If you have not signed yet:
No worries yet; choosing a college that is the right fit for you in both athletics and other realms is a long process. You should never commit to a school until you know for sure that it is the one for you. At this time, you should definitely have a good grasp on which schools you are seriously considering though. You also should have visited these top schools by now and should be working on a pros-cons list for each one. This will help put into perspective which schools have the essentials that you are looking for. If a school does not have one of your most important aspects you are looking for, you should not settle with that one.
Also, like the advice we just gave to your peers that have already signed, you need to stay on top of your game both athletically and academically. While the recruiting process is long and strenuous, you need to make time for the aspects that let you join this process in the first place. If you don’t keep up both athletically and academically, schools may pull their offers and you could be left with nothing.
Most importantly, for both those who have signed or have not yet, you should take time to enjoy this momentous period of your life. This whole recruiting process is a time you will never experience again. Take the time to reflect on this and make the most out of it.
Be sure to visit our Education Page for more resources for student-athletes and parents. 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:
http://www.sportsforceonline.com/resources/resources_recruiting_recruiting_guide.html
Article courtesy of SportsForce, Home for professional College Sports Recruiting Profiles, Highlight Videos, Tips and Tools – www.sportsforceonline.com

So you just survived your first and second year of high school (phew) and the thoughts of college are beginning to creep into your head. Where do I want to go? What do I want to study? What classes do I need to get into certain schools? As all of this can be somewhat overwhelming, let’s just focus on one aspect at a time.


Freshman/Sophomore/Junior Summer

This is the best time to really get around and see campuses. Loving the school you go to, regardless of sports, is very important.  So if you are traveling around to play in tournaments, going on vacation, or visiting family and friends, take advantage of the travels to go see the local colleges to check out the campus and area. While there you can take a campus tour and if you have given a heads up to the coach of your sport, you can even go in and meet with them.

Remember, they cannot call you or contact you in any way, but you can call whenever you want. Starting contact is a great way to increase your exposure to coaches and learn more about programs, visit the SportsForce article “Maximize Your College Exposure” for more tips.

Set up a time to meet with coaches and they might even take you around the campus themselves! This elimination period will be helpful as you enter your junior summer as that is the time when you need to really narrow down your schools and begin to target your goals. By seeing the campuses alone, you will be able to eliminate many schools, thus leaving you with a more reasonable list to deal with.

Benefits of Summer Camps

• Train and work on sports specific skills with highly qualified coaches
• Interact with college coaches and maximize exposure
• Get the experience of living and rooming on a college campus
• Narrow down your list of potential college programs

Summer camps are also very important. While all of your friends are going to Camp Nowhere for fun and kayaking, you need to be going to sports camps for a school that you are strongly interested in. Not only will five days of camp help improve your skills, but it will give you the most intimate interaction with the college coaches and some of the current players, as they tend to work camps. You will live on campus, interact with and be trained by the coaches, as well as be a part of high intensity competition. It is not only a great way to get to know their style of coaching, but for them to get to know you as a player and whether you will fit in with their program, and vice versa.

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:

http://www.sportsforceonline.com/resources/resources_recruiting_recruiting_guide.html

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 to reach your potential.

Article courtesy of SportsForce, home for professional and affordable College Sports Preparation and Recruiting Education, Tools, Tips, Online Profiles, Highlight Videos and Premium Services.

www.sportsforceonline.com

info@sportsforceonline.com

858.350.5889

These Schools Get More Exposure Than You Think

These divisions may not get the same amount of spotlight as the Division I schools, but they definitely still grab the attention of the all the media outlets. Games from all these divisions are covered by sources like ESPN and CBS College Sports. These divisions also get some big name sponsors like Russell Athletic and US Bank. The coverage from such media outlets is a great way professional scouts are exposed to athletes in these divisions.


You Could be the Next Scottie Pippen

That’s right; THE Scottie Pippen did not play basketball for a Duke-caliber college program. Pippen actually was a walk-on recruit at a school in the NAIA division, the University of Central Arkansas. He wasn’t offered any scholarships and even contemplated whether he wanted to continue playing ball at the college level, but with the hard-work and dedication he put into his sport, he ended up becoming a two-time All-American college player and was the number 5 pick in the 1987 NBA Draft. And now, of course, Pippen is known for being a six-time NBA world champion and just recently being inducted into the basketball hall of fame.

The Fun Continues

The main reason we all play sports: to have fun. So why should you stop just because you didn’t get recruited by some Division I powerhouse? Most athletes who play for NAIA or Division II and III schools play solely to keep having a good time. Playing for a school in one of these divisions could prove to be one of the best experiences of your life. As long as you are still having fun with something, you should continue pursuing it as long as you can.

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 to reach your potential.

Article courtesy of SportsForce, Home for professional and affordable College Sports Recruiting Tools, Tips, Online Profiles, Highlight Videos and Premium Services.

www.sportsforceonline.com

info@sportsforceonline.com

1. What type of college experience are you looking for as a student-athlete?

2. What are your key college decision factors?

Here’s the link to Part I in case you missed it.

In Part II you will take steps to realistically evaluate yourself as a student-athlete.

Student-athletes:

Have you ever asked yourself what level of athletics is right for you?

Parents:

Have you ever wondered what level of athletics would be the right fit for your son or daughter? Have you said to yourself “my son / daughter is definitely a DI or DII / DIII athlete?”

Here are some simple ACTION ITEMS you can execute to get a realistic idea of what level of athletics and academics is appropriate for you or your student-athlete.


3. Student-athlete evaluation

A. Talk to your coaches: As a student-athlete, you need to talk to your high school and/or club team coach to express a desire to play college sports and also ask them for an HONEST evaluation of your potential to play at the college level. Also ask what areas need improvement to reach your full potential on and off the field.

B. Talk to your academic counselor: Ask them for an HONEST evaluation of your academic standing and make sure you are on track to play college sports. Also go over the academic guidelines that different colleges are looking for including GPA, SAT and ACT scores.

C. Get tested / evaluated: Attend a combine, camp, showcase or training facility where you will be objectively tested so you can compare your athletic ability and skill level with other athletes and get a clear understanding and measure of your current ability.

D. Get a highlight video: College coaches don’t have the time or budget to travel to many games and evaluate athletes in person. If you provide college coaches a 3 – 5 minute highlight video and resume with all of your athletic and academic information, they can evaluate you quickly and easily. We recommend getting your video and resume online so you can easily email coaches.

Visit the SportsForce website (www.sportsforceonline.com) to view some online profile and highlight video examples from more than 10 different sports including:

football, basketball, softball, baseball, lacrosse, soccer, water polo, field hockey and more.

E. Evaluate & research college athletes / teams: Watch college athletes and teams compete in person, on TV, over the Internet. See first-hand what the caliber of play is at the DI, D2, D3, NAIA and junior college level. Visit college sports websites to see the biographies of the athletes and their high school sports statistics, awards and achievements (ex. High School statistics, height / weight, All-State, All-League, All-County).

F. Evaluate and compare yourself to other athletes: Try to realistically evaluate and compare yourself to other student-athletes who are older than you or your same grade level who are getting actively recruited by college recruiters or signed with a college. Ask yourself if you are as good as they are right now athletically and academically? If not, do I have the same potential to reach their ability?

GOAL = To get clear on where you are and what you should focus on to reach your college sports goals.

To accelerate your education on the college sports preparation and recruiting process I recommend signing up for our FREE SportsForce College Sports Recruiting Guide.

* FREE Sign up click HERE

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 to reach your potential.

Article courtesy of SportsForce, Home for professional and affordable College Sports Recruiting Tools, Tips, Online Profiles, Highlight Videos and Premium Services.

www.sportsforceonline.com

info@sportsforceonline.com

858.350.5889

When an athlete decides to give their all in a single sport, it can prove rewarding. By focusing your attention on just one sport, you will, no doubt, become somewhat of an expert in that given sport. You will have a lot more time to practice and focus on improving your skills in that single sport. You will also have the time to attend combines, tournaments, and join club teams that you may not get the chance to do if you play multiple sports.

Advantages of Being a Multi-Sport Athlete

There are also many benefits to be gained by playing several sports. When you participate in multiple sports, you absorb different types of skills and disciplines from each sport. Also, by playing a few different sports, you will decrease your chances of burnout. Playing the same sport over and over for years can become tedious and eventually may not be fun to play anymore. By switching up the sports you play every couple seasons, you are more likely to keep enjoying these sports.

Deciding What’s Best for You

When it comes time that you are faced with the decision to continue playing multiple sports or concentrating on just one sport, you have to be sure to listen to your head and heart. While it can be insightful to ask your family and friends for advice, you are ultimately the one who will be playing. Keep in mind that the main reason athletes play sports is to have fun. Whether you are playing multiple sports or just one you should always be having fun with it. This should be your main factor to consider in your decision-making process.

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 to reach your potential.

Article courtesy of SportsForce, Home for professional and affordable College Sports Recruiting Tools, Tips, Online Profiles, Highlight Videos and Premium Services.

www.sportsforceonline.com

info@sportsforceonline.com

1. Be optimistic

After losing a big game or having a hard practice, it’s easy to be hard on yourself and others. But by being pessimistic you aren’t helping anyone and may be actually bringing the whole team down. Keep high spirits and share your optimism with the whole team; it will motivate others to keep being positive.


2. Offer to help out your teammates

If you notice a fellow teammate is struggling at some position or skill, don’t discourage or belittle them; offer to help. By spending a little extra time to help your peers, you will show how much you care about the team and you will motivate others to help out too.

3. Show your dedication

Effective leaders show their dedication in a number of ways. Go to practice early and stay after to improve on your skills and to help others. Push yourself to practice at 110% every time. Ask your coaches for constructive criticism and what you can work on outside of practice. Doing such things will prove your dedication and will also rub off on others.

4. Take responsibility for your actions

No one is perfect. We all will have our bad days and make mistakes. When you make a mistake, whether in school, practice, or a game, take responsibility for it. Then express how you plan to avoid that mistake again, whether by practicing more or concentrating more at that skill or position. Your teammates and coaches will admire your honesty and dedication.

5. Make the team your priority

It’s easy to get caught up in trying to be the best player you can for personal benefits. However, leaders show that their main focus is the team as a whole, not just individual statistics. Leaders will take their skills and incorporate them so they fit well with the team.

6. Learn from all of your experiences

An important asset many leaders have is the ability to learn from all experiences, good or bad. Think about certain situations in your life, whether a practice, game, or something else, and recall what happened. Did everything go as perfect as you had hoped? What improvements would you like in order to make the experience more enjoyable or rewarding? Aside from taking learning value from your own point of view, also get feedback from teammates and coaches. No one may like hearing criticism, but a vital skill leaders possess is the ability to take feedback and use it positively to improve the next experiences.

7. Work on your communication skills

One of the most difficult skills for a leader to perfect is the ability to communicate well and effectively. Many aspects can get in the way of good communication, so it is important to keep a few things in mind when trying to communicate effectively. Always know what the purpose of what you are trying to communicate is. If you are not completely sure what you want to convey, how will anyone else? Also, be proactive and make sure that your peers and coaches understand what you are trying to communicate. By practicing two-way communication, you leave little room for discrepancy and will have an easier time achieving your goals.

8. Listen, listen, listen

The biggest mistake a leader can make is not showing well enough that they are listening. If you do not show that you are actively listening to peers and coaches, your credibility as a leader is diminished. When listening to others, make sure you are engaged in what they are saying. Body language is key; establish eye contact and make sure you are not doing other things. Also, make sure you are using two-way communication. Actively listen to what your peer or coach is saying show that you were listening by providing some sort of feedback, whether it be your own opinion on the topic or asking for clarification or more information. When others actually feel like they are being listened to, they tend to respect you more and feel more respected.

9. Be Assertive

One of the more obvious qualities people look for in a leader is assertiveness. Leaders need to be assertive in order to accomplish what they want. If a leader doesn’t speak up, then who will? However, it is important to make sure you don’t abuse this skill. A leader who is overly assertive is often times unpleasant to work with. So, make sure that you are being assertive, but not to the point that your teammates and coaches do not like working with you.

10. Manage your stress

Stress is an aspect that, if not managed well, can greatly affect others. Teammates look to a leader for help and guidance, so if a leader cannot manage their own personal stress, it will spill over negatively to peers. Some ways to cope with stress are to talk it out with loved ones, not procrastinate, and to be realistic with what all you can handle. By managing your own stress, you will have a more positive demeanor and you teammates will enjoy working with you more.

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 to reach your potential.

Article courtesy of SportsForce, Home for professional and affordable College Sports Recruiting Tools, Tips, Online Profiles, Highlight Videos and Premium Services.

www.sportsforceonline.com

info@sportsforceonline.com

Here are some of the most common college sports recruiting questions our staff receives:

When do college coaches start recruiting?

What are college coaches looking for?

How can we maximize exposure to college recruiters?


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 FREE SportsForce College Sports Recruiting Guide.

* FREE Sign up click HERE

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.

www.sportsforceonline.com

info@sportsforceonline.com

858.350.5889

Like a four year school, you have to remember that your junior college experience isn’t just about sports. Junior colleges (JUCOs) offer an amazing opportunity for smaller class sizes and more professor interaction. The jump from high school to college can definitely be challenging academically, but junior college acts as a great bridge between the two. You’ll get used to the college workload, but your chances of being lost among hundreds of other students in a lecture hall are a lot slimmer.

Develop Yourself Physically

Sure, there are cases like LeBron James, who stood 6’7” weighed 225lbs as a 17 year old, but for many of us, we’re not so lucky (or such freaks of nature). Junior college is a great time to develop yourself physically and develop your game.  The junior college sports scene will give you a chance to play against some top athletes and develop a skillset to handle them. Staying engaged in your sport in the two years following high school will help you to increase your abilities and give you a chance to get your body in top performing shape as you continue to grow into it. Maybe it will even help you become the next Aaron Rodgers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Rodgers#Early_years

Show the Four Year Schools Your Commitment to Your Sport

Playing at a JUCO will show colleges how committed you are to your sport. The willingness to continue to train and compete show cases determination. JUCO gives you a chance to up your game, and in turn show college coaches how much you have improved and how dedicated you are.

Get a handle on your courses

Take advantage of the smaller class sizes and close knit environment by taking core classes to help you be prepared when you make the jump to a four year school. It’s important not to look at junior college as a lost opportunity and spend your time taking pottery classes (though one might be fun!) and find out core requirements or Gen Eds for you major and take those classes.  Many classes transfer over, but be sure to do your research about which credits will transfer to a four year school, so you don’t find yourself taking Writing 101 twice, because your first attempt didn’t transfer.

Lastly, Save Some Cash in the Process

Junior Colleges offer cheaper tuition than four year schools. As you play your sport for two years and knock out some core classes, you’re saving big bucks. Some state schools even offer programs for reduced tuition if you have completed your associate degree at an area junior or community college.

JUCOs are a great choice to ready yourself academically and physically for four year programs, they aren’t just a last chance option, they are a great option for many athletes. Don’t forget about Aaron Rodgers, either, he’s just one of many JUCO success stories.

Visit the below links for more information on Junior and Community Colleges

National Junior College Athletic  Association (NJCAA) : http://www.njcaa.org/

Junior College Football rankings, programs and more: http://jcfootball.scout.com/

Search for Two year programs at College Board: http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/adv_typeofschool.jsp

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 to reach your potential.

Article courtesy of SportsForce, Home for professional and affordable College Sports Recruiting Tools, Tips, Online Profiles, Highlight Videos and Premium Services.

www.sportsforceonline.com

info@sportsforceonline.com

1. LEARN TO RELAX: Life as an athlete is extremely busy and stressful. Slow down and take at least 15 minutes a day to relax; read a book, listen to some music, or write in a journal. You’ll find that taking a few minutes everyday to recharge your batteries will give you more energy to perform well on a daily basis.


2. FIND A BALANCE: Sports are time consuming and can easily become the single focus in your life. Force yourself to find a balance between sports, school, extracurricular activities, and a social life. This will help prevent you from getting both physically and mentally exhausted.

3. MORAL SUPPORT: You need support and encouragement to succeed in athletics. Make sure you have a parent, coach, or teammate who acknowledges your achievements and dedication to the sport, and who will encourage you to continually improve your game.

Be sure to visit our Education Page for more resources for student-athletes and parents.

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:

http://www.sportsforceonline.com/resources/resources_recruiting_recruiting_guide.html

Article courtesy of SportsForce, Home for professional College Sports Recruiting Profiles, Highlight Videos, Tips and Tools – www.sportsforceonline.com

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 the 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

Some example SportsForce profiles below:

o   Girls Lacrosse: http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/jmills

o   Softball: http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/mbradvica

o   Soccer: http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/kdick

Here is an example profile and highlight video of one of our senior clients Nick Melka who 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.

Here’s a link to Nick’s profile –http:/www.sportsforceonlone.com/nmelka

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:

http://www.sportsforceonline.com/resources/resources_recruiting_recruiting_guide.html

Article courtesy of SportsForce, Home for professional College Sports Recruiting Profiles, Highlight Videos, Tips and Tools – www.sportsforceonline.com