Recruiting Services Making a Mint Off of Parents That Want to Be Lied To

Chad Wilson

Chad Wilson – Editor – GridironStuds Blog
Twitter: @GridironStuds

I started off my coaching career in the youth leagues.  Coaching the young group is fun.  You have a chance to paint a blank canvas.  You have a chance to make a positive impact early on in a child’s life and assist the parents in laying the ground work for a solid human being.  However,  anyone who has coached youth football knows that one of the drawbacks is dealing with unrealistic parents.

The story doesn’t change when you get to high school and when it comes to the college football recruiting game.  Just as a large portion of the parents on the youth football team feel that their son is the star running back,  many parents involved in their son’s high school football career feel that junior is a Division I football player.  Many parents have this feeling with little to no information as to how college football recruiting works and what colleges are actually looking for.  All they know is they love their kid and as such, their kid should be considered the best.  Unfortunately,  they think the best only means becoming a Division I football player who plays on national TV every week.  Or check that, is on a team that plays on national TV every week.

Who is capitalizing the most off of this train of thought?  Recruiting services.  Now, don’t get me wrong,  some recruiting services,  like GridironStuds.com (shameless plug!) are in it for the right reasons and will handle a prospect with the proper care.  Several others have honed in on the fact that there are a lot of parents out there with an unrealistic view of their child and will pay a lot of money to make that view a reality.

So how does this happen? Joe Dad, for example, feels that Joseph Jr. is a Division I prospect.  However,  Joseph Jr. may display measurables and a skill level that is more suited for Division IAA, Division II or even Division III.  This does not mean that Joseph Jr. is not a good football player,  it simply means that Joseph Jr. is going to get a better opportunity to display his talent at a Division IAA-III school.  However,  saying my son plays football at Wisconsin-Whitewater does not have quite the ring that saying he plays for the Badgers of Wisconsin does when hanging around the cubicle at work.  With this being the case,  Joe Dad will open his wallet to ABC Recruiting Service to make his dream of Joseph Jr. being a Wisconsin Badger a reality.  ABC recruiting service approached you at one of those camps you went to that advertised that they were going to send all of your son’s information to college coaches.  All 400 kids’ information was going to go to Urban Meyer.  Yep even little Tommy who tripped and fell four times will doing carioca. ABC Recruiting Service is all too eager to tell Joe Dad what he wants to hear,  take his money and never approach a Division I school about Joseph Jr.

Here’s what really happens.  Joe Dad will eagerly pay the fee.  In his mind,  Joseph Jr. is the next Rose Bowl MVP and ABC Recruiting Service agrees.  Since ABC recruiting service agrees, I am going to pay them the $1,000 or $2,000.  Basically,  Joe Dad is paying to be lied to.  What’s worse is,  Joe Dad paying that large sum makes it easier for him to pay for additional services from ABC Recruiting because he has already invested so much to make it happen.  This makes it easier for ABC to convince Joe Dad that this additional service is needed.

In the process,  Joe Dad is approached by a reputable recruiting service like GridironStuds.com (shameless plug #2) who’s aim is to extend Joseph Jr.’s playing career as well as give him the best opportunity to actually “play” college football but Joe Dad doesn’t want to hear it.  First of all,  Joseph Jr. is a future Wisconsin Badger so I don’t want to hear anything about Division II or III and Joe Dad has invested too much with ABC to start all over with a reputable company.  So,  Joseph Jr. is not going to get that Wisconsin offer.  ABC Recruiting Service is not known for attracting Division I type players so they don’t communicate with Division I schools and have very little means of helping Joseph Jr. get a FBS scholarship even if he was a FBS caliber player.

The Division I or bust mentality ends like this every recruiting cycle.  By January of February of Joseph Jr.’s senior year,  the gig is up.  Signing day is one or two weeks away and the only interest Joseph Jr. has received was from,  well….  Wisconsin Whitewater,  which Joe and Joseph Jr. ignored.  14 days away from the National Signing Day Ceremony and Joseph Jr. does not have a pot to piss in nor a PVC pipe to pour it out in.  Thousands of dollars spent and you got nothing.  The next thing you hear is “recruiting services are such a rip-off”.

Despite that thought,  there’s one more desperate move Joe Dad’s going to make……

“Hello is this GridironStuds? Hey I wanted to talk to you about getting Joey a preferred walk on at Notre Dame.”

 

Are you a youth or high school football player or the parent of a youth or high school football player? Contact me now for an evaluation of your talent and skill level.  Plus get tips on how to improve your play, strengthen your skills and give yourself the best opportunity to play college football. I will tell you what you NEED to hear.  Email me now: cwilson@gridironstuds.com.

Chad Wilson is a recruiting expert and owner of GridironStuds.com a website devoted to promoting the talents of youth and high school football players. Wilson is a former college football player for the University of Miami (92-94) and Long Beach St. (’90-’91) and played briefly for the Seattle Seahawks (’95). He is also a high school football coach and father of three kids, two of which are college student athletes and another well on his way. Email: cwilson@gridironstuds.com.

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3 Things High School Football Players Are Doing that Will Get Them Kicked Out of College

Chad Wilson

By: Chad Wilson – Editor Gridiron Studs Blog
Twitter: @GridironStuds

Every February,  there is the joy and jubilation that comes on National Signing Day.  All of the pictures taken,  the smiles on the faces of the parents and family symbolizes dreams being met.  What many fail to realize is that a lot of the smiles turn into frowns and disappointment as a growing number of athletes are being sent back home or end up transferring from the school they originally signed with.

Some of the circumstances when it comes to transferring are out of the student athletes control but many of them are.  Here are three really big things that some high school football players do that get them sent back home from college.

 (1) TAKING THEIR EDUCATION FOR GRANTED

Many high school seniors experience that thing known as senioritis.  Wikipedia describes it as the following:

mainly used in the United States and Canada to describe the decreased motivation toward studies displayed by students who are nearing the end of their high school, college, and graduate school careers.

Some are able to turn their academic light back on when they arrive at college but some others are not.  For some,  high school was one big bout of senioritis.  Academic probation and stress is what plagues these athletes at the next level.  Your lack of will to study and learn WILL catch up to you at some point.  If it didn’t catch you in high school,  it will catch you in college when you are ineligible causing you to miss valuable practice and game time.  In college, your back up will often times be as talented or even more talented than you physically.  Go ahead and let him steal some snaps from you if you want to.  You will have some nice helmet less action shots of yourself on the sidelines. Let me see your right click on those.  If you happen to skirt by college without a dedication to your studies,  it’ll catchup with you when you don’t make it to the league or when you do make it to the league and someone smarter than you stiffs you for all of your cash.  Get on academic probation enough in college and your team now has a legitimate reason to release you from your scholarship and to quote the great Jimmy Johnson “they’ll get someone that looks just like you.”

(2) HAVING STICKY FINGERS

In a football locker room,  almost anything is forgivable but being a thief is on the short list of things that are not.  If you have a passion for taking things that don’t belong to you,  your days as a college football player are numbered.  Aside from the unlimited amount of fists you are going to have coming at you,  the plots made against you by your teammates to have you removed will be things Hollywood would die for.  Stealing is a crime against your family and if your family can’t trust you,  they have to get rid of you.  The heat you will feel as a result of your five fingered ways will be so hot,  you will likely volunteer to leave.  Soon you’ll be back home in your teen bedroom that you will likely share with someone else.  The hardest part is that if you are known as a thief,  another school is not going to sign you.  Nothing will break up team chemistry faster than you passion for that felony.  If you’re into theft,  I suggest you find a way out before you land on campus.

(3) SMOKING THAT KUSH

For those who don’t know what Kush is,  it’s your latest slang for marijuana.  The drug has taken on more nicknames over the years than anyone can count.  Countless number of athletes enter their college careers already fully go on an addiction to this plant.  Forget about your political feelings about the drug.  Carrying it and using it is currently a crime and against any school’s policy.  In high school, you had very few consequences for using marijuana.  There were no random drug tests and all you had to do was keep your use away from your often distracted parents and you were good.  Because of these lack of consequences,  you went full go on this habit and now you are addicted.  You don’t think you are but you are. When you are taking out of this world measures to circumvent and beat the random drug tests in college as opposed to just stopping,  guess what,  you’re addicted. Getting caught with marijuana in your system can and will lead to your removal from the school and the university. When that is at stake and you still must engage in the practice, guess what, you’re addicted.  Marijuana has been known to sap your motivation.  It can change the order of your priorities.  Why risk it?  Get your third strike for smoking and you’re back home in that teenage bedroom.  You’ll have all the time in the World to test out all of the theories on the effects of the drug on your ability to secure a bright future.  Good look with your life goals after that.

So there you have it.  Three things you may want to make a point of avoiding NOT in college but right now while you are in high school.  Habits formed are hard to break. Don’t start because it may be too hard to stop.  If you have started,  make every effort now to change the behavior before you get to college or you may see your dreams go right down the drain.

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Chad Wilson is a recruiting expert and owner of GridironStuds.com a website devoted to promoting the talents of youth and high school football players. Wilson is a former college football player for the University of Miami (92-94) and Long Beach St. (’90-’91) and played briefly for the Seattle Seahawks (’95). He is also a high school football coach and father of three kids, two of which are college student athletes and another well on his way. Email: cwilson@gridironstuds.com.

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Four Star 2017 Recruit Marco Wilson Makes Ridiculous Acrobatic One Hand Catch

Chad Wilson

By: Chad Wilson – Editor – GridironStuds Blog
Twitter: @GridironStuds

One hand catches have become all the craze since Odell Beckham’s famous Sunday night mid-air snatch during the 2014 season.  Across America,  pros and amateurs alike have attempted to put their own spin on Beckham’s amazing feat, many to no avail.

Enter Marco Wilson.  The sophomore defensive back at American Heritage High School in Plantation, Florida pulled of a one hand catch that has caught on both nationally and internationally.  Friday afternoon,  Wilson was out with a couple of his teammates on the field and launched into a backflip while simultaneously snatching a football thrown by a classmate out of midair.  His video was placed on GridironStuds.com and seen by the site’s visitors.

By the time Wilson woke up on Friday morning,  his video had gone viral and was plastered across the front pages of ESPN.com, World Star Hip Hop and Bleacher Report.  Since it hit the air waves,  Wilson’s feat has been featured on CBS Evening News and KTLA out in Los Angeles with contact being made by NFL Network, CNN and a host of other media outlets.  Several international Twitter accounts have also posted the video to be seen by their audiences.

The high schooler is no stranger to acrobatics.  He has been performing a number of front flips, back flips and other athletic stunts since his early elementary years.  A fan of parkour,  Wilson even has a video on YouTube displaying an array of parkour moves throughout his local town Miramar, Florida.  You can see that video by clicking here.

Wilson is also a standout defensive back for the defending 5A state champs at American Heritage School in Plantation, Florida.  He is rated 4 stars by recruiting outlets like Rivals.com, 247sports, Scout and ESPN.  He already holds offers from 12 division I schools.  His brother, Quincy Wilson, is a sophomore cornerback for the Florida Gators.

Marco Wilson’s Amazing Acrobatic One Hand Catch on GridironStuds.com

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3 Great Ways to Handle Disappointment in Recruiting

Chad Wilson

By: Chad Wilson – Editor – GridironStuds Blog
Twitter: @GridironStuds

You work hard at this thing called football. You go hard in practice, you put in work on your days off and you do everything that need to do but still the offers aren’t coming. That’s the story for many high school football players across the country. You are not alone.

What happens to many in this situation is that they give up. Some do it abruptly, others will slowly do so over time. Giving up is not the answer. For many the problems lies in their expectations and the perception of themselves.

I have already informed many of you of the guidelines many top schools have in terms of measurables for their prospects. When coaches set out on the recruiting trail they are sent out with requirements as to what a recruit needs to have in terms of height, weight and speed at a position. I can’t tell you how many times I have received calls from college coaches saying “coach I need a 6’4″ defensive end” or “coach I am looking for 6′ cornerbacks.” That typically means, the coordinator or the head coach has told the position coach, go out and find me a guy with those requirements?

The fact that coaches are looking at you and not offering you does not mean that you are not a good football player. Most of the time it just means that you don’t fit the requirements that they are looking for. The coach out on the recruiting trail can not be told to go find a 6’4″ defensive end and come back to the recruiting meeting with one that is 6’1″. It’s like a wife telling her husband to go to the store to buy eggs and he comes back with butter. You can bet that there will be a fight coming up.

So what you need to do as a recruit is realize that it’s not always about you. Many times it has to do with what that school and coach need right now. So what do you do about it?

1) Don’t give up on your Division I dreams. If you are convinced that you are a division I football player, continue working your tail off and improving day by day. As much as you can seek out competition against those with division I offers and attention you need to do so. This is a way to improve your skills and stay on point.

2) Start paying attention to Division I-AA and Division II schools. This may seem like the opposite of #1 but it’s not. You don’t have to give up on your Division I dreams to pay attention and do research on 1-AA and II programs. If you do not get the Division I offer you are looking for, it would have been in your best interest to have had communication with 1-AA and II schools so that they know you. Ignoring schools at this level because you are D1 or bust is not a good strategy. It’s similar to not going to class in college because you are convinced that you are going to the NFL. We all know that’s not a good strategy.

3) Realize that Division I schools are not the only place where the NFL finds it’s talent. Do the research, many high quality NFL players made a name for themselves at smaller schools before getting their NFL opportunity. Why can’t this be you? Joe Flacco played at Delaware, Tony Romo at Eastern Illinois, Ravens WR Steve Smith started his college career at a junior college and Super Bowl XLIX hero, defensive back Malcom Butler played at West Alabama. What matters most is your perseverance, focus and determination. If you really want to make it to the NFL you will make it from anywhere. Just keep working hard, studying the game and doing your class work. You will be the next great story that will inspire young players who were once in your shoes. Think of all the attention you will get when it is learned that an All Pro like yourself made it from a small school.

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Chad Wilson is a recruiting expert and owner of GridironStuds.com a website devoted to promoting the talents of youth and high school football players. Wilson is a former college football player for the University of Miami (92-94) and Long Beach St. (’90-’91) and played briefly for the Seattle Seahawks (’95). He is also a high school football coach and father of three kids, two of which are college student athletes and another well on his way. Email: cwilson@gridironstuds.com.

Top 4 Ways to Get Recruited by College Football Coaches

Chad Wilson

By: Chad Wilson – Editor of GridironStuds Blog
Twitter: @GridironStuds

If you are a high school football player chances are you want to continue playing football at the college football level. In the college football recruiting game there are some things that are consistent and the following four things are just that. Here are the top 4 Ways to Get Recruited by College Coaches.

1) BE TALL:

It’s no secret, height wins in the recruiting game. 6’2″ cornerbacks are getting offers like they are going out of style. If you are 6’6″ playing defensive end and or tight end, college coaches have their eyes are on you. There’s noting like a 6’7″ left tackle and everyone is looking for a 6’4″ quarterback. So you are asking, why is he telling me this? I have no control over my height. While height is largely genetic, there is evidence to support the notion that sleep and rest could contribute to an increase in your height. If you’re young, get your rest. It could really pay off!

2) BE FAST:

Speed kills. You’ve heard it before. Some of the greatest players to play this game had the crucial element of speed. Whether it’s the running back that can turn a simple handoff into a 75 yard run or a wide receiver that can catch a 5 yard slant and go the distance, speed is very attractive to the college football coach. Join the track team or do some speed specific training. Athlete’s Acceleration can help. They have outstanding, simple methods for speed development. Click here to visit them. College coaches always want to know how fast you are.

3) LOOK STRONG:

You can’t judge a book by it’s cover… Don’t tell that to college football coaches out on the recruiting trail. Undoubtedly a well developed frame with ripped muscles and lean mass will always garner attention. Of course you will have to be able to play the game with a reasonable amount of efficiency but we are already assuming you are a good player. A good player that looks like he has been in the weight room will more often get looks before a great player that looks like he has never touched a weight. Learn to love the weight room.

4) KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES:

In life you can always get ahead by knowing what you are good at but also equally important, by knowing what you are not so good at. Either improve on those weaknesses or stick to what you are good at. Often times it is difficult to determine this yourself. Many struggle with this task. However, some of the best will seek the opinion of others. At GridironStuds, we offer a great service that has helped 100’s of student athletes called a FULL EVALUATION. We know what colleges look at and can tell you what they are seeing in you. It’s an awesome tool that every college prospect should use and it’s affordable. Email me if you are interested in this important service – cwilson@gridironstuds.com

In my six years in the recruiting business, I have observed these FOUR factors consistently leading to an athlete being recruited more than the average. .

Good luck and as always, if any of you need help with recruiting feel free to reach out and touch me using any of the contact info below. We offer a couple of services that can definitely aid you in getting recruited by college football programs.

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Chad Wilson is a recruiting expert and owner of GridironStuds.com a website devoted to promoting the talents of youth and high school football players.  Wilson is a former college football player for the University of Miami (92-94) and Long Beach St. (’90-’91) and played briefly for the Seattle Seahawks (’95). He is also a high school football coach and father of three kids, two of which are college student athletes and another well on his way. Email: cwilson@gridironstuds.com.

4 Things You Need to Do This Offseason To Get Recruited

Chad Wilson

By: Chad Wilson – Editor – GridironStuds Blog
Twitter: @GridironStuds

The offseason is where champions are built. You’ve heard that before but the offseason is also where a lot of recruiting work is done. If you are looking to get more attention in the recruiting game, here are 5 things you can do this offseason to improve your chances of getting recruited by college football programs.

1) HIT THE WEIGHT ROOM: One of the #1 things college recruiters are going to do this offseason is try to get out and see prospects in person. The obvious reason for this is that they want to see how the prospects move around. Another big reason is to verify the “size” of the recruit. Verifying the height and the build of the recruit is a big deal in college football recruiting. You have no control over height but you do have control over how you look. Developing and maintaining a lean body gives you the look of a future college football player. Having a college coach come to see you and you look like you’ve never touched a weight will lead to them questioning your dedication to the sport. Hit the weight room.

2) GET TRAINING: Developing skill and knowledge about your craft is how people succeed in life. This also applies to football. Across the country, the people you are competing with for scholarships are out getting the training they need to excel at their position. If you are not doing the same then you fall behind the competition. A quarterback should be getting in work with a QB trainer. There are many of them out there. Do your research and find a quality one. The same goes for all of the other positions. Your work with a trainer on your craft will show up in camps and during the season. People will notice.

3) SPEED, SPEED, SPEED: Everything in society is moving faster and nowhere is that more apparent on the football field. A slow athlete just does not get recruited, period. If you are not on the track team then you BETTER being doing something this offseason about improving your speed. If your team is not doing speed workouts then I highly suggest you address this issue on your own. One of the best products I have seen for athlete speed development comes from Athletes Acceleration. It really attacks the core principles of speed development in a simple way. I highly recommend. Visit them by clicking here.

4) ATTEND CAMPS: Some debate the merits of 3rd party camps like Rivals, Under Armour, NUC, FBU, etc. I do not. If you are going to these camps expecting recruiters to pour into your inbox then you are going to them for the wrong reason. Attend these camps for one major reason and that is competition. It is important for you to get out and find your competition. It is important for you to know where you stack up against those who are competing for the scholarships you want. The best way to do that is to attend these events. How do you stack up against the 4 and 5 stars? What do you need to work on? You get answers to those questions at these events. Use them for your advancement.

Need recruiting help and advice? Contact me via email: cwilson@gridironstuds.com

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