Are the Nike combines worth the effort, or just hype for Nike? Does anyone out there know if these things actually help to improve a player's recruiting status, or expose their weaknesses?

I have asked the same question several times, and you will get as many answers as there are people to give them. I have heard some say that they are useless, and I have heard some say they are a great asset, and everything in between. I am curious to know myself.

IMO, they are absolutly worth it. The information gained at those combines is out there for college coaches. I am for anything that will promote more kids getting a shot at a college education. All will not be DI, but even if an under-privaliged youth is afforded some money toward a college degree, I think it is worth it.

I think they are worth it.

I think they are worth it.

 

Do you have to be invited to attend or can any athlete go? Is there a schedule of when and where they take place?

If you blaze a 40 time or lift like a gorilla...they are worth it. Outside of that, I don't see an upside. Your HS coach should be able to provide as much if not more in the way of contacts.

Since Boone County is sponsered by Nike, sometime over the summer SPARQ Training is going to come out to the school and test the whole football team in a number of drills. Its basically like a combine, St. X and Boone County are the only two schools in Kentucky that Nike does this for.

Not worth it!!! Went to Capital University pre-registered and they were running walk ups in with pre-registered. It took forever. A lot of standing around dead time. They had Capital students, young kids, running the 40's. By the end they just wanted to get out of there. With electronic timing that is everything when the guy running starts it on first movement. Example how bad. My son ran against another athlete. Started and raced against each other. my son beat him. my son's time 4.9. the other kid who lost the race ran a 4.6?????? That far off shows me that somebody is noy manning the first movement button right.

I also talked to a coach from detroit that had a running back that ran a 4.39 forty and was not invited to the Nike camp which should be the whole reason for going. He said they already have the "Name" kids picked who get a lot of publicity. Workout, run, go to colleges that you are interested in for summer camp. :thumb:

It depends on what kind of athlete you are. If you have speed then I would say go. I mean are you a serious 4.5 person. These combines IMO hurt kids. There is nothing at a cmbine that can tell you if a kid can play football.

Not worth it!!! Went to Capital University pre-registered and they were running walk ups in with pre-registered. It took forever. A lot of standing around dead time. They had Capital students, young kids, running the 40's. By the end they just wanted to get out of there. With electronic timing that is everything when the guy running starts it on first movement. Example how bad. My son ran against another athlete. Started and raced against each other. my son beat him. my son's time 4.9. the other kid who lost the race ran a 4.6?????? That far off shows me that somebody is noy manning the first movement button right.

I also talked to a coach from detroit that had a running back that ran a 4.39 forty and was not invited to the Nike camp which should be the whole reason for going. He said they already have the "Name" kids picked who get a lot of publicity. Workout, run, go to colleges that you are interested in for summer camp. :thumb:

 

I would agree that the camps are not the most effective tool for getting exposure.

 

As far as your son, that may actually be a correct time and not a faulty "first movement button person". It's not actually a person at all. It is very likely that your son had an early movement and his clock started, while the other runner did not. Thus, he would have a slower time despite "winning" the race. The only reason they run athletes against one another is to speed up the process and to give them someone to compete with while running.

 

Electronic timing is entirely different than hand times......it takes a little while to "learn" the system. Hard to do at a camp....

What if you are an offensive lineman????

Our expereince has been they are not worth it. We went to a few. One was mis-scheduled and moved at the last minute. It was in Chicago in March - outside. Not exactly the best weather to post decent times. Vertical leap was eyeballed, I heard some kids were able to increase their calculated height by pulling thier legs up and increasing their time off the electronic mat. 40's and shuttles were hand timed and VERY inconsistent. Even if your player has a blazing speed I would take these cautiously. A 4.4 can become a 4.9 very easily.

 

Another we attended was inside and there were so many boys on a warm day, condensation was forming over everything. The running surface was so slick the players were running bare footed or in socks. We have been to three, each time hoping the next would be better, and none were run efficiently.

 

It can be fun for the kids with free stuff from nike, army , etc. Waste of time in my opinion

Only upside is to show your kids how hard they have to work. There are a ton of kids at each of these events and so it gives a visual to the competition in both level and sheer numbers of kids wanting to play college ball. Other than that, meat markets.

IMO, they are absolutly worth it. The information gained at those combines is out there for college coaches. I am for anything that will promote more kids getting a shot at a college education. All will not be DI, but even if an under-privaliged youth is afforded some money toward a college degree, I think it is worth it.

:thumb:Excellent post!!

If you blaze a 40 time or lift like a gorilla...they are worth it. Outside of that, I don't see an upside. Your HS coach should be able to provide as much if not more in the way of contacts.

 

10-4 that DMZ76! Your highschool coach, the team's reputation for winning football and ah yes, grades, will promote your son to a colligiate team faster than any Nike camp. The exception to that is the aforementioned blazed 40 and SIZE!