SportsForce is even busier than usual as we prepare to launch our site very soon. As usual we have a ton of events coming up on the calendar as well as finalizing some clients’ final products. Though many of our team members were in the office on Friday working hard, the 4^th of July provided a nice break for the team and chance to recharge and continue to move forward.

Fox Sports en Espanol sportscaster Adrian Garcia Marquez Stops In

Fox Sports en Espanol and the San Diego Chargers Radio Network en Espanol sportscaster Adrian Garcia Marquez was in the office this week to talk sports, the future of SportsForce and more.

New Addition to SportsForce Street Team Ronan Galvin

SportsForce is still growing as a company as we get closer to our site launch. This week SportsForce added Ronan Galvin to our street team. Ronan said of his experience so far, “SportsForce is a unique atmosphere wth like-minded people all working to help create the next big thing in high school sports. The Sports Development Intern is an ideal position because I get to research the sports I love and be in an environment of a small business.” With a background in football and basketball, we are excited to have him as an addition.

“Old Yeller” Swings by Office

Integral SportsForce Video Production Partner, Ken Heshler stopped by the office to check up on our equipment and outfit us with some new editing equipment to make our workflow even faster. Ken was also sure to share some stories of precarious shooting conditions in the early days of SportsForce. We’ve come a long way!

SportsForce’s Tom Antl Visits University of Louisville Athletics Department

SportsForce’s Tom Antl was visiting with the University of Louisville Athletics Department this past week. Though the trip was to visit a friend, Tom always on task, was sure to check out the program and even snap a pic of their pristine women’s lacrosse field.

Sara Fraschetti, Girls Lacrosse Coach, Stops In To Check In

Our own adviser for girls lacrosse, Sara Fraschetti stopped in this week to talk about the future of SportsForce and girls lacrosse. Sara graduated from La Costa Canyon High School (Carlsbad, CA) in 2001 when the Girls Lacrosse team seized their first California State Girls Lacrosse Championship. She went on to play at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo as attack and center for three years where she helped the team earn three of their seven consecutive Club Division-I National Championship Titles. Sara returns for her third year as the La Costa Canyon High School Girls Varsity Lacrosse Assistant Coach. Sara helped lead the team to a 23-0 record in 2008 and 2nd consecutive CIF Championship (San Diego section).

Things are back to full speed with the holiday weekend behind us. Be sure to stay posted!

If you are an Orange County or Los Angeles area high school football player and you weren’t at Sage Hill high school on Saturday, June 27, you missed out on an amazing experience.

J.R. Tolver, former SDSU, Miami Dolphins, and Dallas Cowboys receiver, who is now the Sage Hill athletic director and head football coach, hosted what proved to be a once in a lifetime football camp. The camp was laden with experienced coaches, who proved that they know better than anyone what it takes to dominate the football field.

NFL Players Challenge the Athletes

Aside from the Sage Hill coaching staff, current and former NFL players including Kevin O’Connell, Robert Ortiz, Kirk Morrison, and Freddy Keiaho coached these Orange County athletes throughout a camp that won’t be forgotten.

Playing catch with Kevin O’Connell, joking around with Robert Ortiz, and watching Akbar Gbaja-Biamila evaluate pass rushing attempts of the high schoolers definitely proved to be the highlights of the camp for me. One can only imagine what the experience was like for the athletes attending the camp.

The Drills

The NFL player coaching staff immersed themselves into the camp. They got to know each player’s name, their tendencies, and did everything they could to make them a better football player. While New England Patriots receiver Robert Ortiz taught the high school wide outs how to catch and protect the ball, teammate and Tom Brady’s #2 man, Kevin O’Connell, was teaching the quarterbacks how to throw the perfect pass. Colts linebacker and Super Bowl champion, Freddy Keiaho, taught the linebackers how to find and close up the holes in the line, fellow linebacker Kirk Morrison of the Oakland Raiders worked with the defense trying to instill in them the same drive that pushed him to record 135 tackles last season (3^rd in the NFL). Running backs learned how to hit the holes with a burst of speed, defensive backs learned how to read the offense, and the line quickly discovered that size isn’t the only key to protecting the quarterback. Every position received quality instruction from these top NFL talents.

Needless to say, this camp provided high school players of all levels with the opportunity to learn from the best. Athletes learned that, while the game is physically challenging, success starts with the mind. Not only did these athletes learn the ins and outs of their respective positions, they got a sense of what kind of mentality is necessary to advance their careers on and off the field. From how to dominate in high school to what it takes to get to the next level, this all star coaching staff spent an extraordinary day giving these athletes all the tools they would need to succeed in the upcoming fall season and life beyond.

SportsForce at the San Diego All-CIF Awards

SportsForce started the week at the San Diego All-CIF awards at the San Diego Hall of Champions, which honored top Spring athletes including some SportsForce alumni. The awards ceremony honored a series of SportsForce profiled athletes. Profiled SportsForce athletes who were honored included the following baseball players, Noah Murray an infielder from Steele Canyon, Alex Murren of Romona, a standout outfielder and Dillion Haupt of MiraMesa who was named to the second All-CIF team for his performance as catcher this season.

Dillon Haupt – Baseball Recruiting Video from Sports Force on Vimeo.

Softball standouts Alex Miller of West Hills and Alysha Isaacson were named to first and second All-CIF teams respectively. Miller is an outfielder and Isaacson a left-handed pitcher. Catcher Bri Austin also of West Hills and outfielders Kaitlin McGinley, Valhalla Jr. and Katie Schumacher, Scripps Ranch Jr. were named to the All-CIF second team for softball as well. Girls Lacrosse stars and SportsForce alums Alanna Parker of Monte Vista Sr, who signed a scholarship to Davidson in the fall and Sammy Slattery Carlsbad Sr. were named to the first All-CIF team.

Kaitlin McGinley – OF – Softball Skills Video – 2010 – San Diego Renegades from Sports Force on Vimeo.

Earlier this season SportsForce had the pleasure of filming the following CIF Players of the Year: Myles Muagututia, of Francis Park for Boys Volleyball, Zach Leslie, Point Loma for Boys Tennis, Bobby Braun of Coronado for Boys Lacrosse and Jackie Candelaria of the CIF Champion La Costa Canyon for Girls Lacrosse team.

Football Skills Camp in Orange County Features Top NFL players

Aside from catching up with our San Diego area athletes, SportsForce was in Orange County for the Sage Hill Football Skills Camp on Saturday. SportsForce was able to get some great footage on some talented high school football players as well as conduct in depth on field interviews with some NFL players. In attendance were Kirk Morrison – Oakland Raiders – LB, Kevin O’Connell – NE Patriots – QB, Freddie Kieaho – Ind. Colts – LB, Robert Ortiz – NE Patriots – WR to name a few. We asked them about their transition from high school to college football, what the college recruiting process was like for them, what advice they have for high school athletes and more. Keep posted for a video interview to follow.

Boys Lax Players Head East for Nike Blue Chip Camp

SportsForce also finished working with some of the top Lacrosse Players in San Diego who are on their way to the east coast for the Nike Blue Chip Lacrosse Camp.

Coming up this week SportsForce will be at the Baseball College Coaches Camp, and holding down the fort in the office testing out our soon to be launched site as well.

Stay Posted!

While most of us will be spending the next few months traveling, surfing, relaxing, and pretending to work out, there is a small, hard working group of teenagers all over the country who will be doing exactly the opposite: high school football players. Regardless of the level, football players around the country are spending their summers getting up unnecessarily early, practicing, lifting, memorizing their playbooks, training, and drinking protein shakes in preparation for their fall seasons. While spring ball is when these athletes spend time in the weight room bulking up, summer ball is when they take the time to hone their skills and build team chemistry. This is the time for coaches to teach their players the ins and outs of their playbooks, and then see who emerges on top with the right to start in the fall.

SDSU Passing League 06_19_09 from Sports Force on Vimeo.

In order for coaches to test their kids in game situations and in order for the players to gain valuable playing experience at their respective positions, passing league tournaments are run all over the country to satisfy that competitive need. Throughout the “off-season,” football players are put through rigorous training sessions with the expectation that by the time summer rolls around, they will be in top physical shape. Finally, come late May, they have the opportunity to show off their hard work on the field at a passing league tournament. A passing league game features all offensive and defensive players, with the exception of lineman, squaring off without pads or helmets. In this two-hand-touch, 40-minute game, crisp passes, precise route running, and lock down man defense are the keys to victory.

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As a high school varsity coach, we make a point at the pre-season meeting to set the tone with parents regarding how, when, and why to address the coaches and which topics we are willing to discuss. This way, it is clear to the athletes and their parents. We are setting the standard for communication before the season begins and we work to manage their expectations in order to prevent headaches later. We state clearly that at the varsity level we will discuss playing time, practice times, areas of improvement, and time off requests with athletes directly and NEVER with parents!

At the varsity level it is time for student athletes to learn how to manage their time, communicate and articulate their thoughts directly to the coach, without the crutch of their parents. We want our athletes to cultivate their relationship with us (coaches) without the help of their parents. When this precedent is not set, the coach’s job becomes much too large. Their job is to coach, not to handle an athlete’s social calendar or to counsel a parent regarding their child’s playing time. Parents have nothing to do with playing time; everything an athlete must do to increase playing time is 100% up to them, which is why any questions/concerns should be between the athlete and the coach.

Athletes can approach either the Assistant Coach or the Head Coach directly. The Assistant Coach is able to gauge whether or not the topic at hand is worth including the Head Coach. Typically the matter can be handled by the Assistant without distracting the Head Coach, this is part of the Assistant’s job – to handle any extraneous concerns. If an athlete has a question, it is appropriate to address the coach before or after practice or send an email to schedule a time to discuss one on one or over the phone. A discussion should never occur via email or text – it should only be used to schedule a time to talk.

That being said, I strongly encourage parents to introduce themselves to the coaches early on in the season, ask the coaches if they need any assistance or help with scorekeeping, management, ordering jerseys, pictures, team dinners, etc. Recognize when the coach does something you like and encourage other parents to do the same, this makes it much easier to address the coach later on. Positive reinforcement is not only appreciated by athletes but by coaches as well!

My name is Alyssa Sobolik and I live, breath and sleep soccer. I’m from Northern California and played soccer in college at Santa Clara University from 2001 to 2005. I currently live and coach soccer in San Diego where my main focus is helping prepare athletes for the opportunity to play soccer in college and then help them through the process. Because of my experiences and first-hand knowledge of playing college soccer, coaching college soccer and coaching club soccer, I am able to better prepare athletes for what steps and efforts need. I aim to help athletes not only get seen by college coaches but to ultimately make the right decision on what school to attend.

Picking a school to go to is tough enough without factoring in playing for a team. Do I want to go to a big school, small school, east coast, west coast, private versus public etc? These are decisions that every college bound student must make. But, as an athlete you have to take it one step further and see if the sports program is right for you. Each prospective athlete is allowed five official visits that each school pays for. I definitely recommend taking all five to get the best perspective on each school. I took my five to Santa Clara University, University of Michigan, University of Florida, University of Connecticut and Boston College.

Here is a check list of major questions you need to ask yourself when choosing a school as a student athlete:

1. Do I want to go to a big school or a small school? How big a school is can greatly affect your college experiences. University of Michigan has roughly 27,000 undergraduate students. University of Santa Clara has 4,000. A smaller school is going to give you a more intimate college experience where a larger school will provide surprises every day.

2. Which areas of the country would I be happy to live in? Growing up in California, I wanted to go away for college to experience a different lifestyle. Ultimately I ended up choosing a school 20 minutes from where I was raised. The reasons were simple in the sense that Michigan was too cold and I didn’t want to play in the snow, Florida was too hot and humid for me. Both schools I LOVED, but didn’t feel I would be happy there.

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