Active Community: Message List

Re: Recruiting Season

Michael Husted — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 03:42:44 GMT

Ryan,

I noticed that you participated in the Detroit Semi Final for the Combine Series. I run that event. You kicked well. Do you have any game video ready for coaches to view? We will be adding your Semi Final video very soon to your ActiveRecruiting profile Then you can upload game video to compliment the combine video. We will also be coming out with rankings soon for the Combine Series and sending that out to all of the coaches.

I recommend reading my blog about marketing yourself. http://community.active.com/blogs/collegerecruiting

You can contact me via email as well: michael.husted@activenetwork.com

Good luck.

Michael

College Recruiting Tip #1: NCAA Eligibility

Michael Husted — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:31:06 GMT

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.

Recruiting Preparation with the NCAA

Michael Husted — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:58:38 GMT

Through my experience playing in the NFL and being a union

representative for the Tampa Bay Bucs, I saw first hand what happens to

athletes when their career comes 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 (that is 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 with an incredible experience that will

carry you through the rest of your life.

Do you have a play book to help you prepare for college?

No matter what sport you play, your coach will develop plays that you

learn and use to help the team win. Most teams will have a play book.

Being a student-athlete and trying to have a game plan for college

requires its own "play book". 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 over whelming. 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 play

book with information about being an NCAA Student-Athlete.

The site itself was designed to look like a play book. 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:

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 tv commercials that they have played. I

really like these tv spots and they get a lot of air time during the

Football Bowl Game season and the NCAA Hoops tournament.

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 play book discusses:

Amateurism-Eligibility Requirements
Academic-Eligibility Requirements

Division I
Division II
Division III

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

So check out the site, read it, down load the Play Book and follow it.

I am confident that if you follow the plays in this play book you will

be successful.

Re: Best Time to Contact Coaches

Michael Husted — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:42:30 GMT

I agree. In my initial post, I was referring to initial contact. If you are truly interested in a school and honestly believe that you are a good fit with their athletic program you should contact them several times. Don't be aggressive, but assertive. "Squeaky wheel gets the oil."

Re: SON IS SLOW

Michael Husted — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:04:55 GMT

His 40 time can definitely increase. Some of it will be natural as he grows over the next few years and some will come with hard training. What kind of workouts does he do? Is he training with anyone? Plyometrics, speed drills and consistency should help him improve his time.

Sliding on Sport Turf vs Dirt

Michael Husted — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:43:06 GMT

Is there a big difference sliding on sport turf compared to the "old school" dirt? I was at a local high school recently and notice that the only dirt was on the mound. I know that when I played football on artificial turf, it was easy to get "turf burn." Sport turf is a little different form Astro turf, but it seems like it would still leave a mark...I don't know if I would dive head first.

Re: Athletic Scholarships and Financial Aid

Michael Husted — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:31:52 GMT

The reality is that in softball, the number of scholarships are small. Of those, many are divided among teammates. So you should be preparing to have to pay for college. With that being said, there are a lot of resources to find Financial Aid to compliment or suppliment a scholarship. Spending some time research possibilties could ultimately save you thousands of dollars. People can be hired to help you, but they come with a hefty price tag and you are still required to do a lot of the work...

Here are some reasources to look into:

COLLEGE PLANNING RESOURCES

AZ Commission for Post Secondary Education\

Expan www.college.org\

The Sallie Mae Fund\

CollegeNET\

Collegequest\

SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH & FINANCIAL AID

All Scholar - free scholarship search\

College Goal Sunday\

Free Application for Federal Student Aid\

FastWeb - Scholarship and College Search\

FinAid - Student guide to financial aid \

Scholarship Resource Network Express\

Like most things, if you would like to do it right, you probably have to it yourself...Get out there an make it happen.

Re: Best Time to Contact Coaches

Michael Husted — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:11:38 GMT

Usually by the spring time of your senior year, many colleges have made their decisions on recruits. That being said, your Junior year will be a key season. Your sophomore season will be important to get on their radar. I have heard mixed results about showcases/tournaments. However, I understand that the right ones are excellent for softball.

It is important to make a strong first impression to colleges. With the use of technology, you can efficiently introduce yourself to college coaches. Having quality video that is easy for them to navigate will allow you to get on their radar. Once they know who you are, they can make an effort to watch you play. Many coaches know ahead of time who they want to see at a tournament. If they are going to be there, why not put yourself in a postition to be seen as well.

Combine Series

Michael Husted — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 15:18:10 GMT

Welcome to the new Combine Series Community powered by Active.com. This forum will allow you to share your experience about the event and communicate with each other to learn more about competing under pressure. We believe the Combine Series is a great way to get experience through competition. It is a great tool to learn how to handle pressure and to see how people from around the country are doing under the same conditions. Going into our 3rd year we believe that with our network of Kicking Associates we can offer you a platform to learn, compete, promote and prepare yourself to kick at the next level. Enjoy and Good luck.

College Recruiting

Michael Husted — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:14:19 GMT

What has been the best way to get exposure in the softball community for colleges? Each sport is different.

I have heard showcases are good. Tournaments too. How effective are videos, especially for the smaller schools that can't travel to the big tournaments?