1. Why did you decide to sign with College of Mt. Saint Joseph?
I liked the coaching staff, they were real welcoming and they had a lot of confidence is their program. Also, for the school of course; they have a great educational program overall. I liked the location and it seemed like a lot fun down here.

2. Describe the excitement you feel about becoming a college student-athlete?

I’m very excited. I can’t wait to see exactly how everything is going to play out. I can’t wait to get there and compete for a position. I can’t wait to get there; I’m ready for everything

3. What advice would you give to other athletes looking to get recruited?

My first word of advice is, never get sold on any college until they offer you a serious offer. Keep an open mind about everything and don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

4. What would you like to accomplish during college sports career?

My first goal is to graduate, get that foundation. My secondary goal, I do wanna play at the next level, I know it will be a whole lot of work, but football is my life.

Over the last five years SportsForce Recruiting 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.

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1. Why did you decide to sign with Huntingdon College?

I decided to sign with Huntingdon because it’s a place I fit in perfectly, and it’s not very far from home. It’s a great school.

2. Describe the excitement you feel about becoming a college student-athlete?

I’m very excited to become a student-athlete at the college level. It’s been a dream of mine since I was a kid. It’s a sweet feeling.

3. What advice would you give to other athletes looking to get recruited?

To other athletes looking to get recruited, I advise them to work hard, maintain good grades, and be disciplined on and off the field.

4. Who has been the biggest influence in your sports career and why?

The biggest influence in my sports career has been my dad. He always pushes me to another level and encourages me to work hard. He also trains me.

5. What would you like to accomplish during college sports career?

During my college sports career I would like to accomplish a lot. I would like to help Huntingdon College win their first NCAA DIII title and many more. I’m just excited I get to live out my dreams and I would also like to join Cody Pearcy in the NFL.

Over the last five years SportsForce Recruiting 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.

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I chose UC Davis because it felt like it was a perfect fit for me. I felt at home there, where as I hadn’t felt that anywhere else. I also loved the campus and all of the people that I got to meet there, especially my future teammates. Finally, the last reason I chose UC Davis was because it excels in the field I want to major in and the professors are some of the most knowledgeable minds in the teaching world.

2. Share your recruiting story and status

My recruiting process started in the fall of my freshman year. I was going to be participating in a huge National tournament and some of the older girls on my team had suggested that I should put together a resume that contained a photo, my name, academic accomplishments and of course athletic accomplishments. They also recommended that I email this resume to the coaches from any school I was thinking about looking into. Although the NCAA rules said they could not reply to me, this allowed me to enter the recruiting radar of some of the coaches. I followed the same process for a few more tournaments I attended that year and hoped that my constant introductions and level of play would interest some coaches. During my Sophomore year, I had my video done by the wonderful SportsForce team! They did everything I could have asked for and more! They even went back and added 10 clips of footage that I had obtained from a tournament in February of my sophomore year. I also followed the same process with tournaments, but the coaches were still not allowed to contact me due to the NCAA rules. That summer between my Sophomore and Junior year, I attended many field hockey camps on both the west and east coast. I also toured about 15 colleges on the east coast. While I was there I wanted to see if I would feel at home on the campus and to view the facilities that I could have possibly played on. I would recommend touring any colleges that a student-athlete is seriously thinking about during that summer because your Junior year is a big year for the recruitment process. It is best to know what you like and what you do not like in a school as you will be spending four years of your life there! Finally in my Junior year, I was invited on a few unofficial visits to campuses and I instantly fell in love with UC Davis. The team, coaching staff, facilities, professors, and the campus itself instantly made it feel like a home away from home. I also attended a few more tournaments that year and sent out both my resume and video. Now that it was my Junior year, I could have limited interaction with coaches via email and I was able to narrow down which ones were interested in me and which were not. In December, I was given a verbal commitment offer from the UC Davis coach and they asked me to think about it. I seriously thought about it and when I was invited to their Junior Day in April, I accepted the verbal offer and could not have been happier with my decision!

3. When did you start your recruiting process?

I started my recruiting process in the fall of my freshman year.

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

Advice that I would give to players and parents is to definitely start early with the recruiting process. Your freshman year is an excellent time to organize a list of colleges that the player is interested in and focus on both the athletic and academic programs. My parents made sure that I am going to the school I want to go to and not just for the athletic aspect of it. It is important to find a place where the student-athlete will be happy and successful as they will be spending four years of their life there! Another tip is to make sure you get a video done in your sophomore or beginning of your junior year, as this is the prime time to start sending the video as well as the resume off to college coaches. Lastly, make sure that both the student-athlete and their parents go and tour the colleges in question before any commitments are made so you can get a good a sense of where the student-athlete may eventually end up and where the parents would be coming to visit.

5. What excites you the most about starting college?

The thing that excites me most about starting college is being able to meet people from not only all over the country, but also all over the world. I love interacting with people so I am definitely excited about meeting new people with different upbringings and stories and hopefully making life long friendships with them. This will especially apply to my future team, as I am positive that connections will be made during the years that will continue long past the end of college!

Over the last five years SportsForce Recruiting 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.

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1. Why did you decide to sign with the University of Tennessee?

I had it narrowed down to Georgia, Tennessee and Clemson. Tennessee just felt like home. It has a monster stadium, the faculty staff was real nice, I met some of the players and felt like it was a good atmosphere to play in.

2. Describe the excitement you feel about becoming a college student-athlete?

I’m so excited, it ain’t even funny

3. What advice would you give to other athletes looking to get recruited?

Don’t give up in school, in God, in football because you never know how far you can make it. Don’t be afraid to step out of the box and enjoy life.

4. Who has been the biggest influence in your sports career and why?

Probably my parents. We moved into another home and I went back to football. They were always there for me. They always took me to camps; my mom would wash my clothes, and my dad would be the one to drive me. One weekend we drove to the University of Kentucky on Friday night and drove back down to Lincolnton on Saturday to come back home and go to church on Sunday.

5. What would you like to accomplish during college sports career?

I’m thinking 10-12 years in the NFL, retire when I’m about 35 and live on the beach (laughing).

Over the last five years SportsForce Recruiting 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.

Learn How We Help Families

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

My recruiter was head coach Alex Smith. The process was long because he did not have my film and therefore was not able to make a proper evaluation of me. Once my film was submitted to the coach he became much more interested because I showed that I was committed. I wanted to show them that I was not only interested in their baseball program but in their education program as well. Once they had seen one of my games the coach had asked me if I would like to play for Luther and so I signed on April 14, 2012.

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

I am attending Luther College in Iowa. I chose Luther because I knew that this school has what it takes to provide me with a successful future academically and athletically.

3. How did SportsForce help in the process?

SportsForce provides you with the means necessary to find coaches and schools of interests, while also providing the coaches with information about yourself.

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

Advice that I would give to others is to start playing ball at an early age and to have as much fun with the game as possible. While playing always make highlight videos of yourself to show off your skills and the progress that you make.

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

I am very excited to go to a school that will provide me with a great education as well as be playing the game that I have always loved since I was a child.

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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

Rylan Sankey is a pitcher for Rancho Bernardo High School and recently committed to Friends University in Wichita, Kansas. We caught up with Rylan to get his take on the recruiting process, what tips he has for getting exposure to colleges, what he is looking forward to as he heads to Friends University and much more. Check out Rylan’s highlight video below and visit http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/rsankey for Rylan’s full SportsForce Profile.

1. What do you enjoy about playing baseball? Baseball is my escape. All my troubles are gone the instant I step foot on that field. Once on the field, it’s me and my team against you. I love the sound the glove makes when the ball strikes that sweet spot and I love that slow walk around the left side of the mound when I strike someone out. And nothing beats the sound of a bat screaming when it launches the ball over the center field fence! Most of all, I love facing my next opponent as he walks to the plate and I get ready to unleash all I have at him.
2. When did you begin pitching? When I was about 13 years old in Pony League, after Little League. I played first base in Little League.
3. How would you describe yourself as a pitcher? A bull dog! I’m not willing to let go and I fight for the strike until the very end.
4. What other sports did you play growing up? A little soccer and the occasional football game in the neighborhood. Baseball has always been my favorite sport.
5. What type of college experience are you looking for (athletically,
   academically, socially)? Most importantly, I want to get my college degree. But it’s just as important to me to excel in athletics all four years. I can’t wait to see how much better I get with some great coaching and physical training. I am also looking forward to making some long lasting friendships with my teammates and the students at Friends University. The dorms should be a unique experience and I also look forward to some great relationships with the professors, which I think is very possible at a smaller sized school like Friends.
6. How do you decide to sign with Friends University? When my family and I flew out to Wichita, we were impressed with the campus and facilities. Everyone we met there was very nice and the coaches were so enthusiastic about having me. They had a new field this year and we met other team members. I decided that having a more personal relationship with the professors and coaches would be ideal for me. It just felt right. I know I’m going to have to work hard for school and baseball, but I know I’m going to have a great experience!
7. How did it feel to go out to Kansas and sign with the coaching staff? It was very exciting. We explored Wichita and the campus and the coaches both made me feel so welcome and I could talk with them. I know they’ll work me hard, but they were really great.
8. What are you looking forward to most about being a college baseball player? I’m looking forward to the whole college experience and I’m really proud to be a college student-athlete at Friends. It feels good to know that I’ve accomplished my goal despite the fact that there have been many people who have tried to discourage me. But it’s ok, because it made me want success even more, it made me work harder and try harder, and I learned some valuable lessons for my life. I AM A COLLEGE BASEBALL PLAYER!
9. What other colleges actively recruited you? Doane College, Washburn University, Rollins College, and Harding University to name a few.
10. What other schools did you seriously consider and why? Doane and Washburn were at the top of my list because of their campuses and science programs.
11. What college recruiting trips did you take and how were they? I only went to Western Oregon University once and the coaches weren’t very accepting and it seemed like I just wouldn’t have fun there.
12. What was the craziest thing that happened during the recruiting process? When I got my video done on SportsForce, it surprised me how many colleges responded within the very first week!
13. What helped you maximize your exposure to colleges? The online profile video and DVD video was perfect. It was sent with college applications and/or an email indicating my interest in their school. It really gave the coaches an idea of how I throw, even if they were out of state and couldn’t see me in person.
14. What advice would you give to a high school athlete looking to play college sports? NEVER GIVE UP. That’s something I’ve learned. There will always be people who encourage you and people who discourage you. Take in the encouragement, and sift through the criticism for any useful information, but keep working at it if it’s something you love.
15. How did your family helped in the college selection and recruiting process? I couldn’t have done it without them. Dad looked at all the colleges on a sports level and Mom made sure the colleges offered science programs that she knew I wanted to pursue. SportsForce helped me get the video produced so we could distribute it.
16. What is your intended college major? I plan to major in chemistry or pre-pharmacy.
17. What is your long term career ambition? Hopefully to become a pharmaceutical chemist.
18. What are your baseball goals over the next few years? To raise my velocity and gain more control of my split-finger. I also want to contribute to taking this team to a new level. I wouldn’t mind setting some new records too.
19. What do you do to prepare to be a successful student-athlete
    (training, practice, film review, etc.)? Practice is where the sweat and the hard work are put in. And I have regular regimen for weight training 3 times a week. And I have a protein drink routine I follow for building strength and trimming down. Then the games are just pure fun!
20. What hobbies or interest do you have outside of sports? I love to sing and play guitar, draw, play video games, hacky-sack, and snowboard. And I love animals.

Chris Rotelli is co-founder of Golden State Lacrosse Academy in San Francisco, CA (http://www.gs-lax.com/). Golden State Lacrosse offers clinics, camps, workshops, and private lessons as well as community outreach programs to bring lacrosse to new people. SportsForce caught up with Chris to find out what it’s like to play professional lacrosse, share his story and much more. Chris is a three time MLL All Star, winner of the Tewaaraton Award, and was named ACC Male Athlete of the Year (2003) among other honors.

When did you start playing lax? How and why did you get started?

I started playing in 3rd grade. My dad gave me a stick and taught me how to throw, and I feel in love with it instantly.

What caused you to make lacrosse your sport? What do you love about it?

I love the speed of the game, and the teamwork. It is extremely fast, and a total adrenaline rush the whole time you are on the field. Unlike other sports where only a couple people are involved with each play; in lacrosse every person on the field is involved in the game at all times, and that keeps it mentally engaging. Since everyone is always involved, it makes teamwork and communication huge parts of the game, and I love it.

How has lacrosse impacted your life?

Lacrosse has completely shaped my life. It gave me focus growing up, and taught me how to pursue my goals. It helped me get into a great college and gave me a career working with a sport that I love. Through lacrosse I’ve met so many amazing people, and now I have friends all over the world that I have either played with or against at some time in my life. I’ve been able to travel the country, and now I get to teach young kids that same way my role models taught me how to play the game growing up. I feel pretty lucky, and lacrosse has definitely given me a lot.

What advice would you give to young lax players hoping to play in college or beyond?

Shoot on a goal, and pass on a wall as much as possible.

You were a highly decorated player in great programs in both high school and college. What advice would you have for athletes who are trying to make themselves stand out at schools without such great programs, or those just playing club?

I came from Rhode Island where lacrosse at the time was only played in five schools, so I understand what it is like coming from a ‘small pond.’ My advice is to use that as motivation and work harder than everyone. If you are coming from an area where lacrosse is young, but you want to play with the best, you have to keep raising the bar for yourself, and out-work not only your teammates, but also every kid playing in Baltimore, Long Island, etc.

You were drafted first overall in the MLL college draft, tell us what that experience was like.

That was very exciting. We had just won the National Championship four days earlier, so it was truly an amazing week for me, and actually very humbling.

What is the life of a professional lacrosse player like?

It is very fun. We’re fortunate to get paid to play a game we love, and do it with our friends. I love it.

When did you start to think about “going pro?” What was that decision process like?

I honestly didn’t think about it much until after the National Championship. I was in my senior season in 2003 at UVA, and was only focused on winning a championship. Fortunately we did, and then I could think about the MLL. But the draft was three days after that game, so I really didn’t have much time to think about the MLL until I was in it. I played my first game six days later.

Explain a little bit about the mission of Golden State Lax Academy. Could you highlight some of the programs you offer?

Our mission is to create better players, and increase their enjoyment of the game. We teach them the right way to play, but also keep it as fun as possible. For us, practice was always fun because we loved lacrosse. So we really try to show kids that hard work not only can be fun, but should be fun. We do day camps, overnight camps, and clinics throughout the year. www.gs-lax.com

What is your favorite part about working with young and up and coming lacrosse players?

Seeing their excitement, and making a positive difference in their lives.

What do you think about lacrosse being the fastest growing sport in the country? Why do you think it is growing so fast?

I love that the sport is taking off. Lacrosse is addictive, and the most fun team sport you will ever play. In my humble opinion, it will not stop growing.

How did you land in California?

My favorite activities have always been lacrosse, surfing, and skiing. I moved to CA so that I could have easier access to surf and snow. In the northeast, you have to drop everything you’re doing to get the small windows of good surf or good snow, and I wanted to live somewhere it would be easier to work those into my daily routine. When I got here, I fell in love with all of it. San Francisco is the friendliest city you’ll ever see. People here are so fun and cool; it’s hard not to love living here.

Coach Brett Klika is the Director of Athletic Performance at Todd Durkin’s Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego, CA. He specializes in youth fitness and athletic performance, overseeing a staff of 8 strength coaches developing programs for over 300 youth per week, both athletes and non-athletes. In addition to coaching, Brett currently authors for a variety of publications, produces DVD’s on fitness and athletic performance and presents around the world on topics in fitness, wellness, and sports performance. Brett can be reached at brett@fitnessquest10.com .

In my career I have the opportunity to interact with a vast array of parents, coaches, and other fitness professionals eager to improve youngsters’ physical adeptness. I attempt to navigate these professionals through the sea of misinformation and provide time tested, and practical strategies to improve youth fitness and athletic performance. This has turned into hundreds of pages of writing and endless hours of speaking and personal consultation. All of this time and effort has been spent answering a few common questions that I address on a near daily basis while working with youth. Below is a “one stop shop” for some of the most common questions I address, and short, concise answers.

1. Q. How old should my son/daughter be before beginning weight training?

A. Weight training is the introduction of overload to a movement. Overloading a movement with external weight of any kind is only safe and effective when that movement is done biomechanically correct. Furthermore, overload must be introduced in a progressive fashion, always allowing the movement to be executed properly. I recommend that all youth be involved in a movement training program with an experienced professional as young as possible (usually about age 6). The professional my chose to add overload to movement once an array of physical skills and biological capacities have been developed. The question of when to add this overload has more to do with a youngster’s physical fitness and biomechanical abilities than with age. While I am familiar with research on safe weight training with children as young as 6, I recommend consulting with an experienced professional who specializes in youth fitness and athletic development. In my experience unfortunately, I do not recommend the introduction of weight training to youth by parents or athletic coaches.

2. Q. Are supplements safe for kids?

A. The umbrella term “supplements” covers everything from Vitamin C tabs to pro- hormones. Most parents and coaches are asking about creatine, protein-based weight gainers, and NO2 products. In my reading, I have not found definitive research that would suggest that these are dangerous. However, “supplements” are only effective when they “supplement” a perfect diet and training program. I have never met a youth that has both, or either for that matter. The only traditional supplement I recommend for kids is some sort of meal replacement shake that they are willing to drink. These are NOT ideal nutritionally, however, they offer a reasonable nutrition profile and most kids are willing to drink them. Get your kids to eat multiple small meals made up of non-processed food while following a professionally designed training program. The results they will see from this regiment are far superior to any over the counter supplement. As a matter of fact, it is not even comparable.

3. Q. How long will it take for my son/daughter to improve their speed, vertical jump, etc?

A. The factors affecting a youngster’s physical performance are too lengthy to name. There is no piece of technology available that can maximize a youngster’s athletic performance more than a well-designed, longitudinal, progressive, consistent, all encompassing, athletic development program. To permanently improve true game performance and specific physical ability it may take months or years of consistent training. Research has demonstrated that in order to learn a skill, it must be practiced about 10,000 times. Most youngsters see an improvement in general performance merely from improving their physical fitness. This can be accomplished in a relatively short amount of time, usually about 6 weeks of consistent, frequent training. If they were to stop after 6 weeks however, the improvements in physical fitness would diminish, and in turn, their performance improvements. Athletic performance is a longitudinal process in youth that should be viewed as a multi-year commitment.

4. Q. How do I improve my son or daughter’s flexibility?

A. Improving flexibility in pubescent youngsters presents a significant challenge. The bones are growing at an accelerated rate. The places where the muscles originate and attach grow further apart. The muscle responds by contracting slightly to protect itself from the forced elongation. When the muscles are in a near constant state of slight contraction, a significant decrease in mobility (flexibility) is observed. In order to get the muscle to relax, it has to believe that it is not being over-stretched. In order to do this for youngsters, I recommend the following:

• Frequent massage or fascia work. Massage therapy can help break down tight fascia in order to help dampen the contraction. This can also be done using a foam roller or tennis ball.

• Dynamic Mobility Warm-Ups. Youngsters should warm-up with progressive range of motion based exercises. This helps improve the pliability of tissue, allowing for greater range of motion during exercise. For an example of these warm-ups, please see the video below.
  • Post work-out static stretching. This is the traditional stretching modality. It is ideal to do this when the muscles are warm and pliable. The helps convince the muscles that the elongation is OK, so they can dampen their contraction.

  As I mentioned, these are the most frequently asked questions. If you have a specific question you would like to see addressed, feel free to contact me at brett@fitnessquest10.com This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Hopefully I am able to navigate you through the sea of misinformation to create youngsters that become happy, healthy, pain-free adults!