Archive for College Sports
Wrapping Up Another Week in Girls Sports
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s mid-January and half of the US is freezing cold today, but that will not stop thousands of girls from going to sports practice today! It has been a busy week in girls sports this week and I have plenty of good articles to share with you.
- Let’s start with a blast from the olden days – Coach Rick found this photo of women doing a group warm up in 1916 – look at the outfits – they don’t look comfortable for working out.
- Continuing the push to Chicago winning the bid to host the 2016 Olympics, Chicago is hosting this year’s Tyson’s American Cup Gymnastics competition on February 21. Gymnasts slated to compete include Olympian Bridget Sloan, up and comer Jordyn Wieber and 10 additional athletes. The roster is almost complete and can be found at USA Gymnastics.
- USA Swimming’s junior squad finished a very successful competition in Guam at the 2009 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. Dagny Knutsen not only won gold in the 200 IM, she also set a meet record in the process.
- The 2008-2009 Gatorade Girls State Cross Country Runners of the Year awards have been posted. What a great achievement for all 50+ of these young women!
- Because I Played Sports offers a very interesting commentary on the recent NCAA study on women and careers in athletics. One of the reasons I have continued to coach (albeit at the club level and not collegiate level) is that I feel that kids need great coaches and role models at all levels and of both genders.
- On a related note, the USOC and the NCAA are holding a women in coaching conference this weekend in Colorado Springs. I’d love to sit in on some of those sessions.
- Youth Sports Psychology really wants to make parents think this week. Are Young Athletes Entertainers for Parents Today? Whether you think they are or not, you really should read the article. As a society, are we getting too wrapped up in winning, chasing scholarships, and the performance of athletics?
- And just for fun, did you see Olympic gymnast turned fashionista, Alicia Sacramone reporting/commentating for E! at the pre-Golden Globes Red Carpet show. She is such a natural performer. Here is a link to the You Tube videos of the show.
Tips for Maximizing Your College Recruiting Visit to Campus
Posted by: | CommentsBy Avi Stopper
One of the best recruiting things you’ll ever do is visit college campuses. Visits show you what colleges are really like. They take you way beyond glossy websites and brochures and show you all the bumps, scrapes, and hidden delights colleges have to offer.
If you can, schedule your visit with the coach. That way, when you get there, you’ll find a schedule waiting for you that lists the people you’ll stay with, who you’ll go to class with, when meals are, and so on. Then again, maybe you won’t get the royal treatment. Don?t worry if this happens. Some coaches roll out the red carpet for recruits. Others require you to be more self-sufficient. Either way, a can-do attitude will go a long way.
Your visit is your one real chance to investigate the school and the team. You have a ton of say in this whole decision. You may be trying to convince the coach to recruit you, but he has to convince you that his school and team are great as well. Remember, if you don?t like a college, you don?t have to go there just because the coach wants you to come.
Most importantly, this is where you might go to college. Ask yourself these questions: does it feel like home? Does it feel like a great place to spend four years? Does the campus have the right vibe?
Of course, this is also where you might play for the next four years. Do you like what you see in terms of style, the quality of play, the quality of coaching, the team?s attitude on the field, as well as the social dynamic off the field?
While you’re on campus, ditch your parents. Much as they might like to relive the glory years, this is your college experience. Take the tour with your parents and then go off with some of the kids on the team. Get the real college experience by staying in the dorms with them and eating in the cafeteria.
Finally, you have to meet with the coach. Try to sit down with him one-on-one. Ask for a tour of the facilities, watch a practice, and a game. In the few days that you’re there, do as much as you can to simulate what your college experience there would be like. Then, once you get home, be honest with yourself by answering one key question: How did you like it?
Avi Stopper coached at the University of Chicago and is the founder of CaptainU.com.
CaptainU – Helping Athletes Make Sense of the College Recruiting Process
Posted by: | CommentsBy Avi Stopper, CaptainU
Have you watched as your friends are getting attention from college coaches and wondered, am I invisible to these guys? Or, if you’ve gotten some attention, have you wondered why it’s from colleges you don’t want to attend?
Unfortunately, this is where a ton of athletes throw up their hands and say, “I guess this isn’t going to happen for me.” They give up and miss out on the chance to be a college athlete. But it doesn’t have to be this way. There are plenty of college coaches out there who want you.
At this very moment, there are college coaches out there who are looking for an athlete just like you. Believe me. It’s true. I’ve been one of those college coaches. Right now, they’re sitting in some office or at the kitchen table, sifting through stacks of athletes, looking at databases, trying to find the right athletes. By introducing yourself to them, you can make their lives much easier. They want to hear from you.
The key is to find the right colleges. At CaptainU, we always tell our athletes to focus on the complete fit, not just the most prestigious name or biggest scholarship. Rather it’s about finding the place where the sports, academics, and social environment all match their needs – and show them how to find these colleges. Once you’ve found these colleges and introduced yourself, you’ll be well on your way to a great college career.
