Check out more action from last year’s SoCal Hoop Review. The 7th Annual SoCal Hoop Review was held April 10th and 11th at Cal State University Dominguez Hills and Lynwood High School in Lynwood, CA. The tournament was open to all high school grades including seniors. Both AAU teams and High School teams took the chance to compete.

The tournament showcased top talent from across the country and gave players a chance to show off their skills in highly competitive games in front of top college coaches, scouts, as well as media. Check out the highlight video below from the action at Lynwood High School.

Sport: Baseball Positions: CF Height: 6’0″ Class: 2010 School: St. Augustine High School San Diego, CA

Team captain and outfielder for the Saints, Connor Hofmann helped lead his team to the City Conference Tournament title. The Saints captured the title with a 7-5 win over the equally strong Scripps Ranch. Connor was the lead-off batter and in six tournament games went 10-for-19 (. 526) with 10 RBIs, eight runs scored, three doubles, a home run and six stolen bases.
To view Connor’s complete SportsForce profile click here –http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/chofmann

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

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.

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.

The college recruiting process is often misunderstood by many parents, student-athletes, coaches and fans. The fact is, the college recruiting process has changed dramatically over the last 10 years and understanding how to play the game is important.

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 begin to learn the basics of maximizing your college recruiting exposure and some key facts to understand about the recruiting process.

At the end of this article you will have an opportunity to sign up for our complimentary SportsForce College Recruiting Guide and get access to recruiting tips, advices and insight to learn more keys to college recruiting success. Click Here for the full recruiting guide.

First, a few key facts to keep in mind before we talk about maximizing exposure:

– College coaches are recruiting earlier and earlier (often evaluating freshmen & sophomores)

– Colleges often don’t have the budget to recruit many players in person and are relying more and more on video to help make better recruiting decisions

– 80% of college sports opportunities exist outside of DI level teams

– Over $1 Billion dollars in athletic scholarship money is awarded to student-athletes each year

– A recruited student-athlete has a significantly better chance of getting accepted to a college over a non student-athlete with similar grades

– College coaches are using all sorts of technology including: email, smart phones (Blackberrys, Iphones, etc.), online recruiting databases, social media (YouTube, Facebook) and more to find and evaluate players.

If your son or daughter is seriously looking to play college sports, your goal as a parent should be to support them and provide them an opportunity to best position themselves to reach their goal and find the right college fit.

You might be asking yourself what is the RIGHT FIT?

The right college fit means understanding what type of college experience your child is looking for and what’s best for the family. When creating a list of potential colleges focus on the most critical decision factors and criteria including: academics, athletics, location, cost, level of competition, coaching staff, social environment, potential playing time and scholarship opportunity.

Now that we have some more information on the table lets discuss “How to Maximize College Exposure.”

Step 1: Determine what College Programs are right for the Student-Athlete

– Conduct a realistic student-athlete assessment (stats, skills and grades)

– Ask for a coach’s evaluation (HS & Club team)

– Research & create a target list of schools based on critical decision factors and college criteria (10 – 30+ colleges)

Step 2: Express Interest / Build Support

– Meet with high school / club team coach regarding your college goals and commitment and make sure everyone is on the same page

– Network with other trainers, coaches and parents to seek potential qualified college coach introductions

Step 3: Introduce and Market Yourself

– Start early (Ideally Freshman and Sophomore years)

– Introduce yourself to college coaches and express your interest (use email, phone or an in person meeting to make an introduction)

– Remember you can call a college coach even though they might not be able to call you based on NCAA regulations

– Provide complete resume / profile and highlight video for a college coaches evaluation

Some example SportsForce profiles below:

• Girls Soccer: http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/kdick
• Boys Soccer: http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/scallahan

– Follow up is KEY (email, phone and unofficial trips)

We will include more in Part II on “How to Maximize Your College Recruiting Exposure” Click Here to read Part II now.

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

La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, CA), a perennial lacrosse powerhouse in Southern California won two early season games against top contenders to prove their continued strength in California. LCC met up with De La Salle High School (Concord, CA) earlier this month. LCC took control of the game from the start and held onto the game til the very end, defeating a strong De La Salle team, 11-5. Big performances came from Senior Middie Andrew Hayden and Sophomore Attack Brendan Gaughan and Senior Attack Timmy Andrews. See below for highlights of the game and be sure to visit the Lacrosse page at SportsForce.

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

San Diego’s Summit Performance Group (SPG), a leading provider of conference planning, incentive travel, sports hospitality and event technology solutions announced the launch of PacificXPOSURE. SportsForce has partnered with PacificXPOSURE, which is a premier national lacrosse tournament and Southern California sports destination event, that will take place in North County San Diego at Del Norte High School (Headquarters), Rancho Bernardo High School, and West View High School. The event is scheduled for June 25^th-27^th 2010.

Doug Wheeler, co-owner and partner of SPG, said that his company decided to launch PacificXPOSURE because of the growth of lacrosse in the area and the need for quality travel tournaments for the sport. The company’s site (http://www.summitpg.com/pacificxposure/index.htm) explains that “the tournament is open to boys and girls and men and women Open Division lacrosse players from across the country and Canada. Attendees will come from as far as California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Canada and the East Coast. Divisions will be separated by age level including elementary and middle school youth U-11, U-13, U-15 groups, high school and club boys and girls teams, and Open Division Men’s and Women’s play (high school graduates and above).”

The tournament will be led by director Dennis Yeatman from Rancho Bernardo. Dennis was recently elected member of the US Lacrosse San Diego Hall of Fame and has been directly involved in the sport of lacrosse for over 40 years. In 1996 he founded Pacific Lacrosse and has been operating girls & boys, youth and High School programs since that time. Both he and his wife were recognized in 2006 as recipients of the A. Norman Webb Award for their volunteering efforts across the county on behalf of the sport of lacrosse.

There will be a PacificXPOSURE Vendor Village at Del Norte High School in 4S Ranch, which is located in Northern San Diego. The Vendor Village will showcase both youth and adult offerings, including lacrosse and sports products, entertainment and food and beverages. Other tournament locations will also offer exhibits and showcases. The event will offer coaches talks and parent/child meetings as well as evening events. PacificXPOSURE will also offer an exclusive boys and girls lacrosse combine June 25^th at Del Norte High School.

Wheeler explained that with today’s tough economy, PacificXPOSURE will offer the chance to attend an exceptional lacrosse tournament and event close to home. Taking place in June in San Diego County, PacificXPOSURE will also prove to be a great destination event for those traveling from out of the area.

PacificXPOSURE is a chance to give back to the community as SPG and the event work with Outdoor Outreach, a non-profit whose mission is to empower at-risk and underprivileged youth through outdoor programming and the Wounded Warrior Project that works to provide aid to and empower wounded soldiers.