Why Do We Yell?

 

This is a little article / observation from Neal Mars, the Youth Sports Advisor for ViewMySport.com and also who happens to be a former coach and current certified referee for several sports.  This is a bit of his reflection after being privy to and the recipient of comments typical during youth soccer games, etc.  It’s a good reminder of what we, as adults and for some of us, as parents, should be focusing on during this phase of life with our young student-athletes and children……

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Early & Often

 

Here at ViewMySport.com, we have always preached that you should be establishing contacts with college coaches EARLY & OFTEN!    Because it is so competitive to get the coveted athletic scholarship, you have to give yourself (and the college coaches) time to get to know you, watch your progress and establish a rapport.    You can’t get that done in one year!    It’s quite a task to get it done in several years!

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Letters DO NOT Always Mean Recruiting Interest

 

Getting a lot of emails and phone calls inquiring about the letters being received by student-athletes from colleges…..   First of all, it’s great that you are on their mailing lists, BUT, it is just a mailing list.   Don’t get TOO excited, as colleges have extensive lists of athletes that they get from camps, combines and multiple resources.   Getting a letter from a college DOES NOT mean you are being recruited or even that there is any interest.   YOU must continue your recruiting process 100% and do not relax, thinking that you have it made because of receiving letters.   The only letters that count are official “offer” letters or a personal letter written by a coach.   Some of the letters kids are receiving even are made to look “personal”, but are just part of the marketing lists from that college.   Again, the letters are fun and some can contain helpful information, like camp schedules, etc., but keep things in perspective and don’t let them distract you!

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“Now What Do I do?”

 

So, the recruiting process is all over and the results are varied….  “I didn’t get any offers from Div I colleges, now what do I do?”…..    “I only got a couple of offers from some NAIA colleges, now what do I do?”…..    “I haven’t received a single offer from any colleges at all, now what do I do?”…..    Famous last words, “NOW WHAT DO I DO?”    It is a question that should NEVER come up, especially at the end of your recruiting journey!    The student-athlete, along with their parents, teachers, guidance counselors and coaches should be helping you prepare for the worse case scenario, which is NOT getting the coveted athletic college scholarship or maybe not the one you were hoping for.

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Elite Camps and Team Invites – OR NOT!

 

It’s that time of year where you’re going to start getting camp, combine and elite team invites…… BEWARE!

You must understand, regardless of how these “events” are being marketed, they are not designed for you to get “noticed” or “discovered”.    They are designed money-makers, pure and simple!    Sure, they can be fun to attend and measure yourself against the competition, but don’t get overly enthused by being invited to any of them.  This goes for the so-called “FREE” events as well.  Yeah, they’re free, but then the list of athletes that attended goes to every sports related vendor that paid to be involved.  Your phones and email will be blowing up following the event, for sure!

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Too Young To Start The Recruiting Process?

 

We get this question quite a bit, not just for soccer, but for all sports, so thought it would be a great idea to share with the masses……

“My child just turned 12 yrs old and has been in competitive soccer since age 3.  He dreams of playing Division I college soccer.  When do we start the recruiting process?”

You are taking the first important step in your son’s recruiting process, which is “research”.  So many people procrastinate, waiting until their child is “star quality” before doing any prep work regarding their recruiting.  The fact is, college coaches and recruiters are paying more and more close attention to younger athletes, all for the sake of getting a leg up on their competition at other colleges.  It is a polarizing fact, but certainly a reality.

Rhabdomyolysis – A Danger To Athletes!

 

Recently, I had a mother of a high school athlete document her (and her son’s) experience with a very serious bout of Rhabdomyolysis, which was totally unheard of at the time.  The fact that nobody talks about it or is aware of how to prevent or treat it is ridiculous!  With so many kids participating in sports and training harder than ever, I felt the need to make sure EVERYONE knows about it and can be prepared.  Rhabdomyolysis is the breakdown of muscle fibers that leads to the release of muscle fiber contents (myoglobin) into the bloodstream.   Myoglobin is harmful to the kidney and often causes kidney damage.

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BE SMART When Picking Your College!

 

SO IMPORTANT……. While you go thru the “thought process” regarding playing sports in college and the whole recruiting journey, YOU really need to slow down and think about the COLLEGE you want to be attending!   Many student-athletes say “Whoever will give me the scholarship!”, but you MUST spend some time thinking about the school itself!

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Questions College Coaches Will Ask You…

 

Here’s a little helpful information for you high school student-athletes that will help you be better prepared to talk with college coaches….. Find more helpful information about sports recruiting at ViewMySport.com , YOUR #1 College Sports Recruiting & Scholarship Networking Resource!

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