Small School Camp at Ballard

[bigjet77]

In regards to "preying on the ignorance..." I think it's important to help parents of the kids at our camp w/ some of the most basic details of this recruiting game.

 

Following registration, from 5:15 to 5:45 (while campers warm up) I give a brief overview (along with a handout with tips--including Ram's great letter posted on BGP previously) of what parents/kids need to know about recruiting process. Then, the college coaches field general questions about recruiting at their level -- some things are different than what they might know about D1 recruiting.

 

These coaches are great also about entertaining questions individually about their own school's program. Really makes it almost like a "college fair" situation.

 

To your point, I'd love to see these pop up in different areas of the state; maybe that's something I can work on during the Dead Period...

Would love to thank Coach J...again a great job , fighting all kinds of elements, and a great turnout !!!...This combine /camp is a great opportunity for alot of players to get noticed, and 1 on 1 's was a great showcase of talent against talent... I appreciate your work every year, look forward to it next year. Thank you, best of luck this season, and hope you are blessed with a injury free , fun filled season ....Thanks Coach

[Justafan#85]

First, kudos to Coach J for hosting the camp. I agree with all the comments...seemed just so unorganized, too much sitting around. Coach J seemed like he was running from place to place with zero help. With the weather forecast I would have thought the camp would have been better prepared with an alternate plan. There were zero position drills..than lets run outside for some one on ones in front of a few college coaches. Most college coaches departed before the one on ones. The combine part is unnecessary and a waste of time (Really the triple Jump). Honestly, great idea, but in the end I just don’t think it was very productive. Lastly, Kudos to Coach J..he was really working hard to make it a success.

[CoachJ]

My apologies to Justafan -- a lot of what we do is in response to what colleges have wanted when they come. I don't disagree with you on the measurable drills, but they want something to quantify each kid at the camp. If up to me, we'd only time 40's, do height/weight, & vertical jump. However, with 100+ kids and a very small staff available to help this year, we needed to split them into 4 groups to keep standing around to a minimum. I'm looking at doing only those two measurables with Sr's while Jr 1on1's are going on, then switching.

 

As to the agility stations, we MUST do a certain percentage of "instructional" drills or it'd be classified a "Combine" instead of a camp -- for whatever reason, you can't insure a Combine but you can a Camp. Plus, I know some kids are at schools that don't teach the finer points on how to do these drills so we want to have then do it & give them some tips (this camp is usually in May before they go to any college camps--where they ALWAYS have agility/movement/flexibility/quickness drills).

 

The rain plan was to have drills for the kids to do inside to let coaches evaluate their movement & keep kids loose for when we get the all-clear. There's no way to do passing 1-on-1's in a gym without risking injury (running into walls); unless it's Texas there's no chance to get an indoor situation where you could (and NCAA rules won't let us use UofL). It's 30minutes mandatory inside when lightning is seen--nothing we can do about weather. Luckily, we got 40 straight minutes of 1on1's once we could get outside.

 

It almost never fails, whatever day we schedule it, we get a thunderstorm (and somehow, the days before & after are perfect!). We're looking at a different location for next year that might allow a better indoor situation b/c rain/lightning is basically inevitable.

 

Your feedback is GREATLY appreciated and hopefully with yours and others, we can figure out a way to have the best Plan A, Plan B, & even Plan C.

[CoachJ]

For those who asked about camps to still attend, I don't want to list another HS sports website on here, but there is a good list of camps on a site that specializes in Ohio HS sports.

 

If you search the tweets of @Mark__Porter (I think that's TWO underlines), you'll eventually find it if you scroll to a tweet on March 31, 2014.

[Ram]

To summarize, CoachJ knows what he is doing. I think too many people are conditioned to believe players have to do what is done at "money" camps/combines. CoachJ is doing what the college coaches have asked him to do to facilitate them in evaluating players, that is why the college coaches come to CoachJ's event.

 

Drive for show, putt for the dough. Keep up the good work Coach.

[CoachJ]

To summarize, CoachJ knows what he is doing. I think too many people are conditioned to believe players have to do what is done at "money" camps/combines. CoachJ is doing what the college coaches have asked him to do to facilitate them in evaluating players, that is why the college coaches come to CoachJ's event.

 

Drive for show, putt for the dough. Keep up the good work Coach.

 

I appreciate that, Ram.

 

But I definitely take every criticism as feedback on ways we can improve. Good is the enemy of great and that's all I want our camp to be for our two stake-holders: small college coaches and kids wanting to get seen by them. I want to make sure our format (limited manpower or not) is structured in a way to help BOTH get what they want in the most efficient, affordable, and effective way possible.

 

To that end, I think Justafan's right -- so I'll contact the colleges that come every year to narrow down to only the measurables they want most so we can maybe only have 2 stations of those and get going more quickly on the instruction, agility, and 1on1's.

 

A big concern is the number of people helping--this year is an anomaly in that we're breaking in a whole new staff and some had previous engagements they couldn't put off. That'll not be an issue next year.

 

Another big concern is finding a more all-weather surface without having to pay so much in rent we'd have to raise our rate for the kids. We are already exploring some options toward that end.

 

Keep the comments coming though (maybe in Direct Messages to me to keep this thread from getting too lengthy); it's like I tell my guys: 'It's normal to enjoy praise and dislike criticism. True character is using both to make you better and preventing either from affecting you negatively.'

[Ram]

Keep the comments coming though, it's like I tell my guys: 'It's normal to enjoy praise and dislike criticism. True character is using both to make you better and preventing either from affecting you negatively.'

I wouldn't expect anything less. Keep working, the event has become a great thing and it will only get better.

[Fansincebirth]

'It's normal to enjoy praise and dislike criticism. True character is using both to make you better and preventing either from affecting you negatively.' Well put, Coach! We'd all be better served to heed those words.

[Clyde]

Sounds like a nice opportunity for kids who aren't D1 to get noticed and make contacts. CoachJ is a jewel for the state of KY. Met him when my son played against his Oldham County team. I'm a fan of his efforts.

 

BTW , Coach, my son is STILL trying to figure out how the QB kept the ball on that QB keeper around his end.

 

Keep up the good work.

[CoachJ]

BTW , Coach, my son is STILL trying to figure out how the QB kept the ball on that QB keeper around his end.

 

A magician never reveals his tricks!

 

Seriously though, we knew the only way to have a chance to beat you guys was to trick you. Couldn't have won straight-up. What really made that play (and the rest of it) work was not using that single-wing stuff for 5 games before playing you guys. It's hard to deal with the misdirection even if you know it's coming all week. Was VERY tough not to do that stuff earlier in the season.

 

Thank you for the kind comments...

[Justafan#85]

Just so you know Coach..I was critical of the camp, but certainly not your effort. Now, I know why Ballard Football is a great program. Because of your dedication this camp one day will be the premier camp in the state. Keep up the great work!!!!