Alex Bales is a standout attack from the ADVNC Sacramento and NDP ‘23 team signed to realize his dream of playing DI lacrosse, at Manhattan College starting this Fall.
Bales grew up in Austin, TX. His older brother, Conner, currently a sophomore at Arizona State, was the first in his family to discover lacrosse, after a family friend introduced him to the sport.
The Bales brothers played lacrosse and football together. “My mom wouldn’t let me play tackle football, but she said I could play lacrosse,” Alex said. “I ended up liking lacrosse 10 times more. I liked the physicality of the game and how fast paced it was.”
“He and his brother liked lacrosse right away,” said Alex’s father, Denton Bales. “They started playing in a local lacrosse league. We recruited other athletic kids to play with them, and eventually they joined a travel team. Then we moved to the Sacramento area when Alex was in 5th grade.”
Bales in his early days with ADVNC Sacramento.
The Bales brothers joined ADVNC Sacramento right away. “I loved my time with ADVNC,” Alex said. “My favorite memories are traveling over the summers with both ADVNC Sacramento and NDP. A lot of the guys I started with in 5th grade, I played all the way through with. Guys like Zach Halloran, Brodi Reidel, RJ Wyrick, Nick Antonucci and Tristan Sackmann. We spent the majority of our summers traveling around for tournaments, goofing off in the hotel, and going to team dinners.”
Alex gives lots of credit to a variety of coaches he says made an impact on him with ADVNC over the years. “Mark Sackmann was my first coach with ADVNC, he was great. More recently, Evan Morrison, Greg Hollingshead and Carlos Trujillo have been great coaches for me.”
Bales credits ADVNC NDP with helping to take his game to the next level.
Alex always took lacrosse seriously, but he credits playing for the ADVNC NDP team as being a key part of his development. “The NDP practices are what really developed my game,” Alex said. “The competitive nature of the practices was huge. I’d go into those thinking I needed to focus myself even more. Then those big tournaments with ADVNC were great. Getting to the big stage, playing in front of college coaches, and proving that I was good enough.”
Alex always knew he wanted to play in college, but it wasn’t till the Summer of 2022 that he really believed he could play at the DI level. “I wanted to be a DI player, but over the last summer, it became apparent that it was going to happen. I just kept working, and then the looks and offers started coming.”
“My top school was Utah,” Alex said. “I love skiing and have a bunch of friends going there, but it didn’t work out. I realized I needed to have a new outlook and start looking for another school that could benefit me. When Manhattan showed interest, I was really excited.”
Bales (left), celebrates with longtime ADVNC Sacramento teammate, RJ Wyrick.
“Our family has gone on many trips to New York City, and always enjoyed ourselves there,” Denton Bales said. “Plus, with all the summer travel for lacrosse we made, the East Coast was quite familiar to Alex.”
“Coach O’s (John Odierna, Manhattan Head Lacrosse Coach) energy was through the roof and we bonded at our first meeting,” Alex said. “He opened my eyes to everything that NYC and Manhattan College has to provide.”
Alex soon committed to the Jaspers, and can’t wait to move to the Bronx this Fall. He said he wants to study finance and live in NYC when he graduates.
Denton and Alex credit ADVNC Founder & CEO, Chris Rotelli, for helping guide them through the recruiting process. “Coach Rotelli would reach out to colleges that had an interest in me and showed his support,” Alex said. “His knowledge is through the roof. He encouraged me to look at a bunch of different schools. When he talked, I listened, because he knows what he’s talking about.”
The Bales family on Alex’s NLI Signing Day: (L-R): Conner, Denton, Alex & Emma
“Chris was good at setting realistic expectations,” Denton Bales said. “He doesn’t just tell you what you want to hear. He was fair with us as a family with setting expectations. He also coached Alex along the way and pointed him towards the right tournaments and showcases. He gave great feedback, and was great through the entire process.”
As a younger player, Alex looked up to ADVNC Sacramento ‘19 Alum Ryan Rogers, currently a junior attack at Utah. “I remember seeing him play when I was in the 8th grade,” Alex said. “I was like, who’s this guy? He’s great. I love the way he plays. I want to play like him.”
Alex has the following advice for young players who wish to follow in his own footsteps. “First off, you have to keep your grades up,” Alex said. “Just because you’re good at lacrosse, doesn’t mean you will get into the school you want. You have to be good in the classroom and on the field. You have to hit the wall every day. Also, study your film. It’s good to analyze the film and see what you do well and figure out what you can do better.”