10 things to do if you are a senior and have an athletic scholarship offer

If you are a senior in the football recruiting process or other sports for that matter, my hope for you is that you are holding at least one scholarship offer.  Obviously this will not be the case for everyone in their final year of high school but having that offer on the table definitely will be a stress reliever knowing that at least part of your college education paid for.

But what should I be doing with that offer?  Should I be quietly reading over the paper work again and again as I hope more will come?  We have put together a list of ten different things that you should be doing if you are a senior holding a scholarship offer at this point in the athletic recruiting process.

1.) Market it to other college coaches
One of the biggest reasons why colleges offer late in the process is because many of their top recruits get offers from other big schools.  Do whatever you can to let them know that an offer is on the table from other schools.

2.) Market it to your media sources
If you have followed what we have talked about on this site, you should have media connections.  If they have taken the time to write articles on you, give them updates regarding offers and visits.  They should help pub both for you.

3.) If you haven’t done so already, talk to the college coaches about taking an official visit
Getting onto their campus will give you a better look at what the college coaches are offering and what the school is all about.  If they offered, they will want you for an official.

4.) Apply to the schools that have offered
Actually filling out the paperwork may be a formality but it is still something you need to do.  So pay the fee and make sure that you get accepted at that program.

5.) Try to figure out your total costs of going to that school (including tuition, room, board, books, etc.)
You will likely to be accepted at the school, have already filled out a FAFSA, and know exactly how much scholarship money that they school will be offering athletically as well as academically.  This can then give you a better feel of the total out of pocket costs that you will have at the school.

6.) Strongly research your considered majors at this school
Figure out a few areas that you are really passionate about.  Then see what the school has available and if those would be that field.  I hate to say it but if they don’t have anything you are interested, going there may be a waste of time.

7.) Figure out where they want you to play and research depth chart and potential incoming recruits
If it is a scholarship school, then you will likely be able to do research on their website and on the unofficial message boards that there are around the net.  Doing this is a great way to get a better feel for what recruits they are bringing in and if you have a chance to see early playing time.

8.) Do what you can to build a relationship with the coaches, especially your position coach
These coaches are a vital part to your decision.  The better you get to know them, the better it will be for you when making a decision.

9.) Try to see what the game day atmosphere is like
Officials are great but if the school has offered you a scholarship and you are interesting, taking an unofficial trip would also be worth it.  This game day atmosphere needs to be seen, not described.

10.) Be extremely thankful
Make sure to say thank you to all those that helped you along the way.  The position you are in is something that many dream of but few get a chance to experience.

 

 

 

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I’m a senior and my football scholarship has been pulled. What do I do this late in the recruiting process?

I hate to bring up an article like this because it may force parents to have nightmares when sleeping but this is something that does unfortunately happen to recruits at all levels. For example, as I mentioned a few weeks back, a linebacker who had committed to South Carolina had his scholarship offered pulled when his position coach changed schools. If you were in his shoes, what would you do other than being extremely mad at the world?
Last recruiting season, a lineman took an official visit to the school he had been committed to for six months. Going into the visit, this recruit assumed that the school would tell him about how they are looking forward to getting him on campus. Instead, they told him there was no scholarship available right away and he would have to grayshirt. How what would you do in either of those situations?
Again, there is no doubt in my mind that I would be extremely frustrated that you were lied to during the football recruiting process. With so little time left before Signing Day, it is definitely not going to be easy to find new schools, make visits, and eventually sign with a different program that you like as much or more than the previous school. But that is the way of life and something that you will need to get past in order to find another outstanding program. So basically leave out all the anger about the previous school and just be ready to move forward.
The first step I would take, especially if this happened at a major Division I-A (BCS) school, is get the word out to the media. The sources that I would go include any National Recruiting Experts (Rivals, Scout, ESPN, etc.), the sites of the school that you were committed to, any prep sites that cover your area, and the local newspapers.
That reason that media is important is not to stick it to the previous school that had wronged you. It is essential because you need to get the word out that you are uncommitted this late in the process as soon as possible. There is little time to lick your wounds because Signing Day is getting closer and closer. Colleges at all levels look at Rivals, Scout, 247Sports, ESPN, and sites along those lines. They will see that a lineman who had a major Division I scholarship offer is now open in the recruiting process.
If your high school coach had helped you in the process as well, try to get him to make some calls on your behalf. If you were smart about the football recruiting process and avoided burning bridges, then you can contact the schools that had been recruiting you beforehand. I have mentioned here before on how important it is to log information about schools that have been recruiting you. Doing that will make it easy for contact numbers, emails, and things along those lines at this point.
Basically what you will be doing is going through the step of marketing yourself to college coaches for the second time. What you may have on your side is the fact that a major school had offered you a scholarship. But that program is in the past and it is important for you to look ahead at what may be coming up in the future.
Chances are that if you committed early enough to a college program, then you didn’t get a highlight tape made. It may be worth looking into a few options for getting it professionally made. If you have already gotten the ball rolling, speak with the college coaches about if you need a highlight video. Some schools may have already offered and may just want to look at full game tape. That will save you money but make sure to speak with your high school coach about getting full game tape copies made.
Again, it is an unfortunate situation that I would not wish on anyone. But if you take these steps, you will put yourself in the best situation possible to get a scholarship. In the second story I mentioned above, the athlete decommitted from the Big 12 school and ended up going to a smaller school that was closer to home. It is still a big time program that won a bowl game this winter and allows him to see his family more often. The coach who ended up trying to offer him a grayshirt offer was eventually fired. Maybe it was karma?

 

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The days leading up to Signing Day for football recruits are stressful

Because football recruiting is a game and college coaches have to have backup options, if you are an undecided prospects, things will really heat up right before Signing Day. There could be so much going on that you could get multiple calls from a variety of different schools. These schools may have never sent mail letter but may be mentioning the possibility of a scholarship over the phone.

The reason things get so crazy at that time is because college coaches have to have backup options. If a school has seen their top three players at one position commit to other programs, they will be scrambling to find anyone with the ability to play at their level.  They will make as many calls as need be to make sure that options A, B, and C are replenished this late in the football recruiting process.

Here are a few quotes from the drama that a prospect went through right before Signing Day last year.

Tyler committed to (A Division I-AA school) last Monday. A Big Ten school called last Tuesday telling us to send a senior tape because they suffered 2 decommits at defensive back. Ty actually drove it out there himself Saturday after the storm. No offer ever came, and the coaches haven’t returned calls since.

Today was crazy. A Big Ten, a Pac 10, and an ACC school all invited Ty to be a preferred walk-on. All three were coaches he had great relationships with. One of the schools was his top choice all along. However, none of the schools could offer a grayshirt or guarantee a scholarship down the road. Even Ty understood he couldn’t pass up a full ride to walk-on, no matter how tempting.

Then about 9pm a Mountain West school calls to say they had a decommit, only to call back 30 minutes later and say never mind. Not to mention playing phone tag with 2 MAC schools too.

He is completely happy with (The Division I-AA school) He has several friends attending school there and he’ll play with a former teammate. I think any player headed to D1-AA would have listened to the big schools that were calling.

I’m sure many other recruits had similar experiences Monday and Tuesday. I expected a little action, but not to the extent we saw. It made for a long night, with some good debates between Ty and me. He seems to trust my opinion.

This just shows that by committing, you may think the recruiting process is over with. That obviously is not the case. The prospect committed on Monday, received a call from a Big 10 school that wanted video, three walk on offers, and calls from Mountain West and MAC schools.

This type of thing happens all the time because coaches are desperate.  They are trying to work as many angles as they possibly can to make sure they can reload the pipeline at certain positions.  It is tough to tell which schools are really interested in you.  Until a scholarship offer comes in the mail, it may be hard to believe at times.

One of the craziest Signing Day stories happened a few years back (which has been mentioned here before).  An athlete spent the weekend before Signing Day on an official visit at the Division I-AA school in-state.  Because State University (the Division I-A school in-state) had not yet offered a scholarship, the recruit decided to commit while he was on the visit.  Many felt that he was a done deal and would be spending the next four or five years playing at the Division I-AA level.

At State University, a player who had committed at the same position ended up getting an offer from one of the top programs in the country (and one that was the in-state powerhouse as well).  That recruit ended up changing his mind and decided to stay close to home.  State University needed a player at that position, so the night before Signing Day, they came calling to this prospect mentioned above with an offer.  He eventually committed after hours on the phone with the coaches at State University.  Let me stress that the Division I-AA school was not happy at all.

While this is not something you should hope for, it does happen.  When an athlete decommits from a school and picks another program, it creates a chain reaction.  If the top quarterback in this class decided to decommit from his decision, that school would need a quarterback.  If they were able to steal one away from a rival school, then that program would need a quarterback.  They end up having a another commit change his mind.  The chain reaction just keeps going until a school just says we don’t need a quarterback anymore.

Signing Day is right around the corner and for senior recruits out there, this could be a crazy time!

 

 

 

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2017 Year in Review: Top 25 Recipes and more.

The sun is setting on another year in blogging for me. 2017 was an adventurous year filled with a whole bunch of video content, yummy new recipes galore and some awesome brand collaborations. I did a bit of exploring and experimenting, a few hits, a few misses (failure is good, right?!) and it was just a jam-packed year of content. So today I am happy to share this 2017 Year in Review as my final post of the year. Here are my top 25 recipe posts, honorable mentions, hits and misses, goal in 2018 and a few other end of year highlights. Thank you for showing up for me in 2017, I am excited for the year ahead....Read more »

This is a summary, images and full post available on HHL website!

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Would you seriously consider a school who came in with a last minute scholarship offer during the athletic recruiting process?

Obviously the theme over the last few days on this site has been about Signing Day.  We know football recruits throughout the country have made and will make decisions in order to sign on in February.  But even the best laid out plans sometimes get thrown for loops this late in the process.

If there was an early signing period, maybe the impact of this would be lessoned.  But for those football recruits out there, don’t be surprised if you get some late night calls from colleges that you may not have heard from in the past.  The question is, should this be something that you seriously consider?

I have said it before and I will say it again but the only reason why I believe you should decommit to a school is because of a coaching change or if the school deadlines you.  A college decision is based on relationship building and unless you feel comfortable in a hurry with the new staff, changing your mind is fine.  And if a college deadlines you, then I believe you have every right to say that you are moving on.  If they are going to be questionable and pull something like that, then I feel you can too.

So in order for a last minute scholarship to come and be thought about seriously, assume that the college coaches you committed to did deadline your scholarship.  What should you do if State University comes calling with a scholarship?  First, you must realize that they are offering so late in the process because they are desperate.

Chances are strong that they received a decommit from a player at your position.  These coaches do have to still keep up their recruiting boards in case of something like this happens.  And in this case, you may have been their C recruit but they know they need a safety like yourself.  You have spent most of your life routing for State University but they showed you very little attention during the recruiting process.

Why you should consider State University?
Obviously you have dreamt playing for them.  If they are an in-state school that you grew up following, chances are strong you have been to games and likely your parents have a connection to the school.  It may be late but this opportunity obviously doesn’t come around all that often.  If it is an in-state program, is also means that you will be getting a chance to stay close to home.

Why you should stay committed to the other school?
Like I said before, desperation by a coaching staff does help athletes land scholarships late in the process.  But why didn’t they extend that offer to you four months ago when you were hoping and praying for it?  This is a situation that makes the football recruiting process so tough.  There is always a domino game of recruiting where if State University loses a recruit, they steal one from another school.  And the cycle goes on and on (similar to what colleges do when their coach leaves).

You may have grown up following this school but you have build an incredible relationship with the coaches that landed your commitment.  Now this staff is trying to build a relationship in the matter of a few hours and get you on the merit that they are State University.  When it boils down to it, do you really think they are not going to try and over recruit you (although this does happen everywhere)?  Your Letter of Intent may say you are picking the institution but the relationship you have with the coaches is what I believe to be the most important factor in a decision.  That is why I feel you should stick with your commitment.

What if a bigger school comes calling late?
This is another interesting what if scenario.  Say you are committed to Fresno State and have been for the last two months.  But a new staff at USC gives you a call and wants you to take an official visit.  They found your tape on Scout/Rivals and like what they saw.  Since you are close to their campus, making the trip wouldn’t be flying across the country.  You can also consider this scenario for Division I-AA recruits getting Division I-AA attention late, Division II recruits getting I-AA attention late, and so fourth.

I personally believe turning down a school like USC would be tough if you are headed to Fresno State.  But to me, loyalty is something that you need to put a high premium on in the football recruiting process.  I will talk about it more this week but coaches are shady.  Like every business, there are some very questionable figures who are shaping the future football players of this country.  So definitely look into your options but the loyalty that a staff like Fresno State has shown you should be something you need to think long and hard about.

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4 Body Fat Myths

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Watching over your diet during the holiday season may be difficult, but it would be much harder if you believe in the following misconceptions: Myth: Lower body fat percentage is better Not necessarily. Our bodies need a certain amount of fat to function properly (20 to 25 percent for women; 10 to 15 percent for […]

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10 things to do if you are a senior football recruit and DO NOT have a scholarship offer

The top football recruits across the country will be signing their Letters of Intent shortly.  But not all readers of this site are the lucky seniors who have offers in hand.  So with that in mind, we take a look at ten things that a senior football recruit should be doing if they do not have an offer on the table at this point.

1.) Make 100% sure that you love your sport and want to play in college
This must always be brought up when an athlete does not have a scholarship at this point.  Are you sure you love the game and want a big portion of your college career based around athletics?  Make 100% sure you want to play and that you want to do it for yourself.  If you are playing for your family, then chances are strong you won’t make it.  Playing athletics at all levels involves a lot of time so keep that in mind.

2.) Gauge your interest from scholarship level schools (this includes NAIA programs)
Signing Day will be here soon so there may still be opportunities to land an offer.  Take a look at the recent recruiting attention that scholarship programs have shown you.  Is there any indication that an offer might be coming?  You may want to call the coaches and speak with them about it.  See what opportunities might arise if players don’t sign with them.   Don’t expect anything though.  If they haven’t offered yet, getting a scholarship will be difficult.

3.) Gauge your interest from non-scholarship level schools
Take a long hard look at the programs that are recruiting you from the non-scholarship level (aka Division III).  Have you made visits to these schools?  Have you built relationships with their coaches?  Would you be happy at the Division III level?  Think about these questions and get a feel for your thoughts on these programs.

4.) Go back to the drawing board
If you are happy with where you sit in the recruiting process and the schools recruiting you, then skip this step.  If not, you basically can just hit the reset button and start looking for new schools.  You won’t be able to get time back by hitting reset but it does allow you to update your recruiting profile and start fresh with new schools.

5.) Research, research, research
Figuring out new schools to look into will involve researching the situation.  You want to be able to take a look at what is offered academically, athletically, and socially at all of the schools.  Please keep in mind that you should be mainly considering smaller schools.  Having Division I eyes at this point in the process is a waste of time.

6.) Show interest in the schools you like
After figuring out what new programs could be a good fit for you, show interest in them.  Send them that updated recruiting profile and tell them about yourself.  A Division III school should have a much better response rate in getting back to prospective recruits.

7.) Apply and fill out your FAFSA
Once you hear from the schools and learn more about them, find five to ten that you feel comfortable with and apply to their programs.  On top of that, you may need to fill out a FAFSA to help with aid and getting your overall education lower in costs.

8.) Look into outside scholarships
Relying on just the school to get your education cheaper will be tough.  That is why it is worth looking into outside scholarships that could help you.  The sooner you look into this, the better.

9.) Take some overnight visits
Before coming to a final decision, getting a better feel for life at the school, the dorms, and going out with the players on the team is a must.  Try to make multiple overnight trips in order to compare and contrast all of the experiences at the schools.

10.) Pick the school that fits you best both academically and athletically
In the end, you are a student athlete and academics has to have a major say in your eventual choice.  As much as you love football and that has been your life, academics is what will help you be success beyond sports.

 

 

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Now is not a good time to be open with the football recruiting process

With less than a month to go before Signing Day hits, one thing that I heard more than I expected during late December and early January is about how senior football recruits are still open and don’t have any favorites.  This happens for two reasons.  The first is the athlete doesn’t really want to announce which schools he is favoring at this point.  The second is the athlete is receiving very little interest so if any college coaches get word of this and the fact that he is open, they may start recruiting him.

When an athlete tells me that they are currently open this late in the football recruiting process, it seems that they have not done their homework.  They likely haven’t out together a recruiting profile, haven’t marketed themselves, haven’t researched the schools, and haven’t put together a highlight video.  And if you try doing that and getting a scholarship, unless you are a Reggie Bush type athlete, good luck.

For senior recruits, you should have a great clue as to what schools are extremely serious about you.  If you had followed the advice of this site and gone through The Five Steps to a Scholarship Offer, then you likely put yourself in the best situation to be evaluated by college coaches to receive a scholarship.  You should already know how serious schools are about you by having read our levels of interest article that I consistently update over time.

If you are going to be a scholarship football recruit who signs his National Letter of Intent in early February with the rest of your class, then you cannot possibly be open right now.  The main reason is that the NCAA gives you five official visits that you can make.  These can be made to any NCAA school (Division I-A to Division II.  Division III schools do not offer these by the way).

With one month to decide and a limited amount of officials, you really need to know where you will be going and spending a weekend.  These overnight trips are invaluable because it gives you a chance to learn more about the coaches, the players, the facilities, campus life, dorm life, and so many other aspects of college life that are nearly impossible to replicate until you become a student at the school.

If you have yet to make any visits, then January is a great month to do so.  Even if you are busy with basketball or wrestling, if the coaches want you bad enough, they will accommodate you with a Sunday/Monday trip instead of a Saturday/Sunday official visit.

I understand when athletes will tell me that they are looking hard at three schools.  They have setup officials at two of those programs and the third will be getting back to them.  They may say something like if any other bigger programs come in, I would look at the them too.  This is just keeping the door open in case a big school does lose a commitment and comes calling.

But this football recruit already has done his research and knows what programs he is focused on.  If you don’t have anything setup and say that you are still open, you are going down a path that is going to be extremely difficult to land a scholarship offer.  So as soon as you can, get back on track by asking coaches that are calling and mailing information to you about official visits. It is late enough in the process that neither party should be wasting their time at this point.

 

 

 

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Should you disclose an injury to college coaches during the athletic recruiting process?

I recently had a chance to speak with a recruit who was telling me that he had missed some time after the football season due to a knee injury.  When asking him further about what happened, he told me that he had torn the MCL but didn’t want that to be known.  The reason why he was keeping it “on the down low” was because he didn’t want college coaches to know.

In speaking with this recruit and knowing his connection to college football, it struck me as odd that he would want to keep something like this to himself.  With medical science these days, what exactly cannot be fixed or improved over time?  It is not like this recruit was expected to workout before Signing Day.  So the question is, does an injury like this need to be told to a college coach?

The obvious reason why this recruit may not want to tell college coaches is because they think that it might scare them away.  But what college football programs have not been stung here or there by a torn ACL or knee problems?  In my opinion, this type of thing happens all the time and they are not suddenly going to disappear late in the process.  Here are reasons why you should and should not tell the coaches.

I am going to tell the college coaches I am hurt because:
What use is there to hide this?  If a college coach has not offered an athlete a scholarship, then injury or not, it will make little difference to their long term evaluation.  For the schools that have offered, if you are good enough, why would they pull the offer?  What injury have athletes not come back from?  Microfracture surgery?  Tommy John surgery?  You name it, an athlete has come back from it.

Chances are that if a coaching staff is going to pull your scholarship offer or no longer recruit you because of a torn up knee, then the same staff may eventually sell you out down the road as well.  Fast forward a year and you hurt that same knee while at their school.  Are they suddenly going to say that your scholarship will not be renewed?  If a staff pulls the offer in the first place, then something like this may happen.  While ethics are not strong in college athletics, I would assume must would want you even with the injury.

I am NOT going to tell the college coaches I am hurt because:
Do they really need to know?  The coaches should be evaluating me on my senior film and performance during camp in the summer.  They should not be taking into consideration that my knee has problems at this point, especially with the doctor telling me that it will be stronger than before in six months.  It will just take a little time to get there and back to normal.

My final analysis is that you should:
Tell the college coaches simply because it is not something you need to hide.   Many coaches like to come and watch an athlete participate in a winter sport to get a feel for their athleticism and toughness.  They may come to a basketball/wrestling practice or a game.  For hoops, the coaches can see what type of athletic ability you have on the court.  In wrestling, they can also learn more about you and your toughness.

Since the coach may be asking you about coming to watch you participate, you need to be honest with them as to if you will be in action or not.  The last thing you want to tell a college coach is that you are not practicing/playing after they made the trip to your school.  That and lying is not a great first impression to have in front of any college coaches.

 

 

 

 

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What a coaching change can do during the athletic recruiting process

It doesn’t matter what sport it is but a change in coaching will have an overall impact on the recruiting process at that given school. And unless they have already named a coach-in-waiting, then that impact will be something that is negative to the current crop of recruits at the school.
But for recruits who may be borderline athletes at that level, a coaching change may end up being the best thing that can happen to them. A new staff will also give recruits another look to see if they are good enough to play at their program. This is something that can be a huge benefit in the long run for these athletes because the coaches may be willing to take more chances.
Once a school has an established coaching staff and relationships built up throughout the country, they are able to take their time during the evaluation process and target specific recruits. These coaches are also able to have A recruits, B recruits, C recruits, and so on if their top targets just don’t work out.
For a coaching staff who is hired in November, December, or January, the timetable is much different. The first thing that most staffs will be doing is taking a look at the current crop of commitments. If the previous staff moved on to a better job, than the new coaching staff will be working to keep these committed athletes in the mix at their school. They will work hard making sure these players eventually sign with their school.
If the previous coaching staff is fired, then all bets are off as to what the new staff will do. This new staff may feel that the current crop of commitments is not good enough and will start from squad one in their evaluations. What that means is that players committed and offered by this school may no longer have that option in the recruiting process. The publicity is bad but this does happen frequently.
The new staff will also be at a disadvantage in signing recruits that have scholarship offers in hand. Relationships are a vital thing in recruiting for all sports and that familiarity with other coaches will likely have a negative effect. What that means is that they may be more willing to take a chance on a local kid or someone who has dreamt of playing for that program.
Again, let me stress that while they will stretch a little on recruiting, they are not going to offer a kid who just has Division III interest. They are going to get a recruit who the previous staff may have felt would be a grayshirt recruit or a preferred walk-on with a strong chance of eventually earning a scholarship.
The staff will likely need to sign at least twenty prospects, depending on the school, so they may need to stretch on a few. A perfect example of this in action was Nick Saban during his first two years recruiting at Alabama. Saban is considered one of the top recruiters in the game and in his first year (which was limited because of timing), he pulled in zero five-star recruits, ten four-star recruits (which is pretty good for the timing), twelve three-star recruits, and three two-star recruits.
With his first full year of recruiting, Saban landed the top class in the country according to Rivals.com. He brought in three five-star recruits, nineteen four-star recruits, eight three-star recruits, and two two-star recruits. In order to fill that first class, Saban had to stretch to fill the spots that were open. With more time at the helm, Alabama will continue to become one of the most dominant programs once again.
Going back to the point, a coaching change can be a great thing for athletes during the athletic recruiting process. It could open doors that would have not been there previously. If you have Division I-AA offers but feel you are a Division I-A player, my advice is to send your recruiting profile to every Division I-A school that has had a coaching change. These are the schools that will be most open to a late recruit.

 

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How to handle athletic recruiting visits from college coaches

If you are a sought after recruit, one thing that you must get used to is the fact that you will be getting visits from college coaches very often. These coaches will mostly be coming to your high school but they may also see you in action at one of your games or come to your house for an in home visit.

While a coach will not offer you based on how polite you are, if the staff feels that you are not the type of person they want in their program, they really will move on. Who is going to offer an athlete that is disrespectful of their parents? Chances are high that this athlete will do the same thing to their coaches down the road.

When a coach comes to your high school, you want to present yourself in a positive manner. Make sure to stand up straight because as I have talked about many times, they will be giving you the eye ball test. While legally they cannot say much more than hello, it would be best to be wearing nice clothes. That is tough at times because coaches do come by the school unannounced. However, think of this as the early stages of a job interview. You want the coach to feel that you are a high character person, and for good or bad, they will be looking at your attire when meeting you for the first time.

When speaking with the coach, they may give you a camp brochure or invite you for a visit. Most of the conversation about you will come between your high school coach and the college coach. If you can, speak with your high school coach about the visit and how serious they are about you. Chances are good that the coach may leave the high school with a tape or view the tape with the coach in his office.

There are rules on how often Division I coaches can visit you after games but this is anther important time. Back in my day, the top player on my basketball team would get visits from college coaches all of the time after games. These coaches would wait in line to speak with him. I have seen this many times and even if it happens, do not rush any of the college coaches. They will find it rude and that could turn them off when considering to offer you a scholarship.

Even if you don’t know the coach, make eye contact with him and speak with him about their school. Chances are probably good you have spoken with him on the phone before (At least you hope). They will talk about their season and probably about how you are playing as well. This is just a time to get to know the coaches better.

One of the toughest parts about the coaches visiting is if your team does not win. Honestly, even when I was playing basketball in college, my family knew I would be grumpy for a loss. So even if your team loses, try to be as cordial as possible. No matter if their trip was five minutes or five hours, these coaches drove to see you play in hopes of eventually landing you at the college level. Be nice to the coaches and don’t cop an attitude just because your team lost.

For an in home visit, chances are that the coaches think very highly of you if they are making this trip. While a scholarship is far from a sure thing, it does mean that you are high on their recruiting board if they are spending time to make a trip to your house. This is another time when you want to put your best foot forward. It also gives your parents a chance to learn more about the coaching staff.

When they come for this visit, it is a great time to ask question. Are you concerned about the location? What about their struggles on the court, the field, or the diamond? If those are things that you are seriously worried about, ask them. See what they say about how you would fit into their team and how they would use you. Are they recruiting other players at your position? How is the depth chart?

Unless the visit goes bad (And I have heard some horror stories about the parents eventually yelling at the coaches), they will likely be there to help you with any concerns or questions that you have about their school. This may be the best time to ask questions and learn more about the coaching staff. Talking to a coach over the phone can only help you know more about him just so much. This in home visit is a great time to see what type of people they are.

As with high school visits, make sure to stand tall and wear something that you feel will help you in the long run. If there are questions about your weight or if you have been sick, wear baggy clothes. As mentioned by Ross Tucker in another article, he said wear your big shoes that will help make you look the tallest you can be. That really can help in the long run and is something to think about when they are coming to visit.

Overall, you should be yourself in front of the coaches. If you are putting up a front, they will probably eventually realize it. Make sure to ask questions and learn more about their programs, no matter what level. Don’t just dismiss the coach because they are at the Division III level. When it comes time to transfer from that scholarship school if it doesn’t work out, I can promise you they will remember that.

 

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Chocolate Chip Pecan Orange Spice Cookies

These vegan Chocolate Chip Pecan Orange Spice Cookies are the perfect winter spin on the classic chocolate chip cookie. With buttery pecans paired with orange and cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg, these cookies will make your whole house smell amazing. Get the recipe and join me in the kitchen for a cooking video for this recipe..Read more »

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I played out of position on the football field and have very little footage for a highlight video. What should I do for recruiting purposes?

A parent was kind enough to shed some light on the current football recruiting situation of his son recently. Just to give a little background, the athlete has spent his life playing tight end and that is what he will be playing at the college level. But during his senior season, the high school changed the offense and he saw very little balls thrown his way. With the spread these days, this is something that is happening more often than you can imagine.

While this recruit didn’t exactly play out of position, he did do very little in the passing game to really warrant much recruiting interest. But this player has some potential and wants a chance to play in college. If you are in this situation or have been playing a different spot than where you will play in college, this article should be right up your alley.

The first key to playing out of position is going to college camps. There are many athletes that I have covered over the last few years that play a different position in high school than they would in college. One athlete comes to mind played quarterback and safety at the prep level but would be a tight end in college at the Division I-A (FCS) level. It was vital for this athlete to go to their camp and show that he had what it takes to play tight end. There have also been many other running back recruits trying their hand at defensive back for the first time at a summer camp.

The reason that these camps are vital is because it gives a chance for the coaches to work with you and see what type of ability you have at the new position. They should realize this is not something you will be comfortable with right away. But they will also be seeing how coachable you are and how easily you digest a new position. Let me stress that for most recruits, it is very difficult.
If you are a junior or younger, then it may be worth speaking with your high school coach about it. Talk to them about the recruiting process and how it may be possible to play a position that could help you garner a scholarship. While the coach may have your best interest in mind, he or she is also trying to win as many games as possible.

What I mean by that is the coach may be willing to try you at defensive back on top of running back on certain downs and distances. The coach is likely not going to move you from quarterback to tight end if there is no one on your team to throw the ball. Most smaller schools put the best athlete at quarterback so if that is your spot offensively, you may need to stay there. The same goes for any number of positions. It is easier to talk a coach into possibly playing you both ways rather than moving you from a vital position to somewhere less important offensively and defensively.

The final key is making most of what you have available. The athlete I had mentioned plays tight end and he only saw a limited number of passes during the season. If you make only five catches all year, what you will need to do is find a way to supplement highlights. This means you may look harder into the video of you blocking or playing defense. These catches are likely not going to get you a scholarship but the blocking and determination you show there could help.

The ideal situation is to play the position in high school that you will play in college. The problem is that in at least 15% of cases, that doesn’t always happen. So you need to get to camps, try to reason with your high school coach, and make the most of the footage you have. It is not a great situation but something that will not kill the recruiting process for you if you take the right steps.

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Save 40-60% on the 3rd edition of TPOSANA

The 3rd edition of "Vol 1: The Practice of System and Network Administration" was nominated as a "2017 Community Favorite". To celebrate, you can get it 40-60% off between now and Jan 8, 2018.

Click this link and use code "FAVE"

See all the favorites here: http://ift.tt/2CU6hoV

By the way... there haven't been many reviews of this book on Amazon, and none that have mentioned the new content in Section I, II and III. I've you've read the new edition and would like to post a review, we'd love to know your opinion (good or bad).

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What are the ten biggest factors in a college decision for athletic recruiting

With Signing Day around the corner, high school athletes will be signing their Letters of Intent and in the process finalizing a college decision.  If anyone questioned that their verbal commitments meant much, it will be signing this National Letter of Intent that makes things completely official.

We have decided to put together the top ten different factors that likely play major factors in any college decision, especially those for athletics (obviously if you are not playing sports, your role on the team doesn’t matter much).  These ten are in no particular order but each should be something to think about strongly before you sign away a year of your life with the National Letter of Intent.

1.) Coaches
The coaches are the ones recruiting you so unless you grew up dreaming of playing for their school, they should play a major role in your decision.  They will help you get comfortable with the program overall.

2.) Location
If it is ten minutes or ten hours away, location is something that you should think about.  Can your parents make the trip to your games?  Can you drive home over a weekend to see your family (or girlfriend)?

3.) Playing time
Competitive athletes don’t go to a college thinking they will never play.  So if you spend four years sitting the bench, would you really be happy in the long run?

4.) Academics
You will be a student athlete who is there to get an education, not play sports (despite what some schools think).  Academics must play a major role in your college decision.  You will regret it later on if you don’t think about it early.

5.) Success of the program
Do you want to go to a team that will be spending the next few years rebuilding?  That may mean more playing time so success of the program is something to think about.  Would you be happy losing a lot of games early on?

6.) The players
Unless a school is going through major rebuilding (and it does happen),  then the players at the school will likely be ones that you hang out with while there.  Becoming comfortable with these players is important in a decision.

7.) Weather
Are you going to college to play baseball?  Then maybe going down South will help you be able to play year round.  It is a minor decision but something that really should be thought about.

8.) A feeling of home
The thing that most athletes say about making a decision is that they finally found a school that felt like home.  It is basically impossible to describe the feeling but something you just know in your gut.

9.) Following of the team
I had a chance to play college basketball at a place that was bad going in.  Due to their struggles, about twenty students went to the game (I wish I was joking).  This following is something that is vital for the overall outcome of your decision.

10.) Scholarship money
This may actually be number one for a lot of athletes.  The amount of scholarship money that you receive is huge.

 

 

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Do you take the athletic scholarship now or wait for your dream school?

One of the areas that I discussed in the article about taking all five of your official visits (Click here for that article) is if you should make your college decision based on the offers you currently have or roll the dice by hoping that another school will extend you a scholarship. But what should you do if the school you are waiting has been the program you have spent your life dreaming of playing at?

This question again depends on the situation and you will have to look at a number of factors before making that final decision. And no matter what state you live in, there is a good chance that you grew up loving a state school or another national program that has made a name for yourself. Making that decision will really affect the rest of your life so it is important to weigh both the pros and cons of each side.

If your dream school is really interested in you (And by really interested I mean calls, hand written letters, and a request to come on an official visit), then there is a good chance that at the very least they would take you as a preferred walk-on. Being a preferred walk-on would be the worst case scenario here and along with that comes a lot of options.

The first depends on the financial situation of your family. Can your family pay for you to pass up a scholarship either by having the money or taking out student loans? As a preferred walk-on, you will get to wear the jersey that you have dreamed of but the financial situation is what should factor in the most. A lot of athletes that come from wealthy backgrounds have no problem spurning scholarship offers to live their dream and walk on at a Division I school. The problem is few people have that type of money to turn down a scholarship. And as I have said here many times, student loans are not exactly fun to pay off over time.

The next situation is that as a walk on, everyone’s dream is to prove college coaches wrong and eventually become a starter at the school of your dreams. The problem is that the majority of athletes who take this route either never play for the four or five years of their career or end up transferring to a smaller school to play. I would assume if you are considering this, you are the stud at your high school and most likely play every down in football or never leave the basketball court. Whatever the case, you will have to be happy with sitting for at least a few years. Rarely does a walk on come right in and start within the first few years of their college career. It does happen, but not very often.

If you do a good enough job, the school will likely extend you a scholarship offer. But it could be your third year at the school. And with walk-ons, you may receive the offer one year and it may be taken away the next. While all scholarships are a one year contract, coaches are more likely to pull the ride from a former walk on than someone who was offered in high school. This does really happen.

At this time in basically all recruiting processes, your dream school is probably still evaluating you and if you are worthy of a scholarship. They may be up front with you and tell you that you can come there as a preferred walk on. The most likely case is that the school is waiting on other prospects that they have rated higher on the recruiting board to decide. If they pick another school, then you are moving closer to that scholarship offer on the recruiting board.

What is interesting about following the recruiting process of schools is that with the help of sites like Rivals.com, Scout.com, and a variety of others, potential recruits and their parents do follow what is going on with the recruiting process. While it is never going to be 100% accurate, this site will give you a feel for who the school is after and who they have offered. The biggest schools have the most in-depth coverage so if Alabama is after you, it would be easy for you to check what defensive backs they have offered and who they are bringing in for visits.

As I have always said, it is important to ask the coaches questions when they call you about your current situation. If they are serious about you at this point, they should be calling you weekly. Ask them about your status, who is above you on the recruiting board, and if they feel you have a realistic shot at a scholarship. They may up front with you or they may feed you lies. You never know. But asking the questions can never hurt in the recruiting process.

In the end, it comes down to money and being able to pay for college. You want to find a school that you love and has academic areas that you are interested in. If your dream school does not have the Engineering major that you want to go into, you need to think about that as well. You will roll the dice waiting for that scholarship offer but sometimes it pays off.

For example, a school in the Midwest is having their potential late minute scholarships/preferred walk-ons all on official visits a week and a half before Signing Day. Right now, none of them have made decisions and they all hope that they will get an offer from this school. The problem is, out of the three for sure visiting, I don’t see more than one leaving the visit with an offer. And if that scholarship comes, it may end up coming the day before Signing Day.

It will be a tough decision either way. Passing up a scholarship, no matter what school offers it, is difficult. Look into money, your potential major, and your desire to play early versus going to your dream school.

 

 

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3 Reasons Why People Remove Their Tattoos

This post first appeared on Beautiful Canadian Laser & Skin Care Clinic.

If you got a tattoo because of your special someone, and yet last Christmas, they gave your heart away, there’s nothing to do but move on. You’re not the only one regretting. Here are the top reasons why people opt for tattoo removal: Artist’s error Hayden Panettiere famously had “Live Without Regrets” tattooed on her […]

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Should I take all five of my athletic official visits?

One of the toughest questions to answer in the recruiting process is should I take all of my official visits. With the football dead period about to end and with less than a month left until Signing Day, recruited athletes will need to make a decision if they want to end the recruiting process early or take all five of their visits before that decision comes.

What makes the question so unique to every situation is that it really just depends on the recruit. For example, if you are a player that is very sought after and has schools all over the country wanting to sign you, then chances are good that you can decide on Signing Day and they would still take you in a heart beat. The problem with that scenario is that few athletes have that option to wait that long into the process.

As much as I love doing work on this site to help recruits, my assumption is that few athletes with double digit Division I scholarship offers would visit very often. These players already know that they will have their college paid for and do not need this site to help them. If anything, it is up to them doing the research and looking into what place will be the best fit.

Going back to the original question at hand, most recruits are probably stuck in a very hard place right now that have scholarship offers. The schools that have extended the offers would love to land you, but they need to have a back up plan in case you decide to sign with their conference rivals. What most coaches will do in this situation is be honest with. They will say that on January 15th (Or just some random date), they will be offering another prospect.

In the end, this prospect could be made up just to help pressure you into a decision. Or they could be real because the school has to land a defensive tackle and they can’t risk going into Signing Day empty handed throughout the athletic recruiting process. It is very tough because if you are a Division II/Division I-AA recruit right now, you basically have to spend the next few weekends making official visits if you want to take all five.

But if a school that you love has you scheduled for an official visit but has not offered, you are rolling the dice on passing up the scholarship that is currently on the table. Recruits may feel that it is better to wait on a college decision, but some end up getting burned by waiting through the process and deciding late.

You are gambling one or two ways. The first is making an early decision and seeing things change. For example, a recent recruit decided to make a commitment to a Division I-AA (FCS school for those out there) early in December. I will talk about this more in another article, but like all coaches, this recruit was told that the head coach would be there all five years of his career. Apparently a job opens and this coach decides to leave before coaching him one of those years. Now what does the recruit do?

He already canceled his visits to the other schools and some may have moved on by landing commitments from prospects they felt were lower ranked than he was. But those doors may now be shut. The good news is that it is still early enough in the process that if he wants to look around, he still can. If the coach left on February 1st, it may have been even tougher for the recruit.

On the other hand, this recruit could have spent January weekends making official visits around the country. He had only taken two trips so he easily could have made more visits. But if he had decided to do that and taken his last trip over the weekend of January 26th, would all of the options he had early still been there? That is a tough question to answer.

Many Division II and some I-AA schools will now talk scholarship offers unless you take your official visit there. This is a good move on their part because the coaches force you to make them among your top five if you want that scholarship offer on the table. Some schools will entice a player to visit by promising an offer (Which usually does happen), but at the Division II level, it could be 5% of your tuition. An athletic scholarship can be anything at the Division I-AA and II levels so them promising you an offer doesn’t mean it has to be a high scholarship percentage.

My advice for recruits is that you need to find a place that you feel most comfortable at. Like when trying to buy a house, many recruits said they would visit a school and it just felt like home. You need to try and find that feeling. Even if it your first official visit in September or your last right before Signing Day, you should not make a decision until you are completely comfortable with it.

As bad as student loans are (And I can attest to that), I would rather have them than had a bad experience in college. If you can get your education paid for and leave debt free or with little debt, you have to realize how lucky you are. It will give you a huge head start on life and will be a major factor if you should make all of your visits or not.

 

 

 

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Vegan "Pub Cheese" Dip, Sharp Cheddar Flavor!

Gathering with friends or family this holiday season? Spruce up any appetizer party platter with this Vegan "Pub Cheese" Dip. It has a smoky, sharp cheddar flavor, but is light and lovely enough to dip generously. Spread on crackers, pretzels, bagel chips, carrot sticks, apple slices or celery. I am totally in love with the warming smoky flavor that has undertones of sweetness from the cashew base and a touch of maple syrup. Party hosts: whip this up for your snack platter. Party guests: Bring this along with some dippables to help your gracious host out a bit. (And either way you get to dive into creamy Pub Cheese, soo, win win..)Read more »

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Q&A with a Family Part 2: What happens with football recruiting during a coaching change in December?

When an athlete accepts a Division I scholarship offer for any sport, they feel strongly that this is the school that they want to spend the next four or five years of their life at.  And while some may decommit and eventually pick another program, the majority of athletes stay strong to their word when they originally commit.

But what happens to a recruit after committing when the head coach at the school leaves the program in a flash only a short time before Signing Day?  We had a chance to do a question and answer with a family who had the chance to go through this exact situation.  Find out what they thought about the whole process and what they did to help their son get football recruiting attention in the first place.  This is part two of a two part article.  Click here for the previous article.

What was the first thoughts once the coaching change became official?
We were really stunned and disappointed. We were anxious to see who the new coach was going to be and if our son would fit into their plans and ours.

Once the change happened, your son opened up recruiting. Did State University #2 and Out of State University #2 come calling or did you express interest in them?
They both made initial contact.

How was the official visit to State University #2?
First Class. We were very impressed with the coaching staff, the facilities, the way we were treated, and the organization of the visit. They stressed to us that this was a no pressure situation since they knew that our son was still committed to State University #1. They wanted our son to get a better in-depth look of the Engineering Program and the Football Program. He also had the opportunity to spend time with several of the football players. In the end, it made our son’s decision a little tougher.

What was it like getting all this attention from schools that had not offered in the spring? Why all of a sudden did it seem they had scholarships waiting?
It was stressful because we thought the recruiting process was over when he committed to State University #1 in May. It can also make you second guess your initial decision.  Had our son not ended his recruiting process early, he had planned on attending a number of camps at conference schools in the area. Had he attended those camps, he probably would have picked up several more offers per what the coaches were telling us on our Junior Day visits.

What sold you for the second time on State University #1?
Our son needed to meet the new coaches and get a feel for them and what their plans were for him and their offensive scheme. When we visited in January, our son met with the new head coach and knew after a lengthy conversation with him that he was passionate about State University #1’s Football Program and his vision for the future. Our was in those plans which was important to him and our family. We also had the opportunity to meet his position coach. He went over his schemes and where he saw our son fitting into the future. Our son’s first impression of this coach was that he was a confident teacher and stressed the basic principles.

How much did the families background with State University #1 factor in?
We never stressed to our son that he had to attend the same school that we did. Ultimately, over the years visiting the school for various events and activities, our son found it to be a place he could see himself getting a great education and a place where he could compete in sports at a higher level.

As a parent, how stressful was the recruiting process?
Initially, not very stressful because the offer came early. After State University #1’s coach resigned, and our son opened up his recruiting, it became more stressful wondering about our son’s future and if we had made all the right decisions.

What was the process as a family to narrow down the recruiting process?
We always stressed to our son that the final decision would have to be his to make and he didn’t have to go to the same school that his parents attended. During the ride home from each visit, we would talk about the pros and cons of the university. Nothing ever seemed to top State University #1 in our son’s eyes and in his heart.

Do you feel that college coaches were honest with you the entire time in the process?
Yes.

Did you feel that schools offered because other schools did? If so, do you think that happened often?
No.

Estimate how many unofficial visits you took and how worth while they were during the process?
Approximately ten.  We felt they were very worthwhile because it reassured our son that State University #1 was the best fit for him.

What would you say was the most difficult part of the recruiting process?
The initial phase of sending out videotapes and anxiously waiting for a reply. Wondering if he has what it takes to play at the next level.  Secondly, going through a coaching change before he signed his National Letter of Intent.

Do you have any other words of wisdom for families out there reading this?
One thing that really caught the attention of coaches was that our son is a very good student. Academics have to be #1 throughout their high school days. When coaches visit younger players at Large High School #1, one of the first things they say is, “How are your grades?” If you don’t have the grades, they won’t be able to make you an offer, no matter how good of a player you are.

Start your recruiting process early. Visit a lot of schools. Attend one day summer camps so you can save money and it doesn’t allow coaches to over evaluate your child.

Make a file to help you stay organized and to document any communication between your son and coaches at all of the different schools that are involved.

Be realistic on the level at which you think your son can play.

It’s not the high school or high school coaches job to promote your son, it’s your responsibility. They will be happy to help but ultimately the time you put into the recruiting process will directly benefit your family.

Try to enjoy the entire process.

Once again, a special thanks for the parents in their help!

 

 

 

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Including only scholarship worthy plays in your recruiting highlight video

For some sports like football, an outstanding recruiting highlight video can make or break what type of attention that you will receive in the recruiting process. I have stressed for years the importance of having a quality product put together and the impact that it can have on you. But in working on one recently, something really stood out to me.
If you read different sources, some say you need to include your best twelve plays, your best twenty plays, or any other random number you can come up with. But in my mind, there is one thing you should really think about when producing a recruiting highlight video. Is this play scholarship worthy?
If you are the one doing the highlight video yourself, that question is something that should enter into your mind every single play that you use. If you are hiring it out, make sure that the company you have gone with knows what they are doing and has an eye for what college coaches are looking for. If you are doing this on hudl, make sure the plays are organized by the best ones, not just the first game, second game, and so on.
I hate to bring this story up again but for an athlete had his highlight video produced by a company in their home town where most of their work was done with wedding. The video was well presented but the problems occurred when the plays started. The first video of the recruiting highlight video was of the athlete at quarterback handing the ball off. Do you think him handing the ball off was scholarship worthy? What is even worse is that this recruit was not even being recruited at quarterback.
The moral of that quick story is that even if you have friends who know how to edit video, make sure they know what college coaches are looking for. If they don’t, then move on. There is no doubt in my mind that it is worth paying a few more dollars to someone who knows what they are doing. That knowledge can be the difference between a scholarship and a walk-on spot at the school.
Going back to the main theme of the article, if you are a running back, think about if each play you put is scholarship worthy. Is a two-yard touchdown up the middle really going to help you get a scholarship? If the answer is no, don’t include it. The touchdown appears on your stats so if it is lackluster, it doesn’t need to be in your highlight video as well.
What you want to include are the impressive runs. It may be a play where you juked someone, broke through a tackle, or gave a great stiff arm. Even if these plays are only 10-yard gains, the ability that you show may make the difference in the eyes of college coaches. Breaking three tackles and juking someone for 15-yard is more scholarship worthy than a perfectly blocked 80-yard run where no one touched you.
So before finalizing that highlight video, go through each and every one of the plays that are included. Is this play good enough to get me a scholarship? And if you don’t know or are too bias to tell, then it may be best to hire out the video and get it done by a professional.

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Q&A with a Family Part 1: What happens with football recruiting during a coaching change late in the process

When an athlete accepts a Division I scholarship offer for any sport, they feel strongly that this is the school that they want to spend the next four or five years of their life at.  And while some may decommit and eventually pick another program, the majority of athletes stay strong to their word when they originally commit.

But what happens to a recruit after committing when the head coach at the school leaves the program in a flash only a short time before Signing Day?  We had a chance to do a question and answer with a family who had the chance to go through this exact situation.  Find out what they thought about the whole process and what they did to help their son get football recruiting attention in the first place.  This is part one of a two part article.

Can you please describe the overall recruiting process that your family went through?
The recruiting process started in the summer between our son’s sophomore and junior years. He attended the State University #1 one-day Prospect Camp and one day of State University #2 three-day padded camp. He also attended a 7 on 7 Passing Camp at State University #2. Being a starter on the State Championship Team jump started his recruiting due to the exposure he got during the semifinals and State Championship Game.

We had a highlight tape made and attended a number of Junior Day Events at several schools. In the spring of his junior year, we also made several unofficial visits to check facilities, academics, and the football program.  We had offers from a couple of recruiting services to promote our son and help with the recruiting process but we opted to try it ourselves first.  With the offer from State University #1 in April of ’08 and his commitment in May ’08, he decided to end his process early because that was the offer he was looking for.

What had been your experience with football recruiting prior to this?
None. We did our own recruiting process with our daughter, who received a volleyball scholarship from Out-of-State University #1.

When did you feel your son had the potential to play college athletics?
Freshman Year

Did you use a recruiting service/recruiting agent during the recruiting process? If so, why? If not, why did you go that route?
Both (parents) are college athletes and have gone through the recruiting process ourselves. Granted, it was many years ago and things are quite a bit different today but we knew the questions that needed to be asked and we knew that we needed to promote our son through exposure at camps, a highlight video, and communicating with the coaching staffs. We had some experience with recruiting from going through the process with our daughter.

We did speak to a couple of recruiters, but after seeing the price of some of the services, we felt we would make a run of it on our own before soliciting their services.  Being from Large High School #1, a school with a rich tradition in football and a great coaching staff, also was a big help in the recruiting process. The coaches do a nice job of promoting their players and have many contacts in the college ranks.

If you handled recruiting yourself, what did you do to help get your son’s name out to college coaches?
We had a highlight video made and sent it out to many different schools. He attended several junior day events.  The high school coach sent his name out on many potential athlete questionnaires. During his junior year, he worked out with another Division I athlete during track. Many coaches visit Large High School #1 throughout the winter and spring. When they were talking to this other athlete, they noticed our son’sbody type, work ethic, and foot speed, and took a mental note of who he was.

Do you feel that making All State/All Conference lists is important during the recruiting process?
No. Our son did not have a single post season honor during his Junior season.

What do you feel were some of the best steps that you took to help get your son attention?
Attending camps in the summer.

Were there any steps that you took that you would have avoided when looking back now?
No

How much help did his high school coach play in the recruiting process?
The high school coach did a great job of adding our son’s name to many lists of potential players. He also returned phone calls to many coaches, introduced our son to many of the visiting coaches, and even attended one of the summer camps our son was at and spoke with the coaches there about him.

Was the guidance counselor at the school used much? If so, for what?
Yes. Our son is interested in Engineering. His counselor helped him by giving him a list of the top engineering schools to look over during his recruiting process. They also assisted us with some of the Clearinghouse information and sending transcripts out to some of the schools he was looking at.

Did you make a highlight video yourself or have it professionally done? Why did you pick the route that you did?
We had a highlight video made by a local guy.  He is a graduate of Large High School #1, films all of the games, and really knows the players and what to look for in a highlight video. We had seen some of his work and liked what we saw so we went with his services. We felt it was important to have a quality product to send out to the coaches.

How many highlight videos did you end up sending out total?
Between 10-15

Before sending the videos, had you had much contact with the college coaches?
Not really, in most cases it was our son’s contact with coaches at school and from camps.

Was there much contact with the media during the recruiting process? Did you use it to help get the word out about scholarship offers?
Yes. Before our son’s scholarship offers, the only media contact was from Rivals.com and Scout.com.  Once he committed to State University #1, the larger newspapers throughout the State and television crews started interviewing him.

Why did your son decide to end the recruiting process in May originally?
ISU was our son’s “dream school” for football and engineering.  He’s been to the city many times for different family and athletic events. He’s always liked the campus, the energy during the games he attended, and the city. He liked the size of the school, the football facilities, and he’s always wanted to play in that conference. When State University #1’s coach offered him in April, we visited a few other schools and nothing ever lived up to his vision of that program. When we went on an unofficial visit in May and looked more in depth at the Engineering Program, the student housing, and the Academic Center, there was no doubt in his mind that this was the place he wanted to be.

Was there any thought at all that the coaches at State University #1 would leave?
No. We thought State University #1’s coach would be there at least five years.

When did your family first hear about the coaching change?
We heard rumors the day before State University #1’s coach announced he was taking the job at another school.

 

 

 

 

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3 Common Skin Problems During Winter

This post first appeared on Beautiful Canadian Laser & Skin Care Clinic.

“Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow” is probably the last thing you want to hear if you’re the type of person who usually experiences skin issues during this season. You’re not the only one, though. Here are the most common problems and how to fix them: Sun damage Yes, even in the […]

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Commission Calculator for BC Realtor Fees in Vancouver with Net Proceeds for Sellers

How much are real estate fees in Vancouver, BC?

I charge a real estate commission of 7% on the 1st $100,000 and 2.5% on the balance of the sale price for properties in Vancouver.

Thinking of Selling?

Use this form to find out how to sell your home sooner and for more money.

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Around half (50%) of the 7% on the 1st $100,000 and 2.5% on the balance is payable to a buyers agent who brings the seller an offer that completes at the Land Titles Office.

According to Canada’s Competition Act, there we Realtors are not supposed to say there is a standard real estate commission.

Real Estate commissions and the net proceeds (ie the amount a Seller receives from a real estate sale after costs) are often confusing for prospective property Sellers in Vancouver.

Most Sellers aren’t sure about how much commission they will have to pay (Check out my great video on what I charge for Real Estate Commissions) and how much tax (GST/HST) will be payable on the real estate commission fee once the property sells.

This calculator clears up this confusion!

Realtor Commissions with GST Calculated!

All you need to do is input the potential sale price of the property in question (Not sure how much the sale price is? Check out this great video on Comparative Market Analysis or call me at 604-763-3136!) in the form above.

Then click “Calculate” and you will get the sale proceeds from the property after all the real estate commissions and HST/GST on the commission are deducted. Basically, this commission calculator lets you know how much you will end up with in your pocket when you sell your property in Vancouver after all is said and done.

Remember Folks! There is no standard or average real estate commission fee in Vancouver and across Canada and your Realtor fees are negotiable always!

Remember! Around 50% of the Commission calculated above goes to the Buyers Agent who brings an offer that gets accepted and Completes at the Land Titles Office!

Buyers Looking to Calculate Commissions on a Purchase?

The good news is that in 99% of the time Buyers of Property in Vancouver DO NOT directly pay commission to their Buyers Agent. To learn more check out this informative video on how Buyers Agents get paid in Vancouver!

Looking for advice on selling a home in Vancouver? Check out these great videos on How to Sell a Home in Vancouver!

Wondering How Much Tax There Might be on The Sale Proceeds of Your Property in Canada?

Check out this great video on the definition of a Primary Residence in Canada!

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