National Signing Day for college football marks the deadline in which the nation’s top talents must make their final decisions in regards to which prestigious college programs they will grant their services to. Possibly facing the toughest decision of their lives, these young men have wisely chosen to take it down to the wire in order to explore all of their college football options. The miscalculation of playing for the wrong coaches or system could cost them a chance to play in the NFL. Due to the significance of these decisions, we at SportsForce are honored to be heavily involved with the college recruiting goals of some of the country’s top student-athletes. Our unique relationship with student-athletes and their families allows us to assist in securing the proper college recruiting exposure for them, while ultimately seeking what is most beneficial to the student-athlete during the college sports recruiting process. So far this year we’ve had the pleasure of covering some of the nation’s most elite football players such as Dillon Baxter [USC], Brennan Clay [Oklahoma], Ricky Seale [Undecided] , Damien Williams [Arizona State] and Kenny Stills [Oklahoma] just to name a few. In a year where college football has been shaken up by a multitude of coaching changes, a little recruiting guidance could go a long way.

With four of the top ten players in the nation undecided on where they will play ball, many of the top college recruiters will be working overtime this year. Plenty of big names are still up for grabs; most recognized is the massive offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson (2), who many believe is the best player in the nation and is expected to head to either Ohio State or Florida. Surely the return of Florida head coach Urban Meyer doesn’t hurt the Gators chances of landing Henderson. Keenan Allen (5), who has been compared to NFL star Ed Reed, is suspected to be a Clemson Tiger on signing day. Owamagbe Odighizuwa (8) is expected to leave Oregon in order to attend The University of Nebraska, while top ranked running back Marcus Lattimore (10) currently looks as if he’ll be staying home in South Carolina and playing for the Gamecocks. Other Notable predictions are Outside Linebacker Christian Jones (20) to stay in Florida to play for the Seminoles and Wide Receiver Markeith Ambles (24) to USC.

Wednesday February 3^rd is when all the college football recruiting speculation and uncertainty will end, but the day should not expire without a few surprises. Anything is possible since this is the last chance for many teams to improve their rosters in order to make a run at next year’s championship game. National Signing Day TV specials should be airing on local channels all across the country, so don’t forget to tune in as some of the most prestigious college football programs fight to the very end for the nation’s top remaining talent.

(#) – National ranking based from Rivals.com

Sport: Girls Basketball Positions: Small Forward Height: 5’9” Class: 2011 School: Poway High School Poway, CA

It’s still early in the season and Katie Kuklok is already a repeat Athlete of the Week. Kuklok became the all-time leading scorer for Poway Girls Basketball this past week. The 5’9” forward is only a junior and broke the record while having an 18 point game in a win over Vista. Kuklok hit the record early in her career compared to those that came before her and still has plenty of time to rack up points beyond it. Kuklok’s coach, Jay Trousdale, told the San Diego Union-Tribune: “‘We’ve had a lot of capable scorers in this program, but Katie is the pure gym rat,’ Trousdale said. ‘She’s gotten the record the right way while there’s been a lot of success as a team.'”

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

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

Sport: Basketball Positions: Point/ Shooting Guard Height: 6’1” Class: 2010 School: Escondido High School Escondido, CA

Escondido upset the No. 1 ranked Torrey Pines this past week with senior guard Joe Hudson leading his team with a career high of 40 points in the game. The final score was 69-64 with Hudson contributing more than half of Escondido’s points. He also made 9 of 10 free throws in the game. Hudson has been averaging 25.4 points per game and has nailed 72 three pointers on the season. Hudson is considered one of the best shooters on the West Coast, according to ESPNU, and can score from any spot on the floor. He has good burst speed and agility to separate himself from defenders. The 6’1″ captain is committed to Wyoming.

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

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

The Gonzalez Sports Academy is celebrating its Grand Opening Wednesday, January 27^th. The facility which is owned and operated by the Gonzalez family and world class athletic trainer, Bob Foley boasts state of the art equipment and training tools for athletes of all sports and levels.

The Gonzalez Sports Academy (GSA) offers:

29,000 square foot indoor facility
Speed & Agility Area
Two (2) 180 ft long running track
Weight Training Area
Four (4) Batting Cages
Strength & Conditioning
Two (2) Pitching Mounds
Juice Bar
Three (3) Professional size Volley Ball Courts
Gift Shop
Five (5) acres of outdoor training space

The Grand Opening promised a chance to explore the facility and try out the training areas as well as a meet and greet with some pro-athletes including Adrian and Edgar Gonzalez, Tony Gwynn, Jr., Dave Roberts, Paul Molitor, Zeke Moreno and Nick Hundley. For more information on the GSA visit: http://gonzalezsportsacademy.com/

SportsForce Alumni Cameron Gypsyn is making a name for himself across the pond as he has become as stand out for Team Northumbria. Cameron is at Uni in the UK and has been training with the Newcastle Eagles 1st team (professional) and playing with the 2nd team. Also, he is at Great Britain national under 20’s team camp with main team assistant coach Tim Lewis. The Daily Chronicle reports on his standout season, below.

TEAM Northumbria star Cameron Gypsyn jets back into Tyneside this week – still on course to become a dual international for his adopted country.

The California-born forward holds a UK passport and has already represented Team GB in volleyball.

But Gypsyn tried out for Tim Lewis’s Team GB under-20 basketball squad last month.

And it is understood the TN rookie impressed at a talent identification camp showcasing the best of the country’s emerging hoops stars.

“Cameron has settled in well to the EBL second division and his numbers have made a few people sit up and take notice,” said skipper Chris Pearce.

“He was invited down to the talent camp after Team GB got in touch with our coach Greg Modzelewski.

“And now we’re just waiting to hear how he got on.”

Gypsyn is due to fly into Newcastle tomorrow after spending the festive period back home in the USA.

And TN’s versatile 6ft 7in close-season capture will be thrown straight back into the EBL action as Modzelewski’s men prepare for a gruelling double-header on the road.

“We’re away at Kent and Brixton this weekend, so it’ll be quite a shock after the Christmas break,” added Pearce.

“The bad weather hasn’t affected our practice schedule too much, though, and we’re in pretty confident mood.

“We’re traditionally strong heading into the second half of the season, but we have plenty of work to do if we’re going to climb the table.”

—Full Article at Chronicle Live

—See Cameron’s Full SportsForce profile here

Each year the first week of February and the National Signing Day for college football becomes the pinnacle of years of hard work for many of the most prestigious football programs in the country. This year the world of college football has been shaken up by notable coaching changes and even health issues and the lure of the NFL. At SportsForce we are heavily involved in the recruiting goals of numerous top student-athletes. Because of this unique relationship we build with student-athletes and families are able to learn firsthand of many of the recruiting decisions and thoughts that families have when deciding what college is the right fit for them.

The USC Trojans (9-4) were recently voted the college football program of the decade and captured two national titles under Pete Carroll’s reign. With the departure of Carroll to the Seattle Seahawks, the University of Southern California should be prepared to lose some of their top- ranked or at least potential recruits. Recalling Lane Kiffin back to USC leaves much to be desired and could prove to be disastrous. His one-year stop at Tennessee (7-6) was quite disappointing, especially if you consider the reputable and expensive coaching staff. Following the uncertainty at the coaching position both Dillon Baxter and Kyle Prater were second guessing their decisions to play for USC, but Lane Kiffin deserves credit for persuading them to stay. Lache Seastrunk, a once potential high-profile recruit for the Trojans cancelled his visit altogether and for the moment looks as if he is headed to another PAC-10 powerhouse in Oregon.

Florida (13-1) faced a similar scenario as Head Coach Urban Meyer announced his resignation due to health reasons in late December, but a day later decided to take an indefinite leave of absence instead. The expected return of Meyer must have been a key factor for Ronald Powell, the top ranked recruit in the 2010 class, when he picked Florida over USC. It is believed that Sharif Floyd, another highly sought after recruit may have discussed college choices with Powell and chosen Florida so the two can play alongside each other. The pairing should provide the Gators with an extremely solid defensive line for the next couple of years.

Not only will these coaching changes play a role in determining the outcome of the recruiting class, but it also may be a factor in whether college players chose to stay for another year or enter the draft. When Notre Dame let Charlie Weis go, it probably made it easier on Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate to leave as underclassman. As signing day quickly approaches keep a close eye on how these coaching changes and uncertainties are affecting player decisions and team dynamics.

Sport: Girls Basketball Positions: Shooting Guard Height: 5’10” Class: 2010 School: Torrey Pines High School San Diego, CA

Torrey Pines senior Heather Serven has been putting up some impressive numbers this season, despite the Lady Falcon’s still trying to find their footing. Serven added 32 points to the score in a Torrey Pines loss to Poway this past week. Earlier this month, the Lady Falcons defeated Rancho Bernardo easily, 70-35 with Serven leading the team with 18 points. Serven was also a stand out in the Kiwanis Tournament in December where the Lady Falcons finished third overall and Serven was named to the All-Tournament Team. Serven scored 23 points in a 65-52 loss to James Logan and 28 points in the match against Chaparral which Torrey pines won.

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

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

The SandStorm Lacrosse Festival returned to Indio, CA this past weekend for the third year in a row. This year’s festival brought top competition that made up 45 teams from all over the country, including Minnesota, Colorado, Oregon, Texas, Connecticut and New York to the Empire Polo Fields the showcase some great talent over the two days. Among the many teams Triple Threat, a San Francisco-based program in the Coachella Division and Denver based Team 180 for the Indio Division returned to defend their titles and with hopes of the 3^rd consecutive year of wins in the Coachella and Indio divisions respectively.

The Coachella Semi-Finals were hotly contested between Team 180 12′ vs. Xteam Black and Triple Threat Green vs. West Coast Starz 11’ as the previous winner battled hard to keep their titles. Team Triple Threat Green held on to their reign, winning the championship for the 3^rd consecutive year. Team 180 2013 also won the title for the 3^rd year in a row for the Indio Division beating out Bear Lax Blue from the Bay Area. For the La Quinta Division, The Minnesota Storm defeated Bear Lax White in the finals to take top honors.

See below for highlights from the tournament. It is not too late to order a game DVD. Click here to visit our store and select your game(s).

Players whose games were filmed also have the option of selecting the Sand Storm Tournament college recruiting video package.

To sign up for the the Sand Storm College Recruiting Video Package click: http://www.sportsforceonline.com/store/index.php/profile-packages/sand-storm-individual-recruiting-package.html

To see an example of a profile created with last years SandStorm footage, click here.

The Arizona Burn Program brought the heat to the beaches of San Diego, where there wasn’t anything that could cool them off. Arizona began the tournament as the no.7 seed in a field of twenty-four total teams in the Elite Division. Despite a tough loss early on, the team was able to gather itself and finish strong against the LaxDawgs Brown Elite of San Diego. It was a one-sided affair as the Arizona Burn Elite Orange captured an 8-1 victory, a game in which six different Burn players scored at least one goal. Goalie Brett Lawless (Desert Vista) had a strong showing Sunday as he only allowed seven total goals on the day.

Starting from a young age, Coach Chris Malone, of both MCLA’s Arizona State and the Arizona Burn teams, has instilled his players with a high level of lacrosse IQ.

In the South Swell High School Division, consisting of 9^th and 10^th grade students, yet another Arizona Burn team took home a trophy.

The Warrior Elite Division was taken by the Norcal Pups in a 7-4 defeat of the LaxDawgs Royal team. However the LaxDawgs Program did not go home empty-handed, their ladies team won the Women’s Elite Division in an 11-6 contest against the Coastal Cougars.

Watch out for these Arizona Burn players: Brock Ghelfi [M/So./Brophy Prep], Charlie Hushek [D/So./Brophy Prep], Rockne Repp [A/Jr./Saguaro], Brandon Moranz [M/Jr./Chandler], Ramie Arbid [D/Jr./Mesa Heat]

I am an executive recruiter by day and High School Varsity Head Coach by afternoon. I rub elbows with top level executives nationwide in the retail world. I coach and speak to executives about their professional experience and how to effectively communicate their skill sets and successes in order to make them the best candidate for the job they are interviewing for. I have coached hundreds of professionals, critiquing their resumes, improving their interview style, preparing them with potential questions and rehearsing answers. I am a master interview preparer but when it came to preparing myself to interview for a Girls Varsity Lacrosse Head Coach role – I was terrified. Scared stiff, actually.

I counseled with my boss, college teammates, fellow High School Varsity Coaches and college coach friends and acquaintances regarding strategy and preparation. I took all of their advice and combined it with my own knowledge of executive recruiting to answer all of my questions. The result: I got the job.

Q: How does one prepare for a Head Coach interview?

Prepare a coaching book, ideally a 3 ring binder including:

-Detailed practice plans with objectives and coaching notes, draw out your drills.

-Drawn out offensive and defensive strategies

-Offensive plays drawn out

-Goals and game plan for the season including: County / State Championship, highest GPA, implement a study hall for student athletes, create a relationship with teachers to ensure grade accountability, community service project to promote teamwork off the field.

-Letters of Recommendation

-Professional resume including ALL coaching experience

Talk to your friends who are coaches and players, pick their brains, talk to parents of student athletes you have coached – ask them what concerns they have for you coaching, they will have some and stress that you want to hear them to overcome them. Create a coaching philosophy and write it down.

Q: What is the Athletic Director looking for?

An accountable, responsible, assertive individual, who is confident, articulate, strategic, plays by the rules and values sportsmanship. Always speak and think in the best interest of the school. Read the school’s mission statement and be sure your coaching philosophy is in alignment with that. The AD wants strong student-athletes and he wants a coach who will be there long-term, not one season.

Q: Who will I be going up against?

You may be going up against another Varsity Head Coach, the JV Coach, the Assistant Varsity Head Coach or a parent. Whichever the case, do your homework on the other candidates and cater your strengths to eclipse their weaknesses. Think strategically and be careful to NOT mention their names. Any advertisement is good advertisement; do not waste your precious time in front of the panel by addressing your competition. Take the high road and focus on yourself.