Michael Husted's Blog

Social Networks and Potential Pitfalls for Recruits

guest — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:31:52 GMT

Just about everybody is on one social network or another, if not all, these days. It is a great way to reconnect and/or stay connected with people. Facebook and My Space lead the charge with 150 million and 115 million users, respectively.

Being able to upload photos, videos, comments, etc. or being tagged in a video or photo is cool and fun. However, more and more colleges are using social networks, not only to communicate with prospects, but to do research and keep an eye on them as well.

The internet alone can be image damaging for athletes. Michael Phelps and Matt Leinert anyone?

However, when it comes to college recruiting and potentially $100,000 in scholarship money, student athletes need to very cautious about what is posted on their profiles.

I currently work with a college kicker who is graduating and hoping to get a shot at the pros. When I became his "friend" on facebook, I had the ability to look at his profile and all of his photos. I came across several where he had been tagged by others while attending a Halloween costume party. In several of the photos, he was holding a beer. He is over 21 and legal to drink alcohol, but I don't think that he would want NFL teams seeing photos of him partying...

Both NFL and Colleges want to recruit athletes with integrity, good character, etc. The internet in general, makes it easier for everyone to find and see people.

If you are actively using your social network profiles, exercise caution in what you post and be aware of what others may post about you. Ultimately, you shouldn't have to worry about if anything is posted or not about you if you are an upstanding citizen. However, high school athletes are still young and make mistakes from time to time. Believe or not, I made a couple in high school.

When those mistakes are made, just make sure that they don't find their way onto the internet...Here is a good article on this topic.

Be smart on the field, at school, at events and online.

Recruiting and Social Networks

guest — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:40:27 GMT

The NCAA has been working hard to keep up with the advancement of technology as it relates to communication avenues and their bylaws.

For a few years, phone calls from coaches were not allowed during Non-Contact period. However, coaches could sent text messages. Those were before the unlimited texting plans came out. I heard stories of prospects' parents getting phone bills for hundreds of dollars...

More and more, college coaches are relying on social networks to do their homework on prospects as well as communicate. As we join more social networks with cool new applications for communicating, I suspect the NCAA will continue to make amendments to their bylaws to ensure that coaches are not finding "loop holes" to contact student-athletes.

With the meteoric rise of Facebook and others like MySpace, the ability to message people using their internal email platforms has become popular yet cumbersome at the same time. I find myself trying to remember if I sent a message through standard email or through one of the social network sites. Who is contacting me, where and how? It reminds me of the scene from the movie, He's Just Not That Into You, with Drew Barrymore when she mentions that she has to go around checking all of the different portals just to get rejected by seven different technologies is exhausting.

Well, the NCAA has adapted accordingly. The NCAA Division I Bylaw 13.4.1.2, states that, "e-mail is not limited to a traditional e-mail service provided by an institution, Website or Internet service provider. Therefore, it is permissible for an athletics department staff member to send electronically transmitted correspondence to a prospective student-athlete using a social networking Web site's (e.g., MySpace, Facebook) e-mail feature. All other electronically transmitted correspondence including, but not limited to, text messaging, Instant Messenger, chat rooms or message boards (e.g., a user's wall) within a social networking Web site or through other services or applications remain impermissible.

For example, a coaching staff member with a MySpace or Facebook account may send electronically

transmitted correspondence to a prospective student-athlete's MySpace or Facebook account using the e-mail inbox feature located on that user's profile page. However, a coaching staff member may not send electronic correspondence to a prospective student-athlete via the comments feature on MySpace or the wall-to-wall feature on Facebook."

It goes on further by adding that it is permissible for a prospective student-athlete's name and/or picture to appear on an athletics department staff member's profile page of a social networking Web site to identify the prospective student-athlete as a "friend" of the athletics department staff member. Institutions should note that the identification of the prospective student-athlete as a "friend" on an athletics staff members profile page confirms only the institution's potential recruitment of that individual. However, institutions are reminded they may not make any public comments about the prospective student-athlete's ability, the contribution that the prospective student-athlete might make to the institution's team or the likelihood of the prospective student-athlete's signing with that institution.

The fact that colleges can contact you through social networks is good in that it provides another avenue for contacting prospects. However, it is a reminder to be careful about what you are posting to your social network profiles...College coaches are out there looking.

Seniors, Where Are You in the Recruiting Game?

guest — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:17:44 GMT

The College Football Signing period is only a few weeks away. Where are you in the process? If have already verbally committed, congratulations. If not, you need to pick up the pace. Over the next several weeks to months, colleges will be "closing their books" on the class of 2009. If you hope to be playing at the next level in the fall of 2009 here is what I recommend doing:

Make a list of your top 15 college choices
If you have already made your list, it is time to reevaluate that list
Choose your dream schools, realistic schools and fall back schools (Some may overlap)
Ask yourself, if I wasn't playing a sport, would I want to go to that school? (Remember, there is an off-season)
Find out the situation for your position at those schools
Is the starter a senior?
What about the back ups?
How many people on the roster play your position?
Make sure that you have video ready to show them
Call the coach (You make the call, not your parents)
Keep calling until you get a hold of him/her
Prove to that coach that you are a great fit for their program
Be assertive and keep in contact (squeaky wheel gets the oil)

We all dream about going to a top ranked athletic program. Maybe you

can go to one, but will you play? Find the college where you can play

for 3-4 years and get a solid education. That positive experience will

last a lifetime.

I wasn't heavily recruited out of high school and I wasn't drafted in

the NFL. However, with some hard work, luck and resolve, I was able to

get a great education and play in the NFL for 9 seasons.

Now get out there and market yourself. You need to work just as hard off the field as you do on the field if you want to keep playing the sport that you love.

Check out these video clips for more recruiting Tips: http://www.youtube.com/user/ActiveRecruiting

Good Luck!

Overcoming the Fear of Online Video

guest — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:33:40 GMT

I believe that there is a stigma about posting video to the internet. At least when it comes to athletic recruiting. Part of the reason lies within the fact that most people are used to having DVDs produced. Whether creating a VHS tape or a DVD, use of these forms of media have been around for several years.

When I was in High School, dare I say, the late 80's, VHS was the way to go. So, for over 20 years, people have been spending hours splicing video to put on a tape or DVD (It is amazing how many people still refer to a DVD as a "tape" in conversations.) With most of us being creatures of habit, once adapted to this style of marketing ourselves, we keep doing it.

Most people will try and create their own DVD, "have a friend" do it or hire a "professional."

ANYONE can create a video these days from their own computer. It is not as difficult as you think. Whether you have a PC or a MAC, your computer comes equipped with editing software. Windows Movie Maker is installed in the PC and iMovie is installed in a MAC.

The quality of camcorders has improved significantly over the last few years and they have become very inexpensive. You can find digital camcorders at Target for under $200. The ability to shoot, capture, edit and post video from your own computer is not as challenging as you would think. The average parent can save hundreds to thousands of dollars by doing it themselves. Pay your child's friend with burritos to go out and film. Bring the camera home attach the fire wire, capture the video to your computer using either the editing software mentioned above, the one included with your camcorder or one you can buy online.

Another scenario, especially in football, is that the coach has created a DVD for the athlete with all of his plays for the year or complete games. Usually, these DVDs have a .VOB file extension which is not compatible with most editing software. However, there is a free software, Chopper XP, that is made specifically for .VOB files. It allows you to chop/edit the plays that you would like to use for you highlights.

When using Chopper XP, put the DVD into your computer. Then on your desktop, select "My Computer." Right click on the DVD drive and select "open." You will see two folders, audio and video, select the video folder and search for the largest file size. That is the file that you want to click and drag to your desktop. Then open the Chopper XP software and import the file. You will want to save each video clip with a .mpg extension.

It will take a little time to learn how to use the software, like anything else, but it is not difficult. More and more software is becoming available that will make it easier to post video online. The ability to post video on line for college recruiting purposes is the most efficient way to market the athlete and create maximum exposure. Taking advantage of online technology to market yourself to college is a smart way to go if you want to play college sports and get a great education.

Getting Video to Use for Your Online Recruiting Profile

guest — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 01:54:39 GMT

As I mentioned in my last blog post, only 2-3% of student athletes have video up online for colleges to view. On the flip side, nearly 100% of coaches have stressed the importance of video in the evaluation process.

So, why is there such a big gap between what coaches want and student-athletes using the internet to host their video? I believe that the main reasons are:

Getting quality video
Capturing the video to your computer
Editing the video
Understanding the different file formats
Deciding which software to buy/use
Using the software correctly
Uploading video

In this blog, I will be focusing on getting quality video for your profile. This will include making sure that you have a good camera person, have a good camcorder, lengths for the video and angles when filming.

Many people don't know where to begin to get video. If you play high school football, you are lucky, because 99.9% of the games are filmed and you can get a copy from your coaches. However, most sports don't have their games/matches filmed by coaches. How can you get your event video taped?

There are a few ways to get video:

Getting a parent to film

Pro - Good since parents go to most of the games
Con -Video could be compromised if they get excited while filming

Getting a friend to film

Pro - Inexpensive and easy to get if you buy them a few lunches
Con - Inexperience and unreliable if they have a new girl/boy friend

Paying a videographer

Pro - professional and you can several team mates filmed
Con - expensive, but cost can be split among team mates

If you choose to havea parent or a friend film the events, you can purchase a digital video camera for well under $300, depending on the format. Mini DV camcorders use small dv tapes and are excellent quality. Hard drive cameras and high definition cameras will cost a lot more and may appear to be better quality. However, the difference in quality when you post the video to the internet is not worth the price difference.

Once you have your camera and the necessary equipment like batteries and mini-dv tapes, you need to understand how to use the camera. It is not rocket science, but knowing how to start/stop recording and to zoom in/out are two of the most important "skills" needed to film an event. Practice with the camera before you start "officially" filming the event.

Filming from the right angles is important to ensure that recruiters can use the video for evaluations. Each sport will have its own specific requirements. However, there are general rules for filming.

Allow enough of the field/court to be viewable so coaches can see plays develop and execution of a play
DO NOT zoom in too close where the only person in the "frame" is the athlete being filmed
DO NOT zoom out too far where everyone looks like a "Hoo from Hooville"

Many coaches that I have spoken with want to see a wide enough area of the field where they can see the play developed, transitioned and executed. For example, in soccer, many videos show a player with a ball make a couple of moves with no one around and then pass the ball away without seeing where the ball went. Coaches don't know if you pass was on target or way off the mark.

The same goes in baseball/softball. Players fielding the ball in the infield will turn and throw, but the camera does not show where the ball goes and if it hit its target accurately.

The point is that coaches want team players and need to see you execute to the end of that particular play. The goal of the video is to make their job easier and to effectively separate yourself from the competition. Having quality video can be the key ingredient in a successful recruitment process.

The Importance of Video in the Recruiting Process

guest — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:46:20 GMT

In a recent survey, 100% of all college coaches responded that video is VERY import when evaluating talent. Especially when first assessing the athlete. Now check this out, in another recent poll only 2-3% of student-athletes have video readily accessible online for college coaches to view.

College coaches like to coach, but part of their job is to recruit and find athletes that fit their program. That involves looking at video, traveling, etc. The cost of traveling has affected every college program. The smaller programs don't have the budget to travel and visit all of their prospects. What do they do? They rely on video. What is fast becoming the best way to view video? Online.

Having video online is one of the most efficient means for coaches. DVDs and VHS tapes have been the norm for many years. However, the time it takes to open the package, then the case, insert it into the computer, wait for it to upload and then finally view ONE person can take up a lot of valuable time for coaches. Let alone that it clutters their office. They often trip over the stacks, get mad and throw them in the trash.

I am not saying that DVDs are not valuable. They are, but only if they are personally requested by a coach. There are two types of video from a coach's perspective:

Unsolicited videos (those that many athletes just send out to colleges with their "fingers crossed")
Solicited videos (those that a coach has specifically requested and are looking for it to come in the mail)

Why not make everyone's job easier and effective with an online video profile. Their are many great features that online video profiles can provide.

For athletes:

The ability to constantly update your video
Not having to produce additional DVDs and mail them out
Sending emails with links to your video profile
Tracking profile views by coaches
Affordability

For college coaches:

Easily managing player videos
Viewing video quickly of athletes
Creating watch lists of favorite athletes
Searching for athletes that meet their requirements
Receiving notifications when athletes sign up

How do you get video? There are many options to getting video.

Your coach (if they film your games/matches)
A parent (caution, the video can get shaky if they get excited while watching you perform)
A friend (buy him lunch for every match he films)
A professional videographer (you can split the cost with other teammates)

Video is critical to getting your "foot in the door." It is worth the time and effort to film your performance and post it to an online video recruiting site like www.activerecruiting.com.

How are you going to do to separate yourself from the competition?

Recruiting Tip #3: Marketing Yourself

guest — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:23:34 GMT

You have signed up with the NCAA Eligibility Center and identified you top 15 schools that you would like to attend. Now you have to let them know that you exist. Marketing yourself is vital if you would like to get on colleges' radar screens. If you are as good as Reggie Bush, stop reading this because you are good go. If you NOT Reggie Bush, you need to be positioned so that you separate yourself from the competition.

Where to start? First of all you need a resume. Now a days, having an online presence is vital. Many college coaches use the internet to get introduced to student-athletes. It is 1000x easier for them to view online profiles then to have to worry about getting paper cuts when opening your mail. Secondly, you need video. Having video is key in helping coaches during the recruiting process. In a recent poll taken by ActiveRecruiting.com, 100% of the coaches polled answered that video was very important. Next, you need to present your resume in a way that is user friendly for coaches. College coaches want to efficiently view your resume. If you make it hard for them or have incomplete/inaccurate information, chances are they will scratch you off their list.

The reality is that there are several student-athletes that they could recruit who are on a similar skill level as you. Again, what you need to do is set yourself apart from the competition. How are you going to do that? Work smarter. Work your way to the front of the line.

Take advantage of technology to spread the word that you are their "Answer." Every college sports team has a web page. Besides D1 Football and D1 Basketball, you can easily find contact information, phone numbers and email addresses, for coaches in most sports and divisions. They want to be contacted.

Yes, the NCAA has restrictions on when they can contact you. However, there are no restrictions on when and how often you can contact them.

Start with an email to the coach
Copy and paste a direct link to your online resume
This puts them one click from being introduced to you and viewing your video
Follow up with a phone call (Student-Athletes make the call not the Parents)
When you reach them, chances are they are in their office and in front of their computer
Direct them to you video profile
Utilize this call to serve as an interview
Be confident when speaking with them
Keep calling until you reach them

My soccer coach used to tell us, "Keep shooting on goal. Eventually, you are going to score." I believe that this advice can be used in recruiting as well. There are hundreds to thousands of college programs out there. There will be several that will be a good fit for you academically as well as athletically, if you are willing to be flexible.

Sending DVDs can be helpful, but most coaches throw them away so they won't trip over them in their offices. These are called "unsolicited" DVDs and a waste of money. Think about the cost to produce and mail out DVDs to hundreds of schools? If you do have DVDs produced, wait until a college requests them.

With an online video profile, you can consistently update your video without having to produce a new DVD. Signing up to an online recruiting site that allows college coaches to search by filters can only increase your odds of being discovered. However, you still need to be very pro-active in getting your name out.

With the cost of gas, many colleges will cut back on traveling. However, they still need to recruit. Help make their jobs easier and increase your odds by working wisely in promoting yourself.

No one is going to market yourself better than you and/or your parent. If you are serious about playing college sports, then be prepared to do whatever it takes...

Recruiting Tip #2: Finding the Right College

guest — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:21:20 GMT

Michael Husted played professional football for nine years as a placekicker in the NFL. He is also the co-creator of ActiveRecruiting.com an innovative online video recruiting tool that connects student

athletes with coaches through the use of interactive video profiles.

Choosing the right college to attend is something that will take some

time. You will want to find a school that fits you both academically

and athletically.

The first step is to make a list of 12-15 schools

that you, initially, would like to attend.

I would categorize them in this way:

Dream schools
Realistic schools
Fall back schools

Of course, there could be some overlap between the Dream and Realistic

schools. Having simple categories will help to organize your choices as

you start this process.

Your Dream schools could be a big time college athletic program, like

UCLA, Notre Dame, Texas or Florida. Maybe you have grown up watching

that program, members of your family have attended that school or you

simply like their mascot and colors. There are many colleges that offer

both big time athletics as well as incredible academics, Virginia, Cal

Berkley, Boston College, etc. Therefore, attending one of these

programs would appear to be ideal.

However, you need to be "realistic" with your athletic abilities and

decide if you would get significant playing time by attending one of

these programs. If so, great. If not, then you will need to decide if

just being on the roster is good enough for you. Otherwise, finding a

program, athletically, that will allow you to get a lot of playing time

might be at a "Realistic" School.

Being a "Big fish in a small pond," is something that will provide for

a great college experience. There are dozens of incredible academic

institutions that play at smaller divisions, Amherst, William and Mary

and all of the Ivy league schools.

You have heard or you will hear that "College is one of the best times

of your life." The great thing is that you can do many things to ensure

that you have an incredible experience.

Finally, have your "Fall Back" Schools. These are schools that you

would still enjoy attending, but they are not necessarily the first ones

that pop up in your head. They still combine the academics and

athletics and offer the expected experience.

Do your initial research on these schools, their location (Do you want to stay close to home or leave the state?), student

size, academic offering, players at your postition (How many? When are

they graduating?),etc. Your list and rankings may move around after

your research. Some schools may drop out and some new ones may be added.

Two sites where you can begin your research are:

CollegeBoard.com

NCAA.com

You have to work just as hard off the field, to find the right school, as you do on

the field.* *

One of the most important questions that you should ask

yourself when trying to select the right college is "If something were

to happen that prevented me from playing my sport in college, would

I still want to be at that school?"

Leveraging your sport to go to college is a great way to be a starter, get an education and have an incredible experience that will set the foundation for the rest of your life.

Once you have narrowed down your school options, the next step is letting them know that you are out there. The most efficient way is to create an online video profile with www.activerecruiting.com

Good luck!

College Recruiting Tip #1: NCAA Eligibility

guest — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:28:48 GMT

Michael Husted played professional football for eight years as a placekicker. He is also the co-creator of activerecruiting.net, an innovative online video recruiting tool that connects student athletes with coaches through the use of interactive video profiles.

So you want to play sports in college? Whether you’re an All-American, All- State, All- District or just a starter because you were left off those lists by mistake, in order to play at the next level there are mandatory procedures.

The NCAA considers a Prospective Student-Athlete as “someone who is looking to participate in intercollegiate athletics at an NCAA Division I or Division II institution in the future.” To play in college ALL Prospective Student-Athletes must sign up with the NCAA Eligibility Center.

As of August 1, 2008, NCAA Division I will require 16 core courses. Division II requires 14 core courses, but will increase to 16 core courses beginning August 1, 2013. View the NCAA Freshman Eligibility Standards Quick Reference Sheet for more information on these requirements.

This important step allows for college coaches to verify that you are eligible and provides them academic information on the student-athlete. You are encouraged to submit transcripts and test scores (SAT/ACT) for their review. You will be assigned a pin number that they can use to confirm this information.

Just like there are rules to follow in games, the NCAA is all about rules and guidelines to better serve student-athletes and their parents.

Once you have registered, it is time to let them know that you are out there. The internet is a great way to create exposure. Creating an online interactive video profile is a solid way to make that all important introduction to college coaches.

If you haven’t registered with the eligibility center, do so ASAP.

A Playbook for the Rest of Your Life

guest — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:57:04 GMT

Through my experience playing in the NFL and being a union

representative for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, I saw first-hand what

happens to athletes when their playing days come to an end and they

haven't prepared for their second career. A very small percentage of

athletes make it to the pros. Of those who do, a smaller percentage

play long enough to retire comfortably for the rest of their lives.

In the NFL alone, the average career is only 3.5 years. You don't qualify

to become an unrestricted free agent (where the big contracts are

usually signed) until you have played four years.

There are a lot of sad stories about pro athletes who didn't prepare themselves

enough for life after their sports career is over. Don't let that

happen to you. It is a long shot to play professional sports. However,

going to college, playing the sport you love and getting a great

education will provide you with an incredible experience that will carry

you through the rest of your life.

No matter what sport you play, your coach develops plays that you use to help the team win. Most

teams have a playbook. Being a student-athlete and trying to have a

game plan for college requires its own "playbook." The NCAA has done a

great job trying to take the burden off of athletes and parents by

creating a game plan to follow. The process to get into college can be

overwhelming. However, using the Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete is a very smart thing to do.

Have you gone to NCAAStudent.org site? It is a really cool interactive site.

It is essentially a playbook with information about being an NCAA

student-athlete.

The site itself was designed to look like a playbook. It is a three-ring binder that "is dedicated to helping you

understand the balance between academics and sports required of every

student-athlete for a successful life in school, and out. Here you can

learn about the NCAA, download the Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete, and discover how you can go pro in something other than sports."

When you go to the site, the first words that you read are: There are over

380,000 student-athletes, and just about every one of them will go pro

in something other than sports.

I really enjoy the emphasis that the NCAA has put on "going pro" in something other than sports. The

inside folder pocket has an envelope with pictures that open to the

television commercials they have played.

I certainly was not aware of the Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete

when I was in high school and there wasn't an interactive website for

me to review. The site and its design effectively simplify the

information.

This playbook discusses:

Amateurism-Eligibility Requirements
Academic-Eligibility Requirements
Core Course, GPA, Tests, Special Conditions
NCAA Eligibility Center
Questions to Ask as You Consider Colleges
Information for Parents and Guardians
Details for High School Counselors and Athletic Administrators
Recruiting Regulations

The media gives a lot of emphasis to professional athletes and thus every

kid wants to grow up to be one. I can tell you personally that although

it is a great experience, it sometimes is not all that it is cracked up

to be.

So check out the site, read it, download the playbook

and follow it. I am confident that if you follow the plays in this

playbook you will be successful.

The NFL Draft and College Recruiting

guest — Thu, 01 May 2008 19:45:47 GMT

This past weekend's NFL draft ended months of speculation, blogs, news stories, etc. The anticipation of the Draft for NFL hopefuls can be equated to College Recruiting and National Signing Day.

However, at each level, the roles that the two parties play are opposite to each other. In College Recruiting, the top athletes get to hold the College teams in suspense as they finalize their decisions. In the NFL, the top athletes wait in suspense to see which team will draft them.

Regardless, in the NFL there is a lot of due diligence that goes into deciding which player to draft. We are talking about millions of dollars and pride.

I believe that student-athletes and their parents should prepare accordingly before they "draft" their college/university. Although we are not talking about millions of dollars. We are talking about $100k+. Pride is always a factor at any level...

NFL teams look at players to see if they will fit their scheme well, both on offense and defense. How will they fit in the locker room? Will they be a good representative of the organization?

Student-athletes should look at colleges to see if they fit their academic/athletic scheme. Do they offer the desired academic programs? Is it a good athletic program where they will get significant playing time? How will they fit in the locker room? Will the degree from that college be a good representation of that student-athlete?

When I played for the Tampa Bay Bucs, I remembered Coach Tony Dungy saying (thankfully), "That this team will not be made up of the best skilled players at each position, but the best players at each position that provide team chemistry." All the talent in the world can not replace team chemistry. That is equivalent to the saying, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts."

That being said. Chemistry (not the class) should be a major factor for student-athletes when making their college decision .

Recruiting Realities

guest — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 05:23:05 GMT

There were some good articles in the New York Times recently about college recruiting and scholarship money. The series of articles definitely highlighted the somber tails that some

student-athletes experience. Like anything else, we usually only get to hear or

read about the top 1% who have success.

I believe that there needs to be a shift of thinking in the college recruiting

process, both by parents and student-athletes. As athletes we have pride. Sometimes

that pride serves us well and other times it can hurt us. Most of us expect or

hope for scholarships to play in college. Parents definitely hope for it and

think that we are the next best player since Tom Brady (Coincidently, he was a

6th round draft pick.)

Yes, college tuition is getting more expensive every year. Therefore, we feel that it is important to

get a scholarship. I know that I was looking to get one to help my parents. (I

was also hoping that if I got a scholarship out of high school, they would buy

me a Suzuki Samurai with wood paneling on the side.)

Neither happened. I ended up "walking on" at the University of Virginia and driving a beat up Ford

Pinto with no A/C. The summer after I graduated high school, I received a call

from Liberty University with an offer for a “full

ride.” I respectfully declined.

It should not be about “show(ing) me the money.” I understand

that there are some people that cannot go to college for financial reasons

unless they get an athletic scholarship.

However, for this discussion, the shift in mind set should be focused on the benefits of playing

college sports. Athletics offer more

long term benefits then tuition alone.

Pursuing sports in college can increases acceptance opportunities. Once there, just a few of the traits you

learn are:

Time management
Discipline
Team work
Self-Motivation
How to deal well with pressure

Those skills and a college

degree will ultimately land you with a great job when you graduate.

Many employers look first to student-athletes for the above mentioned

traits when hiring.

If fact there is even a website geared towards hiring student-athletes

out of high school: http://www.athletes4hire.com.

Read the series of articles in the NY Times .

Good luck!

My Story

guest — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 01:59:56 GMT

Going into my senior year of high school, I was starting to think about

the hard decision that I would have to make in choosing the right

college to continue playing football. Would it be Notre Dame or UCLA. I

expected there to be a few other big players, but those were my top two

choices. Do I go and play for Notre Dame and its elite program (at the

time.) Or do I follow my calling to go out west to California and play

for the Bruins. Both offered so many positives...

I went to high school in Hampton, Va. The Hampton Crabbers, yes, the

Crabbers, were a power house football team that consistently found

itself in the state championship. I was All-State kicker two years in a

row. We had won the state championship my sophomore and junior years.

However, we lost in the state finals my senior in a very close game to

T.C. Williams (Remember the Titans.) So, I thought that the schools

would be calling me non stop once the "contact period" began. So, I

waited....and waited...and waited. They never called. The national

signing day came and went. I was still without a college to attend.

I was completely unaware of how the recruiting process worked. I

thought that if I kicked well and that our team was great, the rest

would take care of itself. My parents didn't have a clue either. They

just wanted to see me get a college education and hopefully see me kick

at a few games. I found myself in the same situation that many

student-athletes find themselves. I wasn't being heavily recruited, but

I knew that I wanted to play at the next level. What was I going to do?

Where was I going to go?

Fortunately, I ended up walking on at the University of Virginia. My

coach, Mike Smith, had a big role in getting me there. I sometimes

wonder if he funneled me there. I had a few smaller schools interested

in me, but all of a sudden they stopped calling. I wasn't sure what

happened. Why did they stop calling? I think that he told them that I

wasn't interested.

Some coaches are great resources for their athletes. Most are not. However, there are many resources available today to help YOU to be pro ACTIVE in your search. One of them can be found at http://www.ncaastudent.org/.

There are recruiting services out there that offer to help find you

scholarships, but at a high cost. Then they end up giving you a booklet

and proceed to tell you that in order to get a scholarship you have to

do everything that is in the booklet. What's the secret inside this

book? YOU!

By using the work ethic that has allowed you to perform well on the

field, you have to work hard off the field to find the right college.

You need to take control of your future.

The recruiting process can be complex if you let others control it for

you. However, you can simplify it by doing research. The internet is a

great way to find valuable information. You can find the schools, their

athletic programs and in most cases the necessary contact info for the

coaches.

Here is what I recommend that you do:

Choose your dream schools, realistic schools and fall back schools (Some may overlap)
Ask yourself, if I wasn't playing a sport, would I want to go to that school? (Remember, there is an off-season)
Find out the situation for your position at those schools
Is the starter a senior?
What about the back ups?
How many people on the roster play your position?
Make sure that you have video ready to show them
Call the coach (You make the call, not your parents)
Prove to that coach that you are a great fit for their program
Be assertive and keep in contact (squeaky wheel gets the oil)