CoachJ

We're going to do our best. 3 years in a row with 65-75 and then last year having over 130 (not to mention a lightning storm+monsoon 5 minutes after we started) really tested our preparation. I thought it was a fiasco but ended up getting great compliments from campers, their parents, and the college coaches. Limiting it this year to ONLY rising Juniors and Seniors should help with the numbers, allow us to give a little more individual attention, and let the college coaches focus a little better. We truly had back then (and currently have) a tremendous group of coaches on staff and parents who really do the hardest work in putting it on. Our guy doing the film doesn't even have a child on the team -- completely volunteers. Ballard's a special place and I'm a lucky guy to be there.

The two of us have completely different reasons for the camps we run. And don't worry, they're making money hand-over-fist so I doubt they'll be out of business anytime soon (while 100% of anything we 'make' goes directly back to help our players who need help with paying the cost of camp, and other required expenses).

It was developed completely with the needs of Small Colleges (D2, D3, NAIA) AND kids in mind. It's a win for the colleges with, as you said, recruiting budgets too low to get to see many kids play live. Also, consider that most of these small schools don't host their own camp. It's a win for the kids: instead of traveling to 10-15 different camps (impossible due to time/$$ restraints) they can get a big bang for their buck at one stop. We do send the results to colleges that usually attend but cannot this year due to some kind of conflict. This year, we're going to try and do more FILMING of the drills and 1on1's to then upload into hudl and send out.

$25 per individual. If 8 or more from same school, $15 per individual. Form should be accessible from http://www.facebook.com/louisville.combine (you have to click on NOTES under "MORE" in header). OR... Print from the PHOTOS uploaded at http://www.facebook.com/kyfootballprospects Got confirmation today that Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (rated #1 in the country by US News & World Report for "Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs"...**West Point & the Naval Academy are #3 & #4 respectively on the same list) and Georgetown College (soon to be NCAA Division II) will have coaches at the camp.

Played them last year week 10. Beat them in closing seconds. They have a good passing system -- QB from last year was very effective hitting receivers if standing in pocket but also as good at finding 'hot-receiver' when pressure was sent as any I've seen (really puts you in a quandary). Not sure who'll play QB there this year but I know they have two stud receivers returning. Very rarely ran the ball--may have had best RB hurt vs. us.

Loving this thread. But a little concerned that 1991 is now considered "old."

Appreciate all the kudos for our camp on this and other threads. I think it's gone well in the past, but we really think we can do it better than we have.

Very respected guy in Ohio who keeps tabs on/advises college prospects tweeted this out today... https://twitter.com/Mark__Porter/status/478864480785686528 "Class of 2015, if you don't have a Division 1 offer by now its time to register for a Division 2 or D3 camp and earn a scholarship there." Just heard today from another small college program coming to add to the list: Wabash (IN). Almost all the Kentucky small colleges have said they're coming and we'll have several from Ohio, several from Indiana, and new attendees from Missouri and Illinois this year. Guys: if you're coming, be working on FLEXIBILITY and MOVEMENT drills (cone drills, shuttle runs, etc.). I've noticed that coaches are just as interested in how you LOOK going through a drill as they are your time in the drill -- for that reason, we'll have some stations that aren't "timed" but are meant mainly to let coaches see flexibility in the hips and how you look when changing direction.

I really like watching this kid play. ...just not from the opposing sideline.

I got a question from a parent recently about ages/grades allowed. We've allowed Sophomores-to-be in the past, but this year due to what looks to be a greater level of interest, we're going to suggest it be for Jr's/Sr's only (2015 & 2016 grads). This will hopefully allow those closer to graduation get more personalized attention.

Another adjustment to the list (date change for the Louisville-area camp run by Indiana State)... ATTENTION: June 14 Indiana State football camp - CHANGE of location = Clarksville HS in Clarksville, IN due to field conditions. Sorry for the inconvenience but we wanted the best environment and conditions for your players. We are excited and jacked up to evaluate your players. I sent an email as well. I put a link in the email with the address to Clarksville HS. Here it is again = 800 Dr. Dot Lewis Drive, Clarksville, IN

Don't get discouraged...yet. June is the time of year kids will be evaluated in-person by college coaches at camps. Only those with outstanding 'measureables' plus great Jr year film (for OL--6'5+, 280-ish or better) or those marginal kids (6'4 basically) who went to camps and stood out as rising Juniors in front of college coaches would likely be receiving offers before June on-campus camps start. I know it's been beaten down a little on this board recently, but this is the EXACT example of the importance of going to college 1-day camps (NOT the spring 'showcases' put on by non-college organizations -- b/c there can be no D1/1AA college coaches there to evaluate them). If they're marginal size-wise, but prove to the coaches in person they have GREAT (not just good) feet and technique, someone will offer them. These coaches' careers are on the line if they go to bat to the head coach to recommend Billy Joe at XYZ County HS who is 6'3 when the head coach wants his OL 6'5 or taller (meaning, they can put on more mass without affecting their ability to move well). So, if they INVITE a marginal kid to their camp, they're often wanting the kid to perform in front of the head coach or coordinator so HE can approve, thus taking some of the pressure off the position coach. Be ready then for kids who are marginal to the coaches, that--even after getting 'seen' by the coaches and having a good camp--that the 'offer' is as a preferred walk-on.

If you're talking about a kid being in EIGHTH grade and wanting to 'play-up' to a HS Frosh team, I'm almost positive he/she has to be in a middle school that's considered a "feeder" to that HS.

Keep in mind these college camps are in JUNE, with a few sprinkled into July. As a coach of kids I know are getting good interest and need to be seen in a camp setting to maybe earn a scholarship offer, I'm very understanding if they miss one of our June workout days for a camp. They'll miss the strength work we're doing that day, but they'll get plenty of agility and football-specific drill work that day so I know they'll improve at something because I KNOW they'll be doing the drills full-speed trying to impress. We will install some things in June (passing game primarily) they'd miss, but that's something they usually would come early for the next workout. If they were missing stuff after July 15, that would be a pretty big issue.

Didn't have the info on KENTUCKY WESLEYAN's two 1-day camps when my list was made. They'll be having camps on June 1 and 3, cost is $40. For more info, click... Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers - Brent Holsclaw to host two Prospect Showcase Camps By the way, KWC did an OUTSTANDING job targeting, recruiting, and signing Kentucky HS football players last year (especially in the Louisville area). I know that I'll be following them very closely over the next few years to see how this commitment to getting the best players close to home pays off for them.

My excel file of camps appears to be too large to upload to BGP. But (with permission from theguru) here's where you can access it as a photo and print off: This link will take you to the INFO page. It has the CAMP SPONSORS in alpha order & gives you the contact phone # and camp website where you can get registration forms, equipment needed for camp, etc. https://www.facebook.com/kyfootballprospects/photos/pb.413437882130991.-2207520000.1401228478./413448755463237/?type=3&theater Here's the sheet that lists camps in DATE ORDER cross-referenced by GEOGRAPHY. This should help families plan a trip to multiple camps throughout the month of June (my advice, never do two 1-day camps on back-to-back days). https://www.facebook.com/kyfootballprospects/photos/pb.413437882130991.-2207520000.1401228478./413448495463263/?type=3&theater

Juniors and Seniors. We used to open it to all grades so the young guys could experience a camp situation prior to their Sr. year, but the numbers are getting up there and we really don't want to dilute the attention the Sr's-to-be get (we have them in one group and the Juniors in another).

I have organized a list of all 1-day college camps in Kentucky and surrounding states for this summer. It's been sent via a list serve to all Kentucky coaches who are subscribed, but I know some are not so I'd like to attach the file here so all players and their parents will have access. Unfortunately, the file size (66KB for the page organized by date and 95KB for the page organized by sponsor) is too large to upload here. (Help?) Since there seems to be quite a bit of interest from BGP users about this topic, I was hoping it might merit becoming a 'sticky' once we figure out how to get the file uploaded? If not, you guys will either need to BUMP it often or go to the Facebook page I've created to promote Kentucky HS prospects at https://www.facebook.com/kyfootballprospects Thanks and I hope this helps more Ky football kids get the exposure they need.

Great point. Here are the 'big-school camps' close to here that are known to have multiple colleges at various levels present: * Cincinnati * Northwestern (careful, it's a HUGE camp...you'd better stand out amongst 400 kids) * Ohio State (also HUGE...but I had a totally unknown kid--6'4 TE/FS--leave w/ 2 MAC offers) * Illinois (less than 1/2 of N'western & OSU, but over 25 other colleges there to evaluate--I take 20 of our Jr/Sr's there each year) * Vanderbilt (new staff there may change things, but in past you'll get many 1AAs, D2s, and Ivy's) * EKU "Down and Dirty" (it's a Lineman/LB camp over a couple of days; padded. Usually several different small college coaches there to work the drills though in addition to the EKU guys) This is SO true. Kids and parents usually don't realize it, but of all HS seniors playing football this year (310,000) only about 4,000 will receive a 'full-ride.' That's only 1.3% of all football-playing HS seniors. Sadly, both kids AND their parents often think they are in that 'special' 1.3%. That group is usually NOT special b/c of their football-playing ability. My experience tells me getting a full-ride almost always comes down to 2 factors FIRST: Height and Speed and THEN they factor in what you've done in HS. So, guess what Div2, NAIA, and D3 are made up of: 100% of them are GOOD football players and almost all of them are 'lacking' an inch or two of height, and a tenth of a second or two on a 40yd dash. (Or...sadly, they had the ability, but their coach didn't promote them or encourage them to get seen in person by colleges at their camps. Personally, I'd say if a HS coach tells you "that's not my job," RUN to another school.)

It is all 'day-of-event' Registration. Just go to the Facebook link listed above, print out the registration form there, fill it out (along w/ parent signatures & insurance info), and show up to Ballard between 3:30 and 5:15 with it. We'll take height/weight & reach during registration, then start the camp drills at 5:30. I will have a session for parents regarding what they need to know and can be doing to help get their son promoted, some of the recruiting guidelines, and some of the realities around using sports to pay for a college education.

Thank you for the kind words, Ram. I am flattered...but more important, HAPPY the event was what we wanted it to be for your son and the others that attended in the past. Franklin College coach told me this fall that our combine led them to two prospects down this way they'd never have had a chance to see live on their recruiting budget. They recruited both of them heavily during the season and one of them ended up committing to them. With the numbers from Collins and one or two other schools last year, we're giving a $10 discount per player for kids from a school that brings 8 or more.

Colleges just found out about date change Friday, so they haven't had a chance to RSVP yet, but... These are the colleges that have come each of the last 3 years: * Lindsey-Wilson (KY) * Georgetown College (KY) * Kentucky State U. (KY) * Centre College (KY) * Thomas More College (KY) * Kentucky Christian University (KY) * Franklin College (IN) * Hanover College (IN) * Wabash College (IN) * Mt. St. Josephs (OH) * Wittenberg (OH) These have been one or two of the last three years: * Campbellsville U. (KY) * U. of Cumberlands (KY) * U. Pikeville (KY) * Kentucky Wesleyan (KY) * Marian U. (IN) * Earlham College (IN) * Tiffin U. (OH) * Illinois College (IL) * Lane College (TN) Coming for the 1st time in 2014: * Washington University St. Louis (MO)

I only post here b/c I know that with school now out, many players planning on attending may not be able to get the message from their coach. I'd hate for someone to drive a long distance only to find out the camp is not until June. IMPORTANT DATE CHANGE: The 2014 L'ville Small College Prospect Camp will now be held JUNE 24, 2014 and not May 28. Camp will still be held at Ballard HS and all registration/events time remain the same. Please refer to NOTES under the "MORE" header at https://www.facebook.com/notes/louisville-combine/2014-registration-form/141685945967738.

VERY well-stated. Don't think there's one point in here I'd disagree with (we had a kid attend this camp last year).

A few other things... * Very high-character kid and good student (3.3 gpa). * Starter on Basketball team that was #1-ranked most of year. * Dad is 6'5 and was best player on Division 1 basketball team. * Started at DE every game for us as a Sophomore and Junior. * Many schools are talking offer...but need to see him in camp setting to decide if he's a DE or OLB before offering.