**Athlete Interviews are posted every Thursday for recruiting advice, what to look for, and more.
Athlete: Haley Farella
School: University of Colorado
Height: 5'3”
Class: Senior
Position: Midfield
Haley Farella graduated from Westfield High School in 2017. Her senior year of high school, she led the midfield with the most goals, ground balls, and assists. Not only was she a dedicated athlete, she also worked very hard in the classroom. Farella was awarded the Presidential Academic Award. She also had other honors such as Inside Lacrosse Most Notable Player to Watch and IL Committed Academy Finalist. On top of her high school athletics, she also played club lacrosse for Steps Elite NJ. In her college career, she appeared in a game against Arizona State in 2018 and 2019, saw action in a game against USC.
What is the best advice that Coach Whidden has given you or the team as a whole?
“Nothing given, everything earned.”
Why Colorado?
It has a great lacrosse program and I love the mountains, culture, and environment here.
Related school rating: University of Colorado
Should high school athletes play club lacrosse? Will this give them a better chance of getting recruited to Colorado?
Yes, Club lacrosse is the most important platform in getting recruited.
Related: Do You Know What it Takes to be a Recruitable Student-Athlete?
Do high school lacrosse players have to be in the top 3-5% in the country and a 3-year varsity starter in order to get recruited by your coaches? What are the requirements?
No, I was on JV for lacrosse when I committed to Colorado. All that matters is what club team you're on and that you give it your all at recruiting tournaments. The rest is just stats, and coaches care more about how you play and your future potential then your awards or varsity lacrosse.
Does Colorado take walk-ons?
Yes, and two of our walk-ons ended up being our starting defenders.
Related: College Sports and Being Walk-On Ready
Do you feel what sets apart a good player from a truly great player is Lacrosse IQ?
Yes, that and passion and a good work ethic. If you want to be the best, you have to be putting in all the effort you possibly can to stay at the Division I level.
When recruits go on official visits, what red flags should they look for?
Pay attention to the environment and how the teammates treat each other. But it's the relationship you have with your team that really matters in the end. That and how much you got out of your university.
Related: University of Colorado Head Women's Lacrosse Coach on Being Proactive and Red Flags
When recruits meet coaches, what should they be looking for in a coach?
Look for honesty and a coach that genuinely cares about developing relationships with their players.
What 3 ingredients make a great Colorado lacrosse player?
Hard work, dedication, and respect.
If you could change one thing about your recruiting process, what would that be?
Nothing, I ended up exactly where I was supposed to be.
What do you think made your team so successful?
The amount of hours we put in to be the best we can be as a whole.
If you could play any other sport besides lax, what would it be and why?
Soccer. I competitively played soccer until I committed to play lacrosse in college.
* Originally published on September 9, 2021, by Ally Stanton
