OT: recruiting and help getting noticed
I have a friend whose son in currently a HS junior. They live in a small town and play against mid level 3A competition in WA state. His son lead the league in tackles at OLB. He's been trying to plan out his summer and what camps he should go to hopefully get noticed. My question is how should they decide what camps to go to? He'd like to send him to 3-4 but doesnt even know where to start and hasnt gotten much help from the HS coaches. He's not sure if the should just hit bigger schoolsl or maybe smaller ones..Anyone gone through thr process that might be able to help?
Thanks in advance. Here's his HUDL.
February 1st, 2015 at 1:02 AM ^
I just went thought this with my oldest son. We went to a lot of camps starting the summer between 10th and 11th grade. At first it was some smaller colleges in the area( Missouri and Illinois) then we went to the bigger colleges this past summer. It is going to cost a lot if he his not invited to them but after the first couple if he does good they will start sending out the invites.
Also tell him to get on his coaches to help even if he has to bug them everyday. My son did this and he is going to be playing at Illinois State University next year .
I hope this helps and best of luck to him.
February 1st, 2015 at 2:00 AM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 1:02 AM ^
If it were my son, I would have him do a videobomb to get noticed.
February 1st, 2015 at 1:02 AM ^
Remember the video of THE ORIGINAL TOM BRADY? Video and send it out. Get on their radar. Find out who recruits your area at the school you want to go to. Be pro-active!
February 1st, 2015 at 7:32 AM ^
Do not send out a picture of him in boxers shorts where it looks like he has never seen the inside of a weight room.
February 1st, 2015 at 7:38 AM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 9:17 AM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 11:25 AM ^
Wow! I wonder whether he's improved his body significantly or if that's just his body type.
February 1st, 2015 at 10:56 AM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 1:49 AM ^
His recruitment must start with his HS coach if he is going to have any success. The coach should have some connections with college coaches, so he can get the word out. Even to small schools. That will get his name out there. The coach should also have some connections in the local media. He can push for some All-Conference or All-State recognition. That's the way 99% of kids start to get recruited. It can really snowball - my HS coach mentioned me to small schools when I was a sophomore. Get a few coaches on campus to look at him and the rest will start to notice.
If that isn't an option, send his tapes to every school you can. This is a reach, as there is no guarantee they will ever even look at the tape, but its worth a shot.
If you have the means, get him to some camps. But be warned, the camps are paradoxically not a great place to get noticed, particularly by the host schools. Schools generally invite the kids they are considering and focus their coaches on those known guys, totally ignoring the rest. BUT, smaller colleges often send their staffs to coach the kids up, so if you send the kid to UMs camp, he could get a good look from Eastern or Grand Valley or someone like that.
Send him to 2-3 big-school camps with an eye on the smaller schools noticing him and maybe sending him an invite to their own camp. Starting at a small school isn't a great idea because there is a 0% chance of being noticed by the big boys and only a small chance of being noticed by the host school, who will have their own invited kids.
Also, from experience, nothing gets a coaches attention like an impressive physique. I don't know what kind of shape he is in, but have him really focus on building up his arms: they're noticeable. They might not help him play, but big arms will get the coaches eyes even at a distance and they will be more likely to give his play a look. Its basically a meat market with unknown kids - looking like you can play is probably more important than actually being able to play. You could be Lawrence Taylor, but if you don't look impressive, it will be hard for them to see it amongst the hundreds of kids at the camp. Arms. They are always exposed and they are easy to quickly bulk up.
In short, starting his own recruitment is really, really hard. That's why a good HS coach is critical. He can stick his neck out for the kid, he will have connections, he is in a good position to compare the kid to others he's had (that's the first thing the college coaches will ask, "How does he compare to player X, who we recruited").
February 1st, 2015 at 1:38 AM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 1:56 AM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 1:41 AM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 1:50 AM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 9:08 AM ^
Did you go on to play ball at a D3 school?
February 1st, 2015 at 3:41 AM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 3:51 AM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 6:05 AM ^
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February 1st, 2015 at 12:53 PM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 4:10 AM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 8:12 AM ^
You are wasting time. You need to start at the top.
Send his video to both Jim Harbaugh and Urban Meyer. Make it clear to each of them that the other coach is being sent the same video, and is currently in the lead for the kid's services.
They'll do the rest.
February 1st, 2015 at 8:42 AM ^
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February 1st, 2015 at 9:39 AM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 10:07 AM ^
Jay H. only has to motivate the recruits and members of the team that will be in his position group. . .
Regarding the recruiting question :
Starting the process after your junior year is far too late for D1 with very few exceptions
Camps are the best chance now to get noticed and many schools offer one day sessions at lower costs. (don't spend $ boarding if at all possible)
Send his HUDL link to every LB coach, recruiting coordinator. Quick heading and any noteworthy info not included on HUDL.
MAKE SURE HIGHLIGHT FOOTAGE SHOWS THE BEST PLAYS RIGHT AWAY. Lucky if you get more than a 30 second scan initially so you have to show what is best.
Emails are often noted for the coach or go to the school directory and get it (actual University homepage, not the athletics site)
You can visit any school at any time on your dime. Target programs and see if you can set up a quick visit.
Be brutally honest about your son's measurables... if he is a good LB but only 5' 9" and under 180 ... then many D2 schools would feel he's too small (I don't know his size). Check the roster of the programs you are interested and see what size their players are in these positions.
D2, D3, NAIA - all do a majority of their recruiting/offering in the fall and winter.
February 1st, 2015 at 10:10 AM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 10:10 AM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 11:13 AM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 1:09 PM ^
February 1st, 2015 at 10:32 AM ^
I do agree with some of the earlier posters that it should start with the HS coach. My son is generating some D-1 interest because college coaches call his HS coach and ask him about his "best" players. What I find more interesting though is that MSU coaches are making their way to the local Ann Arbor high schools and talking to the kids first and inviting them to their campus on unoffiicial visits. I am not sure what the connections are between the MSU recruiting coordinator and our local HS coaches but I would hate to lose some of these talented kids to MSU because they've developed longer term relationships with MSU coaches.
February 1st, 2015 at 10:54 AM ^
I'm a high school AD in Michigan, Class A Division 1. Our school has kids who have played in the NFL and NBA, so it is a little easier to get the attention of college coaches. However, you start with your high school coach or AD. Nothing gets the attention of a college coach like a coach or AD picking up the phone and calling the college guys directly. The things is, you have to be realistic with your son and yourself. If I pick up the phone and call Michigan about a kid who is low level MAC, I lose credibility and hurt my chances of helping another kid down the road. I've had a kid who was a legit big time D1 prospect want to talk to all of the biggest programs, and the first thing we had to do is look at his grades first. He wanted to talk to Duke, but with his grades that wasn't an option.
I always start with telling guys to give me their top 5. Give me their one dream school and than four others that he is truly interested in. Usually if they give me Michigan, followed by Eastern, Central, etc, that tells the kid something right off the bat. Kid has to be realistic with himself. Last year a kid wanted Central, so I said make a list, he brings me Central, Western, GVSU, Wayne, etc. He was a legit d2 kid, but had speed issues, so I asked him if he wanted to win a ring, he said yeah. I picked up the phone and called Mt. Union, and that is where he signed.
Lastly, get seen. If your kid has big dreams, go to a big camp. Most of the time it will help put things in perspective. Being a big time d1 talent is rare, and when kids see what that looks like, it helps put recruiting in perspective. Take him to a 1-aa or d2 camp, and see if that is where his talent is more realistic.
Lastly, don't send highlight tapes. Coaches don't want highlight tapes, they want two game films.
February 1st, 2015 at 1:14 PM ^
They should get good information. Talk to the coach honestly. If the coach isn't much help maybe they should first wonder if he realistically has any chance. There is no reason a kid should not play football just for the fun of it. If the kid has a favorite team send him there to camp, not because he is trying to be recruited but because he will remember it fondly. There are coaches from all levels working those camps. If he has the stuff they pull the kids aside and talk to them. Boxes of mail will come, invites to other schools camps or if he gets a little interest send him to another. Never forget that this is all the kids call. Too much work and stress for the kid if his heart isn't in it.
February 1st, 2015 at 1:30 PM ^
It seems like some of the people responding are overlooking that OP is in WA State.
Washington HS football isn't on par with anything in the midwest. It's not on the same level as even Iowa or Indiana or Michigan. The money and resources aren't the same, the participation level isn't the same, the interest isn't the same... it's just not comparable. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if the coach DIDN'T have regular contacts with any colleges.
I have no advice for the OP, but I do think it would be most useful if someone living in a relatively football-poor state that has been through the process would weigh in.
February 1st, 2015 at 1:50 PM ^