As an athlete, you are guaranteed to experience some kind of sports anxiety, better known as “choking,” that will affect your overall performance. The nervousness usually arises due the mind acknowledging that you are performing in front of an audience and that there are certain expectations you feel you must exceed. Whether it’s during a normal training day or the biggest game of the year, the bottom line is that the feelings are there and should be dealt with. Some people deal with it better than others, but for those that struggle under the conditions, there are methods to reduce, if not eliminate, that anxiety physically and mentally.
Understand that pre-performance butterflies are normal.
Don’t try to fight off these jitters. Instead, accept them and use them to excite yourself. This is a normal feeling of adrenaline that will fade away once the game or race begins.
Don’t rush.
Give yourself plenty of time to prepare for your performance. Arrive early, get a solid warm-up, and stay relaxed.
Visualize.
Mentally prepare yourself. Close your eyes, focus on taking slow, deep breaths, and imagine yourself performing well.
Stay in the moment.
Once the event begins, try not to think about the outcome. Instead, focus on what’s happening in the present. Take the performance one step at a time. Stay focused, positive, and have some fun!
Review the performance.
Once the event is over, acknowledge the overall performance. Notice things that you can improve on but don’t focus on them. Focus on the things you did well. Recognize the thoughts, behaviors, and actions that assisted your performance. Use your overall performance review, including the physical and mental aspects before and during the event, to train for the next race or game.
For athletes who “choke’ during competition, it is important to know that the thoughts you have regarding the event can be controlled with the appropriate mental exercises. It helps to understand why you experience those feelings and what you can do to treat them. Follow these basic tips and remember that it’s not all about performing perfectly. Learn from your experiences, use them to improve your game, and just enjoy your sport!
In today’s field of competition, having a solid game plan for athletics and academics is required for high school student-athletes to take their game to the next level. College recruiters are looking for skill both on and off the field. Fortunately, what may appear as two completely different categories actually can allow student-athletes to focus more effectively and perform well in both.
Athletics Improve Academics
Studies have proven that athletics improve academics. Physical activity advances brain function, concentration levels, behavior, self-esteem, and energy levels. Also, playing sports shows us the significance of commitment, cooperation, and can help reduce stress levels developed within the classroom. Everything you learn from athletics is applicable towards becoming a better student. In the area of college recruitment, you can use all of this to your advantage to stand out from the crowd.
Accomplish More Than You Think You Can
A great athlete has the potential to be a great student, and vice versa. Focus, discipline, and motivation are all essentials in the foundation of a strong athlete and student, and success does not exist without one of the three. If these qualities are already present within you, it is important that you apply these attributes to your entire life. You will achieve more than you’ve already achieved. Everyone possesses the ability to accomplish more than what he or she thinks is possible.
Enhance Your Future
Only a small percentage of high school athletes will actually find a career in professional sports. Regardless of this fact, all athletes can use the skills they learn in school to become successful for whatever their future holds. For example, thinking logically and quickly are abilities gained from the classroom that support a professional athletics career, as well as any career.
Success is a gift earned by those who strive for it. Use everything you learn from the books and from your athletic experiences to always improve who you are. Always remember, you carry the potential for greatness.
“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” – Mark Victor Hansen
In the National Football League, the most critical and talked about issue right now is concussions. Too often in the NFL, concussions are not being reported or players are going back on the field without sufficient amount of time to recover. But concussions aren’t only a problem in professional football; they are a problem in all sports. This is why I have listed below important information for every athlete to know about concussions.
What is a Concussion?
A concussion is a brain injury that occurs when there is an impact to the head. Concussions are temporary and usually take about 3-4 weeks to fully heal, but there are some incidents of prolonged effects after suffering a concussion. There are various symptoms associated with concussions. Some of the most common symptoms are:
-Nausea -Memory loss -Dizziness
-Headaches -Confusion -Loss of Consciousness
The Risks of Playing With a Concussion
Playing any given sport with a concussion poses very serious risk to your safety and health. It can prolong the amount of time you have the concussion and cause more frequent and intense symptoms. Also, playing with a concussion can cause long-term and even permanent brain damage. This is why it is so critical to allow yourself enough time to full recover from a concussion.
Take the Necessary Precautions
The only known cure to a concussion is rest. It is up to you to determine whether or not you are better and ready to play again. It’s very important to check up with a doctor and have him or her clear you to play again. It’s also crucial that coaches don’t push an athlete to perform when they are not better yet. This is one case where it is especially essential to listen to your body and not push yourself to the extreme.
The most important thing to remember when it comes to concussions is that you can never be too cautious. Athletes, parents, coaches and teammates must all do their part to make sure that proper care and recovery is taken and no one is being pushed to perform when they shouldn’t.
Working towards a goal or a dream can be incredibly taxing. We understand our clients are working towards the goal of playing their sport in college. Early practices, late practices, double sessions, weight training and more, plus academics, work and a social life are a lot to fit in for the student athlete. Many athletes do an excellent job of creating a balance of the many demands in their life. But sometimes, becoming burnt-out may seem unavoidable. Below you’ll find some tips to avoid the burn out and keep that balance going in your life.
Check In With Yourself
Only you can know if you’re headed for a burnout. Every now and then, do a mental check-in to make sure your head is still in the game and you’re still on the path you want. Are you overtired? Are you stressed out? Is your schedule out of control? Take some time to do inventory of your day to day life and ensure you are happy and still working towards a goal without overworking yourself.
There is much debate on specializing within the world of student athletes. Essentially, there are two schools of thought. Some may argue that only focusing on one sport is the best way to ensure a college roster spot, while others say playing multiple sports looks best to coaches. Many, however, will agree that playing multiple sports helps to avoid the burnout. If you like soccer and baseball, play both if possible. The switch between sports can help to avoid a burnout and shows coaches dedication on another level as well as an ability to balance. To learn more about the importance of multiple sports, click here.
Take a Break
While there is the opportunity to play your sport year round between club teams, camps and high school, it is important to take some time off. Take a few days or even a week to rest your body and mind. When you get back to your sport and training you will feel that much more energized!
Reassess ad Reorganize
Sometimes you don’t just need a break, but you need to shake things up completely. Would getting your workouts in in the morning free up more time for homework at night? Is it really necessary to stay out really late on Friday night to be dragging for Saturday morning practice? Along with checking in with yourself, sometimes you need to reorganize and prioritize things in your training plan. This can range from checking how you are fueling your body to what time makes the most sense for you to squeeze in a weight training session so you still have a social life. See what works for you!
Enjoy
It’s pretty hard to burn out on fun. As long as you are enjoying the journey as a student athlete, keep working hard. Some athletes may never feel burnt out. As long as you’re still enjoying yourself and training the best you can, keep moving towards your goals!
Additional Resources
If you are feeling stressed about the College Sports Preparation process then contact us for advice and sign up for our free guide HERE to learn more about the process and action items to take
Coach Brett Klika is the Director of Athletic Performance at Todd Durkin’s Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego, CA. He specializes in youth fitness and athletic performance, overseeing a staff of 8 strength coaches developing programs for over 300 youth per week, both athletes and non-athletes. In addition to coaching, Brett currently authors for a variety of publications, produces DVD’s on fitness and athletic performance and presents around the world on topics in fitness, wellness, and sports performance. Brett can be reached at brett@fitnessquest10.com
If you’re involved in female athletics, you may have heard of the alarming rate at which women are getting injured. Of particular concern is the disproportionate number of knee injuries in women versus men.
Current statistics indicate that women tear their Anterior Cruciate Ligament 8 times more often than men do. This is the dreaded “ACL” injury we often hear about. The post-injury process for this involves surgery and a slow, painful six to nine month rehab period, which can be both mentally and physically difficult for the athlete. Research has indicated that those who have an ACL injury are statistically more likely to do it again, as well as have problems with pain and limited mobility later in life. All of the above make a strong case for creating and implementing an effective strategy for prevention.
In order to create a prevention program, however, you must find out the cause of the problem. Aye, there’s the rub. The theories as to why women get this injury more than men are varied and numerous, so much so that the attempt to create a prevention strategy has become diluted. While women continue to get hurt at an alarming rate, coaches, parents, and trainers do very little in regards to specific prevention strategies. It’s time to get our heads out of the sand, review the facts, quit clutching to cultural epithets, and stop our girls from getting hurt. The problem with prevention is not an inability of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament; it’s our inability in Applying Credible Logic. To prevent Dr. Andrews from Alabama, we need Dr. Spock from Vulcan (homage to pro-sports insiders and Star Trek fans. An unlikely pairing, I know).
Here are a few prevalent theories in regards to the increased propensity in ACL injuries amongst women (trust me, there are MANY more related to female anatomy and physiology, but these are some of the more popular):
Women’s ACLs are smaller.
The connective tissue softens in relation to a female’s menstrual cycle.
An increased “Q” angle creates greater force at the knees.
Many females lack development of the VMO muscle.
Because of biomechanical differences in ankle, hip, and spine orientation, females tend to be quad dominant.
Females tend to decelerate movement in a more risk-oriented manner.
Females do not have the same lean muscle mass and strength as males.
Overtraining causes mental and physical fatigue, reducing the neuromuscular system’s ability to control the body.
While researchers can argue about which of the above contributes to an ACL injury, it is clear that all of these factors contribute. The only speculation is to what degree each contributes to the injury. Some can be modified, some cannot. Females are different from males.Let’s apply some credible logic here. If I were 5’4” and wanted to play in the NBA, I wouldn’t spend my time trying to figure out why my chances of success are slimmer. I already know that. Nor would I spend time hanging upside down trying to get taller. I would address every logical thing I knew I could do to increase my likelihood for success. It’s the same for females and ACL injuries. A different biomechanical structure is going to create a different foundation for function. It’s not fair, I know. While you can’t change bones, you can change things like strength, coordination, fitness, balance, and neuromuscular movement patterns. If these are optimal, it is possible to minimize risk. If we could cut down the propensity of female ACL injuries to even that of two times the rate of men, that would be quite a few more girls finishing seasons and growing up to be happy, healthy, pain-free adults.
Due to our refusal to admit that women are different than men, coaches continue to train the girls like they would the boys. Even though certain biomechanical propensities create an increased risk of injury for women, they continue to reinforce these propensities through hours and hours of practice. Applying credible logic once again, if it has been found that the way women tend to decelerate increases likelihood for injury, wouldn’t you want to address this movement pattern from a biomechanical proficiency standpoint? You could, maybe, practice doing it correctly and improve the various components of the movement related to stability such as strength, coordination, balance, and power. This would suggest that a woman’s practice may have a specific component of injury prevention different from that of a manA famous study out of the Santa Monica Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Research Foundation found that with a specific protocol designed to address biomechanical and neuromuscular deficiencies in female soccer players, they were able to observe an overall injury reduction of 88%. When you work on the things that are weak, you decrease injury. I would say that’s pretty credible logic.
I’ve worked with thousands of young female athletes and have seen the knocked knees, “straight up” running posture, tight ankles, interiorly tilted pelvis, inability to use glute muscles, and straight legged stopping technique. I once worked with a soccer team in which less than half the girls couldn’t do a bodyweight lunge. Logic would dictate that a problem would arise when you throw those girls onto a field with varied playing surface, running at full speed against an unpredictable opponent. They can’t even demonstrate appropriate mastery over their body weight in a completely inert, predictable environment! Using logic as my guide, I created a program for our young female athletes that helps “un-knock” their knees, maintain a lower running stance, increase glute strength, and improve the movement pattern of deceleration. In addition, by improving their general coordination, strength, and, we decrease the likelihood that they will encounter a force that is either too great a magnitude or too high in frequency for them to control.
Even with this carefully designed program, I have seen ACL injuries. Applying it to thousands of athletes over 10 years however, I can count the number of injured girls on one hand; there have been two. One of them had a girl land on her leg while she was on the ground; the other was playing field hockey in mud and slipped. Had the thousands of girls mentioned just gone on with no logical intervention, who knows how many of them would be hobbled on crutches on the sidelines.
As you can see, due to a variety of factors, females are at greater risk for ACL injuries than men. We need to accept that fact and apply some “A.C.L.” to minimize these injuries. Coaches, parents, and trainers need to take the facts and work them. Assess what has worked for others and apply it. Address the differences in male and female athletes, don’t ignore them. Let’s make sure our female athletes can play hard, live long, and prosper!
It is very easy to get caught up in training for your sport and day to day activities and not pay much attention to what you are putting into your body. As a steeplechaser for UCLA Track & Field (First Team All-Academic Pac-10), I often went through my day without planning meals or giving nutrition much thought at all. As an athlete, you put in countless hours of training with a lot at stake and it makes sense to maximize your chances of success in all ethical ways. On a larger scale, it’s surprising that the benefits of protecting one’s health is one of the most widely known and also blatantly ignored truths of human existence.
The good news is that it is relatively easy to take your health to the next level and some of the benefits to you will be a stronger immune system, increased energy levels, quicker recover and improved brain function. Here are six nutritional tips you can utilize to give yourself the “slight edge” over your competition and feel increased strength and vitality along the way.
1. Establish the habit of drinking 10oz purified water first thing in the morning and steadily throughout the day. Ideally you should shoot for half of your body weight in ounces daily (i.e. if you weigh 150lbs – 75 ounces daily is a great standard). Adding fresh lemon or lime to your water is also a great practice and has an alkalizing effect.
2. You’ve heard it your whole life and here it is…the #1 health habit you could ever develop… eat six serving of vegetables daily. Why? They are water based and rich in antioxidants which help to prevent oxidative damage (aging) of your cells. You should also regularly include three low-sugar members from the fruit category; avocado, tomato and bell peppers and AVOID mushrooms and corn.
3. Dark leafy greens, such as spinach, are made of chlorophyll and heal and cleanse your organs while destroying harmful substances. Greens promote bodily homeostasis, give you lots of insoluble fiber that rids your body of toxins, and greens are alkaline which promotes healthy cells. If you are not eating a salad daily, you are likely suffering from nutritional deficiencies which will prevent you from tapping into all of your potential.
4. Processed carbohydrates are largely to blame for our countries health woes. Fast food, instant everything, enriched bleached flour, chips, bagels and baked goods are marketed to us incessantly and are convenient choices. The problem with these high-glycemic “foods” is that they spike your blood sugar levels, cause chronic inflammation to
the arteries and leave you hungry for more when your blood sugar rapidly drops back down. When you make low-glycemic food choices a foundation of your diet you will have sustainable energy throughout your day.
5. Take a pharmaceutical grade, highly bioavailable multi-vitamin – even if your diet is ideal. There are 1000’s of studies demonstrating the tremendous benefits of optimizing your nutrition with a complete vitamin and mineral supplement. The tangible benefits are maximizing your energy levels, shortening recovery periods, avoiding sickness,
and performing at a peak level. This is a must have to reach your athletic potential and scale your career.
6. Educate yourself to raise your consciousness about nutrition. You will find it very empowering to know the benefits of your little bit of extra effort and attention. Some great books on the topic are “The pH Miracle,” “Healthy for Life,” and “The Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements.” Incorporating even one of these habits into your daily routine will have a tremendous benefit to you in your athletic endeavors and beyond. Incorporating all of them into your active and athletic lifestyle will put your health above and beyond your peers, enable you to maximize your athletic talents and most importantly, will drastically reduce your chances of developing chronic degenerative
disease. You will find that when your health and energy levels improve, your athletic performance and every other area of your life will improve simultaneously. Also, the positive influence that you will have for those in your peer group will have an impact greater than you know. So I challenge you, to give yourself the “slight edge” of optimal nutrition and you will reap the benefits immediately and for the rest of your life.
Are you looking to feel more confident as you look to prepare for college sports and the recruiting process? At SportsForce we hear many different questions, opinions and stories from student-athletes, parents and coaches all the time.
Here are some of the most common college sports recruiting questions our staff receives:
What do we need to do and when do we need to do it?
What about the SAT, ACT, financial aid, NCAA Eligibility Center, etc…
Here are two simple and proven ACTION STEPS you can use today to begin taking control of your sports career and college sports goals.
Step 1: Student-athlete assessment
ACTION ITEMS:
1. Ask yourself “What type of college experience am I looking for?”
Attention student-athletes:
You need to reflect on what type of experience you are looking for. Write your thoughts down in a casual format (bullet points are fine) and be able to verbalize what type of college experience you are looking for.
Attention parents:
We recommend parents asking this question and letting your son or daughter answer this question with no undue pressure. See if your student-athlete can describe the type of experience they are looking for.
GOAL = To get a clear idea of what college experience you want as a student-athlete.
2. What are your key college decision factors?
Create a list of all of the key decision factors and give 1 to 5 points for each decision factor (5 being an extremely important decision factor). We recommend doing this on a spreadsheet and then ranking the potential colleges you are interested in by using this system to create an overall point total for each school.
Potential decision factors including: Academics (Majors offered, career development, alumni), Athletics (level of competition, W/L record, tradition), Social environment, Size of school, Public vs. Private, Cost, Location, Coaching Staff, Intuition (gut feeling, emotional connection)
GOAL = To have a proven ranking and college decision making system to know what potential colleges you are really interested in.
To accelerate your education on the college sports preparation and recruiting process I recommend signing up for our FREESportsForce College Sports Recruiting Guide.
To get access to more advanced college recruiting tips, strategies and advice visit our website and RESOURCES section.
The SportsForce team, which is comprised of former college and professional athletes and coaches, is relentlessly committed to providing an ongoing education to help you best navigate your journey as a student-athlete, parent or coach.
Article courtesy of SportsForce, Home for professional and affordable College Sports Recruiting Tools, Tips, Online Profiles, Highlight Videos and Premium Services.
Many athletes and coaches have a misconception of functional training – incorporating the latest and greatest equipment like BOSU balls, balance discs, and kettle bells does not automatically make a program functional. Such pieces of equipment are great tools to use in training, but the design of the workout, not the exercises, make a program functional. Functional training is purposeful training – it involves assessing current needs of an athlete (fitness level, injuries, muscle imbalances, etc) and creating specific strategies to address those needs.
1) Three-Dimensional Training. Every time your foot hits the ground, the muscles in your body are either accelerating (increasing speed of movement) or decelerating (slowing movement) in all three planes of motion (sagittal, frontal, and transverse – see figure below). Training in only one plane (e.g. working on the leg extension machine) will not prepare you for the nature of sport. Keys of Functional Training
2) Training Movements, not the Muscles. Coaches often use the thought process that if running involves the quads, hamstrings, and calves, they should work those muscles to increase strength, thus improving running performance. Name any sport, though, in which you only move an isolated joint . . . darts is the only one that comes to mind and most people train for that by doing the 12-ounce can curl. Multi-joint movements are essential in training since the body moves that way in sport – it is more applicable to consider training movements, such as ankle, knee, and hip extension, rather than each muscle independently. The lunge reach matrix (below) is an example of an exercise that trains these movements in all three planes.
Rehab United Physical Therapy and Sports Performance Center (RU) specializes in a progressive approach to evaluation, rehabilitation, injury prevention and performance training. We also provide massage therapy, ART, orthotic fittings, and nutrition counseling to offer the most comprehensive fitness and wellness program in San Diego. Our licensed Physical Therapists and certified Strength & Conditioning Coaches ensure success by training the body the way it was intended to move and creating strategies that improve movement patterns, not just individual muscles.
Stay tuned for Part II including Transformation and Overload
When someone goes on a job interview, they often buy new clothes, get a haircut, and maybe even shed a few pounds, in hopes of making a good first impression to a potential future boss.
The idea of making a good first impression also holds true for the approximately 330 college football players who were invited to workout at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis from Feb. 24-Mar. 2. Each athlete undergoes extensive mental and physical evaluations by the personnel of all 32 NFL teams, which serves as their job interview for the 2010 NFL Draft on April 22-24.
In an effort to get into optimal physical and mental condition for the Combine, most athletes go through a pre-Combine training program, which is geared toward improving their draft position. The difference in getting selected in the first round versus the second round is literally millions of dollars. For other athletes, a good showing at the Combine can mean the difference between being selected on the first day of the Draft instead of the second day or being drafted at all.
Most pre-Combine programs have a similar goal of providing comprehensive physical and mental training specifically geared toward the numerous drills conducted at the Combine. Standard amenities generally include strength and speed training, learning position-specific skills, usually from former NFL coaches and players, as well as access to a nutritionist, massage and physical therapists and more.
Where the programs vary is the path a facility takes to achieve this shared goal. Selecting the proper training program has become an important part of the NFL pre-draft process and numerous Valley-based facilities rank among the elite.
Command Performance
No Valley-based facility has made more of an impact on the NFL Draft than Athlete’s Performance Institute, which began offering Combine training in 2001. Their clientele list reads like a who’s who of NFL players, as founder Mark Verstegen and his crew have trained 257 draft picks, including 53 first rounders and the last four number one overall picks.
API offers 28 specialists that focus on speed, strength, nutrition, position specific, chiropractic, physical therapy and on-site meal preparation by a culinary team. They also provide a specialist for the Wonderlic Exam, the 50-question aptitude test given to all NFL draft prospects, and a media specialist, who works with the athletes on improving their interview skills and dealing with the media.
API has four facilities nationwide. In 2009, its Arizona facility relocated from Tempe to its current luxurious location in North Phoenix. This facility is as high end as they come and offer too many amenities to list in their entirety.
This year’s class of 22 NFL hopefuls include former Sun Devils Chris McGaha and Dexter Davis as well as Notre Dame wide receiver Golden Tate and Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.
A Combine pioneer
Warren Anderson, executive director of the Phoenix-based Make Plays.com Center for Human Performance is considered a pioneer of Combine training when he began his program in 1985 at the urging of Bruce Allen, now the Washington Redskins general manager.
“We worked together in the USFL,” Anderson recalled. “Then Bruce went into the agent business and I was just starting up in the training business. He told me I should consider doing Combine training for his athletes, so he could offer them a competitive advantage.”
Anderson has nearly 30 years experience and, along with his team of former NFL coaches and players, work toward improving football skills through the Makeplays Combine Training Program where athletes train twice a day, 5 – 6 days a week. Since launching combine training, Anderson has worked with more than 500 players that were drafted in the NFL, including 41 first-round draft picks.
No Doubt
Another major player in pre-Combine training is Brett Fischer of Phoenix-based Fischer Sports Physical Therapy and Conditioning. The facility is well known for its work with baseball players but for more than 10 years, Fischer has partnered with Will Sullivan to train an average of 10-15 players per year through his No Doubt! Football, NFL Combine Training Camp.
While Fischer has trained five first-round picks and six-second-round picks, he has established his reputation for training many unheralded players and turning them into higher than expected picks.
“These are the kind of guys I like working on,” said Fischer, who has more than 20 years of sports conditioning and rehabilitation experience. “I’m not downplaying the importance of also working with the first-round picks but it’s also important to find the guys that no one projected very high that go and do well.”
Fischer also prides himself on 40-yard dash training as many athletes he worked with went on to set Combine records.
Diamonds in the rough
Other NFL Combine training options include Triple Threat Performance in Tempe, which will train more than 20 athletes this year and is growing its reputation in this area. Triple Threat boasts former Olympian Dan O-Brien on its coaching staff.
The IKEI Performance NFL Draft Preparation Program is limited to 10 players each year. Founder Chad Ikei has more than 20 years of experience and a background in strength and power sports. IKEI Performance has locations in Scottsdale and Chandler.
Speed specialists know about Mo Streety, who has worked with athletes for 11 years. Players he has worked with include Darrelle Revis, Roddy White and Terrell Suggs.
Coach Gary Zauner was an NFL special teams coach for 13 years including with the Arizona Cardinals. He has carved out a niche for working with punters, kickers and long snappers and holds annual camps in Scottsdale to prepare prospects for the NFL Draft.
With millions of dollars potentially at stake, making a great impression at the NFL Combine and ensuing Pro Day workouts have taken on greater importance. Leading up the NFL Draft, many players will climb up the rankings of prospects, as they gain favor in the eyes of those who have scrutinized their very move. And once the names are called on April 22, smiles will come across the faces of many Valley-based sports performance professionals knowing they played an important role in prepping members of the Class of 2010 for their chance at a career in the NFL.
Note: This story originally ran in the February issue of MVP Magazine, the first ever interactive digital sports magazine. Read the current of MVP Magazine at www.mvptoday.com
The GAME has changed! The fact is, the college recruiting process has changed dramatically over the last 10 years and understanding how to play the game is important.
The college recruiting process is often misunderstood by many parents, student-athletes, coaches and fans. Are you a sports parent or a high school student-athlete who is asking yourself “How do I maximize my recruiting exposure to college coaches?” If so, you are not alone. This is a very common issue across the country that we often help student-athletes and families proactively address at SportsForce.
In this article you will learn more on how to introduce yourself to a college coach, what type of recruiting events to consider and gain an understanding of how video and the Internet are radically changing the recruiting process. At the end of this article you will have an opportunity to sign up for our complimentary SportsForce College Recruiting Guide to learn more keys to college recruiting success. See link at the end of the article.
Step 4: Get Evaluation in person: Target Key Recruiting Events
Identify key recruiting tournaments that some of your target colleges will attend
Email coaches your online profile link, team name, schedule and jersey # before the showcase to make sure you are evaluated
Potentially attend a few college camps for specific exposure to that program
Step 5: Get quality video, online profile & share
Video is key, college coaches don’t have the time to see every player
Create a custom highlight video to showcase your skills (3 – 5 min. long)
Create an online profile to add your athletic, academic and recruiting information
Here is an example profile and highlight video of one of our senior clients Nick Melka that recently committed to Columbia University to play football. Nick and his family were proactive in the process and were able to maximize his exposure and generate significant interest from many of his top college choices.
To get more advanced recruiting tips, strategies and advice visit our website and sign up for our complimentary SportsForce College Recruiting Guide and updates below.
FREE sign up for SportsForce College Recruiting Guide:
Article courtesy of SportsForce, Home for professional College Sports Recruiting Profiles, Highlight Videos, Tips and Tools – www.sportsforceonline.com
