Tips for the College Recruiting Process

**This column appeared in the Argus Leader on Jan. 26, 2016.

If there is a question I am frequently asked by parents, it is about whether their child can play college football. Parents are hopeful that their kids can play at the college level, and they are generally attuned to the many challenges of getting to play college ball. Dealing with academics and college finances is part of the big picture, but with National Signing Day fast approaching, parents and athletes are focused on college recruiting.

The Argus Leader recently ran an article discussing the difficulties faced by high school athletes in rural areas or from smaller schools who want to play college ball. How do they get the opportunity to play college ball? What things can families do to assist the process? There are many things for parents and athletes to consider in their quest to play at the college level.

1) The time to focus is during an athlete’s sophomore or junior year of high school. Beware of programs touted for very young kids that promise opportunities for youth to get seen and recruited. They are often expensive and don’t deliver on the promise of college scholarships.

2) Recruiting services are "money-traps." Unless an athlete wants to go to schools on the East or West coasts, coaches will see your athlete. Even if an athlete wants to get out of the Midwest, it's possible to self-promote just as effectively as any recruiting agency. With the technology and other resources available to athletes, they can make sure that coaches see what they have to offer without having to pay thousands of dollars to an unknown agency.

3) College camps have become a recruiting camp in many senses, but it is still a very effective way to let coaches see athletes firsthand and see the skills that they offer. College camps can let the coaches assess talent compared with other athletes, and it gives the coaches a chance to get to know your athlete. If athletes are considering attending a big school, then they should expect a lot of kids at that school’s camp. Many athletes have the same aspirations, but it is still a great chance to be in front of the coaches. This is a much better option when compared to recruiting firms or camps that are purely for profit.

4) Only attend combines and recruiting events that will have active college coaches in attendance. Many combines and all-star games will promise that there will be college coaches in attendance, when in fact there will not be anyone present. Do not be afraid to ask coaches if they will be in attendance or if someone from their staff will be there.

5) High school coaches are great assets for the recruiting process. High school coaches will receive a great deal of literature from colleges. Make sure that your coach knows that you have a goal of playing college football and at what level. Coaches can also make it known to the college coaches what an athlete’s goals are, and they can assist you with getting "seen" by the college coaches.
Families have to consider travel and cost. Consider whether traveling to a college camp on the West Coast is going to be something that will help your recruiting process, or whether the camp is "just for the experience." There are a large number of camps and opportunities, and things can add up quickly. This is still on top of all the events that your high school team may be participating in, family events, and individual training. Set a budget and then map out the camps that you think will fit into that budget.

6) Make sure that you are taking the necessary steps to become an eligible athlete. Athletes need to perform well on their ACT test, possess a solid GPA, register with the Clearinghouse, develop a realistic financial aid plan and consider state or private schools. All of these are things families need to consider and plan for in the recruiting process.

The key to a positive and productive college recruiting process is to know what level of play is realistic for an athlete and then to find connections and opportunities to get seen by programs that would be a good fit. Remember, academics are the most important fit, and football is part of the bigger picture. Review your options, discuss with coaches, and plan ahead to find realistic and beneficial opportunities for your athlete.

'Concussion' Gives Opportunity for Discussion

**This column appeared in the Argus Leader on Dec. 21, 2015.

You will be hearing a great deal about safety in the sport of football with the Christmas release of the movie, “Concussion.”

The movie centers around still-developing scientific research regarding the long-term effects of concussions on football players. Hopefully this will prompt families to engage in discussions about safety in all of youth sports.

Many families will see this movie and wonder if they should let their child play football at all. Obviously, football has been a huge part of my own life, so I am strongly in favor of letting kids play the game. That being said, I also support the ongoing research and efforts to improve player safety and minimize the risks of injury.

Parents have always wrestled with the decision of whether or not to let their kids play football, hockey and other contact sports. If they let their kids play, what age would be the best to begin? Should they have their child play flag football instead of tackle football? What helmet should their child wear? Is the coach teaching correct tackling form? Are the league and officials doing their best to protect kids? Concussions are very serious, and we continue to strive to create a safer game, but are concussions the only safety factor that we need to consider? Should the risk of injury prevent kids from participating in football at all?

Research tells us there are risks to playing football. Science has come a long way in measuring the effects of concussions on athletes in all contact sports. As a result, the sport is evolving to improve fundamentals and training for athletes. While it is impossible to eliminate the risk of injury for athletes in contact sports, there are things we can do to help minimize the risk and still expose our kids to the many benefits of youth sports.

Ultimately, parents need to decide what is acceptable for their athlete. How does a parent do this? Be informed about the risks, and ask questions of the coaches and directors of youth programs.

● Is my child being trained using the newest, safest standards for the sport?

● What kind of training have coaches received on player safety? Is correct tackling technique being worked on every day?

● What is the team protocol if my child is injured during practice or a game?

● What is the coaching philosophy for working with young athletes?

● Is the coach organized and using drills that are incorporated within the structure of practice, or is the coach using hard-hitting drills to waste practice time?

● Are the athletes excited and moving around, rather than standing and listening to someone lecture the entire practice?

● Are all facets of the game being taught in the limited practices? Not just practicing plays, but teaching tackling, blocking, alignment, special teams, etc.

● Is the team atmosphere healthy and focused on learning while having fun?

● Is your athlete physically able to keep up with his/her teammates?

● Is your athlete mentally and physically ready for the things which he/she will be asked to do?

In football, it is critical for kids to learn proper fundamentals for tackling. It is extremely important that their learning coincides with their physical development. This is why many kids start with flag football and progress into tackle football as they develop strength and technique. Adjusting to the use of equipment is necessary and encouraged with young athletes, but all contact should be controlled and limited by coaches until they are confident in the athlete’s skills and comfort level.

Parents can not rush physical development by forcing an athlete into a sport they are not ready to play. The athlete’s lack of ability will be shown physically and mentally, and that is when the risk of injury increases. Flag football allows the athlete to grow and mature, while at the same time becoming confident and mentally prepared to eventually take that next step into tackle football. Communication and trust between parents and coaches is critical to this process.

While much of the conversation from the movie will center on the risk of injury in contact sports, don’t lose sight of other important points of consideration. We all want our kids to experience the many physical and mental benefits of being part of youth sports, and with proper training and support, kids can be involved in football but minimize the risk of serious long-term injury. Be informed about the science and the sport, ask questions about the programs you are considering for your athlete, and ultimately, make the decisions that are the best fit for your family.

How Do You Define Success?

**This column appeared in the Argus Leader on October 28, 2015.

As the high school football season winds down and teams head into playoffs, we tend to measure the value of a successful season in terms of who stays alive to win a championship. Under that standard, only one team feels that it experienced a successful season, and that is especially unfortunate when it comes to youth football.

There are many benchmarks that can measure whether your season has been successful. An honest reflection on the season is the key to understanding your accomplishments and building on them. Whether you are the athlete, parent or coach, remind yourself that winning is important, but it is not the only way to define success.

Athletes:

Ask yourself what things you have learned during the season. Did you learn new skills on the field? Were you a good teammate? Hopefully you developed more confidence in your abilities and in doing your part for the team.

Were there times when you needed to show respect and good sportsmanship to the people around you? That is very difficult at times for athletes who are trained to be highly competitive. It is definitely a sign of success when you conduct yourself with pride and respect for officials and opposing teams, even under difficult circumstances.

Can you think of times where you faced challenges and you kept a positive attitude? That is also an important consideration for success. Most importantly for athletes, did you have fun practicing and playing with your teammates? If you enjoyed your season and gave your best effort, then you should definitely measure your season as successful.

Parents:
The biggest question for parents is whether or not you did your very best in your role as the biggest fan for your athlete. Did you find ways to encourage and support your child whether they were winning or losing? Your job is to be a positive role model and cheer for your child, so ideally, you spent most of the season leading by example to your young athlete.

It can be extremely easy to lose sight of team dynamics and the bigger picture when you want so badly for your child to excel. Part of what parents have to do is nurture their athletes through the ups and downs of the season. The season’s grind takes a toll on everyone, so if you can honestly reflect on things and say you kept a positive tone with your athlete and helped them work through daily challenges, you did your part.

One of the most difficult things for parents is to stay away from the "blame game" with referees, coaches, leagues, other teams, etc. When things aren’t going well, we sometimes slip into that mentality, so if you were able to promote positive thinking and stay away from blaming others for the season’s challenges, it was absolutely a successful season.

Coaches:

Of course, coaches want to win, but some of the winningest programs don’t have healthy atmospheres for young athletes. As a coach, can you look back at the season and see that your team improved each week? Did you set practice and performance goals for your athletes? Did you achieve those goals? Improvement for young athletes is incremental, and often they take one step forward and two steps back as they learn the sport and the many skills required of them on the field. If you can see that your team worked together under your leadership every week to learn and improve, then your youth football season was successful.

Did you instill a sense of team pride in your athletes? Were you able to encourage them to learn and have fun without yelling or losing your temper? That is not always easy in youth sports, so hopefully you established a positive atmosphere for your athletes and provided an appropriate balance of learning and discipline. Coaches have a tremendous impact on their athletes’ confidence and mentality, and I’m continually impressed at the devotion of volunteer coaches to creating a great experience for their teams.

We often refer to an undefeated season as a "perfect season," but I’m going to tell you there is no such thing as a perfect season. Every season has its challenges for athletes, parents and coaches, and a huge part of sports is learning to overcome those challenges. The best thing we can do is assess how we contribute to the development of our kids and their love of the sport. If we are honest about our interactions, we can build on the strengths of this season and learn from any mistakes we made. Let your success story include the tales of many contributions to the team and making the season the best possible for athletes. Win or lose, your team will understand success.