Exercises to Develop Coordination

One of the keys to success in any sport is coordination.  While some children are naturally more coordinated than others, there are several things that can be done to help a young athlete continue to progress in this area of development.  Brian Grasso suggests the following 12 exercises to help young athletes improve their coordination skills.

1. Multi-directional forms of running, jumping and skipping


2. Single leg balancing games


3. Mirror games (mirroring each other’s movements)


4. Known exercises starting or finishing in new positions (start sprints from belly or one knee; end with hands up or on all fours)


5. Opposite arm circles (right hand circles forward, left backwards)


6. Simultaneous arm and leg circles


7. Jump in place with 180 or 360 turns while in flight


8. Balance exercises on a low balance beam


9. Cross step-over running or carioca


10. Somersault to balance (somersault to standing one legged balance)


11. Skipping A, B and C’s


12. Obstacle running (place hurdles directly on floor and have athlete run over them)

Editor’s Note: A special thank you to Brian Grasso for this article.

Obtaining A Scholarship in Tough Times

Putting a child through college has never been an inexpensive investment.  Finding a college that will provide a full ride athletic scholarship is getting more difficult.  With the current state of the US economy, those dollars are becoming harder to come by. The following article, by Brian Davidson with National Collegiate Scouting Association, discusses this issue and how the economy is affecting college-aged athletes.

The nation’s recession and credit market freeze are forcing parents of college aged children to look at different option than they were considering even a few months ago.  Families are having to make choices based on affordability rather than academic merits. The Chicago Tribune took a look at a few Illinois families struggling with difficult decisions. Here is some of what they reported:

“Illinois students who may have applied to elite colleges-they are still applying there but are also applying to financially feasible schools, such as state schools,” said Jean Childers, a career center assistant at Naperville Central High School.

“What we don’t want is a student to apply for five great schools, get accepted into all of them and then have Mom and Dad saying, ‘Oh, my gosh, we thought you would get a lot more in scholarships,’ ” Childers said. “Scholarship dollars have dried up at many schools.”  Over the last year, high school seniors have applied to an average of 7.3 universities and colleges-up from 5.4 the prior year-as they try to ensure getting accepted into a school they can afford, said Craig Powell, CEO of ConnectEDU, a college planner. “We have seen 60 to 65 percent of students are applying to public versus private schools,” Powell said. “A year ago that was just the inverse.”

Of course, athletes compete for scholarship dollars on a different playing field.   While athletic departments across America are feeling the crunch as well, they hold up quite well when compared to academia at large.  But, with the crunch it does mean that student athletes need to understand the financial aid process better than ever.

Editor’s Note: A special thanks the National Collegiate Scouting Association for this article.

How Your Hockey Player Should Deal with Fear

Learning something new, or being unsure of an outcome can leave even the bravest individual a little uneasy. For children, fear is very common. Their growing minds can often create fears out of situations that are easily rationalized by adults.  Add to this a new and unknown, sport, team or coach and fear can all but paralyze even the best athlete.  The following article provides advice to help use fear to become a stronger athlete and competitor.

Fear is a natural instinct that once helped protect humans from being eaten. Though being eaten is no longer a daily problem, fear is still a large part of life. Fear is a combination of thoughts, emotions and physical responses that work together to help alert someone to danger and prepare the body to react. When a person feels fear, additional adrenaline and other chemicals are produced which increase strength and decrease reaction times. At normal levels, fear can be helpful. At excessive levels, the chemicals and emotions triggered by fear can easily cloud judgments, create a feeling of nausea and sickness and actually decrease performance. In athletics, fear is common when players are trying something new, playing in a big game or attending team tryouts. To cope with fear, players can try these techniques:

• Admit That You Are Afraid - Recognizing that fear is a factor is the first step in correcting it.


• Learn and Prepare - Nothing minimizes fear more than being over prepared. The higher the confidence level players have in their ability, the less likely they are to become afraid of the outcome.


• Focus on Positive Images - There are many images that players can visualize when motivating themselves. If the images are positive then the outcomes are more likely to be positive. Michael Jordan often visualized making free throws in his back yard when making high-pressure free throws in games.


• Listen to Experience - When going into a new situation, seek advice from people who have been there before. Older siblings or players can help less-experienced players better understand the situation.


• Stay Busy - Withdrawing into oneself provides even more time for negative thoughts. Staying busy with friends and family is an easy way to relax and minimize the opportunity for fear.


• Talk it Over With Parents - Fear is normal and players’ parents have had many opportunities to experience fear in their own lives. Parents have the unique advantage of helping players see a broader perspective.

Fear can help players. The fear of being scored against can make the defense try harder to block a shot. The fear of losing can make the offense work harder to score. However, when players keep dwelling on these fears before or after the immediate event, they need to quickly work to regain control of their emotions and stay focused on playing well rather than playing afraid.

Editor’s Note: A special thanks to Sports Esteem for this article.

Why You Should Demand Equal Playing Time

One of the main ways that children learn about a sport is to play the game. Focusing too much on winning and less on getting experience is not only detrimental to a young child’s self esteem, it takes away valuable lessons that can only be learned in a game situation.  The following article discusses why equal playing time is such an important part of player development.

At some point, youth sports become more about the team than about the players. Spectators start including more than just team family members.  As kids reach adulthood, an increased focus on team performance separates recreational players from the truly motivated ones. These players then feed the needs of competitive high school, college and professional programs. Until then, youth sports are more about developing motivation and talent than judging them. Parents facilitate their child’s participation to help make their child better in life and to provide a chance at sports participation past puberty.

The selection of a good coach is a key way parents can help their child maximize his or her development as a person and a player. Before a season begins, it may be difficult to judge the technical skills of a coach. However, one quick test parents may use to size up a coach is to learn the coach’s philosophy on equal playing time.

Equal playing time is hard for coaches to implement. It forces them to put more effort into practices and player preparation. It also tests their priorities. If a coach’s priority is to win above developing players then parents should look elsewhere to give their child the best chances of playing later on. Equal playing time should be one of a coach’s core beliefs and not easily discarded in the last minutes of a championship game.

Teams who practice equal playing time typically have more fun during a season since there are less conflicts over playing time between coaches and parents and among parents themselves. With everyone often making equal time and financial contributions, unequal playing time can quickly build resentments since parents cannot be an objective judge of their own child’s talent.

When a child reaches the advanced levels of athletic play, parents will stop being able to demand equal playing time. However, isn’t reaching these levels one of the goals and a key reason why parents should demand it while they can?

Editor’s Note: A special thanks to Sports Esteem for this article

Is Your Player Getting The Most From Your Investment?

Involvement in youth sports is a huge investment for families. Not only are their monetary expenses involved, there are also time commitments to be considered. When considering the sacrifices made by parents, players and coaches, it is important to examine just what everyone is receiving for the commitment they have made to the team.

Concerns about safety and increased urbanization have led to a larger role for organized sports. The associated costs with organized sports leave parents feeling the need to get their money’s worth. This desire to gain value can translate into too much emphasis on skills development and wins without leaving kids the necessary time for fun. To keep things in perspective, parents need to ask themselves what it is they are buying with their organized sports fees. If the goal of youth sports is to build the best kids possible, then parents will want to spend their money in ways that:

• Keep their child playing for as long as possible.


• Give their child the most self-confidence. Generate the best long term memories for their child.


• Do not take away from other more important commitments such as school and family.


• Help improve their child’s abilities to relate well with other kids and adults.


• Teach their child important life lessons such as teamwork and improvement through practice.

Trying to equate skills and wins with monetary value seems like a simple test. However, keeping the larger picture in perspective gives kids the best chance at having fun and thus the best chance for a long and successful youth sports experience.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Sports Esteem for this article.

How Coaches Can Help Athletes Take the Lead

Creating players with drive and motivation is not an easy job.  There are many things that coaches can do to encourage a youth athlete to become self directed, however, a lot of this determination comes from within the athlete.  Here are five characteristics of a self-directed athlete and tips to bringing them out in your players.

Have you ever wondered why some athletes never quite seem to fulfill their potential?  The answer is often a lack of self direction. Self direction is the ability to lead ourselves toward a goal.  It is a critical life skill which we can and should teach through sports.  Athletes who have self direction are able to get the most out of their talent.  Athletes who lack self direction never quite fulfill their promise.

Coaches and parents can teach self direction through sports if the athlete is willing to learn.  A good first step is to explicitly coach the winning practices of self directed athletes.  Here are five to start with.

1. Motivation. Self-directed athletes bring their own motivation to the team.  They don’t wait for a coach or someone else to pump them up.  Teach your athletes that self motivation is essential if they want to succeed in athletics and beyond.  Challenge your athletes to motivate themselves by thinking about what they want to accomplish before every workout, practice, and competition.

2. Initiative. Self-directed athletes take the initiative to improve without being told.  Even some highly motivated athletes have trouble taking initiative on their own.  They are so used to being told what to do, they seem to forget that they have the power to workout, seek coaching, read books, watch instructional videos, etc. all by themselves.  Teach your athletes that self initiative is essential for getting the absolute most out of their talent.  Challenge your athletes to show self initiative by taking steps to improve without being told.  Be sure to give them positive reinforcement when they do.

3. Focus. Self directed athletes have the ability to set goals and stick with them.  This focus on goals keeps them motivated and moving forward.  Being goal driven can also keep athletes out of trouble because they are less likely to be derailed by negative distractions.  Teach your athletes that focusing on goals can help them succeed in athletics and beyond.  Challenge them to set very specific short- and long-term goals.  Follow up periodically to ask them how they are doing - and always reinforce their goal-setting behaviors.

4. Discipline. Self directed athletes have the discipline to set priorities and manage time - especially for academics.  There are many athletes with self motivation, self initiative, and focus who end up falling short because they lack the discipline to follow through consistently.  Teach your athletes that self discipline is a powerful sign of personal strength and maturity.  Challenge them to set priorities and manage their time on a weekly and daily basis.  Support and advise them, but try not to do it for them.  Even if they occasionally fall short, the experience of practicing discipline will help them tremendously.

5. Learning. Self directed athletes bring a learning mentality every day.  They seek and accept coaching.  They take what they learned yesterday, and apply it to what they are doing today.  A learning mentality is one of the most important qualities our young athletes are going to need as they enter the complex world of work and adult responsibility.  Constantly challenge your athletes to be learners in their sport and every other area of their life.

Editor’s Note: A special thanks to PositiveSports.net for this article.

How to Properly Maintain Hockey Equipment

Hockey equipment can be a big financial investment. Keeping this investment in the best possible condition can be difficult, especially considering they are being utilized by children.  Here are some great tips to keep your child’s hockey gear in top working order and extend the time that it is able to be used.

Young players often outgrow their equipment long before it wears out. However, proper care of the equipment helps make sure that it continues to provide safety in case of an accident and doesn’t interfere with making plays. The most common complaint with hockey equipment is that it can smell bad after usage. Just like clothes left in the washing machine, wet hockey equipment starts to mildew and smell. The easiest fix for this is simply to air the equipment out after every game and let it dry properly. When putting on each piece of equipment, players and parents should inspect it to make sure that:

• The equipment still fits


• There are no loose screws on the helmet


• There are no cracks


• There is no rust on rivets


• All clasps are working


• Velcro is still holding well


• All pads are intact and laced as needed.

Some equipment, like helmets and hockey pants can be adjusted to compensate for growth. Other pieces must be replaced. A basic repair kit kept in the hockey bag can help solve problems when they are most likely to occur — two minutes before game time. Handy items to have are:

• Extra Laces


• Helmet Screws


• Screwdriver


• Scissors


• Tape


• Towel


• Practice Puck

Skate Sharpening

In order for the skates to grip (cut into) the ice properly especially while turning, they should be properly sharpened. Skate blades have edges that cut into the ice and help a skater stay upright while turning. If the edges are nicked, a skater has difficulty making turns and going full speed.

Skate Blade

The amount of blade sharpness and hollow are often a matter of skater preference. Sharper blades have a deeper groove in the blade that helps with pushing off, stopping, changing direction, pivoting and turning. However, if a blade is too sharp, a player can have problems gliding and stopping as the overly sharp blade tries to grab the ice. Sharper blades are more dangerous and may also be damaged more easily.

Examining Skates

To see if a skate needs sharpening, hold it sideways up to the light so that only one edge is between the light source and your eye. Look for any nicks along the blade.  Flip the skate and over and examine the other edge in the same way. Then, look  lengthwise down the blade to make sure the edges are level. If you have trouble, place a dime on the edges of the blade and make sure it lies flat. If there are no nicks and the edges are level, then the blade does not need sharpening.

Key Points for Parents

• Don’t let you child skate with the wrong sized equipment; make sure that it continues to fit properly.


• Replace any problem equipment immediately.


• Make sure skates are always sharp.


• Use skate guards to protect the blade and guard against injuries;

Key Points for Players

• Always wipe down your skates after use and air out your hockey gear.

Flexibility in Youth Athletes: What You Need to Know

Flexibility is an important component in overall fitness. However it is only a small part of true fitness. There are many misconceptions about flexibility and many less than reliable measurement tools. The following article from Brian Grasso helps to debunk some of these myths and provides age appropriate flexibility expectations.

Flexibility remains a mysterious avenue within the sport industry, cluttered with myths, half-truths and opinion. Questions purvey in many trainers’, coaches’, and parents’ minds as to the type of flexibility training one should perform, when they should perform it, and for how long. Of critical importance to this conundrum is the young athlete and how flexibility training should be applied to this demographic. This article will not answer every question you may have, but it will shed some light on a few key points.

The scope of confusion regarding flexibility can be seen when considering the assessment tools most commonly used to test one’s suppleness. The standard ‘sit & reach’ test is most often incorporated into pre-training assessments as the ‘flexibility test’. In fairness, many coaches and trainers I have worked with cite the fact that the sit & reach is an indirect assessment of flexibility at best, and does not give a truly accurate picture as to the ‘global’ suppleness an athlete may posses considering that flexibility is joint specific. Also, it does not allow us to assess any dynamic qualities, which is important because static flexibility is quite different than dynamic flexibility, and dynamic flexibility is critically more important in sport.

The degree of flexibility a joint exhibits is not entirely determined by the tightness or pliancy of the muscles that act on that joint. While elasticity of the muscle is a key component to flexibility, so is the elasticity of the corresponding ligaments and even the emotional state of the individual. Additionally, the physical length of a muscle can play a very large role in determining the flexibility or ROM of a joint. Muscle length is largely determined by genetics, but can also be positively influenced through strength training. This certainly contradicts a common myth that strength or resistance training INHIBITS flexibility. Furthermore, as the elasticity of a muscle reduces with age (which we generally accept as true), strength training can also positively influence this concern. Yes… Strength training has a positive impact on flexibility and suppleness! In fact, when working with younger athletes, basic static stretching habits can increase the length of a ligament and lead to joint instability. This can lead to poor posture and increased dependence on muscles for joint stability. Strength and flexibility (through full ROM) must work hand-in-hand to ensure optimal development and decreased injury occurrence.

In terms of young athletes, flexibility develops in correspondence with growth. In terms of training, type, frequency and duration also change with age.

Ages 6 - 10:

Hip and shoulder mobility declines, resulting in the need for dynamic ROM exercises within these two joints (multi-directional raises and rotations). Maximum flexibility of the spine is reached by the age of 8 or 9 - increases beyond normal ROM can be made, but is unnecessary and considered potentially harmful.

Within this age group, STATIC STRETCHING SHOULD BE AVOIDED. Excitement within the nervous system is much more pronounced than inhibition, which means that kids this age cannot truly execute a held stretch. They cannot gain the appropriate feedback from their body needed to ensure the safety and optimal effectiveness of the stretch.

Additionally, Isometric stretches (as found in Yoga) should also be avoided completely in this age category. These kinds of stretches may increase the resting tone of a muscle, which can negatively affect movement skill and coordination. Remember - Fitness fads come and go, but the critical science of athletic development and human physiology is what it is. Yoga has its place to be sure (although I know many skeptics who disagree with that), but coordination and movement MUST dominate this age bracket.

Ages 10 - 13:

Children incur gains of body mass at a quicker rate than gains in height at this age, which leads to an increase in strength. Flexibility training should intensify in this age category. Increases in strength and changes in body mass can combine and lead to poor bio-mechanical habits - most critically in not using full ROM during movement. Ensure that kids incorporate full ROM and dynamic exercises into their training.

Ages 13 - 15:

Height can increase as much as one inch per month during the growth spurt. Muscles and supporting connective tissue do not grow as quickly as bone, which can result in general pain throughout the body. Flexibility training can and should target the areas most prone to pain - this would include quadriceps, hamstrings and muscles of the lumbar spine specifically. Poor posture, reduced movement skill and injury are all potential concerns of rapid growth, but can be limited with appropriate flexibility habits.

Ages 15+:

Now is the time to start adding sport-specific means of flexibility training into an athlete’s routine.

Editor’s Note: A special thanks to Brian Grasso for this article.

Save Your Garage Door with The Sniper’s Edge

The Sniper’s Edge Shooting tarp is a new product designed to prevent home damage from shooting pucks and balls. It’s also designed to help players improve their shooting accuracy. So is it worth it? Here’s our review of the Sniper’s Edge.

Overview: Practice is a vital part of excelling in the sport of hockey.  Proper stickhandling and developing shot accuracy take a great deal of time and preparation.  However, off-ice drills can sometimes end in disastrous results when carried out in a “non-puck friendly” environment.  The Sniper’s Edge Shooting tarp from HockeyShot is a valuable solution to prevent these home interior and exterior mishaps.

The Sniper’s Edge is a hockey parent’s “safety tarp.” It prevents: holes in your sheet rock, broken windows, puck marks on walls or dented garage doors. It’s also quiet as well as versatile. You can use it in your basement, garage, patio or driveway.

Purpose: The Sniper’s Edge Shooting Tarp is made to protect the garage door or wall during hockey practice drills. It is intended for off-ice hockey shooting and has been designed to withstand heavy shots by professional players. The tarp is made from an extremely durable material so it will last several seasons of heavy usage.

Video: Here is a great video demonstrating the Sniper's Edge:



Price: $189.95 — 7’x16’ tarp, $199.95 — 8’x16’ tarp

Top Features: The top feature of the Sniper’s Edge Shooting Tarp is protection from puck damage on garage doors, walls, windows or other home features. In addition, it is the only shooting tarp on the market designed for double garage doors.

Here are some other features HockeyShot includes on their website about the product:

• Develop harder, more accurate shots and take your game to the next level.


• More practice in less time - no more chasing pucks.


• Five yellow target “holes” catch pucks in one location.


• Simulates game situation - the only shooting tarp with a goalie.


• Practice with regulation size / weight pucks.


• Available in 2 sizes: 7′x16′ or 8′x16′


• Rolls up and out of the way when not in use - this can be done by one person.


• Can be easily relocated from basement or inside garage in winter to outside in warmer months.


• Heavy duty, 18 oz. reinforced vinyl. Designed to withstand repeated impact in any temperature.


• Double needle lock-stitch seams for maximum durability.


• Scoring holes reinforced with nylon edging for added strength.


• Installation is easy and only takes 20 minutes with the help of a friend.

Final Period: The Sniper’s Edge Shooting Tarp is becoming one of the top selling shooting products designed for off-ice home use. It protects your garage door and walls. It will lessen the time spent chasing pucks or balls. More importantly, the Sniper’s Edge will save you money by preventing garage door and home wall repairs.

Editor’s Note: For a limited-time, when you use the code “teamcares″ at HockeyShot.com, parents will receive 10% off any purchase.

How to Avoid 4 Common Recruiting Frustrations

While college recruiting for many student-athletes is a rewarding and educational experience, the process can also be extremely frustrating and overwhelming. Unfortunately, this frustration often times results in too many student-athletes wondering “what could have been” and leaves everyone involved pointing the finger at someone else at the end of the process. Typically, there is no “one person” to blame and the common excuses are entirely understandable given the lack of experience most families have with recruiting. In the article below, NCSA Sports President Chris Krause, discusses how to avoid the four common recruiting frustrations.




The good news is that due to changes in recruiting in the last decade, many of the common excuses for recruiting failure can be easily avoided…

Do any of the following statements sound familiar?

• “I play for a small high school and college coaches will never find me…”


• “I am stuck behind a talented, older student-athlete and will never get the playing time I need to be recruited…”


• “My high school team is 0-15 and they are killing my chances at getting noticed…”


• “My high school coach has done nothing to help me with the recruiting process…”

For those of you who have gone through the recruiting process as a parent or student-athlete, you have undoubtedly heard one of the above reasons for recruiting disappointment. While these factors certainly have an impact on a prospect’s recruiting process, they do not make or break success the way they once did.

As a minor disclaimer…I thoroughly appreciate why these sentiments would frustrate a student-athlete and like I said, they will have an affect on the process, but….

Think about all the advances in technology and how they have made the exchange of information between recruits and college coaches much easier than in the past. The internet has opened new lines of communication, created efficient distribution channels, and quite simply, changed the way college coaches recruit. The recruiting playing field is more level than ever…you just need to know how to take advantage of it!

Let’s address the traditional recruiting frustrations one at a time…

“My high school coach has done nothing to help me with the recruiting process…”

Although we have discussed why your high school coach cannot get you a scholarship in the past, it’s certainly worth reviewing again because every year it seems to be a common source of contention.  20-30 years ago, the high school coach played a much different role in college recruiting. Much of this role centered on the access to game footage.

Back in those days, high school coaches were almost always the only ones who had film, which forced college coaches to partner with them. College coaches would plan recruiting trips that included stops at high schools that allowed them to review film. This forged relationships that did in fact have a strong influence on recruiting.

Today, college coaches have a variety of ways to review film. Families can now film their own games with affordable video equipment and distribute it directly to college coaches. While the high school coach can still be very helpful in this part of the process, they are no longer required. As a result, any authority they might have had over a college coach has been greatly diminished.

Make sure to develop a strong relationship with your high school coach, because they can serve as a great mentor and a reliable reference, but keep in mind the average coach has fewer than 5 contacts with the college coaching community. Recruiting responsibility ultimately lies with the student-athlete and no one else!

“I play for a small high school and college coaches will never find me…”

This seems to be the recruiting frustration most affected by the developments in technology. Simply put, geographic location used to have a huge impact on college recruiting based on the difficulty coaches had in receiving information about prospects from rural areas.

However, with the internet and subsequent recruiting resources that have emerged, geographic location can be overcome to a certain degree with even the slowest of internet connections. There are countless websites and online avenues that a student-athlete can utilize to gain exposure to college coaches.

Think about this scenario…

The year is 1980 and a student-athlete is interested in sending their information to 50 college coaches. Here is the process they would have to go through: First they would have to create a physical, paper athletic and academic resume. The next step would most likely include a trip to the local library to search through a college guide to find the addresses of each college program on the list. Once the list of addresses had been gathered, the student-athlete would have to put together a mailing list and send it out through the traditional mail…Seems rather tedious, doesn’t it? To top it off, since the college coaches had most likely never heard of that student-athlete before, who knows if the information would have been reviewed at all?

Today, a student-athlete can create an athletic and academic resume on line in a matter of minutes. They can then find the email addresses of most the college coaches in the country online and then put together an email campaign and send the information out. Now that sounds a little better, doesn’t it?

“My high school team is 0-15 and they are killing my chances at getting noticed…”

While there are unquestionably some exposure advantages that can be had from playing for a state powerhouse with a tradition for winning, even student-athletes at a weaker quality high school program can gain exposure. Using the internet as we have talked about and having a properly edited highlight and skills video can go a long way towards overcoming this obstacle.

In the past, playing for an awful team might have truly hindered a student-athlete’s potential to play at the next level. However, a student-athlete can now generate the initial exposure using the internet, and a college coach is ultimately looking for a qualified prospect regardless of the team’s success. If a college coach were to watch film on a baseball player who is throwing 90 mph or a quarterback who can throw the ball 65 yards, they are going to recruit that student-athlete regardless of how many wins the high school team has.

“I am stuck behind a talented, older student-athlete and will never get the playing time I need to be recruited…”

This one is tough. Yes, playing behind a quality athlete who might have the advantage of seniority can have an impact on a student-athlete’s recruiting.  However, if the student-athlete who is on the receiving end of this lack of playing time is truly a qualified student-athlete, there is no reason they cannot distribute their information to college coaches. It will be important to capture any varsity game footage possible, even if its limited, and combine that with the athletic and academic information that college coaches would be interested in to get your name on their recruiting list. This way, come senior year, the college coaches will already know your name, you will have started a recruiting relationship, and they can make sure to monitor your progress. Waiting to get involved with college coaches until you begin playing every second of the game will significantly hamper the recruiting process.

Just as example of how you can use the resources available to overcome the playing time issue, here is a wonderful recruiting story that recently happened.

We began working with a senior football player out of Texas. Due to quality competition, this student-athlete was not even starting at the varsity level as a senior. Although he received playing time, mostly late in the game when the outcome was not in question, based on his size and his willingness to pursue opportunities at all levels, our football department felt like he was someone we could help. Using the limited game footage, we introduced him to a number of DII and DIII colleges. Within weeks, this student-athlete, who hardly played at the high school level, had received two DII scholarship offers.

Does this happen to every backup varsity athlete? No. Is recruiting tougher if you are not playing full time as a Junior or Senior? Yes. However, if you are realistic in the level of competition you can play and you take advantages of all the resources that are available online and through technology, you can overcome many of the difficulties recruits once faced.

Finally, your high school athletic experience no longer defines your recruiting success. Club experience is now more accessible and more necessary than ever in many sports. College coaches love club experience. They view this experience as a higher level of competition and in some sports might not even recruit a student-athlete who lacks it.  Sports such as soccer, volleyball, softball, basketball, and baseball all have strong club and travel team presences. Involvement with these types of teams in many cases will trump the high school experience all together, if not at least make up for a poor quality high school team.

The recruiting process will indubitably cause some sort of frustration for even blue-chip recruits. That reality is an unfortunate product of the current system. However, families should be optimistic that there are resources readily available, if they are willing to be proactive, to help get past a few of the traditional roadblocks that have plagued recruits in the past.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Chris Krause from NCSA Sports for this special article.

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