We at SportsForce would like to congratulate Jacob Sniffin on his commitment to the University of Hawaii Manoa. Here is Jacob’s recruiting story and interview from after he committed. Good luck as a Warrior! 1. Share your recruiting story and status The recruiting process for me was a very interesting experience and very different from what I thought it would be. It can be very long or very short, and sometimes it is just playing well in the right place at the right time. For instance, I started being recruited by Hawaii by playing well against one of Hawaii’s coach’s best friends, who referred me to their coach and it took off from there. I ended up committing after I went on an official visit, and knew it was the place for me. 2. What school are you going to, and why did you choose them? I am going to the University of Hawaii, Manoa. I chose this school because I loved the entire atmosphere of the island itself, the campus was very nice and the baseball team gets a lot of help with academics because they are on the road a lot, and the coaching staff really cares about making their players better and succeeding in their careers, with the team itself being one big family. I loved everything about it. 3. How did SportsForce help in the process? Sportsforce helped me by asking me all the right questions about myself, my skills, my academic ability, and what I am really looking for from a college and its baseball program. They really helped me in learning what to say to college coaches, either in emails or in person, which was very important because in hindsight I would not have been ready to talk to coaches or even know what to say or what questions to ask to find out most of the information on their school and program. Lastly, they helped me by putting a video together to showcase my ability to the coaches I wanted to, and that was one of the factors that made the Hawaii coach come to watch me play was when he saw my video. 4. What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process? The best advice I would have for people is to start early in the freshman/sophomore year, and do not be so focused on going to a D1 school or an absolute powerhouse. Keep an open mind, because you want to go somewhere you will have a chance to play and that you will enjoy being a part of that school. 5. How excited are you for your future in college? Personally, I could not be more excited about my future in college. It has been a dream of mine since the day I realized I loved playing and it was what I wanted to do when I was older. I have a great opportunity to come into a program with spots open and a lot of competition, and I am looking forward to that very much. 6. How much money do you anticipate your family saving in college expenses? We are saving around $20,000+ a year by being a recruited athlete for an out-of-state school. 7. Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes? Why?

  We at SportsForce would like to congratulate Patrick Davis on his commitment to Dickinson College. Here is Patrick’s recruiting story and interview from after he committed. Good luck as a Red Devil!

We at SportsForce would like to congratulate Brock Theilen on his commitment to Montana State University Billings on a baseball scholarship. Here is Brock’s recruiting story and interview from after he committed. We wish Brock the best as a Yellow Jacket!  

1.) What school are you going to, and why did you choose them? I committed to Montana State University Billings at the end of April 2015. 2.) How did SportsForce help in the process? I started with Team SportsForce the beginning of last summer. They were very helpful, answered all my questions and whenever I wanted new film they were right on it. 3.) What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process (ex. start early, get a highlight video)? My advice would be get going as soon as possible, it gives you a chance to get video out for coaches you want seeing you early. 4.) How excited are you on your future in college? I am very excited to continue playing Baseball at the next level, especially in a place like Montana. 5.) Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes? Why? I highly recommend Team SportsForce, they were great, and if it weren’t for them I would probably still be in search for a school.   Our Mission at SportsForce Baseball: We are on a mission to help our select number of qualified and evaluated players maximize their recruiting offers and make the best college decision. Started by CEO & founder Andrew Beinbrink, SportsForce Baseball is a nationally recognized college recruiting advisory group with over 40 former college coaches, players, and MLB scouts in 10 different states. During the last 11+ years, we’ve helped over 1,000 players make their college commitments. Read below, why we are different from every recruiting group in the country. Why SportsForce is Different: * View our Home Page Video Unlike most recruiting companies, we do not just partner with anyone for our hands-on recruiting programs. Instead, we only partner with qualified players who meet our Five academic, athletic, and coachability selection factors. We evaluate between 10,000-12,000 players each summer and fall at top showcases and selectively advise, and advocate for only a limited number of players each year by directly contacting college coaches to help them maximize recruiting offers. Each of our expert college recruiters is limited to how many players they will advise so there is the best combination of hands-on guidance and personal recruiting outreach to college coaches. Social Media Exposure: We also utilize our growing Twitter following at @SportsForceBB which is followed by over 500 NCAA D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JC coaches nationwide and growing fast. To Get Evaluated by Our Expert College Recruiting Staff: Option 1: Complete our Recruiting Questionnaire Option 2: Email us at scouting@sportsforceonline.com Options 3: DM us on Instagram @SportsForceBB or Twitter @SportsForceBB and share recent video, stats, or measurables (velocity, 60, exit speed, pop time, etc…) for our scouts to evaluate. Find out if Your Son’s Qualifies for One of Our Hands-On Recruiting Programs? Twitter Recruiting Education & College Needs Posts: We post ongoing recruiting education and post NCAA D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JC needs year around. Follow us on Twitter @SportsForceBB account and join over 500 hundred NCAA D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JC coaches nationwide that follow us and growing fast. Tagging us: If you have some good video to share with us, make sure to tag us @SportsForceBB or DM us and we will review it.  

We at SportsForce would like to congratulate Cole Wolfson on his commitment to Bellarmine University. Here are Cole’s recruiting story and interview after his commitment. Good luck as a Knight!

1.) Share your recruiting story and status.

The recruiting process for me took place mostly between the end of my sophomore year and my junior year. I committed a couple months before the 2014 spring season started.

2.) What school are you going to, and why did you choose them?

I am going to Bellarmine University. To be honest I did not think I would like Bellarmine but I completely changed my mind about my school when I visited. I committed because I liked the coaching staff and I thought the city of Louisville where Bellarmine is located was really cool.

3.) How did SportsForce help in the process?

SportsForce really made the process easier for me. SportsForce helped spread the word about my highlight video and notifying coaches on what tournaments I would play in.

4.) What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process?

I would say that working hard in middle school is probably the best advice I can give because the recruiting circuit starts so early in lacrosse it is important that coming into high school your game is up to par.

5.) How excited are you for your future in college?

I am super excited for college. Playing college lacrosse has been a dream of mine for some time so to be fulfilling it is a relief.

6.) How much money do you anticipate your family saving in college expenses?

I am not exactly sure but I think somewhere in the ballpark of $60-70,000.

7.) Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes? Why?

Yeah, I would recommend SportsForce to other student-athletes as it’s a nice tool to have in the recruiting process.

 

Over the last five years, SportsForce has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.

 

 

Creating a College Target List

Chances are you are overwhelmed by a never-ending list of colleges. There is a lot of stress that comes along with trying to figure out the ONE school which is right for you.

The first step for creating your college target list is to start identifying your Reach, Target, and Safety (or Fallback) schools. We recommend that each category should have at least 10-15 Schools.

Reach School

These are schools that you just might get into. These are labeled your dream or reach schools for a reason. While you may fall short on some of the requirements you could try to make up for it in other areas.

Target School

These are schools that you should feel pretty confident that you will be accepted to. Your target schools should be places that you really want to go to. You should meet all or at least most of the requirements and test scores for these schools.

Safety School

These schools you should feel the most confident about: You are going to get in! These aren’t your dream schools, but you should have some interest in your safety schools. You should be on the high end or exceed all of the requirements for these schools.

The next step in the creation of your personal college target list is to identify what characteristics of a college matter most to YOU. Some aspects that can affect which category possible college choices include athletics, academics, cost, and location.

Important Factors to Consider:

Athletics:

• How large is the roster?
• Which division do they compete in (NCAA DI, DII, DIII, etc.)?
• Are there athletic scholarships available? If so, how many?
• Click Here to view the scholarships available for your sport(s)

Academics:

• What is the academic reputation of the school? Is it competitive or relaxed?
• What are the entrance requirements – SAT scores, AP courses, GPA minimum?
• Does the school offer the major or program you’d like to pursue?
• If you’re unsure about your future, does the school offer plenty of options?

Cost:

• How much is your family willing to pay for college?
• Are you relying on athletic scholarships or financial aid?
• Will you be paying out-of-state or in-state tuition

Location/Size:

• How far away from home do you want to be?
  • Do you prefer a big city or a small town?
  • Do you prefer a large, fast paced environment or small, more personalized attention? Small: less than 2,000 students

Medium: between 2,000 and 10,000 students

Large: more than 10,000 students

 

Have a question or are looking for some potential help?

It all starts with an honest NCAA evaluation by an expert who knows what college recruiters are looking for and where you stand, an evaluation of what level of college is right for you.

Learn about scheduling your NCAA evaluation & consultation by following the link provided

http://www.sportsforceonline.com/college-prospect-evaluation-form.php

 

 

Athletics: Strength, Speed, and Health

Staying in top physical shape is critical to always performing your best on the field and gaining attention from college scouts. Today’s top college athletes have a combination of speed, strength, and knowledge of the best methods to stay healthy, so developing these attributes early will result in higher levels of success.

Strength training is not just lifting weights for hours in the gym attempting to max out, but improving both explosiveness and muscular endurance. Muscular power or “explosiveness” is a product of both strength and speed of movement.

The most effective way to increase strength without hurting your speed or flexibility is to complete plyometric exercises, these would include:

• Lower Body: Squats, Jump Squats, Lunges
• Upper Body: Push Ups, Medicine Ball Chest Pass

Speed is a crucial component to almost every sport, and getting faster is possible with hard work and discipline. Flexibility training and regular sprint workouts will help make you quicker as well. Sprinting during training sessions creates muscle memory which will be activated in game time situations.

A few exercises to increase your speed on the field are:

• Uphill Sprints the steeper the better!
• Calf raises try using weights to increase difficulty
• Running Stairs

It may also be helpful to have a coach look at your form – sometimes even simple changes in your technique can help you get faster.

Health is important to maintain because it will allow for you to perform at your best on the field by taking care of yourself off of the field. Eating healthy will provide your body with the proper nutrients to perform at the highest level. Preventing injury is another major factor of health, because if you can’t train or play it is much harder to improve.

Putting the right “fuel” into your body is the foundation of performing on the field, some helpful tips to keep in mind:

• STAY HYDRATED especially while performing strenuous activity
• Vitamin consumption in the form of fruits and vegetables
• Protein and Carbohydrate intake to build and fuel muscles

Taking the correct steps to reduce the risk of injury would include:

• Always wear the appropriate protective equipment (helmet, pads, cleats)
• Stretching before and after physical activity, as well as on off days
• Knowing your body’s limits and how hard to push

 

Have a question or are looking for some potential help?

It all starts with an honest NCAA evaluation by an expert who knows what college recruiters are looking for and where you stand, an evaluation of what level of college is right for you.

Click here to learn about scheduling your NCAA evaluation & consultation

 

Emailing College Coaches & Sending Your Highlight Footage

Emailing your target list of college coaches is critical in attempting to establish your interest in becoming a part of their program. Including a highlight video in your email is a great way for you to allow coaches to quickly familiarize themselves with you and your athletic skills…

So how do you get started and stand out?

Personalization

You want to begin by personalizing the emails you send to coaches by including the coach’s name in your introduction. Don’t send out a mass email to all of your coaches just saying “Dear Coach”. You want to take the little extra time to show the extra effort.

This personalization will help build a relationship with the coaches as well as generate a conversation. It is important that you send the email from your personal college recruiting email address (*see an example below)

For each email that you send to a college coach, you want to make sure to include the key facts that these coaches are looking for in your first email such as:

• Why you are specifically interested in joining their program

• Where they can find your statistics and achievements both individually and as a team

• Camps, Clinics, or Tournaments you will be attending in the near future

Do you have an email that has been designated for recruiting?

Your email should include your name (ex. johnsmith@gmail.com)

Keep it professional!

We recommended both student-athletes and parents have the user name and password to make sure emails are being read and responded to as promptly as possible. However, parents should not be the ones sending the emails. Parents should be involved to provide support and assistance and to help proofreading for spelling, punctuation, and content appropriateness.

Keep in mind: Not all coaches are going to immediately respond to your emails, and this is OK.

Coaches receive hundreds of emails from prospective athletes and do not always have the time to respond personally to each. If there is no reply from the coach, it is acceptable to send a follow up email 7-10 days later.

Sending Highlight Videos to Coaches

Highlight videos are important to give coaches an opportunity to see an athlete’s skills and abilities without having to watch them in person. Other benefits to a highlight video are that it allows the entire coaching staff to see you play as opposed to just one scout reporting back to the head coach.

Here are some steps to create a highlight tape of your own:

• Get game footage of yourself from coaches, parents, or film it yourself

• Pick out your best plays and make sure to have the very best plays at the beginning

• Edit your video and use your top clips using programs such as iMovie or YouTube

What separates a good from a great highlight video?

There are a few collective characteristics which are prevalent among the best student athlete highlight videos, these include:

• Video is five minutes or less

• Showcase your best skills and plays first

• Showcase all skills of the game

• The athlete is easily identifiable (arrow or circle highlight)

• Include basic introduction information such as the athlete’s Name, Graduation Year, Vitals, and Contact Information

Common mistakes can be made while creating a highlight tape and these mistakes can really hinder how a coach perceives your ability. Here are a few ways to make sure your video does not commit any of the dreaded “Don’ts” that hurt so many highlight tapes:

• Do not use shaky or blurry video shot from an iPhone or cell phone

• Do not randomly order the plays being shown, instead show off your best plays in the beginning of the video

• Do not have the video be longer than 10 minutes, ideally keeping it under 5 minutes in length

• NO MUSIC in the background of your highlight tapes

• Do not use the first 30-40 seconds giving statistics or video information, this should be included in the first 10 seconds

Click here to view “How to Make College Coaches Love Your Highlight Video”

Continuing the Conversation

Once you have started a conversation with a college coach, it is important to keep these coaches updated on your athletic achievements.

When updating coaches, be sure to include both individual and team accomplishments, anything from winning a league championship to improvements in personal stats. Updated highlight videos should also be included in order to show your progress throughout the season.

Not only should coaches be updated on your athletic achievements, but they should be updated on your academic progress as well. Notifying coaches of updated SAT and ACT test scores expresses that you are working hard both on and off the field. Coaches really do care about how you will fit in academically into their program, not only athletically.

Finally, inform coaches of the other schools who have shown interest and are actively recruiting you. Ask coaches where they are in their recruiting process. Questions that you should be asking after the first few emails should be:

• Are you recruiting athletes in my grad year and position?

  • This is beneficial in eliminating college options who would not be recruiting you.

• Have you been able to watch me play live or have watched my video?

  • Lack of time makes it hard for a coach to see every athlete play, so checking in will give you a better opportunity for your skills to be noticed.

• Do I fit in to your recruiting plan, or where do I rank on your recruiting board?

  • This is a very important question, because the answer will dictate if you want to continue to pursue that school.

Remember, when contacting college coaches, to be upfront and honest with them in order to have the most successful interactions and decide if they will be the best fit for your future. Always try to be direct, clear, and build a relationship just as you would when talking with a parent or friend. Get to know the coaches more personally by asking:

• What is your coaching philosophy on developing players inside of your program?

• What is a typical day in both the in season and off season? (This question should typically be asked after there is shared interest between athlete and coach)

 

Do you have a solid game plan in place when it comes to contacting college coaches?

Talk with one of our college planning and recruiting advisors to see where you stand in the recruiting process and what the next steps should be in your college gameplan.

Click here to schedule your College Game Plan Q&A Call

College Prep Ivy League Admission

Matt Hunt, founder and CEO of College Hunt Educational Counseling, once again leads a very informative workshop for prospective college athletes this time focusing on admissions for Ivy League schools. Throughout the workshop Matt breaks down the requirements and application process for Ivy League admission, as well as providing helpful tips and insight to meet these requirements. The workshop will conclude with a question and answer segment hosted by Matt. (See link below to the workshop) His experience while counseling at Rancho Bernardo High School has provided an opportunity for him to speak directly with Ivy League admission personnel gaining inside information on the admission process.

Click here to view the video and slides from the Ivy League Workshop

“The Ivy League admission office is looking for a positive display of well roundness in every aspect of life”

Do you meet the requirements to attend an Ivy League School?

Preparing to compete

• Enroll in the highest curriculum possible (honors, AP) taking advantage of your strengths
• Participate in 2 or more extracurricular activities demonstrating commitment and leadership
• Strong performance on SAT or ACT

Separating Yourself from other Applicants

• Participate in internships focusing on your major or career goals
• Extraordinary initiative or creative thinking in designing your opportunity
• Strength of character in overcoming adversity

The Essay

• This is an opportunity to express yourself, future goals, growth, and a particular strength
• Include specific information regarding the major you wish to be placed in
• Write your OWN essay, take ownership of process and product

Have a question or are looking for some potential help with the college selection process?

Matt is currently conducting a limited number of college planning consultation calls with families that are serious and committed to attending college.

Click here to schedule your consultation call or you can reach out to Matt directly at matt.collegehunt@gmail.com.

Top 10 NCAA Recruiting Showcase Tips

Andrew Beinbrink, the founder and CEO of Sportsforce, recently completed a live online workshop focusing on how to maximize the benefits of recruiting showcases. He emphasizes various aspects of NCAA recruiting showcases while providing valuables tips to increase an athletes success at these showcases. (See the video of the workshop down below) As a former NCAA Division I and professional baseball player, Andrew has experienced many recruiting showcases providing him with first hand experience to share.

Click here to view the video and slides from the workshop

Are YOU Getting the Most Out of Your Recruiting Showcase Appearances?

Choosing the Right Recruiting Showcase

• Assure that the showcase’s format will allow the athletes to gain the most exposure
• Research which colleges and coaches will be attending the showcase
• Is the time and energy being invested have an equal future return?

“Only attend individual camps if a large number of schools are attending the showcase, or if there is a high amount of interest in that particular athlete”

Maximizing Performance at Recruiting Showcases

• Be sure to get 8 hours of sleep and always stay hydrated
• Play with passion attempting to do your best at all times
• Show your ability to work in a team environment

“Coaches look to see if athletes are showing glimpses of a level of skill and ability that they know they are going to be able to coach and get better”

Contact With Coaches

• Email coaches with some basic information about yourself as well as why they should care about you and the easiest way to scout you
• When meeting a prospective coach be sure to give a firm handshake and make eye contact
• Continue with a follow up email to coaches after their evaluation of you

“You want to make coaches say, I am going to make the time to come see you play. So letting them know where you are going to be gives you the best opportunity to be recruited”

Have a question or are looking for some potential help?

It all starts with an honest NCAA evaluation by an expert who knows what college recruiters are looking for and where you stand, an evaluation of what level of college is right for you.

Click here to learn about scheduling your NCAA evaluation & consultation

We want to congratulate Mikaela Livengood on committing to play golf at Morningside College. Here is Mikaela’s recruiting story and interview from after she committed. We wish Mikaela the best as a Mustang.

1. Share your recruiting story (ex. what was the process like? when did you commit/sign?)

My name is Mikaela Livengood and I am a 2015 senior. I just committed to Morningside College in October, and I will be doing a signing in November. The recruiting process can be a little stressful, but overall, it turns out just fine! I started looking at colleges the summer before my junior year, but I didn’t start talking to coaches seriously until the spring golf season of my junior year. By then, I regularly sent them updates and kept in contact with them. Many coaches asked for my schedule and I met a lot of them who came to my tournaments and meets, and it was nice to start those relationships out early. By the end of spring, I had my first couple of offers from colleges, but I decided not to choose where I was going yet because I still hadn’t visited anywhere. My first college visit was to Morningside in the summer, and then many followed. Even though having coaches talk to you all the time, offer you scholarships, and tell you why their college is the best can be overwhelming, it is important that you take your time with your decision and make sure to compare all factors of each college. After I had made all of the visits that I felt were important, I took about a month or so to decide on where I was going to college. During that time, I compared my notes I had taken and questions I had asked on each visit, and I also considered whether they felt like a good fit for me.

2. What school are you going to, and why did you choose them?

I will be attending Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. I chose Morningside because after communicating through email with the women’s golf coach there and then meeting him and going on a visit, I just really felt at home and knew I would be happy there. It was also the best financial package for me. I know that I chose the right place.

3. How did SportsForce help in this process?

If I was to include all of the ways that the SportsForce team helped me in the recruiting process, you would be reading for hours. Overall, they helped me gain exposure to college coaches not just in my state, but from all over the country. SportsForce also provided me with a professional-looking profile to post my scores, stats, academic, and other important information. Not only was I able to have this profile on display for so many coaches, but I was able to send out competent and well-worded emails to them with the help of SportsForce. They are also there for you throughout the entire recruiting process. If there is something you need, are confused about, or would like to communicate to coaches, don’t be afraid to send the SportsForce team an email and ask for their help. They will always be there to support you and assist you with whatever you need during this time.

4. What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process (ex. start early, get a highlight video)?

My advice to other players and their families regarding the recruiting process would definitely be to start as early as possible. Make sure that you have a good-quality highlight video done as soon as you can, and try to get exposure to as many coaches as possible. Even if you don’t think you would want to attend that college, it is important to give them a chance and see what they have to offer you. I also believe that it is imperative for you to take advantage of all of the opportunities you have to play your sport and improve during the recruiting process, because that is what is really important. When coaches view your profile, they love to see someone who is active in their sport as much as they can be and is always looking to improve. As you progress in the recruiting process, don’t be afraid to send out updates or call coaches when you have had an important game or tournament; it is essential that you keep coaches up to date on your progress. I also recommend that you prepare for your college visits; write down questions you’d like to ask, and ask the same ones for each college so that you can compare them when making your decision.The most important thing to remember during this process is that you need to choose to go where you think you’ll feel the happiest! Don’t let anyone make or influence your decision for you.

5. How excited are you on your future in college?

I am very excited for college now that I have made my decision. I truly cannot wait to play the sport that I love in college and have fun with my new teammates! I am eager to get a college degree

6. How much money do you anticipate your family saving in college expenses from being recruited?

SportsForce undeniably assisted in saving my family a lot of money in college expenses! Because of their help with the recruiting process, I received a great scholarship that will really aid me in the future. If it was not for all of the wonderful services that SportsForce provided for me, I am not sure I would be so lucky!

7. Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes? Why?

I would definitely recommend SportsForce to other student-athletes if they are really serious about playing a sport in college. SportsForce definitely helps you out with planning out the recruiting process and making it go as smoothly as possible. They provide so many services and reminders for student-athletes that it is just unimaginable. I am so thankful to the SportsForce team for helping me during the recruiting time and giving me the ability to contact many colleges and expand my options. I urge all student-athletes who are looking to take their love for their sport to college: Do not pass up the opportunity to work with the SportsForce team!

Over the last five years SportsForce has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.