Very well said East Raider...on all points.

As for the CJ Coaches All State voting it clearly states for coaches to ONLY VOTE FOR PLAYERS THEY HAVE SEEN. That statement has a huge impact on the ballots.

 

That was changed this year. It was CLEARLY stated to vote for the best players at each position, whether you've seen them or not.

I may have hit a perfect storm, but I can honestly say that I was able to get my son a great deal of attention without putting in a great deal of work. The most work I did was make his highlight video, that was time consuming. I know that is one player versus 10-20 that a coach has, but it really didn't take that much effort. Yes, he went to combines and camps, but he received the most attention from emailing coaches and sending his highlight video and player profile to coaches. The only combine or camp that really got him attention from coaches was CoachJ's combine. Some of the other combines and camps yielded one or two contacts, CoachJ's combine yielded six.

 

My argument is, if a player can get that much attention from just emailing a coach, how much attention can a player get when the high school coach emails colleges?

 

I don't disagree at all. The highlight film helped, but being seen in person is huge. Mike does a GREAT job with his combine, but even just going across town, some just will not go. I have to drive kids there or they won't go. Even with that said, emailing and sending film helps...but SO MANY factors go into whether they are "offered" vs strung along (a topic for another thread itself). The coach can email all he wants but a phone call does well....and the kids showing interest does more than anything. Kinda like having a girlfriend. She has lots of options, but if she shows you interest you better show interest back or she's moving on. If a school shows interest in a kid that kid better show interest back...or they won't be there come signing day. Like cheif said...getting them to actually look at film is the tough part. Going to combines for camps that are actually on the playing level of the athlete allows them to pass the eye test. Everyone looks like a champ on a highlight film. The tough part is getting a kid (or more so mom and dad) to understand that SEC schools aren't on their ability level, or FBS/FCS schools at all for that matter. That in reality they need to consider Div2, 3 and NAIA schools if they REALLY wanna play...and that it does come with a very hefty price tag. The reality is sometimes much tougher for them to grasp, and that sending film to those big schools may never get looked at is even tougher for them to wrap their mind around. We ask our kids to make a realistic list of schools they want film sent to (we won't send film to a west coast school if they plan on being within a couple hours of home) that is in their ability level that they have an academic interest in attending. You might be a little shocked at how many say they want to play...that never put togehter a list of schools. We start this process for our kids at the very least their junior year...but start their highlight compilation from the time they first hit the feild on the varsity level. From that point, we need them to become very active in the process...some do, some don't.

I don't disagree at all. The highlight film helped, but being seen in person is huge. Mike does a GREAT job with his combine, but even just going across town, some just will not go. I have to drive kids there or they won't go. Even with that said, emailing and sending film helps...but SO MANY factors go into whether they are "offered" vs strung along (a topic for another thread itself). The coach can email all he wants but a phone call does well....and the kids showing interest does more than anything. Kinda like having a girlfriend. She has lots of options, but if she shows you interest you better show interest back or she's moving on. If a school shows interest in a kid that kid better show interest back...or they won't be there come signing day. Like cheif said...getting them to actually look at film is the tough part. Going to combines for camps that are actually on the playing level of the athlete allows them to past the eye test. Everyone looks like a champ on a highlight film. The tough part is getting a kid (or more so mom and dad) to understand that SEC schools aren't on their ability level, or FBS/FCS schools. That in reality they need to consider Div2, 3 and NAIA schools if they REALLY wanna play...and that it does come with a very hefty price tag. The reality is sometimes much tougher for them to grasp, and that sending film to those big schools may never get looked at is even tougher for them to wrap their mind around. We ask our kids to make a realistic list of schools they want film sent to (we won't send film to a west coast school if they plan on being within a couple hours of home) that is in their ability level that they have an academic interest in attending. You might be a little shocked at how many say they want to play...that never put togehter a list of schools. We start this process for our kids at the very least their junior year...but start their highlight compilation from the time they first hit the feild on the varsity level. From that point, we need them to become very active in the process...some do, some don't.

 

Actually, I always found the "Less you care, the more they care" approach to work. Unless it was "Toothless Tavern" type atmospheres, which is completely for a different thread..yes?? Haha

 

You, East Raider, Chiefsmoke and Coach J have this one; I just had to throw something in. It's habitual.