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Tyner Tweet Points Out Lack Of Understanding Of Recruiting Process

October 17, 2012 in Codes, Other Football Related Topics, Rules by Football NW

Is Thomas Tyner Running Away From Oregon? Football And Marriage

by Dirk Knudsen | Posted on Wednesday, October 17th, 2012

It started last night with a simple Twitter Post by D4SH.  That is the Twitter Handle on one Thomas Tyner of Aloha High School.  And it happened during the debate and it touched off more of a response then the Candy Crowley’s assist to President Obama over Libya.

The phenom Running Back made one Tweet and the Prep Football world spun out of control.

There it is.  Earth Shattering isn’t it?

So much so that this kid blew up the evening news channels with TV Sports Anchors saying that he was decommitting from the Ducks.  Really?

Those same reporters are all saying he is heading out to UCLA and that he could come back to Oregon and sign his letter of intent the next few weeks to Oregon.

Calm down Duck Nation.  Really?

Thomas is not bound to anyone.  Understand that folks.  And any News anchor saying that he can sign, commit, or de-commit to anyone is crazy.  They simple do not know what they are talking about.

The Ducks and dozens of other schools have sent Thomas letters offering scholarships.  They can not do that until after August- September of the kids Senior Year; not before.

Once the kid has these letters he can do anything he wants with it.  He can paper his wall with them, burn them, or snap a photo and post them to his Facebook Wall.  He can mail them to Grandpa Joe, make a paper airplane out of them, and auction them off on E-Bay.

There is only one thing he can not do with Them.   And that would be to sign.

The National Letter Of Intent Office  makes it clear on the front page of their website.

February 6th, 2013.  That is the first time he can become a Duck.  Or a Bruin.  Or a Longhorn.

Here is a great Summary of the NLI Process from our own David Fox of Rivals.com.

Understand this is the world we live in us analyst types.  And this is all becoming way to ridiculous.  Much of this is an extension of the fact that College Coaches are allowed to verbally offer kids as young as Freshmen.  In fact 7th and 8th graders were being offered by the biggest colleges in the Land until the NCAA clamped down on that recently.

You want to know why High School football is being commercialized and ruined by Street Agents?  That is one of the main reason right there.  The grim reality is that the “Verbal Offer Process” is out of control.

It is like a bunch of guys offering to marry the hottest girls in High School when they turn 18.  And that is not a slam on Coaches or schools because to succeed they have to make the proposals.

The Verbal offer process starts the process of expressing interest from a College to a Kid.  Ok fair enough.

But because football does not have an early signing period like High School Basketball does this problem of pressuring the kids, even if not intended, is a very real one.

Tyner is a perfect example.

If he could have signed an early letter binding him to Oregon maybe he would have.  And it would sure help kids and schools both clarify the landscape.

Here is a great article about why we need and early signing period.

 

Florida Atlantic coach Carl Pelini said if those who are truly serious about their commitment could sign early, than it would “really clarify the landscape,” and allow for more kids to get recruited.

“You will know this kid is unavailable, let’s move on and recruit other kids,” Pelini said.

ACC Commissioner John Swofford said last week his coaches support an early signing period but the proposal has not had strong support nationally.

Catch the Full story here: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/sports/college-football/does-college-football-need-an-early-signing-period/nL34L/

So understand this.  Verbal offers by a college mean very little until they send that official letter in August or September.

And even the written scolarship letter is not that big of a deal because the College can rescind it at anytime.  Know that.

Back to Tyner.

He made a verbal pledge as a Junior to play for the University of Oregon.

He does not have any way to commit to them under the rules we have.  But for anyone to suggest he is decommitting is just wrong.  This I confirmed first hand.

All he did was let folks know he is looking around a little.  Thomas is no dummy.  This is a smart kid who actually thinks everything through.  I have it on the record that he spoke with the Coaches before that Tweet went out.  So this Tweet he did was not a surprise and did not shock or surprise the staff.  Duck Nation is going ballistic for no reason.

Calm down you green and yellow Army.

And Thomas needs to look around.  Every kid needs to.

The colleges who have sent letters in can retract them at anytime.  Even the written letter is not binding.  Nothing in fact is binding until the Athlete sends the FAX or mails in his signed Letter of Intent (Feb 6th, 2013 or after) and then it has to be acknowledged by the school and the Conference office.

And Tyner, as well as I know he and the family, has been subjected to intense pressures and by not putting himself out there as a recruit has defelected most of them.  But the pressure is there and is very real.

Imagine having the Nations premier programs and Head Coaches blowing up your Facebook, your email, your texts, your snail mail, your Coaches, and parents and friends.  Coming to your school and your home and maybe trying to find out where you like to hang out.

You have all seen the Blind Side right?  Those guys were camped outside of Michael Oher’s home.

Welcome to the reality of a guy like Thomas.

He is free to look around and so are the Ducks.  One Tweet should not be the end of the world.  He can not become a Duck until Next February.  So everyone just needs to relax.

But guys and gals get your facts right.

  • Thomas Tyner did not de-commit from Oregon.
  • Thomas Tyner nor any athlete can not commit to any school until February 6th, 2013.
  • Thomas Tyner and Oregon- just like any athlete and school- can do anything they want until 2-6-13.  All they have done so far is build a realtionship verbally.  He can go anywhere he wants for a visit unfettered.  They can speak to any top recruit they want unfettered.
  • A Verbal Offer and a Verbal Committment are just that.  Are they meaningless?  Heck no.  They help both sides understand the level of interest.  It is a necessary part of the process.
  • Think of it as an engagement.  Are we bound when we get engaged?  Heck no.  It is part of our culture to break those off.  That is the whole purpose rigth?  We step up our committment to each other and start down the path to the wedding day.
  • The “We are offering you a Scholarship” letters which can be sent to a High School Senior after August from schools like Oregon are nice.  But they are not binding on either side.  Think of those letters as a proposal for Marriage.  An official request to become engaged.  Now the Wedding is on and everyone is fitted for their dressed and suits and the Hall is all reserved.  The cake is all but in the Oven.
  • On about 2-1-2012 the College will send an official Fed-EX/UPS Packet to the Athlete.  In that packet will be a Letter of Intent and associated forms.  Now we are in the aisle waiting for the Bride and the pews are full of our closest friends and on lookers.
  • Between February 7th and Apri 1st of 2013 the High School Athlete in receipt of this Letter can sign it and send it in.  Provided it and all necessary documentation is completed the Athlete and School are bound.  The Marriage is complete.

Here is a whole lot more you need to know on the National Letter of Intent Process.  Read Up guys and gals.  You sports anchors too!

National Letter Of Intent Informational Flyer and Diagram

 

 

“The only thing my mind is on right now is today’s practice and how I can help prepare my team for Friday.”  D4SH – @thomas_tyner

 

There is the guy we know.

Jesuit is up Friday.  This is going to be a Game of Epic proportions and both teams are playing for the Metro League Title.  So this recruiting stuff and all this circus is outside his world now because he is locked and loaded for bear.  Both teams and all their players and staff are.  Expect thousands at this game folks.

There is a piece of advice I would give to Duck Fans and Coaches and just people in general.  And back to our engagement-wedding theme above this comes from the courtship and engagement my wife and I had so many years ago. It worked for us and it will work for anyone.

“If you love something set it free.

If it comes back it’s yours.

If not, it was never meant to be”.

 

Good Luck to Thomas and all the Boys of Friday Night

 

 

 

About the Author

Dirk is a lifelong resident of the Pacific NW; athlete and Merit scholar. He runs camps, clinics, and has been a sports writer and analyst for nearly a decade now; mostly with Rivals.com as the editor of OregonPreps and WashingtonPreps.com. Dirk is the founder of NWPR & BrainChampions.org; a charity for injured athletes suffering from Brain Trauma / Concussion. He is a father of three and married.

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by Football NW

Combines Have Become Cash Registers and Their Value Tainted

April 27, 2012 in Camps-Clinics, Combines by Football NW

Combines Hurt More Then Help

This article is long overdue.  And it is not something we take lightly here at WashingtonPreps and OregonPreps.  But something has to be said and this is directed at all you parents and kids in the Pacific Northwest who we have covered and tried to look out for and written about tirelessly for 8 years now.

There is a money grab on.  And people are after your money first and for most.  Many of them don’t care what they need to say to get you to come out and compete.

You will be made to feel inadequate, left behind, or left out.  You will be made to feel as if you have to go or you will have no shot.  And you will be told if you come that “your life can change” and that your fortunes can turn in an instant.   But the reality is that almost all of that is about ego and getting you to drop that “C” Note and not about reality.

I am talking about High School Football Combines.

They were once rare to find and few and far between and College Coaches used them for major recruiting events.  Those days are over!  This year alone there have already been several in the Pacific Northwest and by the end of the Summer there will have been at least 20.  The issues at hand as we see them are that these events have lost their cache and their importance.  They really have.  And if you don’t believe that just ask any Coach from a Collegiate program.

“We could care less what a kid gets at a combine because we won’t trust those numbers.  And that only tells us a little bit anyway.  We recruit football players and athletes.  Not numbers,” said one PAC 12 Coach we spoke to this week.  ”There is no reason for a parent or an athlete to get pre-occupied with a combine when the job at hand should be keeping grades up and finding ways to get to know collegiate programs first hand.  No combine in the world will do that.”

Well said.  But combines which include testing physical skills like the 40 yard dash, vertical leap, 20 yard shuttle, bench press, and broad jump among other things can be run by anyone and can be quite lucrative.

At a recent combine in the NW 60 plus athletes attended paying over $100 each for a chance to test and compete.  That is all well good and fine.  But there is another one up the road the week later and two in Seattle a week or two after that and soon there is just nothing but a lot of noise and no one paying attention that can really help the athlete sort out what his options are.

And what of the $6,000 dollars that mostly left town with the promoters?  How much of that is retained by the public schools who let their Million dollar fields and facilities be used?  Tough questions to ask but they need to be because it appears to be very very little.

So here is what we have to offer into the mix and we feel justified in saying these things because no one has seen this unfold here in the NW the way we have.

What you Need to know about Football Combines for High School Kids:

  • There are no Collegiate Coaches at Combines.  It is against the rules and regs.  The only guys watching you are going to the the same guys charging you money and telling you your special.  So take it for what it is.
  • Your scores may or may not reported.  Everyone claims to send the scores out to Colleges Nationwide but few do.
  • Your scores can hurt you more then they help you.  You can not control what is written down or displayed.​
  • ​If the scores are not reported by a reputable source they will never see the Coaches desk nor should they.  They will be treated as SPAM.​
  • If the meaurments are not down by electronic equipment they can fool you into a false sense of self.  For instance a 4.46 on a hand held time is a 4.65 on a laser timer.  This is a real problem for athletes that want to know where they stand with other top recruits in the region.  Why pay to go to an event that can hurt you in the long run?​
  • The formula used by almost every Combine and camp group is to host a regional or small market event and then encourage the athlete to come to more and more and more events that will lead up to the Mega-Event at a location where kids from all of these smaller events meet and compete.​
  • Combines are held normally by companies who lack credentials and business licenses in the location they are holding them in and are held by people in most cases who have not had to endure background checks or scrutiny normally associated with High School Sports.​​
  • MANY OF THESE EVENTS ARE USED AS A WAY TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE KIDS FOR ADDITIONAL BUSINESSES RUN BY THE COMBINE GROUP OR THEIR AFFILIATES. THESE EVENTS ARE FERTILE SOIL FOR UNSCRUPULOUS STREET AGENTS TO OFFER YOU OR YOUR ATHLETE THE RECRUITING PACKAGE.   But don’t worry as you will only have to pay a few hundred or more then likely a few thousand.​

​

Are we saying never go to one?  No not at all.  Just do not pay very much and certainly take a hard look at what you are going to.  By no means does it make sense to go to more and more of these events.

They are what they are; a chance to see how you stack up.  But if you have D1 Visions for your future you better get to a Combine or event like the Army All American Combine where you will be judged based on competition against the Nation’s best.

Here is a real world approach to this process and how you can help yourself.

  • Talk to your High School Coach and ask them for their advice and input.  Many of these combines and camps sort of sneak in and out of town and do not even contact High School Coaches as they know they will be run off and unwelcome.  Go to Your Coach and Talk!  In  most cases you will get the straight scoop.​
  • Get to the NIKE SPARQ COMBINE held at Tigard High School.  No one can touch Nike and SPARQ on this front.  IT IS FREE!!!!!  They use the latest and greatest electronic timers and measuring devices so be prepared.  And the event is the best you can go to and we have been to them all.   You have a good showing there you will raise your stock.  The Nike and SPARQ Staff are the most seasoned and most experienced we have met anywhere and they see the Nation’s best every year at these the Nation’s biggest and premier events.  We are lucky they come here.  REGISTER FOR THE JUNE 9th, 2012 Nike SPARQ Combine- Event Right Here.​
  • If there is a Free event go if you have time.  If they are charging much money look at the list of critiques we listed above and ask yourself if alarms are going off.  Most likely any of these events will have this effect on you and you should immediately reconsider your next move.

 

Matt James of Nike Football and SPARQ is featured as one of the best trainers in the Country at the FREE Nike SPARQ Events which will stop in Tigard, Oregon June 9th, 2012.

 

Lastly here is a great perspective we found from a guy named Joe Kenn who is a Dad, a Coach, a long time trainer, and a guy in the sports business.

“My biggest problem with high school combines is they make a tremendous amount of money on parents who aren’t truly in tune to a real recruiting process. I overheard several parents talking about attending up to five combines and one of their sons hadn’t even played a snap of varsity ball yet. Attending athletes are training specifically for combine tests, and combines are manufacturing results that don’t transfer to the game. Players are leaving themselves open to injury by not preparing for their sport. This isn’t a words win. You want a words win. Produce solid game tape! I should note that there is one caveat to this. If your son is a blue chip recruit, a specific combine may be needed to provide a shot at the main all-American games that are now played. However, these are generally invite-only combines.”

 

Combines are now a Dime a Dozen, are all about the money for the most part, and they play to the athletes and parents desires and Dreams.  The events are not relevant with only rare exceptions.  Athletes who are good students and exceptional football players get scholarships.  The same guys who have always been at the forefront are still getting the scholarships.  No combine will help you be that guy!

Believe me when I say we understand because I did all this stuff with my kids and we chased all these events and went to most of them.  After a while few if any stand out as being worth the investment of time and money and we fell into the trap that Joe Kenn talks about above.  We had our son train to do well in the combine events and he did that.  But the time and money we spent doing that taught him how to do things that college coaches cared little about and that did not prepare him to be a better football player.

In the end the best thing you can do for your kid is get him in front of Coaches who can help assess where you are at and get game film.  If you do not do those things you had better be one of the above mentioned natural born Blue Chips.

We are here for you all you guys to tell the world your story better then anyone can through the Nations largest network.  But if my words left you turned off then maybe….just maybe… the truth hit home.

Contact me anytime I can help any of you at 503-799-8383 or dirkknudsen@gmail.com.

All the best from me and the staffs at Oregon and WashingtonPreps.com and the RivalsHigh Network!

 

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About the Author

Dirk is a lifelong resident of the Pacific NW; athlete and Merit scholar. He runs camps, clinics, and has been a sports writer and analyst for nearly a decade now; mostly with Rivals.com as the editor of OregonPreps and WashingtonPreps.com. Dirk is the founder of NWPR & BrainChampions.org; a charity for injured athletes suffering from Brain Trauma / Concussion. He is a father of three and married.

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by Football NW

Former Gesser Camp Now Being Led By Local Talent

April 20, 2012 in Camps-Clinics by Football NW

 We have had literally dozens of you calling and asking the question of the 2012 High School Football Pre-Season.  What Camps and Clinics Should I Go To?  We have been waiting to give you all a definitive response and have had to wait on one event.  That event was the much anticipated hand off of the Northwest Elite Football Camp; commonly known as the “Gesser Camp”.  Well folks we have the answer but want to explain the back story.

The camp used to be known as the Nike Northwest Elite Football Camp.  It had been held in the Seattle area in the years past and as the years went along it cemented it’s position as the premier camp in the Region.  Of the camps that you need to pay to get into this camp produced the best combination of skill testing and overall camp satisfaction with those polled.

The thing that makes the NWEFC stand out above the rest was the fact that the campers who went, almost 400 last year, all got plenty of action and got a chance to show what they could do at Point Blank range to a cadre of College Coaches including many Head College Coaches from Major D-1 Universitites.

Now for those of you readers who are new to the Recruiting and camp scene understand this.  College coaches under current NCAA rules can not be present to watch prospective recruits work out unless said work out takes place at their campus at an NCAA approved event.  That is the rule with very very rare exceptions in the months of June and July.

That said these camps are a Golden Opportunity for kids to be seen and to compete against the best kids in the region who are their piers.  “Show Up and Show Out”  the saying goes.  

So former Eastside Catholic Head Coach Jason Gesser designed the NWEFC camp to bring top Northwest Collegiate Coaches in to coach Northwest High School kids.  Over the 3 or 4 years he ran the event he struck gold with many kids being seen for the first time by Coaches who would go on to recruit them later.  

For additional clarity it is important to understand that these Coaches can “Coach” but not “Evaluate” the kids.  That means if they are there they better have their sleeves rolled up and be working.

That sure was the case as we saw Big Sky, Mountain West, and Pac 12 Coaches there grinding it out old school in the drills and skills these past few years.  

BIG POINT HERE:  The Camp has no Combine.  

A quirk in the NCAA rules that says that if there is a Combine (testing in the 40, Bench, Vertial Leap, Broad Jump, Shuttle) the Coaches are banned form being there.  Period!  But combines are a dime a dozen and loosing their appeal and importance.

Ok.  Point made?  

400 kids.  Major Coaches and Schools galore.  Top Talent.  A fun time and just a bubbly terrific football event.  That was the camp as we knew it up until now.

But a wrench was thrown into all of that this camp season as a result of the fact that Jason Gesser left for Washington State and then moved to Idaho as a Coach in the Fall of 2011.  As a college coach he really could not ethically or practically run it this year.  

He was faced with two choices.  

Shut the camp down or sell the camp name and turn it over to another group.  

A decision he needed only a few minutes to decide on as several suitors popped up almost immediately once the word spread.

But Coach Gesser had a legacy camp ; one that had walked the walk and talked the talk in the camp world.  A world filled with out of town “Flash Men” and profit seeking “More Money For Me” types who are known for being as ethical as Carnival barkers.

No folks. Coach Gesser wanted to find the right fit.  And he had several people who would bid for a shot to carry the torch.  In the end there was really one clear choice.  So Jason made it.

Those of you in Seattle, especially in Ballard, will recognize the names Cole Morgan and Eddie Behringer.  They ended up with the camp and are the proud new Owners.

For those of you that do not know they were part of the legendary 2003 Ballard Beaver squad who came within one Touch Down of the 4A WIAA State Title loosing to Pasco 21-14.

Behringer was an All State Receiver and superb athlete who left Ballard for college and moved on to University of Puget Sound where he helped lead the Loggers to many wins over his Collegiate career.  He is the founder of a very successful start up called ComeBackSports.com where they run the biggest Flag Football, Soccer, Softball, and Dodge Ball events in the country for athletes who are out of school and looking to stay involved, connected, and have fun. Find Out More Here and also Check this out!

This guy gets it and has found a way to extend his career as a student athlete into the business world while promoting fitness and fun.  That folks is a guy who walked the walk through High School and College as a top recruit and is proving that his winning formula extends off the field.  The kind of guy you want running a camp your going to send your kids to.

He came into the purchase of the Northwest Elite Football Camp through a guy that has trusted and known all of this life.  The same guy who started tossing him footballs when they were 7 or 8 years old.  That guy is none other then his life long pal and QB Cole Morgan.

Morgan was the gunslinger behind the Beavers and one of the “Ballard Four” as they were

known.  That group all went on to D-1 Schools and are shown in the picture here that we obtained from Facbook.

Morgan went on to WSU where he was able to work his way into the rotation but was stuck behind a couple of WSU greats; Alex Brink in particular.  Cole transferred to Western Washington for a year and closed out his Collegiate Career at Central Washington in 2009 where he started and led the team to the Semi Finals of the National Championships.

His career since College has included the job as the Offensive Coordinator at Bellingham in 2010 and a very successful career for ADRENALINE FUNDRAISING where he using his skills as a business man and former QB to raise money for High School Sports teams.

Could there have been a better duo of guys to carry on the legacy of this Football Showcase camp done right?  

No.  There could not have.  The fact that they are local success stories who played High School and College ball in the Evergreen State only make it all the better.

So to get to the bottom line of what should be the Best Camp of 2012 for Northwest collegiate hopefuls we interviewed new owner Cole Morgan and have these answers for you:

WP:  Cole thanks to taking the time.  Tell us exactly when and where the Camp is.

CM:  June 8th From 5-8 PM at Mercer Island High School

WP:  Awesome!  First Major Camp of the Year!  What will the cost be?

CM:  We are very happy to announce that we have been able to maintain the camps #1 value by keeping the costs at $65 per camper which will include T-Shirts.

WP:  Boy that is a great value isn’t it?  

CM:  It really is.  That is about 1/2 of what other camps are charging and they do not have the Collegiate Coaches we do.  That is the amazing thing that people need to understand.  It would costs hundreds of dollars to travel to even one college camp to be seen.  When I was a Senior I hit 13 College Camps.  That cost my folks over $2,000 dollars not including all the travel.  So at our camp you will have at least that many colleges there.  So is $65 a great deal?  For sure it is!

WP:  Why Mercer Island?  This event had been at Skyline and at Eastside in years past?

CM:  I am glad you asked that.  They have 4 fields there.  That is one of the absolute best places we could possibly be.  There are lined fields and we need that to coach these kids and run drills and the competitions we will have.  The school has worked out a 2 year agreement with us and we just had to move it there.  It will be a special fit for us and will allow the camp to grow.

WP:  Sound great!  Simple question.  Why?  What made you buy a camp and get into an already over crowded business?

CM:  The Kids!  This is about the kids.  The camp at $65 is not going to make much money and not going to lose much.  But Eddie and I are here for the kids.  This was us just a few years ago.  We are as close to these guys in age as anyone could be and we want them to have their shot.

WP:  Is it realistic for assume that a kid who works hard can make it?  There are so many kids out there trying to chase that dream aren’t there?

CM:  Yes there are.  But the facts remain if you love football there is a place for you to play.  This event is a chance to be seen, to gage where your at as a player, and have fun too!

WP:  You guys are both busy guys so really where is this all going?  Will your group run this once a year showcase or do more events?

CM:  That will be determined by the kids and families and what they want.  So stay tuned on that!

WP:  What about this hook up with you and Eddie?

CM:  He caught the first ball I ever threw and you know we are still hooking up.  It’s a dream come true for a couple of local kids.

WP:  What else should people know about this Camp as the onwership changes over this year?

CM:  There are a few things I want to state for the record as I am aware that our Mission here is to help the kids.  And I want to be clear on the following things.  They are:

  1. This camp will not EVER be a combine.  Combines are not helping kids get to college.
  2. We will NEVER rank kids.  That is not our Job.  That is for Kids and Coaches to sort out.  No one should even attempt to do that as it just can not be done and be accurate.
  3. We are in the business of providing a platform for these kids to compete.  A place where they can be seen.
  4. This Camp and any camp we host will be for the kids benefit first.  We have jobs and of course this camp can be profitable but that is not the goal for us.
  5. We will always do what is best for the kids and we want to work with all of the great High School Coaches in the Northwest to strengthen their teams and not take away from them.

WP:  Boy those are simple things but so important.  And with that Mission you are promising accountability in a time that many people feel that High School Football is going the way of AAU Hoops with Street Agents and “Promoter” types really expanding their grab for the kids.

CM:  Yes exactly.  We have to do right by the kids!

WP:  Last question and we will let you go.  Are you planning to start a recruiting business that charges a fee  to kids or families that has you representing kids in the Collegiate recruiting process to colleges?

CM:  Oh my goodness NO.  I don’t ever want to feel as a camp director that kids, parents or worse yet Coaches would feel we were trying to force an outcome for kids.  We will never do that sort of thing.

WP:  Coach your taking the bull by the horns here!  How old are you again?

CM:  26.  Perfect age for this sort of thing don’t you think?

​WP:  How can athletes and parents find out more?

​CM:  This just happened so the websites are being revamped.  But registration will open very soon, probably next week at http://northwestelitesports.com/ .

WP:  Absolutely.  Coach thanks for taking the time and we hope your time with the Northwest Elite Football Camp is fruitful and productive!

CM:  Thanks you guys have been great.  We have been a part of the camp the last couple of years so we are well aware of what we need to do.  And Eddie and I and all of us could not be more excited!

Rivals.com and WashingtonPreps.com will be at Camp getting full coverage and film on all the highlights.  So far the U of W Huskies have confirmed, Boise State, OSU, WSU, Portland State, Idaho, and the list is growing rapidly.  The camp is for High school age only but is NOT, I repeat NOT, an Invite Only.  It is open to anyone wanting to learn!  This should be the biggest and best camp of the year.


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About the Author

Dirk is a lifelong resident of the Pacific NW; athlete and Merit scholar. He runs camps, clinics, and has been a sports writer and analyst for nearly a decade now; mostly with Rivals.com as the editor of OregonPreps and WashingtonPreps.com. Dirk is the founder of NWPR & BrainChampions.org; a charity for injured athletes suffering from Brain Trauma / Concussion. He is a father of three and married.

 

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by Football NW

“Illegal-Procedure” Offers A Reality Check About What Is Happening

April 12, 2012 in Codes, Ethics, Recruiting Services, Rules by Football NW

This is the sort of thing we need.  Truth.  Frankness.  An Insider Look at what is really happening to College F

ootball.  From High School to Collegiate and NFL recruiting Author Josh Luchs lays out all the dirt and reality as he lived it.  The former Sports Agent really has the pulse of this labyrinth of darkness as it exists today.

 In the book “Illegal Procedure” Josh talks about the dirty business of college football. Luchs talks about how sports agents make their biggest financial gain. Luchs touches on the subject of “poaching” clients and how that benefits the agents wallet. Josh reveals while he was an agent how he obtained the Wonderlic tests and how he prepared his college football draft prospects for the tests. Luchs was the sports agent for Ryan Leaf and comments on the recent criminal problems of Ryan Leaf. 

You can listen to a great live interview right
here as Josh Luchs and John Canzano take on the grim details.  This is an interview you should not miss and a book that we will no doubt all want to read.

Interview Is Right Here!

 

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Nike NFTC Camp Top Football Event in NW Again In 2012

March 21, 2012 in Camps-Clinics by Football NW

Here is a Question we get a lot!  What is the Nike NFTC Camp?

NIKE is the king of all football in terms of equipment and a terrific corporate partner for many High Schools in the Pacific Northwest.  They make gear available at an affordable price and give time and materials to our schools often.

Now there can be no doubt.  The Nike Football Training Camps are the premier events in the Country.  Traditionally these 4 hours camps have been held at many of the finest Colleges and Universities in the Nation.  But under strict New Guidelines here in the NCAA all camps are restricted to a non-university setting and it was time for this frankly.  This rule applies to all Non-School camps and clinics with the exception of the months of June, July, and August.

The Nike NFTC Camps are therefore being held at large regional facilities across the US.  Luckily for the kids of the Pacific Northwest the last one of these 12  Premier showcase camps will be held at the University of Oregon on June 10th.

These are non-padded camps and feature terrific skill training followed by showcase competitions.

Let their be no mistake.  The best of the best are at these events every year.  There is not a better football event an athlete can get to then the NFTC Camp!

More Information on the Nike NFTC Camp is Here.  These ARE INVITE ONLY EVENTS and Information is here on how that works too.

You may also contact our friends over at Rivals.com here in the Northwest who may be able to make a recommendation for you to get into the Camps based on their relationship with the Nike Staff.    Contact them Here!

 

 

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Heat Causing Death At Shocking Rate On the Field

March 12, 2012 in Player Safety by Football NW

It is in the news every year from August through about October.  The increase in football hat related death, particularly in High School, is hitting record numbers of young athletes.  And it is sad as it is totally preventable.

According to a new study out of the University of Georgia Deaths directly attributed to heat increased three-fold between 1994 and 2009, according to the study.

Researchers studied the trend by building a detailed database over a 30 year period including the temperature, humidity and time of day, along with the height, weight and position of each of the 58 players who died of hyperthermia during the study period.

The results indicated that 86% of the players that died were linemen.   A sirens cry for coaches and trainers to change the way we handle the training regimen of the big boys.

The 300% increase in the last decade has some speculating that weather patterns have changed and that the increase in humid days is to blame.  Others see the correlation between football heat related deaths and an earlier start to the school year.

Kids are less active in today’s culture and when Summer work outs begin, especially two-a-days, it is often too hot to be out there.  Moving practices into the early AM hours to beat the heat has helped some but many experts point to the facts that heat is only part of the issues.  Humidity as we know plays an even bigger role and is often at a high point in the morning.

The study by the staff at UGA also documented the meteoric rise in size of our High School athletes.  We know that mass can lead to problems during these period of high exertion as cooling the body and protecting it from hyperthermia takes longer and is just more difficult.

Georgia in fact lead the country in heat related deaths with 6 so the UGA researchers seem extra motivated to get to the bottom of what can be done and are working very hard to do just that.

The study found interestingly that the morning heat index was much higher in the last 15 years of the study then it was during the first 15 years and we know the two are correlated.

“In general, on days the deaths occurred, the temperature was hotter and the air more humid than normal local conditions,” said UGA climatologist Andrew Grundstein, who is the  study’s senior author.

In Oregon the OSAA (Oregon Schools Activity Association) has had stringent rules which make it a violation for any team to practice on days when the Heat Index ( A mathematical calculation that looks at humidity and heat in combination) is beyond acceptable limits.

The OSAA provides a heat index calculator online which can be found right here.  OSAA HEAT INDEX .  The OSAA is very forward thinking and even though heat is not a known factor it is not unusual for last July and the months of August to have concurrent days well into the high 90′s or 100 degrees.

We have a call into the WIAA in Washington but have not received a return call as of yet but it seems they hold their coaches and programs to the same sort of standards.  A link will be posted as soon as possible there as well.

Changes Are Needed:

Every State has to have Heat Index Rules like Oregon and because we all need to be held accountable.  This is a game we are talking about.  Any program that is willing to put the game before player safety on any level including this heat related death epidemic is going to be in some serious trouble.  Our Coaches are trying to operate in a tougher and tougher environment.  Having guidelines makes it easier for them to stay on course and ensure player safety and we need to support them in ever way possible.

Many are suggesting that moving the beginning of the school year to early or mid  September would be the best fit and have many other benefits.  This would let families enjoy the best weather months for outdoor activities, trips, and rest.  Overall by starting the football season later we could insure the safety of many of these kids.

Programs also need to pay careful attention to the way they train their players.  Expecting the big kids to run 120 or 240 yard “gassers” and hang with the skill players in sweltering heat and humidity is foolish.  Those same kids can gain as much or more benefit running 10 yard bursts which better resembles the type of physical regimen they will need to have on the field.

We have to be smarter and adapt to these conditions and to educate the kids as to the signs of the onset of heat stroke and Hyperthermia.  Another reason of course to have a trainer at every practice and game and to have chilled towels, misters, and ice on hand.  Having a Trainer for every team is not longer a luxury but a necessity and we have to support our kids and our Coaches by having the trainer there to be the go to person on these and other health related issues.

Bottom line is we that we have to do everything and anything we can to stem this problem.  Heat related deaths are 100% preventable.  Therefore it should be the goal of every team to never have to be faced with heat related death or even severe illness.

http://www.osaa.org/heatindex/

A great PDF Presentation on the topic is right here as well.

Gary Clinton-Heat Acclimitization Football Heat

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7 On 7 Controversy Brews Deeper Concerns

March 12, 2012 in 7 On 7 Football by Football NW

Taylor Barton of Northwest Elite Index, Barton Football Training, and Blue Collar Recruits Leads 7 on 7 Events all over the NW and Beyond. Last years camps were held at College campuses like OSU many times during the off season months but that practice has now been banned by the NCAA except during the months of June -August.

There is a storm that has brewed for a few years now.  And it may be heading for landfall.  The National 7-7 craze has become both a blessing and a curse.  And while families and kids have rushed to get on the action the NCAA and others concerned have moved in.

Essentially the football 7 on 7 leagues or tournaments fall into two categories.  One are events run by High School Football programs during the Summers as a part of conditioning and preparation.

Acclaimed Writer and Reporter Joe Schad at ESPN Covered this topic last Summer in a riveting piece that is a must read:

While college coaches don’t attend the tournaments, over the past year a slew of NCAA investigators have. For years, the NCAA has struggled to keep up with the recruiting and amateurism violations found in AAU basketball.  In an attempt to manage the 7-on-7 scene, the NCAA has assigned seven employees to explore its underpinnings. The concern is an influx of third parties — such as the numerous coaches on Bush’s South Florida Express — could cause players to lose college eligibility if the players receive preferential treatment or extra benefits from them.

Because of that, many high school football coaches are also concerned about just who their players are playing for. The worries also include out-of-state travel with people whose backgrounds may be largely unknown, concerns about athletes being pulled out of class, and anxiety about a lack of knowledge among 7-on-7 coaches about how the players are performing in school. 

Bush’s coach is one of the concerned. 

[+] EnlargeBaker

ESPN    Rachel Newman Baker, director of Agent, Gambling and Amateurism Activities for the NCAA, said that there is concern about third-parties who don’t have athletes’ best interests at heart. 

“I think anybody that runs a 7-on-7 team that tells you they’re doing it for the exposure of kids is trying to pull one on you to be honest,” said Columbus High School coach Chris Merritt. “They’re doing it to make a buck.

“The people that are running 7-on-7, you can also call them street agents, let’s call it for what it is. The college coaches will be the first to tell you they would love to cut those guys out of the picture. The thing is, they’re forced to deal with these guys, because if they don’t, their competitor is.” 

While a small number of high school head coaches are involved in 7-on-7, most of the coaches on the all-star 7-on-7 circuit are high school assistants, local businessmen, athletic trainers and recruiting or scouting service operators or employees. Teams are funded through players’ families, fund-raisers and corporate or private sponsorships. 

What also upsets Merritt and others is that some 7-on-7 coaches, or “non-scholastic coaches” as the NCAA labels them, are injecting themselves into the recruiting process.

The REST of the Story is Here and is a Fantastic Read!

The other are events and tournaments run by others.  Many of those others are Street Agents or Influence peddlers who are governed by no one and who often use such events as a way to get the athlete and their family sucked in to camps and clinics and to paid recruiting services.

These same people rarely have background checks and or proper insurance.  They also are not governed by any ethical boundaries at all.  And in that environment, which can turn into a cesspool of the wrong kind of people,  the kids can be at risk in more ways than one.

Ask yourself if your kid is involved in one of these events if you really understand who is running it, what their goals and aims are, and if your athlete is protected.  This topic is a growing concern and you can bet if your kid is at an event he is probably being watched by more than just a few casual observers.  The NCAA and many others are watching too.

If you have a concern or a complaint about a 7 on 7 event you, your athlete, or a friend or family has gone to please contact us in confidence at  footballnorthwestinfo@gmail.com and we will help.

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ASD SPORTS SEATTLE: Academic and Athletic Pursuit

March 9, 2012 in Camps-Clinics by Football NW

WA: ASD Sports Seattle

1

Last season we ran into Coach Scott Laigo and his ASD Sports Development.  One of the most experienced guys we have met with a focus on Academics like no other camps.  His work is par excellence and his commitment unbridled.  Look at what he is up to now and give these camps a shot!

WEBSITE:     http://asdseattle.com/

Verified:  Yes

Affordability:  Very Good for what is offered

Contact:  Scott Laigo:  206-861-2594

MORE INFO BELOW

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Winter Training for QB’s, WR’s, and DB’s

ASD Seattle has teamed up with the Score6 Academy to offer skill training for QBs, Receivers (WRs, TEs, RBs) and DBs in grades 7 and up. Athletes will be grouped by age and ability to ensure safety and quality.

For each of the three positions, Score 6 and ASD will hold ten position training sessions on alternating Sundays throughout the winter and spring, while offering athletes the chance to attend Open Gyms during the weeks in between.

Training Sessions: Beginning in January, 90 minute skills sessions will be held twice a month. During these sessions, athletes will be taken through a progressive sequence of learning at their position. We break up the ten sessions into five week cycles, covering the essential demands of each position during that time. Sessions are organized by position so that DBs and receivers are training on the same weekend, while QBs work on alternate weekends. However, on their off-week, athletes may attend an Open Gym so that QBs can throw to WRs and against DBs.

Open Gyms: Athletes may attend sessions on their week off to refine skills and/or to participate in the group drills. For example, during a DB/WR session, a QB attending Open Gym warms up, goes through a drop and agility circuit, throws the heavy ball, then throws routes vs air and other various drills with WRs and DBs. Likewise, during a QB session, a WR warms up, goes through hand-eye coordination drills, works on cuts, works on releases vs. a DB, then runs routes with QBs.

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ASD moves to Facebook!!

SEP 13TH

Posted by admin in Staff

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The ASD website will still be up so parents can still view and print out important NCAA documents but all future notices and press releases will be distributed via our Facebook Page.  Make sure to like us!

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Coach Steve Coury Speaks About Recruiting And HS Ball

March 8, 2012 in NORTHWEST Football Alliance, Recruiting Services by Football NW

This was just such a great interview last month that 1080 the Fan did.  You need to listen to it and really understand what is going on.  Here is one of the Deans of Oregon High School Football.  Listen to his words and ask yourself where we are headed?  Thought provoking.  If you are concerned at all join the Northwest Football Alliance by visiting their page here at our website.

Join The Northwest Football Alliance Right Here

The interview is right here!

http://audio.1080thefan.com/a/51863646/steve-coury-lake-oswego-high-school-head-football-coach.htm?

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