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April 2005 – Athlete’s Advisor Newsletter
Resources for College Bound Student Athletes and those that support them!

in this edition...  
Question for my reader! - what would you like to see?
New Articles 
 In the News   
Books to consider
Why'd You Choose that college - Insight into what sways a college choice.
Hockey, Lacrosse - Non-violent programs getting popular.
Michigan - What is the role of the high school as it relates to college aspirations?
Baseball and Softball - Someone asked about rotational hitting, listen to the explanation!
Admissions Tip -Do your visits and emails add up to an acceptance?
Sports Drinks vs. Water - Nancy Clark, RD  weighs in.
Mail Bag - Midwest player wants exposure to California.
Cold Weather States and Summer Sports - Some thoughts for cold weather state athletes.
Runners -Tips on buying running shoes.
Tennis - Mental skills article, still applies to everyone, this is just tennis specific. w/Dr Adam Naylor.
High School Playing Time and Summer Plans - Even the warm weather athletes need a good summer.
Soccer - The good ole club team debate heats up down South.
Question and Answer- Summary of question from recent semina.
Links
Recommended Services

Don't forget to forward this to a friend!  Did you miss last months newsletter?
 

Question of the Month:
What feature would you like to see added to Athletesadvisor.com in the future?
Submit your idea!

New Articles.


Text Articles:  

NextStep Magazine Resource Center Featured Article:  
   Resources for college problems - a guide to useful web sites  Go to article
 

In The News...
The University of Hartford has a 10 million dollar athletic field construction program going on that basically puts all of its outdoor sports in the same area...tennis, baseball, softball, soccer, track and field and lacrosse...when complete in 2006 it will mark the first time that baseball has been played on campus in over 20 years...Indiana Football has been a Big 10 doormat for a while. From a recruiting standpoint, this article is of interest because it shows just how committed a new coach is to turning around a program and promoting the team on campus. You can imagine what he is demanding of his players in this situation...

Books to consider: Advisor Recommends...for you football fans and former high school Al Bundy types, try reading John Grisham's Bleachers....oh, and if I did not mention it already read Friday Night Lights and watch the DVD too...if you have a desire to learn more about Steroids - and I know a lot of people are very concerned right now, Charles Yesalis of Penn State University has edited a very good book on the subject. This might be something a booster club purchases to educate member families. Anabolic Steroids in Sport and Exercise

Why'd you choose that College?: I read an article about the impact Fairfield College freshmen had on various athletic programs this year. One athlete said she chose Fairfield because...
 "I picked Fairfield basketball because I like the coaching staff and the players. The recruiting program was one of the best. Coaches didn't bore you by just telling about the campus and school. They found out about me as a person, which made me listen more and respect their recruiting process."

Interesting from two angles. First, coaches might want to listen to how high school kids think.  They often have more depth then we give them credit for.  Second, this points to the student going where she felt wanted. Eg - "The coaches are interested in me the person, so they must really want me as part of their program."

As so often happens in recruiting, prospects are dropped suddenly and they have no idea why or that it even happened. A coach stops calling, writing or sending emails. They have moved on. But have you?  Know when you are being treated like someone is sincerely interested in you and when you are not.  I've seen families "waiting for that call" from the coach and have left 3-4 messages that went unreturned.  It's over at this point, move on and look at other options. If a coach wants you, he/she will call you, write you and most certainly return calls.

The same article also had a telling quote about the power of being on a team:
"The team has helped tremendously in my acclamation to college life. The team was an instant group of good guys that made sure to look out for the freshman and give us a heads up on what to do."
 

Violence and Sports - Why not try something non-violent for a change of pace.

On a day when I saw a report of a Texas dad using an AK-47 in an attempt to murder the high school football coach for a perceived slight to his son and when a Massachusetts' High School Hockey Coach was arrested for assault and battery when he lost it in a rec league game and tried to bash the referees head in, I thought maybe it was time to meet Jimmy Piatelli.

Piatelli owns an indoor rink and field facility in Norwood MA, called The Ponds. The facility caters to ages 3-10 as they featured  small fields and ice - perfect for developing skills.  Recently Piatelli has been featured all over the news because of a "non-violent hockey" program he started.  This brand of hockey is all about skill development, a safe, non-threatening arena for kids to get used to wearing hockey gear, skating and handling a puck without fear of being smashed into the boards.  So far it is a huge "hit" with players and parents alike.

Piatelli says the Europeans play 3 on 3, small rink hockey until the kids are about 12. By then they are master stick handlers and passers and are physically and emotionally ready for contact.  He also points out that in the last season the NHL had (when was that anyhow?), the top 10 scorers were all European.

The Advisor thinks more leagues and athlete's should focus on superior skill development and less on competing.  There is no need for 6 year old hockey players to be in a tournament, or a 9U travel baseball team to fly 2,000 miles for  a tournament.  The well documented increase in youth athletic injuries and major orthopedic surgeries is reason enough to curtail things a bit and focus more on learning.

Skill mastery creates better long term players, will decrease attrition and has a better chance at increasing the always worrisome "self-esteem" factor than will getting your head battered against the glass.

Good luck to Jim and others trying to step outside the box be innovative!

Boston Globe Article on The Pond (PDF)

Norwood Article on The Pond (PDF)

 

What is the role of high school as it pertains to preparing athletes for college.
A recent editorial on a Michigan web site about allegations of a booster enticing athletes to transfer from one public school to another and the comments of an Athletic Director led me to this topic. 
   It seems that many parents today believe that it is the job of the high school athletics to prepare their children for college sports. In other words, do everything they can to put their child in the right situation to be recruited (whatever they think that may be.)  In other words playing time and position played for someone's child are more important than the well being of the team as a whole.
    We've all heard stories of coaches being forced out by the complaints of a couple of vocal parents and a weak spine by administrators.  The outcomes of those stories rarely end up making a difference in the area that  matters most- talent.  The truth is most kids don't have the talent to play in college, or at least not at the level their parents aspire them to play at.
   I remember legendary Division III college basketball coach Tom Murphy (600 wins) telling me how watered down the basketball showcases and tournaments he would go to had gotten.
  "Honestly, if there are 70 kids at a select tourney maybe 4 have college potential at any level.  The harder part is to find them with skill and academic credentials to get into school.  Often times the people who run these camps and events sell the scholarship or "be recruited" angle to parents and almost scare them.  Well you need to be talented to be recruited. Sorry, not everyone is good enough."
   Parents, spending a lot of time and money to play AAU and club sports, take lessons, attend clinics and traveling to Fl, TX or CA for a tournament does not matter to college coaches. I am not saying that these things are a waste of time, not at all!  AAU and the like have helped thousands of athletes over the years.  Rather I am telling you that talent, skill, ability and potential are what matter. You can play all day, every day, but if you "ain't got skilz"  then a college coach really won't recruit you.
   High schools are supposed to prepare students for the next level of academics.  The next time you think about paying for college, remember that there is always more money for great students then there is for great athletes. 

Baseball and Softball folks: Rotational Hitting vs. Linear Hitting - What's The Deal?
One of my readers recently discovered the concept of 'rotational hitting" when he witnessed a team of 14U  softball players from Texas out distance his team of 17U sluggers by a big margin.  He asked me to discuss this topic in the next newsletter. I am obliging, but went a step further and asked Professional Hitting Instructor Bob Boutin to explain the difference.  This is a 6 minute interview and will download an MP3 file into a new browser window.

This is not a topic I wish to get into in much depth, as there are entire web sites where things like this are debated and picked apart to the Nth degree. However, since it was brought up, I thought we at least touch on the topic. Also, from what I have learned, it is not a new concept. Babe Ruth was rotational!  (And this is an antique Babe Ruth model bat my grandfather used  when he barnstormed in the 1920's and 30's!)
 

Listen to Audio

Do your visits, emails and letters make a difference in admission to college?

According to National Association of College Admissions Counseling there is a trend in some large public universities and selective Northeast schools to factor in "demonstrated interest" into the admissions equation by keeping tabs of the number of times a student visits the campus or makes contact through e-mail or letters.

Of course not all schools have this policy as they do not wish to penalize a student who does not have the means to visit campus 5 times in a semester. Even so, your interest in a school without such policy would most likely be noted in the admissions review, but it does not support a candidate for admission more than a strong academic record would.

Sports Drinks vs. Water - Ask the expert
This PDF comes right off the Gatorade.com web site - can you trust it? 
 I asked Nancy Clark, RD for her take on it.
Link .http://www.gssiweb.com/tackleheat/pdf/vswater.pdf

The key words are 'intense competition, hard practices" -- and whatever else was said at the top of the page
.
A sports drink is beneficial during hard exercise that lasts for longer than an hour -- especially when an athlete has not eaten beforehand and is low in energy to start.
There's a time and place for a sports drink ... Gatorade at lunch is not one of them! Gatorade is deigned to be taken during hard, extensive exercise and not as a general beverage.
 

Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, Third Edition
Food Guide for Marathoners: Tips for Everyday Champions
Cyclist's Food Guide: Fueling for the Distance
    
Books and sports nutrition teaching materials available at www.nancyclarkrd.com
Workshop information: www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com
 

Dear Advisor:
 I'm a junior in high school in MIDWEST CITY   and I'm looking for a D2 or NAIA school in California to get a scholarship for football. I don't know where to start. Can you give me some advice?  Thanks - Football Fanatic

Dear Fanatic:

First off, remember one thing - getting a scholarship is very difficult so be prepared for it to not happen, just on odds alone.  And also keep in mind that if you can finance college without a football scholarship,  you can try walk on at a lot of schools.

But, lets talk about where to start. 

1) Identify those schools in California that have the following:
 A) Football Program at the NAIA of NCAA D-II level
 B) Admissions requirements that you can meet (academics) or come close to meeting.
 C) Area of study that interests you..

The easiest way to do that is search the web or even better to search the College Coaches On-Line Database because it allows you to enter the search criteria (state, sport, level, academics) and it gives you all the info you need to contact the coach.

2) Reach out to these programs - go online and submit a player profile via the team web site, email the coach, call the football office. You have to be the initial mover as these coaches are not casually looking for talent in the Midwest when there is plenty of it around them.

3) Be seen. Combines (such as the Nike combines), camps and video. Coaches in California at NAIA and D-II schools are not flying to the Midwest to find talent unless it is Junior College talent that has been referred to them. Have game film ready to mail out.

Bottom line Fanatic, be proactive and have a good film to send out.  You are going to have to do a lot of groundwork to reach your goals. Good luck!
 

Fear not the cold weather spring season, all is not lost!
This was the Catholic Memorial High School (Boston, MA) baseball field on 3/24, 3 days after the official start of the spring sports season in MA.  Luckily they have artificial turf but the presence of the snow this late into the season demonstrates some of the issues Northeast and Northern state student athletes have during the high school season.  The short season is made shorter by bad weather and once the weather turns warmer teams play more than practice.  Pitchers arms are stressed, players at all positions get less reps (both in pre-season b/c of the field and during the season as all the games are being crammed in) and it is hard for athletes to find a healthy mix of competition and practice.

The importance of playing in the summer is increased for cold weather athletes.  You really need to look at your playing and development season as a single season running from February to September.  Many players struggle during the high school season and hit their stride during AAU, Legion or Babe Ruth (to use baseball as an example).  Most college coaches understand the cold weather dilemma - pro scouts as well.  You want to always do well, of course, but do not let a poor start play in your head.  You have time to prove yourself when the weather turns and you move to summer playing.

Remember - most evaluation of spring athletes is done in the summer and fall.  College coaches have their own season to manage during yours and the industry of summer camps, showcases and tournaments has exploded to offer you a ton of options for exposure.

  In case you were wondering this is the field on opening day April 7, 2005. (It was chilly!)

To learn more about optimizing your summer recruiting exposure, consider The Making of a Student Athlete.
 

The Advisor on the Road - Reading PA The Mount Penn MudFeast - 9.3 miles of Mud, Guts and Groin pulls! For the second time in 3 years Mrs. Advisor and I ran in this annual Easter weekend trail running extravaganza.  Four stream crossings, several "I have no choice but to walk" hills and a lot of mud and fun!  The women's run was won this year by a fellow Hamilton College grad and athlete, Jen Flint (photo). Jen played lacrosse at Hamilton and continued her love for sports and competing after college by becoming  an accomplished runner who regularly wins regional races and places very high in national level events.  Today, she owns her own running store, Runaway Success in Paoli PA, and has plans to open a second location this summer.

Since the Advisor was down there, we thought we'd get some pointers about buying running shoes to share with you. Thanks Jen!

The right shoe for you will take the following into consideration:

1) What is your foot type (neutral, supinator, pronator) and if you pronate, how badly?  A good running store employee should watch you walk or run and fit you to a shoe specifically designed for your foot type. Consider it a warning if no questions are asked about your foot and training habits.
2) Do you have a lighter frame or heavier build? Heavier people usually need more support or cushion. There is a shoe for everyone!)
3)  Are you heavy on your feet (i.e. do you wear through the outsole of the shoe quickly?)
4)  Do you like a wider toe box or narrow heel?  Experienced runners will have an idea, but beginners should try both styles on before purchasing.
5)  Have you had any injuries that might effect the kind of shoe you need?  Tell the person fitting you about any chronic injuries or major issues you have had in the past.
6)  How often do you run and what is your typical weekly mileage?  This is a key point as some shoes are meant for high mileage runners. You could risk injury without the right shoe.

To summarize, a running specialty store will/should ask you most or all of these questions when you are going through the buying process, and they should be able to help you determine the answer to 1 and 2 just by checking out your feet and your stride.
     Make sure you are well fitted for the spring season. Help avoid injury and have a running store specialist analyze your  stride and foot strike when buying a shoe! 
From the Staff of Runaway Success “Have a great season and stop by the store to say hello!” 

High School Playing Time and Recruiting: The Summer is Your Key!
Suppose your high school team is loaded with good seniors this year and you are a junior that rarely plays or is playing out of position. Is all lost?  Believe it or not, there are some baseball, softball and lacrosse programs out there that are so deep that college level players are sitting the bench or playing their second or third position. Goalies who rarely play and pitchers who get an occasional start or mop-up duty could  be starting at most other schools. But they are not because of legitimate talent in front of them. What do they need to do to be recruited:

1) Plan a summer schedule that includes plenty of showcase opportunities. Play in front of college coaches from schools that are a potential athletic and academic fit for you. Showcases, showcase tournaments, state Olympic games and select camps are all possible options.

2) Communicate with coaches proactively. This is always a good idea, but even more so when you were sitting behind a star player and did not see much action. Let the coaches know that you were a back-up to X player who is headed to ABC University next year (odds are they will have heard of either the player or the school and they know why you did not play a lot for the high school team).

3) Letter of reference. Ask your high school coach for a letter of reference and ask them to be specific with your situation on the team. Eg - your lack of playing time was because of who you played behind and they expect you to be the #1 person back on the team next year,  etc.

4) Video - during the summer, arrange to have video of your games taken. Use this to send to coaches who have not seen you play. Ultimately, video is a tool most coaches use to decided who to take a further look at. This is your goal, to entice a coach into taking an additional look at you during a showcase, tourney or camp. 
(For an extensive look at using video in the recruiting process, we recommend The Making of a Student Athlete)

Example:
The March 24, 20005 Edition of the Baseball America Mid-Week Prep Report showcases how this situation can happen to a talented athlete.
PLAYER NAME, who has committed to Southern California and was 3-0, 0.78 with five walks and 24 strikeouts in 18 innings, has touched 93 mph with his fastball and has a projectable, 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame. He pitched fewer than 20 innings as a junior because of a HIGH SCHOOL pitching staff that was loaded with more experienced arms, but his showing last summer on the showcase circuit as well as this spring has boosted his stock.

For cold weather athletes whose teams have not even played a single game yet, you can see why the summer is so important. You don't have your senior year to showcase your talent as this California athlete does.
 

Club Soccer at Odds with Mississippi High Schools - Club Team Debate
Link to full article

I love debates like these.  I hate debates like these.  Mississippi is considering changing its rules to limit the amount of time athletes spend playing their particular sport for other teams during the high school season.  Soccer is really the sport being targeted as club soccer is often a year round commitment. Other states already have rules on the books Massachusetts has a "Bona Fide Team Member" rule that states you will become ineligible for your HS team if you miss  a team function for participation in another sport that is also offered at the state high school level.  In Mass both Soccer and Hockey will usually create the most issues.

This quote was from an Alabama state administrator (which already has a rule in place) is sure to calm the seas of this debate:

"It keeps kids from coming back to your school team hurt and from being coached by a coach who may not be up on techniques," said Dan Washburn, executive director of the Alabama High School Athletic Association. "Our coaches love it because they don't want anybody else coaching their kids."

People pay a lot of money to fund and support club soccer and Junior Hockey and usually they are willing to pay that money because they believe it is the best way for their son or daughter to get the most college recruiting exposure. The way things have evolved, this is true. Especially for the better programs. 

"Soccer is different from any other sports as far as how players are developed," said Kenny White, a former professional soccer coach who also serves on the U.S. Soccer National Staff. "It's not like football where college recruiters have a $200,000 athletic budget. They have to figure out where to get the biggest bang for their buck. Do I go to 15 high school games all over or do I go to one (showcase) tournament and see 400 teams play that I know have the best players in their states?"

Hey, if you want to play club soccer or Junior Hockey (to name just two sports) year round - do it. Forget the high school team and pursue your dream. Compete against the rest of the US, Canada,  Europe, South Africa, South American and the Caribbean for a coveted soccer and hockey scholarship.  Let a two or three sport athlete have your spot on the HS team. Nobody is scouting there anyway, right? People complain about the coaching as well. Let the kid who just wants to play soccer for his or her high school get something out of the sport. Who knows, maybe they will love the game enough to walk on at their D-III college and have a successful career playing soccer.  Now two of you are happy!

In summary, I don't feel the state should be mandating rules like this. The reasoning given by the state in this case is all wrong.  Schools are not in business to produce college athletes, no matter what people might think. Their primary business is producing college students and employable adults.

This should be a school policy or better yet a league wide policy.  Club soccer is big where there is money to spend on it, so leagues in affluent areas can make their rules accordingly. Some areas might not have any club soccer issues and won't need to waste time debating it.

News from Varsityedge.com - Dave Galehouse, my co-author in The Making of a Student Athlete wrote a summary of the questions we fielded at a seminar we gave at Acton-Boxborough HS in Acton, MA.  If you have not done so already, I suggest you sign-up for Dave's newsletter as well.

Links -
Independent529plan.org - a complete site dedicated to the Ind. 529 plan - private schools
NCAA.com now links to www.ncaasports.com
NCAA.org  is their official business site - rules, publications, etc. Let's hope they make that site a little user friendly as well.
Campus Dirt - where college students tell you how they really feel! Need to register but it is free.
NextStepMagazine - Life after High School, great for students and parents.


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