Derek Hoffmann is a standout attackman from the ADVNC SF & NDP 2025 team going to play DI lacrosse at Marist University, starting this Fall.
Derek, in his early days of lacrosse with the Scorpions rec league team.
When Derek was a little kid, he wanted to play football, but his parents, Kai and Jenn, were not so keen on the idea. NorCal born and bred, his parents knew close to nothing about lacrosse, but thought their young son might like it.
“My dad signed me up for a two day lacrosse camp when I was seven years old,” Derek recalled. “I went out there having no idea what lacrosse was. I remember not having gloves, just a helmet and a stick. I was running around trying to hit people and I loved it right away.”
“Derek was a really good soccer player when he was young,” said Derek’s dad, Kai Hoffmann. “He scored a lot of goals, but after the game, all he wanted to talk about was how many kids he laid out. He was very physical and super competitive, so I figured lacrosse would be a good fit. And it was.”
An East Bay native, Derek played for the Scorpions, and learned how to play lacrosse. As he improved, he started looking for a higher level of play. He found ADVNC.
Derek, in his early days playing with ADVNC Lacrosse.
“I saw all the players from ADVNC that were going on to play in college,” Derek said. “A lot of my friends were starting to play for ADVNC and it just seemed like the very best club I could play for. It seemed right away that it was a special team to play for.”
After starting with ADVNC East Bay, Derek started commuting to Atherton to play for the ADVNC SF region. “ADVNC is amazing,” Derek said. “Everything with ADVNC has been perfect. From the coaches to the travel to playing the very best competition. It’s just been a great experience. ADVNC isn’t just a club, it’s a family. I feel like I can go to a coach and talk to them as I can my best friends. I see them as mentors not just for lacrosse, but for life.”
“ADVNC is very special to our family,” said Kai Hoffmann. “We were welcomed to ADVNC with open arms. ADVNC is like a family. And Chris Rotelli (ADVNC Founder & CEO) is an amazing guy. The professionalism is second to none. He runs his company like a high level, Fortune 500 company. If he says he’s going to call you at 5:46pm, he calls you at 5:46pm. He’s always on time, always professional, and always caring. All the ADVNC coaches are like that. He was always there supporting Derek and our family. He will answer any question you have. It felt amazing to have someone like that in our corner.”
“We have been so impressed with ADVNC and their commitment to us,” said Jenn Hoffmann. “It has never felt like Chris Rotelli or anyone with ADVNC didn’t have time for us, despite having lots of parents they are helping navigate this entire process with their kids. And the other parents in our 2025 class have all been amazing too. It’s very rare that you have a group that wants your child to succeed as much as their own child. Derek is lucky to have these other families looking out for him and to be there when he has needed them.”
Derek improved a lot early on his time with ADVNC San Francisco. He started watching a lot of college lacrosse on TV, and decided he wanted to play college lacrosse at the highest level. Then, he made the NDP National Team. “From the first NDP tryout, I knew it was a totally different experience,” he said. “It was intense competition and made me really grind. The NDP really leveled up my play. I knew I had to give 110% all the time.”
Hoffmann is an All-American at Monte Vista High School.
As the college recruiting window opened up for Derek’s 2025 class, he was battling several significant injuries. This complicated his recruitment, and it was a period of time filled with uncertainty and stress for him and his family. “We thought his injuries might knock him out of being considered to play DI lacrosse,” Jenn Hoffmann said. “But Chris Rotelli helped us stay positive. He was a shining light of positivity for us. He laid the groundwork for what Derek needed to do to get back in front of the right college coaches.”
“Being from the West Coast, we didn’t know about a lot of great schools back East,” Kai Hoffmann said. “But through Chris Rotelli, we learned about a lot of great schools that have great lacrosse programs and great academics. He was really helpful in finding a place that was a good fit for Derek. He gave us the information to make informed decisions about where Derek wanted to be.”
Armed with this information, Derek was ready to attack the recruiting process once he was physically healthy and able to get back on the field. Marist was a school that showed a lot of interest in him. “I took a visit there and fell in love with the school, instantly,” Derek said. “I love Coach Scarcello (Dave Scarcello, Marist’s Head Coach). I got to meet the team, and they were amazing. I just instantly clicked with their entire program. I also love their business and finance academic programs.”
With the process now behind them, the Hoffmann’s have this advice for parents whose kid wants to play lacrosse in college. “Trust the process,” Kai said. “Trust ADVNC and what they do and what they tell you. They know what they’re doing. If your kid wants to play at the next level, they are the place for you. And just try to enjoy it, no matter what happens. Make sure the kid enjoys it too.”
Jenn, Derek & Kai Hoffmann, after Derek’s ADVNC NDP 2025 won Sandstorm.
“Just try and make the most of the whole experience,” Jenn said. “Make the most of the long car rides with your kid and the travel to the East Coast. In the end, the days are long, but the years are short. So you have to make sure you are all enjoying it.”
Derek has this advice for young players who aspire to follow in his footsteps, and play DI lacrosse. “Always go 100%” said Derek. “Be grateful for the time you get on the field. You have to enjoy all the work. But make sure you’re doing your shooting in the backyard. Hit the wall a lot. But above all else, just enjoy it.”
“I look back on all the time we spent together traveling and going to practices and tournaments with such joy,” Kai Hoffmann said. “We had such a good time together. It’s a special experience and I’m so glad we got to do it.”