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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.