This post is courtesy MVPToday.com

Former ASU wide receiver Chris McGaha finished his collegiate career ranked third in catches (168) in ASU history. His above-average hands and route running should be good enough to earn him a spot on an NFL roster but his average speed will likely keep him from being more than a mid-round selection. McGaha is one of five Sun Devils who were invited to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine and he is training at Athlete’s Performance in Phoenix in preparation for his workout. MVP Magazine spoke with McGaha to get caught up on what he has been up to since the completion of football and to discuss what lies ahead in the coming months.

Sport: Baseball Positions: Catcher Height: 6’3″ Class: 2010 School: Scripps Ranch High School San Diego, CA

Wynston Sawyer, batted .700 with two home runs and eight RBIs at the Lions Baseball Tournament this past weekend. This performance earned Wynston the recognition of being named the MVP of the 6A Division for the tournament. Wynston also contributed to the now 12-2 Scripps Ranch Falcons with two doubles, five walks, three stolen bases and six runs scored.
To view Wynstons’s complete SportsForce profile click here – http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/wsawyer

Scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com

This post is courtesy MVPToday.com

The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, announced on Friday that Corey Hawkins of Estrella Foothills High School is its 2009-10 Gatorade Arizona Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Hawkins as Arizona’s best high school boys basketball player.

Hawkins is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year award to be announced in March.

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound senior guard led the Wolves (31-1) to their third straight Class 3A state title this past season, averaging 36 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.6 steals and 3.7 assists per game.

The returning Gatorade Arizona Boys Basketball Player of the Year finished his career as the state’s all-time career scoring leader with 3,154 points and also set the single-season scoring record with 1,152 points this winter.

The 2010 Arizona Republic Small Schools Player of the Year, Hawkins scored a season-high 65 points in a win over Chino Valley High on Feb. 2.

Hawkins has maintained a 3.14 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered locally as a youth basketball camp counselor and participated in a humanitarian effort to collect and send shoes to earthquake victims in Haiti.

“Corey Hawkins has a work ethic unlike any player I’ve ever coached and he’s made himself one of the most complete basketball players in the state,” said Estrella Foothills High Head Coach Ty Amundsen. “He has made such an enormous impact on our team and on our program as a whole.”

Hawkins joins recent Gatorade Arizona Boys Basketball Players of the Year Taylor Rohde (2007-08, Pinnacle) and Jerryd Bayless (2006-07, St. Mary’s) among the state’s list of former award winners.

Hawkins has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at Arizona State University this fall.

This post is courtesy MVPToday.com

When someone goes on a job interview, they often buy new clothes, get a haircut, and maybe even shed a few pounds, in hopes of making a good first impression to a potential future boss.

The idea of making a good first impression also holds true for the approximately 330 college football players who were invited to workout at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis from Feb. 24-Mar. 2. Each athlete undergoes extensive mental and physical evaluations by the personnel of all 32 NFL teams, which serves as their job interview for the 2010 NFL Draft on April 22-24.

In an effort to get into optimal physical and mental condition for the Combine, most athletes go through a pre-Combine training program, which is geared toward improving their draft position. The difference in getting selected in the first round versus the second round is literally millions of dollars. For other athletes, a good showing at the Combine can mean the difference between being selected on the first day of the Draft instead of the second day or being drafted at all.

Most pre-Combine programs have a similar goal of providing comprehensive physical and mental training specifically geared toward the numerous drills conducted at the Combine. Standard amenities generally include strength and speed training, learning position-specific skills, usually from former NFL coaches and players, as well as access to a nutritionist, massage and physical therapists and more.

Where the programs vary is the path a facility takes to achieve this shared goal. Selecting the proper training program has become an important part of the NFL pre-draft process and numerous Valley-based facilities rank among the elite.

Command Performance
No Valley-based facility has made more of an impact on the NFL Draft than Athlete’s Performance Institute, which began offering Combine training in 2001. Their clientele list reads like a who’s who of NFL players, as founder Mark Verstegen and his crew have trained 257 draft picks, including 53 first rounders and the last four number one overall picks.

API offers 28 specialists that focus on speed, strength, nutrition, position specific, chiropractic, physical therapy and on-site meal preparation by a culinary team. They also provide a specialist for the Wonderlic Exam, the 50-question aptitude test given to all NFL draft prospects, and a media specialist, who works with the athletes on improving their interview skills and dealing with the media.

API has four facilities nationwide. In 2009, its Arizona facility relocated from Tempe to its current luxurious location in North Phoenix. This facility is as high end as they come and offer too many amenities to list in their entirety.

This year’s class of 22 NFL hopefuls include former Sun Devils Chris McGaha and Dexter Davis as well as Notre Dame wide receiver Golden Tate and Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

A Combine pioneer
Warren Anderson, executive director of the Phoenix-based Make Plays.com Center for Human Performance is considered a pioneer of Combine training when he began his program in 1985 at the urging of Bruce Allen, now the Washington Redskins general manager.

“We worked together in the USFL,” Anderson recalled. “Then Bruce went into the agent business and I was just starting up in the training business. He told me I should consider doing Combine training for his athletes, so he could offer them a competitive advantage.”

Anderson has nearly 30 years experience and, along with his team of former NFL coaches and players, work toward improving football skills through the Makeplays Combine Training Program where athletes train twice a day, 5 – 6 days a week. Since launching combine training, Anderson has worked with more than 500 players that were drafted in the NFL, including 41 first-round draft picks.

No Doubt
Another major player in pre-Combine training is Brett Fischer of Phoenix-based Fischer Sports Physical Therapy and Conditioning. The facility is well known for its work with baseball players but for more than 10 years, Fischer has partnered with Will Sullivan to train an average of 10-15 players per year through his No Doubt! Football, NFL Combine Training Camp.

While Fischer has trained five first-round picks and six-second-round picks, he has established his reputation for training many unheralded players and turning them into higher than expected picks.

“These are the kind of guys I like working on,” said Fischer, who has more than 20 years of sports conditioning and rehabilitation experience. “I’m not downplaying the importance of also working with the first-round picks but it’s also important to find the guys that no one projected very high that go and do well.”

Fischer also prides himself on 40-yard dash training as many athletes he worked with went on to set Combine records.

Diamonds in the rough
Other NFL Combine training options include Triple Threat Performance in Tempe, which will train more than 20 athletes this year and is growing its reputation in this area. Triple Threat boasts former Olympian Dan O-Brien on its coaching staff.

The IKEI Performance NFL Draft Preparation Program is limited to 10 players each year. Founder Chad Ikei has more than 20 years of experience and a background in strength and power sports. IKEI Performance has locations in Scottsdale and Chandler.

Speed specialists know about Mo Streety, who has worked with athletes for 11 years. Players he has worked with include Darrelle Revis, Roddy White and Terrell Suggs.

Coach Gary Zauner was an NFL special teams coach for 13 years including with the Arizona Cardinals. He has carved out a niche for working with punters, kickers and long snappers and holds annual camps in Scottsdale to prepare prospects for the NFL Draft.

With millions of dollars potentially at stake, making a great impression at the NFL Combine and ensuing Pro Day workouts have taken on greater importance. Leading up the NFL Draft, many players will climb up the rankings of prospects, as they gain favor in the eyes of those who have scrutinized their very move. And once the names are called on April 22, smiles will come across the faces of many Valley-based sports performance professionals knowing they played an important role in prepping members of the Class of 2010 for their chance at a career in the NFL.

Note: This story originally ran in the February issue of MVP Magazine, the first ever interactive digital sports magazine. Read the current of MVP Magazine at www.mvptoday.com

The GAME has changed! The fact is, the college recruiting process has changed dramatically over the last 10 years and understanding how to play the game is important.

The college recruiting process is often misunderstood by many parents, student-athletes, coaches and fans. Are you a sports parent or a high school student-athlete who is asking yourself “How do I maximize my recruiting exposure to college coaches?” If so, you are not alone. This is a very common issue across the country that we often help student-athletes and families proactively address at SportsForce.

In this article you will learn more on how to introduce yourself to a college coach, what type of recruiting events to consider and gain an understanding of how video and the Internet are radically changing the recruiting process. At the end of this article you will have an opportunity to sign up for our complimentary SportsForce College Recruiting Guide to learn more keys to college recruiting success. See link at the end of the article.

Step 4: Get Evaluation in person: Target Key Recruiting Events

• Identify key recruiting tournaments that some of your target colleges will attend
• Email coaches your online profile link, team name, schedule and jersey # before the showcase to make sure you are evaluated
• Potentially attend a few college camps for specific exposure to that program

Step 5: Get quality video, online profile & share

• Video is key, college coaches don’t have the time to see every player
• Create a custom highlight video to showcase your skills (3 – 5 min. long)
• Create an online profile to add your athletic, academic and recruiting information

Some example SportsForce profiles below:

• Girls Lacrosse: http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/jmills
• Softball: http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/mbradvica
• Soccer: http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/kdick

Here is an example profile and highlight video of one of our senior clients Nick Melka that recently committed to Columbia University to play football. Nick and his family were proactive in the process and were able to maximize his exposure and generate significant interest from many of his top college choices.

Here’s a link to Nick’s profile –http:/www.sportsforceonlone.com/nmelka

To get more advanced recruiting tips, strategies and advice visit our website and sign up for our complimentary SportsForce College Recruiting Guide and updates below.

FREE sign up for SportsForce College Recruiting Guide:

http://www.sportsforceonline.com/resources/resources_recruiting_recruiting_guide.html

Article courtesy of SportsForce, Home for professional College Sports Recruiting Profiles, Highlight Videos, Tips and Tools – www.sportsforceonline.com

We shared La Costa Canyon Lacrosse player, Alex Pardieu’s recruitment journey here. As part of catching up with Alex, SportsForce had a few questions for his coach, LCC boys varsity coach, Dallas Hartley. See what Dallas had to say about Alex, the FSU commit, below.

1. How would you describe Alex on the field (strengths, playing style, etc.)?

Alex hustles and his game translates well to full field situations. He can break down a defense and get his hands free for a shot or to get the offense moving. He plays great team defense on and off the ball. And he is great in transition where his speed really shows.
2. How would you describe Alex off the field (academics, leadership, etc.)?

Well mannered and easy going. Has a lot of friends and surrounds himself with good people who know their academics are the key to their future.

3. How do you think Alex will help a team at the college level (what should a college coach expect)?

Alex brings a strong work ethic, an infectious good attitude, and he wants to get better. He is very coachable.
4. How do you think Alex will develop over the next few years as a lacrosse player?

He has enormous potential. He will be one of the best players on his team and demand respect. Speed, team play, and the intangibles translate well to the next level.

5. Any final thoughts about Alex?
Pleasure to coach a kid who wants to be better every day.

See Alex’s Full SportsForce Profile at: http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/apardieu

Div. II Boys: Lincoln (San Diego) 74, St. Francis (Mountain View) 59

Typically the Lincoln Hornets are known for their second half play, but on Friday night they came out of the gate ready to play and built a 9-0 lead before St. Francis was able to score. By the end of the first eight minutes of play, both Victor Dean and Norman Powell had 9 points each.

The Lancers struggled to keep the deficit below double digits while the Lincoln Hornets continued their streak of explosive third quarter play rode a 22-9 run to their 24^th straight win and a state title. Even with a commitment to shoot lights out from beyond the arc the St. Francis Lancers could not overcome a 23 point fourth quarter deficit that was largely credited to the combination of Dean and Powell. Dean and Powell scored 24 points apiece and combined for 15 rebounds.

Overcome with emotion Coach Jason Bryant expressed his satisfaction with his team’s performance. “This is special, for San Diego and for Lincoln High,” said the third-year coach. “I knew at the beginning of the year the pieces of the puzzle were there.”

After 30 years a team from the CIF San Diego Section finally won a boys state title in Division I or Division II. It was only appropriate that the team that won the trophy was one of San Diego areas most historically significant programs. Victor Dean is heading to Fresno State as a football recruit and costar Norman Powell looks to be a legitimate future D-I prospect.

Sport: Baseball Positions: Pitcher Height: 5’11” Class: 2010 School: Canyon Crest High School San Diego, CA

Canyon Crest Academy senior Matt Malott entered elite company, when he pitched a perfect game against Bloomfield, Colorado, in the La Jolla Country Day tournament at Canyon Crest Academy in San Diego, CA. Matt struck out ten batters in his dominant seven inning performance with a variety of pitches including a four-seam fastball, curve, change-up, and two-seam fastball.

A recent SportsForce combine participant, Matt was an event standout with superior control and command for prep level athlete. Canyon Crest Academy head coach Ryan Sienko emphasized Matt’s abilities when questioned after the game by the North County Times saying that Matt, “…mixed his pitches really well. He is a hard working kid that pounds the strike zone.” Matt’s performance was truly spectacular and we at SportsForce want to congratulate the SportsForce alum on his great achievement and what will likely be an impressive and successful season.

To view Matt’s complete SportsForce profile click here – http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/mmalott

Highlight Video and Scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com