As the school year winds down, many students start to get a little tired and start looking pretty hard towards summer. High school seniors are so notorious for this that there is even a word for it: senioritis. Just because you’ve been accepted to a college and cleared for graduation is no reason to let your grades and academic and athletic performance slip. Read on for some tips to help you enjoy your senior year without tarnishing your record.

Avoid the Schedule: Gym, Lunch, Gym, Pottery

Don’t set yourself up for a lackluster semester by not challenging yourself. Sure, badminton can be challenging and so can making a clay pot, but how will these look on your transcript? There’s no reason not to take classes you have been looking forward to all high school in your senior year, just don’t let this be your entire course load. Keep yourself challenged to stay engaged and show colleges that you are a serious student. Consider taking and AP class if you have not already, if you work hard and pass the AP test for a certain subject, you’ve already taken care of some college credits.

Stay Engaged by Doing Things You Love

It’s easy to get bored senior year and try to forget about high school and look at your college years ahead, so find projects that will keep you engaged in your high school life. Working on the school newspaper or yearbook is a great way to do this. These will help you stay up to date and involved in your school. Also, just because you’re graduating doesn’t mean the school paper will stop going out, so being held to deadlines will keep you in the right frame of mind and keep you from slacking off. As a bonus this extracurricular activities are great experience as you build your resume.

Search Out Academic Options

In your final months of school, you may feel like you’ve got high school mastered. So why not take a college course or two early to challenge yourself and stay ahead of the game. Try the local community college for these classes. Many high schools will count this college course credit towards your high school credit and some schools even allow for early dismissal from regular hours to attend college courses. Check with your guidance counselor for your options, you may even be able to knock out a Gen Ed or two. Just make sure your future college will accept these credits, so you don’t end up taking the same class twice.

Stick with Sports, Even if Your Main Season is Over

If practice is the only thing getting you through your day as the school year winds down, then so be it. Just don’t let that fall to the wayside, too. Sports can be a great motivator to go to school, so even if you’re major season isn’t the spring stay involved with any spring sport as an incentive to go to school and stay in school those final days of your college career. Remember, colleges don’t stop looking at you once you’ve been accepted, that final transcript matters, so don’t tarnish it with senior skip days and sliding grades. Enjoy your senior year, just not too much!

Be sure to visit our Education Page for more resources for student-athletes and parents.

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

It’s quite the rarity in Southern California, but in most parts of the country moving your workout inside because it’s raining, sleeting, or snowing too hard outside is a very real thing. Even if practice is cancelled and the field is flooded, your workouts don’t have to suffer. Below you will find some helpful tips for moving your workout indoors.

Choose the right cardio

Your endurance shouldn’t suffer just because you can’t run suicides up and down the field outside. Take moving your workout indoors as a chance to switch up your cardio and challenge your body in new ways while giving some muscles a rest. The treadmill is the obvious old standby to get your heart rate up and increase endurance. Be sure to add some elevation to the machine to mimic what it would be like to run outdoors as the movement of the belt on the treadmill can actually make your run easier than if it were off the treadmill.

Hit the stars. Maybe you’re a distance runner or a soccer player, and running long distances is a piece of cake. Try the step mill or Stairmaster for a challenging cardio session. Your body may be trained for distance, but once you add gravity to the situation, there is a whole new challenge. Expect your heart to be pumping fast in no time. Beware of the step mill if you have knee issues. The bike may be a safe choice, but for some even the bike can be irritating to sensitive knees.

Pool workouts are an amazing total body workout. Try getting a day pass to your local YMCA if you aren’t lucky enough to have access to a pool at your school or gym. You can do a traditional swimming work out and build a swim plan HERE or try pool running to give your body a great work out with almost zero stress on your joints.

Remember the weights

Many of us, women especially, are guilty of ignoring our weight training regimens. No matter what sport you play, weights should be part of your training. Depending on your work outs you can develop muscles to build speed, core strength or overall muscle endurance. Being forced to take you workout indoors is a great time to get back to the weight room.

Find a training center

SportsForce is partnered with training centers throughout San Diego; take a look at our partners page to see ones that might fit your needs. These are a great way to move your workout indoors during the winter months and step up your game with the assistance of some great trainers.

Switch up your sports to use different muscles

Moving indoors is a great chance to switch up your sports and challenge new muscles while giving the overused ones a rest. Try playing soccer at an indoor field. Play volleyball indoors, play some pick-up basketball or hit the batting cages. The options are endless. Sites like MeetUp.com can help you find a pick-up game in any sport.

Even though practice may be canceled due to rain or snow, don’t look at it as an excuse to bum around on the couch, see the opportunity to mix things up and challenge your body in a new way. Enjoy!

Be Sure to share your indoor workout tips in the comments.

To accelerate your education on the college sports preparation and recruiting process I recommend signing up for our FREE SportsForce College Sports Recruiting Guide.

* FREE Sign up click HERE

SportsForce premium members have an over 80% college sports success rate with an average of more than $50,000 in college scholarship & financial savings per family.

Click HERE to learn more about our programs.

Article courtesy of SportsForce, Home for professional and affordable College Sports Recruiting Tools, Tips, Online Profiles, Highlight Videos and Premium Services.

www.sportsforceonline.com

info@sportsforceonline.com

858.350.5889

As you may know from our earlier posts, SportsForce Athlete Eric Sanschagrin committed to Princeton Lacrosse over the summer. Mavericks Lacrosse Goalie Eric and his family put a lot of thought and time into the decision, from researching to visits to just gut feelings. Eric was extremely helpful when we asked him what advice he had for athletes looking to accomplish the same thing he did and be just as successful in their recruiting journey. See what Eric had to say in his own words below.

1. Stay on top of your grades! Also, freshman year shouldn’t be taken lightly! The pace at which many top Division I colleges are moving along with their recruiting processes only continues to speed up and schools are actively recruiting when only freshman and Sophomore grades are available. Don’t limit your options because of laziness freshman year!

2. Start early and be proactive. It’s hard enough for Western (lacrosse) players to get recruited as it is, make sure to you give yourself plenty of time to get noticed by the schools where you truly belong. No one wants to be left with their last choice, or no choice, because they didn’t move along fast enough in the process.

3. Make sure that you organize and prepare everything you need in advance of your Junior year and add to it as you go along. Don’t waste a coach’s time with half-ready emails. For emails this includes: Name, School, Position, Hand, Class (Year), Team Success (Highlights), Personal Awards, Upcoming Events you plan to attend (Team and Recruiting), GPA, Test Scores (ACT,SAT and even PSAT if you haven’t taken the ACT or SAT), Game Film (3 to 5 minutes of highlights and 2 of your best uncut game halves which can come from different games), A link to your SportsForce page, NCAA Clearinghouse ID #, High School Coach’s Phone # and email, Club Coach’s Phone # and email, and provide your phone # and email. Also, list that your transcript is available to be faxed to them if they want it from your school. Put the best parts in the title! Most coaches get hundreds of emails, so put your best foot forward with the title. Example: Eric Sanschagrin-All-American Goalie-Class of 2011‏‏-Lefty-La Costa Canyon High School-Attending California Gold‏‏‏‏‏. If no representatives from a school that you emailed respond within a few days, keep sending it periodically until they do. I’ll attach the email I used as an example!

4. Don’t be afraid to reach for the sky. Sending out emails to top schools is something everyone should consider, but be realistic. If you aren’t sure where you stand then ask your coaches for help. Even if you aren’t sure, send out a few recruiting emails and test because it can’t hurt.

5. Don’t rush into anything. It takes some time to decide which school best fits you for the next four to five years. Talk it over with your parents and coaches.

6. Have a plan and ask for help. It was nice to have my coaches, SportsForce, and my parents to help guide me through the process. Make a checklist to help manage what you have done and what you want to get done.

For more recruiting resources, visit our Education Page.

Visit our homepage for our newest recruiting guide, Get On Track Program and more.

Congratulations to La Costa Canyon Mavericks Boys Lacrosse goalie Eric Sanschagrin who committed to Princeton Lacrosse over the summer. We caught up with Eric and asked him a few questions to see how he made his decision and what he is most looking forward to. See what he had to say in his own words below, and check back later this week for his great advice for other athletes in the recruiting process.

What factors made you decide on Princeton?

– My main priority was to attend a top academic school, regardless of how good the lacrosse team was. Yet, like many aspiring lacrosse players, I had my heart set on playing Division I lacrosse. I decided early on that I wasn’t going to travel back east for school if it was just for athletic pursuits. I’d have rather played MCLA Lacrosse at an excellent academic school out west than at a lower level Division I school where I wouldn’t have fit academically. So, I sent out my emails to coaches whose schools fit my requirements. I emailed every coach or staff member listed on each school’s website. Thankfully, I got some responses and I was fortunate enough to hear from Princeton! Luckily, they were going to be at Under Armour All America tryouts in Ohio which I had already planned to attend. They noted that they would make sure to have their coach watch me while I was there. After a few follow up emails, I visited Princeton unofficially in July and absolutely loved the feel of the campus and the town of Princeton. During my visit I met most of the coaching staff and toured the campus and facilities. The coaching staff is made up of truly amazing individuals and I couldn’t be happier to have them as my future coaches. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to commit in July and I wasted no time in saying yes.

Were there any other schools you were seriously considering?

– No other schools made it past the “We’re interested” or “What camps will you be attending?” emails. I decided against doing a giant summer recruiting tour and only attended three camps/tournaments. This limited which coaches could have seen me. So, I was extremely fortunate to have Princeton make it to two of them. I was interested in the University of Pennsylvania, where my former teammate Reid Tudor is now a Freshman, as well as the other Ivy League Schools. Honestly, I probably would have settled back west if I hadn’t found something I truly loved.

What are you most looking forward to most about playing for the Princeton?

– After recently visiting Princeton for my official visit, I finally got to meet the team for the first time. First off, I’m really excited to learn from Tyler Fiorito (future teammate and goalie) We are both left handed goalies and I cannot think of a more qualified current college player to learn from. He will be a senior for the 2012 season when I’m a freshman. It will be nice to learn from a player whose prep lacrosse path was so different from mine. He entered Princeton as the top recruit in his class while my light summer schedule has left me largely unnoticed by most talent scouts and recruit evaluators. Also, I met my recruiting class while on my official visit and I was impressed by how down to earth our “Class of 2015” truly was. Coach Bates dubbed 2015 the “Unheralded Class” because we aren’t all well-hyped recruits and we have a lot to prove. I can’t wait for more time with the team and the chance to attend the University!

See Eric’s full SportsForce profile here: http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/esanschagrin

Winter break is coming up fast, and many of us need the break from school, work, and even sports. But, breaks and school vacations are also a great time to check in with yourself and your college sports journey and evaluate where you are and where you need to be. Follow our tips below for some guidance during your time off.

Make Decisions

Juniors, winter break is a great chance to take time to make decisions regarding what colleges you are seriously interested. For juniors, this may be the beginning of the process, making a complete list of the colleges and athletic programs you’re interested in, and the likelihood that you will be able to play your sport there. Now is the time to reach out to the coaches of the programs you are interested in to learn more and set up some unofficial visits.

Seniors, your list should be much more refined. You should have a top 3 or top 5 colleges and know where you stand with recruiting with each college program. You can narrow down your search or add new options based out what you liked about each school and how interested/ how active they are in recruiting you. Now is a great time to take an official visit or set one up if you have not already.

For more information on recruiting time lines download our free recruiting guide HERE

Make a Game Plan for the Rest of the Year

Juniors, be sure you have an online resume and highlight video (like those at SportsForce) that it is up to date. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to register with the NCAA. Something else important to register for is the SAT or ACT. You want to take these tests early to give you ample time to take them again to improve your scores if needed.

Seniors, your SAT/ACTs should be behind you, but now is the time to follow up. Be sure all the colleges you have applied to have your scores and everything they need to evaluate your application. For the future, mark down the date after you graduation as a reminder to submit your final transcript to the NCAA.

Maintain Performance

It’s pretty easy to let your performance and training regimen go over winter break. If you’re on a team that breaks over winter just like school does, it’s time to become your own training coach. Many athletes need a bit of a break from training between seasons, and that is definitely a good idea. However, don’t break for too long. A week or two should be a good break to let yourself recharge but not let all of your previous training get erased. If you don’t have a gym membership, running and calisthenics are always a great way to maintain your performance level. Breaks are also an excellent time to work on weaknesses you may have noticed during the season. Check out our partner SKLZ for some great training work outs that require minimal equipment.

Have Fun

Lastly, have fun over break! Like we said, a break can definitely be good for you and give you some time to recharge. Rest up, enjoy those cookies, but maybe go for a run or do some pushups before lounging in your pajamas eating Christmas left cookie all day so all your hard work doesn’t go to waste!

La Costa Canyon’s Mike Riis recently committed to the University of Denver to play for their Men’s Lacrosse Program. We caught up with Mike to do a little Q&A to see how he got where he is today and the advice he has for others on the same journey. See what he had to say below.

What factors made you decide on the University of Denver? First of all the academics, I plan on majoring in business and the program they have there is great. I also liked the location of it being close to home yet I am still playing big time Division I lacrosse. I was very impressed with Coach Tierney and his entire staff and I look forward to being coached by them over the next four years.

Were there any other schools you were seriously considering? The other schools that I was seriously considering were Drexel in Philadelphia as well as Air Force and Chapman University in California.

What are you most looking forward to most about playing for the University of Denver? The biggest thing that I am looking forward to about playing at Denver is the lacrosse games versus big time schools such as Syracuse and Duke. Those games will be huge for me because I have watched those teams play on TV all of my life.

What advice would you give to other student athletes looking to play in college? The main advice I would give is just to work hard. The main reason I am going to play lacrosse in college is from countless hours playing wall ball and shooting at the school nearby.

Congratulations again to Mike and his family! Check out Mike’s SportsForce highlight video below to see him in action.

SportsForce athlete, Dylan Trent recently signed with the University of Richmond. We were able to catch up with his dad, Mike Trent to get the ins and outs of his recruiting journey as well as some advice for others just beginning. Below is Mike Trent’s take on the recruiting process for Dylan. Also be sure to see Dylan’s highlight video and visit his SportsForce profile here.

The recruiting process for Dylan was a two year work experience for all of us. As a nationally ranked tennis player Dylan has been traveling the national junior tennis circuit for the past five years. Primarily on the west coast. He began researching colleges (and teams) about two years ago. Sending his resume and inquiries to a list of potential colleges. He was actively recruited by Gonzaga, Fresno State, Marquette, Denver, Duquesne, East Carolina State and The University of Richmond this past year.

Dylan selected Richmond based on their academic program (business) and he loved the campus, coach and team, which we found out is very important. Dylan loved playing high school tennis because of the team atmosphere in an individual sport and is looking forward to play at a higher level of tennis for the University of Richmond and competing against players he’s never played before.

My advice to any high school athlete looking to play college sports is to start the process early (sophomore year) and let as many college coached as possible of your interest. Never stop working harder than the last guy a college coach just heard from. Remember that for every available spot on a college team there are at least 50 people trying to secure that spot.

The most beneficial thing we did was the recruiting video with SportsForce. Not every coach has the resources to see all the recruits play in person. By developing the video for Dylan it open a world of opportunity for him.

You may have heard this tale before, I know I have. It is popular for all the right reasons, it’s inspiring, picks you up and makes you feel good and tugs at the heart strings. The story that had garnered attention every couple of years is that of the ritual of “Picking Up Butch.” This ritual happens at Middlebury College in Vermont and is carried out by the college’s athletes. Butch Varno is a local man with history with the colleges teams started when he was a boy. Butch has cerebral palsy, confining him to a wheelchair, and limiting his ability to do everyday tasks.

For fifty years it has been a tradition for Middlebury’ s athletes to pick up Butch, a die hard fan, and take him to school football, basketball games and more. The ritual of “Picking Up Butch” teaches Middlebury’s athletes lessons they could ever learn on the court or the field. The story was most recently shared E:60 by ESPN this past month. Watch the video below and you’ll understand why this story changes every one it touches.

To learn more about Butch and the tradition of Picking Up Butch, visit the links below.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/rick_reilly/news/2003/03/04/life_of_reilly0310/

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5757413

http://www.middlebury.edu/academics/resources/ace/action/volunteer/butch

SportsForce got news this week that Oceanside Softball catcher and SportsForce alum, Tianalia Faasua has accepted a full ride to the University of Northern Colorado. Tialania is part of Division I UNC’s first recruiting class under new coach, Mark Montgomery. Tianalia’s mother, Suluoo Faasua shared the exciting new us:

“ Tianalia’s hard work in the classroom and athletic gifts on the field wards her a full ride DI softball scholarship to University of Northern Colorado. She is a left handed catcher that has a riffle as an arm, throwing at 1.43 seconds to 1st base and 1.83 down to 2^nd”

Tianalia’s mother also shared with us the University of Northern Colorado Softball program’s press release on the new softball recruits:

Montgomery’s first recruiting class includes eight NLIs

Montgomery’s bio | NC softball roster

GREELEY, Colo. – University of Northern Colorado head softball coach Mark Montgomery announced today, the signing of eight players to National Letters of Intent for the 2011-12 season.

Kelci Cheney, Mikayla Duffy, Melissa Marcovecchio, Tianalia Faasua, Nicole Hudson, Kaitlin Flynn, Ashleigh Waterland, and Janelle Lopez have committed to the play for the Bears in the spring of 2012.

Tianalia Faasua, 5-10, Catcher, Oceanside, Calif. (Oceanside High School)
Faasua has lettered in all for her first three years while playing softball for the Pirates … She is also a one-year letter winner in basketball, where she plays center… During her junior years, she batted .365 with 18 RBI and six homeruns … She has also been named to the honor roll the last three years … She plays club softball for the San Diego Breakers … She is set to being her final season as a Pirate in the spring.

“Tianalia is unique because she’s a left-handed catcher,” Montgomery said. “A lot of people don’t think that catcher is a left-handed position, but she will prove any doubter wrong because she has such a strong arm and is so quick behind the plate. She is also a power lefty-hitter and we expect big things from her during her career as a Bear.”

Congratulations to Tianalia and her family! Take a look at Tianalia in action in her SportsForce highlight video below:

Article courtesy: http://www.uncbears.com/sports/sball/2010-11/releases/111610_sballnlirelease

Sport: Football Position: Runningback Height: 6’2″ Class: 2011 School: Christian High School El Cajon , CA

Christian Senior Tyrone Sauls tied the San Diego Section record for the most touchdowns in one game by scoring an amazing 7 TD’s in the Patriots 48-26 win over San Luis Obispo Mission. Sauls rushed for 365 yards and 464 total all-purpose yards. Sauls had scoring runs on 65, 12, 3, 8, 35 and 8 yards and also caught a 42 yard touchdown pass, accounting for all of the touchdowns scored by the Patriots.

To view Tyrone’s complete SportsForce profile click here – http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/tyrone-sauls-football-2011

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