National Scouting Report

Prospects, Parents and Coaches Breathe a Sigh of Relief

In a surprising, but long-coming announcement, the NCAA last week said that legislation would be introduced which, if passed, would bring an end to the controversial practice of verbal offers from member coaches to prospects.  The proposal would pertain to all NCAA sports and divisions.  With passage, the new rule will usher in a more competitive age for college recruiting.

The Division I Recruiting and Athletics Personnel Issues Cabinet on June 24 released plans to present the legislation for NCAA full body review and perhaps membership vote at the upcoming NCAA Convention to be held in San Antonio, Texas, January 12-15, 2011.   

Much will be debated in the meantime, but it appears the measure has a clear path for immediate adoption, especially with the simultaneous announcement of an adjunct proposal which would allow coaches to begin contacting prospects by telephone on or after July 1 following prospects’ sophomore year in high school, a year sooner than is now allowed.   This concession will most likely appease coaches, but it may also signal a new round of concerns from parents and NCAA student-athlete advocates.                  

However broadly accepted, the custom of early offers has not escaped frequent criticism over the years, most often revolving around a central issue – pressure.  From a prospect’s viewpoint, the pressure to commit is palpable and can be emotionally debilitating, exhilaration aside.  Many argue that placing youngsters under such intense stress unfairly skews their high school experience, academically as well as athletically.  Many parents who experienced their children’s anxiety over making an early decision, say there is not ample time to properly evaluate all the options which may present themselves.  Moreover, they assert that their children should not be subjected to tactics which could distract from being able to enjoy high school.  Coaches opposing verbal offers, faced with media pressure to get involved and get commitments from top prospects around the country or within their region, say they do not have the proper time to develop relationships with prospects.  To them, making verbal offers is a gamble which has only about a 50-50 chance of working out for the best. 

Gillespie's offer was called "exploitive."

A cloud of uneasiness has been wafting over journalists and bloggers covering and commenting on college sports for a number of years.  Eamon Brennan on Rivals.com described the offer then-Kentucky head basketball coach, Billy Gillespie, made in 2008 to eighth-grader Michael Avery from Lake Sherwood, California, as “creepy” and “exploitive.”  Referring to DePaul’s offer this past year of a basketball scholarship to 14-year-old Jahlil Okafor, blogger Matt Norlander said, “Listen, this kind of courtship is greasier than a muffler-shop floor.”  So, when this past February, Southern Cal’s head football coach, Lane Kiffin, made a verbal offer to 13-year-old, Delaware middle school quarterback, David Sills, and Sills committed, eyebrows were raised as the writing on the wall was big enough to see from Los Angeles to Indianapolis – soon the practice of early offers will  be out of control. 

The NCAA apparently sees the road ahead, doesn’t like the landscape and plans to put a stop sign in the middle of the freeway.  Apparently, they have had enough.  The new legislation should bring fast moving NCAA coaches to a screeching halt.  But, what residual impact should we anticipate?

It is widely known that coaches at every NCAA level make offers to underclass prospects.  It is more than a fad, though.  It has become a part of the culture of college athletic recruiting — moreso than may be apparent on the surface.  With the new ruling, however, we should expect the dynamics of recruiting to change significantly as coaches will line up ten deep each year on July 1 to make offers to rising seniors.  The pressure which the NCAA hopes to lift off everyone concerned may actually become more intense.

There could be as many fireworks on July 1st as July 4th in the future.

Oh, and expect July 1 to take on a name, or a clever, catchy tagline to excite fans and perhaps make or break recruiting classes and, in the end, some coaching careers.  Every sports broadcaster in America will point toward 7/1.  The hoopla will be over the top.  It will be bigger than huge and, of course, somebody will figure out a way to make Hummer-loads of money from this new Holy Cow Day.  It will be something to look forward to and something to remember – that’s for sure.

NSR Prospect Picked to Represent USA

When the invitation arrived from the USA Junior National Basketball Team Committee, NSR basketball prospect, Alexis Jones from McArthur High in Irvine, Texas, knew she desperately wanted to make the 16U squad.  A rising junior at McArthur, the 5’9” guard wanted to compete with the best.  Given a chance to try out for the 16’s last summer, Alexis had failed to make the team.  This year, she vowed, would be different.

At the tryouts held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, CO, Alexis thought she was competitive with the other girls, but she was pulled aside and given the news that she would not be a candidate for the 16U team.  Instead, Alexis was informed that she was being pulled up to compete for a spot on the 18U squad, a jump few players have ever made.

Alexis Jones is excited to represent U.S.A

The USA Junior National Team Committee is chaired by Sue Donohoe, the NCAA’s vice president for Division I women’s basketball.   Members of the committee itself are Joanne Boyle (University of California head coach), Coquese Washington (Penn State University head coach), Connie Yori (University of Nebraska head coach) and Beth Cunningham (1999 USA Pan American Games Team member) who is the “athlete representative.”

From June 8-11, 27 players battled during three days of trials for the USA U18 National Team, and 36 additional athletes competed in the USA U17 World Championship Team Trials.  The USA Junior National Team Committee chose 16 finalists – 12 from the U18 trials and four from the U17 trials – to vie amongst each other for the 12 USA U18 National Team roster spots over four more trials sessions, which culminated with selections which were announced Sunday, June 13.

Alexis had made the 18U team and would represent her country.   When asked to comment, Alexis said, “I was surprised that they were going to let me try out for the 18s. I was real shocked but happy.”

The FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women tournament format features eight teams divided into two preliminary round groups:  Canada, Chile, Costa Rica and Mexico in Group A; and Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico and the USA in Group B.  Preliminary round play will be held June 23, 24 and 25, and each team will play the other three teams in its preliminary group.  The top two finishing teams in each preliminary round group will then advance to the June 26 medal round semifinals and play for 1st-4th places.  Teams placing third and fourth in each preliminary round group will advance to the June 26 consolation semifinals and play for 5th-8th places.  The FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women finals will be held Sunday, June 27.

The top four finishing teams in this year’s FIBA Americas U18 Championship will earn berths in the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship.

Two Homers in State Playoffs Put Swain County Star in the Books

For NSR softball prospect, Kayla Myers, setting records was nothing new.  In fact, it had become her habit.  By the end of her junior year at Swain County High in Bryson City, North Carolina, Kayla had already helped lead the volleyball team to a state championship, the school’s first in volleyball, set the school record for career three-point field goals as a point guard, and establish a new standard for base hits as a three-year starter on the softball team.  All-conference and MVP plaques lined the walls in her room.  Still, her next achievement would surpass even her high expectations.

Kayla Myers heads to Catawba College as a five-tool player.

Going into her senior season for the Maroon Devils softball team this past spring, Kayla had a shot at becoming the all-time hits leader in North Carolina high school softball history.  The 5’3”, 115-pound Myers had a ways to go and she knew it.  Needing more than 45 hits to surpass Kassie Norton’s 184 (South View), Kayla went to work.  Undaunted by the pressure to get in the record books, Kayla would do what she usually does, focus and hit everything in the strike zone.  As a senior, and her team going 22-4, she would bat .644 with 33 runs batted in, 14 steals and five home runs during the regular season.  As her team headed into the conference tournament held at Hayesville High, the record seemed out of reach.  Kayla needed 13 hits to be the new state standard bearer. 

Then, Kayla did something a lot of her fans at Swain County High School had hoped for, but few actually expected.  In three games, while leading her team to the conference tournament title, Kayla ran off 10 consecutive hits, including her sixth homer of the year.  The extraordinary performance not only put her within three hits of the all-time record, but it also gave Swain the number one seed in the West division of the state tournament.

Two games later, the Catawba College signee would be facing conference nemesis Hayesville in the third round of the state playoffs needing but one hit to set the record and two to write another accomplishment on her lengthy resume.  With the game tied at zeroes in the fifth inning, Kayla stepped to the plate with one runner on base.  The first pitch she saw would not touch the ground again until it landed 210 feet from the batter’s box beyond the right field fence. She had tied the state mark.  A standing ovation by both teams and fans would not be enough for Kayla on that day as later in that same inning she would finally have her shot at becoming the greatest hitter in North Carolina history. 

This time, it took two pitches.  With two on base, Kayla launched a 230-foot blast to over the right field fence.  She had tied and set the record in the same inning with two home runs.  With her team anxiously waiting on her, Kayla, in typical form, simply ran the bases with no fist pumps or hat doffing.  She just had a huge smile on her face. 

Although Swain would go on to lose the state championship game to two-time defending title holders, East Surry, Kayla Myers’ position in the record books would be secured.  She had become the greatest hitter in the history of North Carolina fastpitch softball history.

With No College Options in Sight, Cary Family Turned to NSR

Midway into her senior year, Morgan had heard from no coaches.

Morgan Cary is the quintessential NSR high school prospect, but with a twist, or a twist and a half.  Like thousands of other high school seniors, Morgan wanted to play college sports.  And as a promising young athlete, Morgan had set her sights on doing something many prep athletes dream of but few accomplish – securing a college athletic scholarship.

There was a problem, though.  Even though Morgan was an accomplished three-sport athlete at The Villages High School in The Villages, Florida, she had received no interest from college coaches midway through her senior year.  Panic had set in.  Would her dreams, the dreams of a solid high school athlete, be lost because no college coaches knew she even existed, much less was an excellent prospect? 

Then one night something happened which changed Morgan’s life.  Sean Kitchen, an NSR scout from Ocala, walked into the gymnasium where Morgan was playing volleyball.  He was at once drawn to Morgan as the best player on the court.  Her athleticism, competitive drive and attitude stood out from the other players.  Following the match, Sean approached Morgan and began to ask her questions about her athletic future.  To his surprise, Morgan had no athletic future to speak of.  With 14 varsity letters to her credit, here was an athlete whose career was coming to a close as her dreams and goals were apparently fading away day-by-day.  

After seeing the passion and hope in Morgan’s eyes, Sean spoke to her parents and set up an appointment the following Friday evening to interview Morgan and to discover if she, indeed, qualified as a college student-athlete.  Sitting around the family pool on a warm, Florida, November evening, Sean explained to the Cary’s their predicament.  Morgan would be getting into the recruiting mix very late.  But, if they worked hard and fast to make her profile and video available to coaches ASAP, then she stood a chance of being noticed, evaluated and recruited.  The Cary family took the plunge.

Fast forward to December, a month later.  With Morgan’s profile and video posted on NSR’s Web site, the interest by college coaches about Morgan began to pour in.  And pour is a mild description.  In the month of December, buoyed by excellent volleyball workout footage, Morgan heard from an incredible 80 college coaches.  With Sean advising the family regularly, Morgan began to make visits, unofficial and official, to colleges up and down the East Coast. 

Then, magic happened as it sometimes does with prospects, campuses and coaches.  Morgan found her home away from home at Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.  The school simply felt right in every way.

In an amazing turnaround, Morgan heard from 170 coaches.

Still, by January Morgan was experiencing something akin to the remarkable as questionnaires, emails and phone calls from coaches increased to a level the Cary family could hardly believe.  Although Morgan had found her dream school in ECSU, she continued to receive offers, more than 15 in all.  Some were full ride offers, some were partials, but regardless of the final tally, Morgan was going through in four short months what most prospects can only imagine in an entire high school career.  She had received interest from 170 college volleyball coaches by springtime. 

After Morgan had formally accepted and signed the ECSU offer, she had a graduation party at her home.  And, of course, Sean Kitchens was invited.  But as he was leaving to go to the celebration, Sean found that there was a message left on his home phone answering machine from the Cary family which said, “Sean, please don’t bring a gift.  You have given Morgan something no gift can replace – a college education.”

NCAA Determines Bush Ineligible; USC Hit with Tough Sanctions

When Bush signed "the contract" with agents, he became ineligible to play college football.

The mystery behind the alleged gifts from professional agents to former Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Southern California, Reggie Bush, is finally over according to the NCAA.  The nation’s largest college athletic governing body has announced its findings and the consequences placed on the university.    

A three-year investigation by the NCAA Committee on Infractions, which covered a four-year period, has found the violations severe enough to penalize the Pac-10 powerhouse football program by eliminating future post season play as well as scholarships the next three years. 

While Bush continues to trumpet his innocence, the NCAA concluded that Bush, now a star running back for Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints, received extraordinary benefits from agents attempting to capitalize on Bush’s promising professional career.  The investigation itself was triggered by one of the agent’s public complaints that Bush failed to abide by their 2004 signed agreement which was in direct violation of NCAA rules.  Once Bush signed a contract with a professional agent, he was ineligible to play athletics at USC.

Also named in the investigation, and penalized, are the USC men’s basketball and women’s tennis teams, although a majority of the infractions found stemmed from Reggie Bush’s involvement with professional agents during his time while on scholarship at the school.

Quoting the NCAA, “the penalties include:

The NCAA has come down especially hard on Southern Cal.

•    Four years of probation
•    A two-year football postseason ban
•    Vacation of regular-season and postseason wins for all three sports
•    Scholarship reductions in football (to 15 initial grants and 75 total grants for each of the 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years, which represents a decrease of 10 scholarships for each of the three seasons)
•    Scholarship reductions in men’s basketball (from 13 to 12 for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years)
•    Recruiting restrictions for men’s basketball

The institution also must pay a $5,000 penalty and forfeit revenue from the 2008 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.

Also imposed are limitations for the access granted to boosters and non-university personnel to team charters, sidelines, practices, locker rooms and camps for men’s basketball and football. The university must also disassociate itself from three boosters, including the former football and men’s basketball student-athletes involved in this case.

As a part of this disassociation, the university will not be able to accept financial contributions or other assistance for the athletics department from these individuals or provide them with any benefit and privileges.

In addition, the assistant football coach received a one-year show-cause penalty, which prohibits him from engaging in any recruiting activity with prospective student-athletes.

Bush refused to cooperate with the NCAA throughout the investigation.

The violations span almost four years, primarily involving agent and amateurism issues for a former football student-athlete and a former men’s basketball student-athlete. The committee noted that the violations in this case strike at the heart of the NCAA amateurism principal, which states that intercollegiate athletics should be motivated primarily by education and its benefits.”

Coach Wooden Remembered as a Builder 

John Wooden coached at UCLA 18 years before capturing the first of 10 NCAA titles.

John Wooden is the best college coach ever produced in the United States.  That is a bold statement, true, but it is also roundly agreed upon by his peers, followers, pundits and other experts in the field of sports.  His record of achievements are well documented, but perhaps the most telling aspect of Coach Wooden’s life and career is the tremendous impact on how college student-athletes and coaches should conduct themselves and approach their sport and life. 

A myriad of articles can be accessed online and in print regarding Coach Wooden’s long list of accomplishments.  To re-publish them here would be, in our way of thinking, redundant and missing a golden opportunity to express something more meaningful in honoring this extraordinary mentor, teacher, coach and human being.  Instead, we will take this time to focus on how John Wooden the man became John Wooden the legend.

Wooden's Pyramid of Success Has Influenced Thousands of Coaches.

Renowned for his selflessness, humbleness, insightfulness and honesty, Coach Wooden did not develop these characteristics over time.  He did not start out as a brash, attention-seeking egomaniac whose histrionics on the sideline and in the press room were scoffed at as self serving.  He was not forced into good behavior through a series of embarrassing incidents which landed him on the front page of every newspaper and Web site in the country.  He did not begin as a chair-throwing hothead or a hard drinking womanizer.  No, John Wooden began his life as he ended it – as a genuinely unassuming man who would rather teach players than talk to reporters. 

Coach Wooden famously credited his approach to coaching and life on his upbringing and the influence of his parents, particularly his father.  The values he learned in rural Indiana became the guiding light in his life and were reflected in every thought he had and every action he took.  He was taught at home how to behave, how to treat others, how to serve one’s fellow man, how to be God fearing, how to be respectful while standing your ground and maintaining your values.  And he was taught the value of relationships, of responsibility and of being forthright. 

John Wooden wasn’t selfless because he grew into it.  He was taught to be that way.  He wasn’t dedicated to the importance of serving others before himself because it suddenly came to him in an inspirational bolt of lightning.  His parents impressed this on him as a young boy.  All his values, in fact, can be traced to the steady hand of his father in their home.  Honesty, Service, Consistency and Love were continually at the forefront of their conversations.  Those were the traits Coach Wooden’s father instilled in a young boy who would become the greatest college coach of all time.

Known for his mild manner, Wooden nevertheless demanded excellence.

What can we as coaches and parents today learn from John Wooden and his life?  How to win more games through better drills?  No.  How to recruit the best players in the country?  No.  Instead, we can learn how to develop quality young people through impressing upon them the importance of adopting strong values and using sports as the vehicle to demonstrate the use of those values, day after day. 

It is unimaginable that John Wooden’s father would coddle him by telling him he was the best, by telling coaches that he needed more playing time, by giving him everything he wanted, by yelling at game officials or by creating discontent within the team by being non-supportive of other players.  Instead, Coach Wooden would say, his father consistently talked about how to approach life, sports, your family, your faith or your work.  He would most likely take everyday scenarios to explain how Young John could have behaved in a way more in alignment with his values and value system.  John Wooden received life lessons each day from his parents in a way which permitted him to want to come as close to those values as possible as he encountered sports and life as an adult.   

So, John Wooden’s character was truly constructed at home.  His values were developed through the example of his parents and through constant reminders of how a value-based life revolving around service to others is a life worth living.   Coach Wooden’s internal constitution was created by his parents consistently reminding him of his responsibilities to himself, his community and to his neighbors and friends. 

In the end, Coach John Wooden became a legend because he refused to waver, under any circumstances, from his beliefs, his core values.  And, the lessons he taught through the years are reminders to us, parents and coaches, that sports is more than winning or losing, right or wrong.  It is about the opportunity and obligation to teach young people the necessity of taking each competitive opportunity and transforming it into a life lesson attached to a set of values which will take them far beyond today’s game.

Summers Filled with Potential Life-changing Options

Congratulations!  You have made it through another tough school year.  As giddy as you may be about getting out of school for summer vacation, don’t allow your excitement to get the best of you, or keep you from making good decisions.  The next three months can be fun and exciting, yes, but they will also offer you a myriad of opportunities, good and bad. Your future and your life could be in the balance of what may appear to be simple, non-threatening circumstances.   In many situations, you will be the judge of what action you should take.  Peer pressure should always be the least of your worries.  Take care of yourself regardless of how much influence even your best friends may try to have over you.  Here are some things to keep in mind: 

• Avoid riding with careless or impaired drivers. 
• Always swim with a partner beside you in the water.
• If you are in a boat, wear a life vest. 
• Apply ample sunscreen each time you are exposed to the sun for extended periods. 
• Stay off the phone while driving. 
• NEVER text while driving any type of vehicle.
• Wear shoes at all times.
• Avoid diving into water when you cannot see below the surface.
• When driving, take seriously the responsibility for yourself and those riding with you.
• Don’t make or accept dares which are meant to embarrass, or could possibly hurt, you or someone else.
• Avoid alcohol and drugs and stay clear of “friends” who choose to go down that path.  
• Pay close attention to what is going on around you, especially when in strange places. 
• Call your parents if you fear that you could be in harm’s way or if no one in the crowd can legally operate a vehicle.  They may get upset, but they will get over it.  They will never get over your being hurt or fatally injured in an accident. 

One small miscue could change your life.  Make the very best choices even if doing so means making you unpopular in the short term.  You will not regret making the mature calls in tough circumstances.  That’s what growing up is all about — making the right choices even when others may not agree.  Stay summer safe!

Every Advantage Helps When Competing for a College Scholarship Offer

1. Watch better players’ fundamentals, not the games.  There is always something to learn from good athletes in your sport.  Appreciating their skills by homing in on their best traits can only enhance your own skills and knowledge of how the game should be played.  Observe these players and what they do when they are away from the action.  You might be surprised what you can learn.
2. Ignore officials when they make poor calls.  How many times do you see officials reverse their decisions?  Not many, that’s for sure.  So, it is a waste of good energy and focus to drop your concentration to redirect your attention toward something which will be nearly impossible to change.  What you do afterward and how you respond to adversity is what most  impresses college coaches, not that you can show your emotions when things don’t go your way.
3. Maintain eye contact with your coach during timeouts.  Coaches want to know that you truly get their instructions and the sense of urgency they expect.  When you “lock in” on a coach’s instructions during timeouts, college recruiters notice.
4. Work hard during pre-game warm-ups.  Nonchalantly approaching warming up is what nearly everyone does, especially those with nothing to lose.  Be different.  You can never go wrong by working hard, even when the actual game or match is not on the line. 
5. Be the first one to support a teammate that makes a mistake.  A pat on the back coming back to the sideline is all a team member needs to know that you aren’t placing blame or dwelling on it.  College coaches recognize this characteristic in mature athletes and want it in their recruits.
6. Take winning and losing gracefully.  This is another mature character trait college coaches love to see in high school athletes.  It is great to show your passion during competition, but never allow your happiness or disappointment keep you from appreciating the effort your opponent has given in the heat of battle. 
7. Always, always look sharp.  Appearance is a pride thing.  If you have the chance to participate in college sports, you will be representing not only your team, but everyone who is currently attending, or has ever attended, your college.  Projecting a positive, sharp image can be one of those little things which coaches pick  up on and appreciate you for.
8. Respect your parents.  If you want to really show your maturity, act like an adult when communicating with your parents.  Pouting or treating your parents as if they are the dumbest humans alive demonstrates your immaturity and will reflect poorly on you, not them.  Coaches notice.  
9. Respect your coaches.  Not everyone or every team is blessed with the most knowledgeable coaches in high school and club or travel sports.  Patience, in such situations, is truly a virtue.  When college coaches are watching you, they pay strict attention to how you interact with the staff.   Why?  How you behave now predicts how you will respond to coaching when you arrive on a college campus.    
10. Ask for help.  Whenever you are conversing a coach other than your own, ask this simple question:  “What can I do to improve?”  You will learn more in the responses than you could have thought imaginable.  And, word among coaches that you are always interested in getting better will spread.   

The First Step Can Make All the Difference

Athletes advance to the professional level for a good reason – they are the best at what they do.  Chances are they have received excellent coaching along the way, too, of course.  And, most great coaches will tell you that when evaluating talent, one of the first things they watch is an athlete’s footwork.  They can spot the good, the bad and the ugly a mile away.  Athletes that have learned, practiced and put to muscle memory excellent footwork skills have a decided advantage over those with less sophisticated footwork fundamentals.  What’s the big deal, you ask?  Everything begins with the feet.  The first step an athlete takes – that is, the direction, angle and strength of it – dictates what happens next and who has the upper hand in one-on-one battles.  Emulating professionals’ footwork fundamentals is a great way to raise your own game.  It is a key aspect in nearly every sport and one which is sorely lacking at the high school level.  Watch, tape or DVR pro games, study athletes at your position in detail (take notes and review them before each practice) and put them into your routine every day.  Getting better can be only a step or two away in the right direction.

Money’s Tight and Coaches Are Scrambling…Advantage Prospect

So, you might wonder aloud, “What does a college’s financial problems have to do with how I approach shooting a skill tape?”  Good question. 

Unless you’ve been glued to the Animal History Entertainment Channel for five years, you know that video footage is a must in today’s recruiting environment.  But, did you know that it is even more so today than at any previous time.  “Why?” you ask.  Money.  What’s new, right? 

As we speak, college administrators across the country are looking into every nook and cranny, under every rock, and into any dark hole they find in an attempt to uncover ways to save money.  Cutting the recruiting budgets of coaching staffs has made its way to the top of the “hit list.”  From a practical perspective, there are only so many ways one can squeeze another mile out of a gallon of gas or an athlete’s meal from a shrinking dollar.  But, it has to be done, somehow.  To coaches, the term “value meals” is taking on a whole new and serious meaning. 

All this belt tightening leaves coaches with the very tough and unsavory decision of choosing the tournaments to skip, which they would normally attend, to save a hundred or so dollars.  Overnight stays and dinners at Carrabba’s are giving way to day trips and Burger King.  Plain and simple: Coaches are scrambling to find more efficient ways of spending, or saving, what recruiting dollars they have left.  Over two thirds of America’s colleges share this dilemma. 

One method which coaches are almost universally depending more and more on is the use of video footage (skill and/or game) to make evaluations and even scholarship offers…without actually seeing prospects play in person.  That’s a risky choice to be sure, but there are few alternatives available to them.              

Where does that leave you, the prospect?  At NSR, we believe it gives you a clear advantage. 

You have one shot at making a great initial impression on a college coach.  One.  Blow that chance and a perfectly good opportunity may disappear before your very eyes, never to reappear. 

So, when shooting skill footage tapes, keep this important point in mind – college coaches will be evaluating your every move.  It is all there for the coach to see, so take heed of the following advice when preparing for and going through a skill footage video session:

• Preparation: Warm up thoroughly prior to taping – approach this workout as if fifteen college coaches were in the bleachers watching you prepare and perform.  Bring plenty of fluids.  This will be a harder workout than you might think.
• Mindset: Get in the mindset that you are going to work hard during the shooting – anything less is cheating yourself out of an opportunity.  Preparing mentally requires you to have received ample rest the night before, so think ahead and be smart. 
• Appearance:  You should look your very best.  Be sure to wear a clean uniform.  A uniform is preferred over workout gear, but if that is all you have to wear, make sure it is clean and sharp looking.  No wrinkled, holey shorts or shirts, or cut off T-shirts.  
• Attitude:  Stay positive.  Don’t let mistakes or body language sabotage you on film.  Stay positive and energetic at all times. 
• Pace:  The quicker your pace, the better results you will get.  Remember: coaches are watching EVERYTHING you are doing on this tape.  Hustle every step.