the Sting. I was never so confused in my life. Believe me, Paul and I have been through some hurdles in our lives and this is right up there. I never hesitated to call you with the stupidest question. You can read all the brochures and pamphlets about recruiting but unless you have someone to explain it in English, you might as well give up. At least that was my feeling. I never stopped calling you or emailing you. The ups and downs were unbelievable. The positives and negatives, always asking you to give me "good news". You were always honest. You never painted a totally clear picture because, as you said, there aren't any totally clear pictures until the very last minute.

Paul got the official call last week from Villanova and could not have been happier, It was what he had always wanted, It was what he had worked for.
Ken, this will not be the last hurdle that Paul and I have to overcome I am sure, but this one had a happy ending.

Thank you. Ken I know that I could not have accomplished this myself

From Martha and Kevin Finnegan whose son Shane is headed to…

Babson

Now that things have settled down following the holiday, I wanted to write to you to express our gratitude for all of your help. As you know, Shane will be attending Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. It was the school that he wanted to attend from the beginning of this process. The exposure of the tournaments, along with all of your involvement, was the differences in making this happen.

It also gave him an opportunity for establishing some back up choices. In speaking with Coach Castrataro of Babson, he referenced your comments about Shane's character and attitude as being important to him in deciding which player he would be willing to go to bat for with the admissions department.

I want to thank you and all of the coaches for the support and encouragement demonstrated towards Shane. The tournaments were fun for both of us. The opportunity to meet college coaches was invaluable. In particular, the Indoor Action tournament gave Shane a chance for Coach Castrataro to see him play. It created the opportunity for Coach Castrataro to meet with Shane and I. I believe that that weekend was the key to Shane's acceptance of early decision. This was the largest number of early decision applicants for Babson, so everything needed to line up.

I would also like to take this opportunity to say Thank You for walking us through the process. As we have discussed, Shane's older siblings were swimmers. It was cut and dry. As a swimmer, your time was qualitative. This was more subjective. It was an entirety new experience for which Martha, Shane, and I were not prepared.

You did a terrific job of guiding the three of us as to what to ask and when to ask it. We are grateful for that assistance and your constant availability to answer our questions. You and your team of coaches should feel very good about the support you have given to so many players on Long Island. Have a Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Martha and Kevin Finnegan

From Bobby Kellman whose son Matt is headed to…

Amherst

Ken,

I assume you have heard by now that Matt committed to Amherst. We are all very excited with his choice. My wife and I would like to thank you for the effort you put in on Matt's behalf. We all wish we could have crossed paths and started the process with you earlier. I am sure you could have helped Matt immensely and reduced the excessive stress that our family has endured for the past two years.

I took forward to seeing you on the sidelines for the next three years. All the best.

 Bobby Kellman

From Dave Edward whose son Kyle is headed to…

U.S. Military Academy

Ken,

I believe Kyle has emailed you separately to let you know of his decision to commit to MAPS. He is very excited, and we believe he understands the challenges and commitment ahead of him. Playing for you and the Sting brought him to another level. You have commented many times to the membership about how players from small and unrecognized programs have the opportunity to excel in the off season and get recruited. This was clearly the case with Kyle. His attendance at certain summer camps and his play with the Sting is a testament to this.

On a personal note, your advice and guidance were greatly appreciated, particularly at a time when I was away and unable to be available. Kyle is very much looking forward to playing for you this Fall.

On behalf of all of us, I thank you.

Sincerely,
Dave Edward

From The Larkin Family whose son Mike is headed to…

LEHIGH!

Dear Ken,

On behalf of Peggy and myself, I would like to thank you for your efforts in helping Michael through the Sting program. As you know, Michael has been accepted to play at Lehigh for Coach Chris Wakely after an Early Decision application. This is a great Christmas-time gift for our family, and Michael will have the added pleasure of playing with Taylor Castagna (also from St. Anthony's) and John Henry McNierney (Huntington), who is one of Michael's oldest and best friends. Athletically and academically, Lehigh appears to be a great fit for Mike, and we couldn't be more pleased.

Michael was a late arrival into the Sting program and tournaments. Although he had always loved to play lacrosse, he had focused on basketball at least as much as lacrosse in his first several years at St. Anthony's. He had a serious ankle injury in the middle of his junior year basketball season and consequently, was not fully recovered until the end of the lacrosse season. Mike did not get involved in the Sting tournaments until the summer '05. At that point, with your guidance, he began to participate in as many tournaments as possible and also began to zero in on colleges that might be within his reach.

During the summer, Mike had the opportunity to play with many of the talented players in your program, and we began to see his improvement immediately. They are all a great group of kids, and we enjoyed the tournaments. Sometime thereafter, the phone began to ring, and the real fun (stress) of the recruiting process kicked into gear. Your guidance in wading through the nuances and complexities of his recruitment was truly invaluable. All parents in this process can relate to sweating it out, but I felt that your input gave us good insight into where we stood at any given point.

Lehigh came into the picture some time in the Fall as Mike continued with several weekend tournaments, received enough exposure during that period to make it very much worthwhile. Your continuing advice was invaluable and this would not have come about without your help.

Thanks again and continued good luck with your program. Have a great Holiday season.

Bob & Peggy Larkin

From Frank Smith whose son Ryan is headed to…

U. of Massachusettes

Dear Ken,

Ryan has never given up on anything because he knows first hand that miracles happen. I can remember telling you about Ryan's story of how he fell 7 stories from a hotel balcony in Florida that was corroded from the salt air etc. when he was two.

When we learned that Ryan would survive, we were told that he probably would never walk, and if he did at all, he would have a pronounced limp. We come from the miracle of his recovery, to seeing Ryan pick up a lacrosse stick in 2nd grade. From hard work he grew to being a 3 sport athlete, a ranked tennis player, and the hard working student be is, to Ryan telling us how he knows he can make things happen in his junior year from all of his hard work, so he can realize his dream of playing for a big Division 1 program.

Because of you and the Sting, Ryan was recruited by so many great schools and lacrosse programs not only in Division 1, but the elite of Division 3. Yet, like you said to us after he played for you for a summer, "I'll always be there for Ryan" and you were. You never gave up.  Diane and I just looked at each other when Greg Cannella said to Ryan in his office," There's a place for you here, and I want you to be part of the U Mass team". Three days later, Ryan called Coach Canella and committed to U Mass, and last night coach Canella called him to congratulate him on sailing through admissions.

To us this seems like a miracle, yet we know how hard Ryan has worked for this and how much love and guidance so many coaches and "doers" like you have been so important in his life. From his first coach in PAL. Frank Scchicatano, to you, both calling Ryan after he had a big game or when he was named All-County, made him believe even stronger in himself and what he could do.

Through the Sting, Ryan has also made some lasting friendships which he'll have for a long time His teammates can't believe how he has game shorts from Lynbrook to East Hampton And as a result of my many travels with the Sting, Diane and I have developed so many rich friendships with wonderful parents. I can't believe that I honestly miss already the traveling and the camaraderie and fun we all had. It's a memory and an appreciation we will have for you forever. I'm sure you're aware that Ryan will be thanking you in his own way.

Thanks again Ken for your persistence and guidance. Miracles really do happen!

Sincerely,

Frank Smith

From Heather and Gerry Gatto whose son Greg was accepted to

YALE

Dear Ken,

Our journey began when Greg was in middle school. I could see his potential as he developed and showed a desire to play lacrosse in college.  I knew as a Dad it was my job to help guide his development but I also knew I was in over my head when it came to the recruiting process. I had one opportunity to get this right, not for me but for my son, before the window closed.

I reached out too many coaches and friends looking for a summer club team that would be the right fit for Greg. Chip Davis, the Deerfield Academy Lacrosse Coach, led me to you.  Chip spoke highly of you as a coach and Sting as a program.  I knew if Chip trusted you with his son it was the right place for mine.

I think back to our first conversations about academics and athletics.  Your advice was to work as hard in the classroom as on the field and to use your athletic abilities to help you get a top-notch education.  This was great advice for a kid to hear from his coach. Greg’s desire to attend an Ivy League school was cultivated in those conversations and I am proud to say that Greg has been accepted to the Yale Class of 2022.

As a coach, we always appreciated your straight forward and honest lessons about life, hard work and grit delivered with a sense of humor. We thank you for your invaluable guidance throughout this process and will always look back fondly on our strategy calls with you. We could not have accomplished this without you. We would be happy to share our positive experience so please add us to your list of references.

Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year!

Warm regards,
Jerry, Heather and Greg Gatto

From Greg Sarka whose son RJ was accepted to

BATES

Ken

I wanted to let you know that RJ got into Bates today. Coach Lasagna is talking to him later this morning. He is really excited. Glad he is staying in Maine.

Did you know that he never picked up a lax stick till May of 8th grade? He didn't even make the Maine junior travel team that summer. We are proud parents and wanted to thank you. Working and playing with you this past year helped him see what was possible and what he wanted from Lacrosse. He made a plan and it's working. Lacrosse is helping him find a better school, a better group of guys and good mentors. Thank you for your support. RJ will definitely keep in touch.

Greg Sarka
 

From Coach Tim whose son Quinn was accepted to

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH!

Ken,

Great news! Quinault has accepted an invite from the University of Utah! This is a perfect fit in lacrosse, school, and city. He's thrilled to be a Ute! There's no way this would have happened without your support. It is so tough being on the West Coast to get the exposure and promotion that East Coast players have. You were able to get him into the premier recruiting events and advocate on his behalf. That's the part that we really appreciate - the behind the scenes work that you do. The Utah staff was well aware of his abilities from your efforts and he did not disappoint at the prospect camp. 

Once again, thank you for all the work that you did on my son's behalf. He's very excited to be playing D1 lacrosse!

Sincerely,

Coach Tim

Sea-Town Kings Lacrosse

From Michael and Amy Grossman whose son Jack was accepted to

BOSTON UNIVERSITY!

Dear Ken,

How do we begin to thank you for the commitment and guidance that you gave us over the past several years? From the first time we spoke on the phone we knew that you had the expertise to guide us through Jack’s college lacrosse recruiting process. The road has had its twists and turns but you have stayed by our side from day one. Our older daughters’ path to college was more typical; while they were not athletes, they did have certain talents and interests, and we were able to select a list of schools that would be a good match. But when Jack expressed interest in playing lacrosse in college, we had no experience and the recruiting process seemed daunting. There was no one at our high school or on his club teams to advise us, and as a result Jack was not getting the exposure or training needed in what had become a highly competitive arena.

We remember the first time Jack attended a Long Island Sting practice. We were not sure if his skills were on the same level as some of the other more seasoned players, but that evening we saw him come alive on the field. You and the coaching staff challenged him and made him a better player on just that first day! What came to follow were several years and many road trips to some of the best tournaments and showcases in the country.

The time we spent with Jack and the LI Sting “on the road” were moments that we will never forget. You always made the atmosphere fun and relaxed, yet you were keenly focused on showcasing each of your players to colleges in attendance. We met so many wonderful families each summer and fall and it is sad to think that those days are winding down.

Last week we watched Jack play at his last game as a PG at Deerfield Academy and next year he is off to play Division I lacrosse at Boston University. It’s been a great ride and one that we could not have navigated without you.

Michael and Amy Grossman
Chappaqua, NY 10514

From Jamie and Mitch Eichelberger whose son Andrew was accepted to

LEHIGH UNIVERSITY!

Dear Ken,

Where do I begin? First of all, thank you for being at the helm and guiding us through the choppy waters of the lacrosse recruiting world! Mitch and I were, clueless, to say the least.  

Andrew grew up playing baseball, basketball and football here in The Woodlands, TX.  When he decided to give up baseball in 5th grade to play lacrosse, a sport that was growing in popularity in our area, we were supportive but didn’t know much about it.

It wasn’t long before this became Andrew’s favorite sport. He received MVP honors in 7th & 8th grade and started talking about a dream of playing lacrosse in college. We had no idea we were already “behind” in the lacrosse recruiting world!

Thankfully, family friends (the Finney’s) told us about you and their experience with you. I remember calling with LOTS of questions!  You were patient as I went through each one.  I said, “So…you’ll kind of hold our hand through this?” You said something like, “I’m going to do a lot more than that! I’ll get you through it all. Trust me.”

And so it began…we sent Andrew up to you that first summer.   You were tough, honest and Andrew thrived in your Sting environment.  It turned out to be a great experience. We just can’t say enough about the exposure you were able to offer him, too. We were at a distinct disadvantage here in Texas, not being in one of the lacrosse “hotbeds.” You leveled the playing field.

We appreciated how you wanted Andrew to get the best education possible. That was your first priority and ours, too. It’s been a fast paced and, at times, stressful journey, but you guided us through it.  You gave us direction and a job to do every time we talked.  You answered countless emails, phone calls and text messages. You made yourself available when we needed you.  If one door closed, you made sure we were opening another one.  Phone calls to coaches, emails, highlight videos, college visits, tournaments…we did it all and we trusted you and your guidance. Thank you!

Andrew listened to you on the field, too. He was soon getting more attention and as you had predicted, that attention grew. This past summer on the lacrosse circuit was the most fun and exciting - the best! Andrew devoted the summer to playing for The Sting. Between the Sting and his showcase events, there was a flurry of attention from coaches!

We put in the time, money and effort to get Andrew up for all the tournaments and college visits you suggested.  This was important because he was able to sort out a list of “favorites.” As he whittled that list down or in some cases, as they helped him whittle it down, he figured out where he REALLY wanted to be. That was so important to us. We wanted him to find a school where he could get a great education, play for a coach he liked & respected and find a place where he could really feel at home.

Your guidance and insight helped us “seal the deal!” You let Andrew’s #1 school know how much he wanted them, but also helped them realize he was getting other offers.

That Sunday morning when Coach Cassese from Lehigh University came to watch Andrew play one more time was so exciting! The phone call Andrew made to Coach Cassese after the game when he was offered a spot on their roster was one of Andrew’s happiest moments ever! Andrew is so excited to be a part of Lehigh’s Class of 2016 recruits!

It’s reassuring knowing that you’re still there to answer questions and will continue to steer us until he graduates. This outstanding result would not have been possible without you. 

With sincere thanks,

Jamie & Mitch Eichelberger

From Andy Schayer, whose son is headed to

Williams

Ken,

We are very happy we chose to work with you.  The recruiting process is so confounding.  By the time you begin to figure out how things work, it's too late.  There is a short window of time and there's too much at stake to muddle through on your own.  

You knew coaches and they know you.  You knew what schools might be a good fit and helped us find the venues that gave our son the opportunities that he worked so hard for. 

Ken, you exceeded our expectations and it could not have worked out any better.
 
Regards,

Andy Schayer

From Joanne and Stephen Jones whose son Owen was accepted to

YALE!

Ken,

Thank you for your guidance throughout the recruiting process. Your unwavering confidence in Owen’s potential as an athlete was the fuel that kept us going for three summers on the circuit. The opportunity to study at Yale, and to play for Coach Shay, is a dream come true for all of us.

It has been a long, but incredible journey over the past three summers with Sting. It would be easy to complain about the travel, sacrificing vacations and the stress of not knowing the outcome. However, it would also be naïve given the payoff.  We found a way to have fun on the road, whether finding the best BBQ in Chapel Hill or the fastest go carts in Baltimore! I can speak for Owen when I say that being a member of the Sting family made our journey more fun and our world a little bigger and brighter.

Most importantly, your help in the recruiting process was invaluable. Recruiting exploded after we jumped in, becoming more efficient and changing every minute. At the same time, the number of talented recruits grew tenfold, making it challenging for coaches to see and evaluate players. You kept us informed and focused, even as coaches and venues changed, making sure Owen got the right exposure at the right time. Despite our best efforts to keep up, we would not have been as successful without your insight from talking to coaches. 

Finally, we appreciate your candor regarding Owen’s potential and development as a player through the years. We had the added complexity of deciding if and when he specialized as a FOGO, while balancing recruiting interest in football.  Your honest assessment of his potential, and what it would take to reach the next level, was critical to the decisions we made and his ultimate success.

We look forward with bittersweet emotions to our last summer with Sting but look forward to seeing you in the stands in New Haven in the years to come!!

Many Thanks,

Joanne and Stephen Jones

From David and Gia Walsh whose son Andrew was accepted to

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND!

Ken,

We just dropped Andrew off at the University of Maryland. It was a very emotional weekend. Sending your first off to college was a new experience for us and it was hard to hold back the tears from time to time when you realize your boys not coming home with you after this college visit. What helped was knowing that Andrew ended up at the best place for him - a place that was almost unimaginable less than 1 year ago.

When we first met, you said something that stuck with me through Andrew's entire HS Lacrosse experience.  Quote: "Getting your kid into the right College is going to be a very stressful process with lots of ups and downs and twists and turns".  Wow! Was that an understatement!

As you know, Andrew arrived late to the sport. He starting to play in the 8th grade. He came from a small town "Bronxville" which was just beginning to build a lacrosse program and had never sent a kid to play D1 lacrosse. While our family was filled with Athlete's not a single one had ever played lacrosse. There wasn't any infrastructure around Andrew to help him find the right destination.

We had a kid that immediately love the game and he seemed perfect for the sport but we were lost as to how to help him succeed. Your commitment to help guide Andrew through his HS lacrosse experience didn't seem real at first. How many people will take a deep interest in your kid for his entire HS experience?  But that's exactly what you did.

From the day we first met things got immediately better as we had a go to person for answers to our questions about schools, lacrosse programs, the coaches and how do we improve Andrew's chances of getting into a good school to name a few? You insisted that we develop a plan for Andrew which included an acute focus on his grades and SAT's as well as getting him as much training as possible to help improve his lacrosse skills. You found coaches to work with Andrew and tutors that helped prepare Andrew for the SAT's and the college application process. Without these key resources, Andrew would have never had the choices that surfaced at the end of his senior year.

Andrew's plan included identifying his top 10 schools, hold a B+ GPA or better average and SAT scores in the 1900-2000 range. You quickly edited the top 10 list because of your inside knowledge of what's happen at the schools - such as which coaches would be a good fit for your kid, which coaches will be there for the next 4 years, etc.

You made it clear that Andrew needed to make it happen not just on the lacrosse field but also in the classroom. Andrew trusted you so much at your recommendation he even gave up football just to focus on lacrosse.

You helped us set a high but achievable bar for Andrew. Andrew bought into the plan, set goals for himself and achieved them all the while you were constantly checking and monitoring his progress.

Andrew received lots of D3 interest after his Sting Summer play heading into his senior year but not from the right schools. You recommended to visit some Prep Schools and consider a PG year. This was unfamiliar territory but we took your lead and we spoke to a few schools and applied to Westminster and Deerfield. You insisted that Andrew have a fall back plan. Andrew got accepted to Westminster and at first wait listed to Deerfield so Andrew decided to go to Westminster. Your relationships and guidance with the entire PG process was very helpful and while Andrew wanted to go to College in the Fall he realized that Westminster was a necessary stepping stone to getting into the right school and it was worth a year wait. You also said by making Andrew a PG athlete it would make him more attractive to the recruiting community. In retrospect, all of this turned out to be dead accurate.

The Sting Fall Lacrosse tournaments were amazing - sidelines packed with coaches and more colleges expressed interest in Andrew including some D1 schools and better D3 schools but still none of Andrew's top 10 so the plan was set and Andrew was headed to Westminster. You insisted the moment Andrew makes his announcement to do PG year things would change for him. Another year of eligibility would give Andrew more time to be seen and if we play our cards right he would likely know where he's headed to college before he arrived at Westminster. A bold statement! But that's exactly what happened.

Andrew's senior year Bronxville was having another great season. While they were heading into the NY State Section 1 Tournament, most of the D1 school's season had ended so coaches shifted gears and went into heavy recruiting mode. Your calls to the coaches toward the end of the season helped get the word out. Andrew's stats were getting hard to ignore and the interest started coming. By the time Andrew was playing for the Section 1 Championship there was more than a half a dozen D1 schools as well as a couple of the best D3 schools watching from the grand stands. Literally overnight we went from not having the interest we had hoped for to having more than we ever expected. The challenge then became selecting the right school for Andrew. With your help we evaluated lots of things: education, lacrosse program, coaching staff and personal fit.

Andrew and I did a visit to UMD for their first home game in Feb. While sitting in the stands watching the game Andrew said, "this is the school I would love to go to". He had watched the excitement on the sideline and loved the feel of the school. Little did we know this was really possible.

Playing for Sting helped develop Andrew into a better player. He loved the team atmosphere and "winning can be fun" attitude you brought to the team. The exposure was great and gave Andrew the confidence he could play with the best. He loved the time he played for Sting. He met a ton of friends that he is close with today, many are heading off to play themselves. The Sting July road trips with Andrew will provide a lifetime of stories, we both wish they didn't have to end.

Lots of things had to go right for Andrew, including some luck to end up at UMD but it would have never happened without your support and guidance. I know the Stone's coined the phrased "You can't always get what you want, but you get what you need". Well in Andrew's case he got what he wanted.

You challenged Andrew to become a better student and athlete. You gave him a chance, pushed him, invested an enormous amount of time in him and it paid off. Thanks for being a great friend and most of all for taking a personal interest in my son which is a rare thing these days.

David and Gia Walsh
 

From Daniel O’Connell whose son Andrew was accepted to

VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY!

Ken,

Mike Corrado has offered Danny a spot in the 2013 recruiting class and told Danny that he got him into the highly ranked Business School at 'Nova which is more difficult to get into than the Liberal Arts school. Danny is very happy to have this choice. Last year at this time we were lost and rudderless in this process. You have helped give Danny this wonderful opportunity. From the very first tournament with Sting at Wesleyan, where you called out to Danny to 'get the ball' all game - right through Hot Beds last week, your high expectations of him created a self-confidence that he lacked PRIOR to joining your Sting team. By making him 'GET THE BALL" and having to produce, you gave Danny something that the high school and other summer team coaches up to that point did not give him-that being an opportunity to ‘Be The Man' on a lacrosse team that was expected to produce in order for the team to win. That fall experience last year catapulted Danny into his ''break-out' senior Chaminade season and into a level of play that he had not yet achieved. This summer, with Sting, he grew further into a player that is truly ready now for the next level. Thank you again, and now onto Jack.  

 All the best Ken and thank you again.

 Daniel T. O’Connell

From Mike Lee whose son Cam was accepted to

DARTMOUTH!

Dear Ken,

Earlier this month, Cam received his early decision admission letter from Dartmouth. It’s a proud and humbling moment for Beth and I to see our son be able to attend and play at a great school.

Ken, you’ve been a great friend and advisor through the process. Through Sting, Cam was able to play with talented players and he had access to some great tournaments which got him noticed by coaches at some great schools.  As you know, Cam changed his commitment and in doing so, he had to think about a lot of different things. You have been helpful in helping us to understand various aspects regarding recruiting, academics, scholarships, coaching styles, athletics, the PG process, etc. It’s not easy by any means and with your guidance, Cam ultimately decided to attend Deerfield Academy to do a PG year and chose Dartmouth and Coach Andy Towers for his playing career. He is very happy with these decisions.

 Cam’s sister Jillian verbally committed to Brown this past fall.  Having your help with Cam has given us a great deal of knowledge about lacrosse recruiting   and has made the process easier the second time around. Thanks again for all your advice and guidance.

Regards,

Mike Lee

From John Arnold, whose son Jackson is headed to

Wesleyan

Ken, 

I want you to know how much we appreciate all you did for us in helping Jackson (and his parents) through the recruiting Meat grinder. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, I wish I would have just shipped him back east to you last Summer, but I believe he's going to end up landing with an excellent fit in spite of his parent's ineptitude. You're the right guy, on all levels, for anyone I know who's faced with what we just experienced, so know you have an advocate out here.

John Arnold

From Lauren and Tim Collins whose son Michael was accepted to

BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY!

Dear Ken,

We wanted to let you know that Michael has made a verbal commitment to Binghamton University. In our opinion, this is a great fit both academically and athletically. As New York State's top public university, Binghamton has become very competitive. Lacrosse was definitely the vehicle for Michael to attend a school that might otherwise be out of reach. That was the goal from the beginning.  The exposure and increased level of competition helped Michael improve as a player and get attention from several D-1 and D-3 coaches. In addition, there was the credibility that came from being a member of the Sting and playing with Ken Miller. Michael continued to play for the Sting during the Fall and Winter of junior year. Toward the end of junior year, Michael had an opportunity to try out for the Hudson Valley Empire States Team. You supported and encouraged Michael throughout the process, even though it meant that he probably would not be able to play for you this summer.

This proved that you have the players' best interests at heart and not your own agenda. You continued to be there for all of us during the process and were always only an email or phone call away. Your support will not be forgotten. We have recommended your organization to several other lacrosse families and hope that we stay in touch. It’s hard to believe that we are off the roller coaster ride! 

Best wishes to you and your family.
Thanks again coach!
Lauren and Tim Collins

From Linda Rodd, whose son is headed to

Haverford

Dear Ken,

Our son will be attending Haverford next year which I can say, without risk of exaggeration, he would not have gotten into without your guidance.  Even though he attends an elite New England boarding school and is a talented lacrosse player, he had not been contacted by any college coaches by the end of his Junior year.  He thought the recruiting bus had passed him by and started to give up on lacrosse, and even more troubling, academics.  As in most families, our college discussions were emotionally charged and unproductive.  Enter Ken, who “talks the talk” and knows how to get teenage boys to hear his message.  It was the same message we had been trying to deliver, but you had the credibility with our son to make him listen. 

The first invaluable thing you did for our son was to give him confidence. You demystified the recruiting process and had an encouraging “can-do” attitude that got our son back on track. You gave us practical tips for playing “catch-up” to get noticed (emailing coaches, producing videotapes, etc.; this may sound like self-evident common sense, but we had not been advised to do that by his expensive boarding school).  If it hadn’t been for you, we wouldn’t have known how to get started. You reduced the daunting recruiting process to manageable, non-intimidating steps. 

Perhaps the most important thing you did was to get our son to think maturely; he was focused on what mattered most to him as a 17-year old boy: the quality of the lacrosse teams at various schools.  You got him to focus on the quality of the school overall and not to focus just on the lacrosse piece. 

You have an unmatched depth and breadth of information on the admissions departments and coaches. 

You did what you said you were going to do, when you said you will do it. You never let us down.  You were forthright and truthful.  You said hard things we and our son didn’t want to hear but needed to know.  You were an indispensable part of our son’s college application process. Our only regret is that we did not bring you into our lives earlier.

Linda Rodd
Bronxville, New York

From Sal and Diana Ruggiero whose son Brian was accepted to

TUFTS UNIVERSITY!

Dear Ken,

Our family can now exhale a collective sigh of relief as the recruiting process comes to an end for us. This past weekend Brian received his early decision acceptance to Tufts University and we are all thrilled. Although this school was not on our radar at the beginning of this process, it appears to be the perfect fit for our son. As you predicted, this recruiting process was very unpredictable. The endless phone calls, emails and letters to coaches which accompanied an intense summer lacrosse season proved to be quite stressful for all of us; however, the end result was worth it. 

Your insight, guidance and availability throughout this hectic process is much appreciated but most of all we are grateful for your honesty. As Brian begins his collegiate lacrosse experience, I am hopeful that we will see you on the side lines of a NESCAC game in the near future.

We wish you and your family a blessed Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.

Sincerely,

Sal and Diana Ruggiero

From Janet Levinson whose son Ryan was accepted to

WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY!

 Hi Ken,

 I hope you had a great holiday.  My family and I would like to thank you for all your assistance over the past year.  We could not have navigated the entire college process without your insight and advice – from calling coaches, to official visits, to what to wear as well as coaching and being an advocate for our son Ryan – your input was invaluable. As you know – Ryan has been accepted to Washington and Lee – and we are extremely happy and proud of him.  Ryan is an excellent student – but there are tons of kids out there with his credentials.  I believe lacrosse gave him an edge over the other applicants. 

 Thank you for your guidance during this exciting but stressful time.    

 Janet Levinson

From Debby and Twig whose son Scott was accepted to

COLORADO COLLEGE!

Hi Ken,

We are very excited that Scott has been accepted to Colorado College, it is a wonderful school with a great academics and athletics.  Scott is looking forward to Colorado Springs mild weather and lacrosse outside just about the entire school year. We look forward to seeing him in goal!

We thank you for your guidance and help for these past 2 years. It has been a long road. Choate was lucky enough to have several very good goalies, unfortunately Scott was not given the opportunity to play in goal often. The Long Island Sting gave Scott a much wanted and needed opportunity to play competitively in tournaments we would not know existed if not for you and The Sting.

We credit you with your suggestion to follow with Colorado College. Your expertise, knowledge and connections in the lacrosse world were very valuable to us.

Thanks Ken, it was great working with you.

Debby, Twig & Scott