I would like to hear FACTS about the high school combines. I am particularly interested in peoples experiences with the combines. Do the combines help with recruiting, do they help to get players name in the hands of college coaches, are they worth the money and time.

 

Has anyone had any experience with the National Underclassmen Combine, for freshman and sophomores? If so, does this help with the above topics?

I did the one in western KY my SR year, it was pretty much pointless I think, got some random mailings, I had a good showing too, but there wasnt a whole lot of coaches there from schools, of course this was like 7 years ago

I was wondering the same thing. I know that the U.S. army all-american bowl and combine is coming up soon. Is anybody from Kentucky attending? Would this combine be very beneficial?

I would like to hear FACTS about the high school combines. I am particularly interested in peoples experiences with the combines. Do the combines help with recruiting, do they help to get players name in the hands of college coaches, are they worth the money and time.

 

Has anyone had any experience with the National Underclassmen Combine, for freshman and sophomores? If so, does this help with the above topics?

I wish I had Winston Guy's telephone number. He is the one fellow who could tell you the usefullness of a good combine.

 

Last May, Winston Guy of Lexington Catholic High School was not on the college teams' radar screen prior to attending the NIKE camp/combine at West Lafayette, IN. UK had probably sent him some form letters, but there was just not a lot of interest. Winston ran a sub 4.4 forty at the camp/combine and was named the camps' Most Valuable Defensive Back. Within two days, Arkansas and Minnesota had offered him a scholarship. Kentucky and others got into the picture at that point.

 

He has the NIKE combine to thank for letting his stock soar. Incidently, Winston did not make the Tremendous 26 team announced last May. As it turns out, he was the best defensive player I saw all season.

I would like to hear FACTS about the high school combines. I am particularly interested in peoples experiences with the combines. Do the combines help with recruiting, do they help to get players name in the hands of college coaches, are they worth the money and time.

 

Has anyone had any experience with the National Underclassmen Combine, for freshman and sophomores? If so, does this help with the above topics?

Combines definitely help with the recruiting process, but I would advise you to proceed with caution.

 

There have been more and more combines popping up around the state that seem to be money makers for the people putting the combine on and are really not even attended or monitored by college coaches and recruiters.

Combines definitely help with the recruiting process, but I would advise you to proceed with caution.

 

There have been more and more combines popping up around the state that seem to be money makers for the people putting the combine on and are really not even attended or monitored by college coaches and recruiters.

 

Thanks for both your comments. Can you name the combines that are well thought of. I searched the web and found several in the Eastern US. Including the underclassmen combine. Of course they all boast about how many of their participants are recruited.

 

Also, what combines are held in Kentucky. Doesn't the Kentucky Coaches Association sponsor several? I did not see any on the KCA website.

I took my son to a couple of NIKE combines. One in Chicago and one in Indy. Both were poorly run with little attention given to measurement conditions. The one in Chicago was moved from an indoor location to an outdoor location. The temp was about 40F with a wind. The one in Indy was inside, but so many kids went through the 40 sprint track was wet with condensation, some kids were running in their socks and some of the 40 and shuttle times were hand timed. The group we were with knew some of the other boys and heard their times, they said they could run that fast in the best of conditions (we're only talking 0.2 sec).

 

The NIKE website was the only site that posted the results. Looking back, it did get him fired up for the moment , but also provided false hope that he would be seen. Not much help IMO, unless the player is a PLAYER.

 

As mentioned by strongopenyon - proceed with caution!

 

If you have a serious player who has been working on the items tested (40, shuttle, vertical leap and 185 lb bench reps) I would suggest looking for one of the combines that require a coaches reference, they generally tie-in with a service that ranks players and will likely post their info on a national site that pops up on searches more than the nike site.

Would it also be that if a player has numbers that stand out at certain combines that more benefit would follow?

Are these combines that you speak of combines that you went and found and just went, or combines that you got invited to?

Good points- If you have a kid that has great (4.4 or under) it helps. Coaches get caught up on speed.

 

Bad points- if you have a sub-par showing it kills your recruiting.

 

I hate combines because it doesn't show football skill.

So combines are pretty much useless unless you can rep 185-225 ten times and run a 4.4. in your 40. People with have both sides of the story...for Winston Guy it worked out, but for others it does nothing. Not every college player will have those great athletic abilities...sometimes your great players make up for athletic abilities and the lack of talent with pure hustle and heart.

Good points- If you have a kid that has great (4.4 or under) it helps. Coaches get caught up on speed.

 

Bad points- if you have a sub-par showing it kills your recruiting.

 

I hate combines because it doesn't show football skill.

 

CoachBuckett stole my thunder... if your son is the fastest in the county, take take him to a combine. If not, you will do far more harm by taking him and getting poor times posted on the internet! I have three boys that have played highschool football - all on state championship teams. My advise, let the play on the field do the talking vs. an unknown holding a stop watch and holding your son's future in his hands...:thumb:

 

Save the money and prevent getting false expectations developed!

Having help a run a combine for the last 4 years, there have been many changes over the years. One that has hurt many combines including ours in the Cincinnati area is that the college coaches have gone with the NATS combines and these currently are the only ones they can attend. This is being revisited at their national meeting in January.

 

We looked at becoming part of the NATS program but not like what we saw. It seemed to be more of a money maker for a few national people and they would not say they would turn a certain percentage back to the local high school coach's associations.

 

We will look at this situation after the national coach's meeting in January and I will keep you updated.

 

The college coaches who attended our combine liked what they saw and talked to many of the athletes and high school coaches.

Having help a run a combine for the last 4 years, there have been many changes over the years. One that has hurt many combines including ours in the Cincinnati area is that the college coaches have gone with the NATS combines and these currently are the only ones they can attend. This is being revisited at their national meeting in January.

 

We looked at becoming part of the NATS program but not like what we saw. It seemed to be more of a money maker for a few national people and they would not say they would turn a certain percentage back to the local high school coach's associations.

 

We will look at this situation after the national coach's meeting in January and I will keep you updated.

 

The college coaches who attended our combine liked what they saw and talked to many of the athletes and high school coaches.

 

Is your combine a state ran combine? Does the State sponsor a combine? Does the state coaches association have a combine? Are the NATS combines the Nike combines? I am just trying to learn about the high school combines.

Well there are a few very good combines for kickers. kicking.com has 24 regionals across he country with a finals in January for the top 20 in each class. It competes each class in the competition. We are flying out to California in about 6 hours for the finals this year my son was in the top 20 in the freshman class. oneononekicking.com also has a kicking Expo in Miami FL every year as well. And there is also the Ray Guy camps along with a few others. These camps have really been great for us getting my son seen by the best.

 

Although he was only a freshman this year it is never too early to get started looking at your son's future. Although I would like for my son to go to either UK or UL these camps may help another D1 school notice him as well.