RUBIO LONG SNAPPING: SPRING CAMPS

WHO CAN ATTEND?

Spring Long Snapping Camps are open to ALL Long Snappers. You do NOT have to be invited to attended and any Spring Rubio Long Snapping Camp. These Long Snapping Camps are open to Long Snappers from 8th grade (younger with permission from Chris Rubio) through college.   – The winners of each camp receive a FREE admission to the May Vegas Event put on by Rubio Long Snapping (travel and accommodations excluded).

Please note: Yes, you will be ranked when you attend this camp and yes, Rubio will be at the camp.

WHAT ARE THEY?

These camps are one day camps that offer instruction, film and classroom session, Long Snapping Discussion, NCSA recruiting meeting, Nutritional Discussion and Competition. Attending these camps gives you top notch instruction and the chance to be added to the  Rubio Long Snapping Player Ranking Section of the website.

WHEN ARE THEY?

  • February 24th, CA
  • March 3rd, TX
  • March 17th, IL
  • April 13, NC
  • April 14th, GA
  • April 28th, CA

SCHEDULE (subject to change)

Long Snappers:

  • 8:30 – 11:10 Instruction
  • 11:00 – 1:00 Film/Lunch
  • 1:00 – 1:45 Long Snapping Discussion / or NCSA Recruiting Meeting
  • 2:00 – 4:30 Filming for YouTube, Competition and Evaluation

Click HERE to register as a long snapper for one of the above camps.

Note: Spots are limited to ensure quality instruction. Sign up early to avoid missing out.

LOCATIONS

  • February 24th, CA
  • March 3rd, TX
  • March 17th, IL
  • April 13, NC
  • April 14th, GA
  • April 28th, CA

WHY ATTEND?

  • To get the best instruction and the most exposure possible in the world as a Long Snapper.
  • To be ranked with Rubio Long Snapping.
  • To receive a Rubio Long Snapping shirt.
  • To be filmed for YouTube
  • To have the chance to win FREE admission to the Rubio Long Snapping National Spring Event in May in Las Vegas (travel and accommodations not included)

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Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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If you are a kicker that does an interview….

and doesn’t immediately, AND continuously, praise your Long Snapper throughout the interview, you should be forced to take 25 snaps from your Long Snapper…
at no more than 5 yards away…
with your hands behind your back…
while blind folded…
with gale force winds increasing the speed…
in the cold!!

That is all:)

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Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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51

Look for Chase Dominguez to Excel at the Next Level!

Rubio Long snapper Chase Dominguez recently earned a scholarship to play football at the University of Utah to become their Long Snapper. As far as Rubio Long Snapping goes, Dominguez is virtually flawless in all aspects of the position. Chase is long and athletic and has the frame to become a fantastic blocker. Chase is smooth under pressure, concentrating on the mechanics of snapping in the toughest situations. There is no doubt that Dominguez will be a huge asset to the University of Utah’s college football program as a Long Snapper, as long as he stays healthy and continues to practice. His size, intelligence and talent makes him a player to watch in the future.

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Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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Rubio Long Snapper Jeff Overbaugh dominating at SDSU

Dominating Rubio Long Snapper, Jeff Overbaugh is a five star long snapper for the class of 2012.  Jeff is originally from Anchorage, Alaska where he made ESPN’s high school all-Alaska team, helping his team, the Robert Service High School Cougars to a 10-0-1 overall record in 2011.  Ranked #3 overall in the country by Rubio Long Snapping, The true freshman starter, now playing for San Diego State, heated up in summer camp and didn’t cool off. With twelve regular season games in the books, freshman Jeff Overbaugh is 105 for 105 in all snap attempts.

Jeff is my third Rubio Long Snapper in a row to get picked up by and dominate at San Diego State.  Tyler Schmitt was my first, who has now gone on to be drafted by the Seahawks, and Aaron Brewer was second, who currently is with the Broncos.  Rivals.com said, “Instructor Chris Rubio who rated Jeff a five star D1 ready long snapper must be smiling knowing he got it right.”  Yes, yes I am smiling!  The success of my students is what drives me.

Watch the clip and see for yourself!

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Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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Rubio Long Snapper Picks up Full Scholarship!

Brendan Turelli of Arizona, Rubio Long Snapping class of 2013, has just been awarded a full scholarship from the University of Wyoming.  He is a 5 star Long Snapper and Two-Time Top 12er!

Update: Brendan has committed to Wyoming!!! Congratulations to him and his family.

 

 

Here’s an excerpt of what’s being said about him:

Turelli is a machine. Very nonchalant when he snaps, but that is because he can be. Kid snaps bullets that are smooth and never misses. Lefty that has tremendous zip on the ball. Ball just appears in your hands. Love to watch him snap. Moves very well on his feet for his size. Really can be a threat in coverage. Handles pressure very well. Sure fire scholarship kid.

Want to read more about Brendan?  Take a moment and follow this link to his Player Ranking for 2013.

And while you are here, take a look at some of Brendan’s snapping skills!

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Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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88

Q & A about High School Football Recruiting

As soon as the football season begins to come to an end, questions start to really creep into a recruit, and their parents’, heads. To begin, if you are a Long Snapper, it is still very early in the recruiting process. Many things can happen from now until you actually step foot on a college campus to start your career. Here are some top questions I am getting through email, text, Twitter, Facebook and even Instagram.

1. Is it me or has recruiting been slow this Fall?
– You are correct and it (recruiting) is always slow in the fall. I call it the “First Thing’s First” period of time. College coaches are obviously coaching during the football season and they are spending a massive amount of time doing so with their current team. Up until about late November, they are more worried about what their current team is doing instead of what their future team will be doing. Therefore, when late November rolls around, most coaches have a pretty good idea whether or not their current team is phenomenal or if their current team is pretty much out of the picture and they can start recruiting next year’s crop of talent. Bottom line, if you are a solid recruit, get ready for a wild ride.

2. Should I transfer since my coach just got fired for not winning?
– Absolutely not! I know you didn’t choose your school based on the coach, so that shouldn’t even matter. Unless you have a massive issue (think Penn St.), you will have to sit out a year and won’t be able to play right away. Therefore, you are asking a future school to pick you up, scholarship you and wait. All the while, when they most likely already have a current athlete on scholarship within your position. Coaches are not into “burning” two scholarships on the same position, especially for a specialist. Think about it, would you pay for a car that you aren’t using? Didn’t think so and neither would the coaches.

3. I have several schools that are recruiting me now and I know many others will be coming on board, should I apply to all of them since application deadlines are right around the corner?
– Absolutely not UNLESS you are CERTAIN you can get in on your own academically and without athletic assistance. It is easier for a school to recruit you later in the process, even after the application deadline, and get you into school IF you have not already been denied admittance. If you have already been denied, they have to pull some MAJOR strings to get you in and they hate doing that unless you’re the stud of all studs.

4. Is it a problem if a school starts to recruit me after the application deadline and I didn’t apply to their school?
– Nope. It doesn’t matter. They (the coach) will literally walk your application to the admissions office and have it expedited through the process. The whole operation can easily take less than a day.

5. If a coach wants my film, how should I get it to him? DVD or online? 
– A couple years ago, I would have said both, but today, I am heavily leaning towards simply online. Online is faster, quicker, it won’t get lost, they don’t have to carry it and they can see it anywhere, immediately, if they have their cell or iPad (which is everywhere they are). And, when creating your online highlight tape, be sure to use YouTube and not any other video sharing services. I continue to hear coaches say they only want YouTube since there is NEVER a problem with it’s service.

Click HERE to have this blog read to you.

Bryce Haynes of Ohio St. signing his letter of intent
after a long and rewarding recruiting process.

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Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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371

Making Sure You Are Ready for College

I recently posted a blog about being a freshman that spoke about how to handle yourself in the first year of college. After speaking to college coaches and national sports writers, I felt that I better write a new blog about actually making sure you are ready to graduate high school first, in order to be that freshman.

GO SPEAK TO YOUR COUNSELOR 

One of the biggest issues high school students have is believing they can get into a specific college simply because they are graduating from high school. There is nothing that can be farther from the truth. You actually can graduate from high school, even with honors, and still not get into specific schools. You MUST make sure your counselor knows which particular schools you are interested in so you are able to plan to take the specific classes that each school requires. If they (your counselor) brushes you off and gives you a “trust me, you are definitely on course to graduate” type of answer, you need to insist they double check that you have the right classes for the school(s) you are shooting for after high school.

For instance, some schools require four years of English or extra Fine Arts classes. Nothing against electives, but imagine if you missed out on getting into a college simply because you forgot to take an art, cooking or ceramics class? Don’t roll your eyes, I have seen it happen…several times. 

TAKE BOTH THE ACT & SAT TESTS
If you are planning on going to college, you know of the SAT and ACT tests. Some regions of the country lean more towards one test over the other. The best advice I can give is to take them both and take them both twice.

Let’s face it, the first time you do anything, you are caught a little off-guard and are not really sure of what you are doing. The first time you take the ACT & SAT is simply to become familiar with it and know what to expect the second time. If you end up doing very well the first time, that’s great! Now, just think how much better you will be able to do the second time.

The reason for taking them both (even though, as I stated, one may be more common in your region of the country) is simple: you may do better on one over the other. True, they are both similar in nature but, for some reason, I have seen many athletes do average on one and dominate the other. For example, I had one athlete that scored approximately 1,900 out of 2,400 on the SAT. Very respectable score but nothing to write home about in the long run. He proceeded to take the ACT and scored an amazing 35 out of 36! People at NASA score in that zone 🙂 Had he not taken both tests, he would never had known how high a score he could have achieved to impress the colleges and make his entry, as an athlete, that much easier.

Rubio Long Snapper Scotty Thompson
made sure he was all set in high school
and earned a full scholarship to NC State

GET CLEARED BY THE NCAA
When you have fully decided that you are headed to college after high school, you want to make sure you register with the NCAA. Once you are registered (not the easiest process but it will pay off in the end) and have shown you are taking the right classes, you will be cleared by the NCAA. Being “cleared” basically means you are now eligible to play sports at the NCAA level (college). It does NOT mean that you necessarily will be admitted to the college of your choice, but it does mean you are eligible to play IF you do get in.

This is huge for coaches and recruiters as it shows that you are ready to go and they won’t have to jump through a ton of hopes in order to get you to play. Think of it as being pre-qualified to buy a car or home.

To cut questions off at the pass, YES, even if you are 100% sure you are attending a JC (Junior College), you should take the ACT, SAT and get cleared by the NCAA in high school. The reason is, if you are cleared, you will be able to leave your JC early without having to stay and complete your A.A. degree. You would be able to enroll at a four year college for Spring Ball instead of having to wait until the Fall to start with the team. This can be huge for recruiting purposes and you don’t want to miss out on any opportunities that may come up for you.

Be sure to spread this blog out to as many high school athletes as possible so they don’t have to miss out on an opportunity and wonder what if?

 

 

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Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Rubio has been featured in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the USA Today, Deadspin and countless other publications.

Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world, Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 15 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,000 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

 

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How to get Exposure as a High School Athlete

One of the most common questions I receive is “Rubio, how can I get exposure to the college coaches?” Great question that is easily answered once and for all here….

1. Get yourself to a reputable camp that actually has connections to the colleges. 

It is very easy to make a nice looking website and claim things on the website. The problem is that many sites are simply smoke and mirrors with tons of claims and no actual facts. Do your homework, talk to coaches to see who they recommend, check testimonial pages and speak to others that have attended the camp to see if it is worth your time and, more importantly, your hard earned dollar. You should go to a camp because you know it will be good and worth it, not because it might be good and worth it. 

2.  Make sure your high school coach knows that you are serious about your position and getting to the next level.

Once you have decided that you will stop at nothing to make it to college, you must let your coach know. Tell them that you are going to camps, you work on your position year round and are wiling to do what ever it takes to make your dream a reality. This will impress the coach (as long as you are truly doing what you are saying) and make your name stick in his head when the colleges come knocking on his door. Please note: take your coach’s advice on recruiting to a certain extent. This becomes an issue if a coach pushes someone too high. To clarify, unless your coach is VERY familiar with your particular position, take Long Snapper for instance, don’t rely on his word too much. What this means is that quite often a high school coach will tell a player “You are the best Long Snapper I have ever coached! You are definitely going to college for snapping!” This is fantastic if the coach has actually coached several college Long Snappers. If he hasn’t, you just might be the best of the worst and yet another reason you need to attend quality camps (see #1).

3. Always be in the right place at the right time. 

Let’s say you have a top tier running back on your team and college coaches are always on campus to see if he passes the eye ball test at practice. You have essentially hit the jackpot. ANYTIME a college coach is at your practice, you need to MAKE SURE you just happen to showcase your talent in front of them. If you are a Long Snapper, you should just happen to be snapping 15 yard bullets so they can see you. If you are a lineman, you should be working on your stance and steps. Make them notice you. This is your chance, do not let it pass you by simply because you were shy. You don’t want any opportunity to pass you by. 

4. Create a YouTube channel.

First of all, I like the YouTube channels over other film sharing services for a couple reasons. A) You don’t need an account to view a YouTube channel and B) YouTube is such a large company there is rarely issues with their server(s). The last thing you want is to send your coach a link and either he can’t access it, it is broken or takes way too long to load. With YouTube, you are relatively safe in these matters.

Creating a YouTube channel for yourself is very easy to do, save you tons of time in the long run and always will give you a base to send coaches to see you and your improvement. To make your own YouTube channel simply…

  • Go to YouTube. com 
  • Click create a YouTube account. If you already have a gmail account, you can simply use that. If you are starting fresh with this process it literally takes one minute.
  • Once your account is created, there is blueish profile silhouette of a person in the upper right hand corner…click on it.
  • A drop down menu will appear….click on MY CHANNEL and then press OK, I’M READY TO CONTINUE
  • You will now see a very basic version of what your page will look like. You can fluff this up anyway you want and I would recommend a solid action shot of you in uniform to show how great you are in your sport right off the bat.
  • At the top, just to the left of your name, click on UPLOAD and let the games begin!

You should upload practice and game footage once a week during season and approximately once per month in the off-season. If you are below average at first, that is ok and, don’t erase those videos in the end. Leave them, it shows how much you have improved over time. 

5. Associate yourself with a reputable recruiting service. 

Similar to #1, there are tons of services out there that create flashy websites and claim tons of things when, in actuality, they just take your money and do nothing for you. You want to find a service that can be a one stop shop for you. They should be able to  do research for you about coaches and ways to contact them, send out mass email blasts for you, create a page for you, create a video for you, and have it all go to the right people. If you are true D1 athlete, that is the direction they should send your information. If you are more of a D2-D3 athlete, the majority of your blasts should be sent in that direction. You don’t want to waste your’s or the coach’s time by sending them info if you are not at their level. (Please note: I have encountered many of these companies and one of the best I have seen is NCSA).

6. Create a Twitter account and Facebook page to keep in contact.
 

Most already have one, if not both, of the above mentioned social media monsters and they should. The NCAA has not banned college coaches from using them yet, so it is a loop hole that should be utilized. When you begin to make contact with coaches/recruiting coordinators, let them see your personality, keep your pages clean (yes, parents feel free to monitor them as well) and be sure to send them links to your newly created YouTube channel. 

 

Follow these six steps and you should get all of the exposure you could ever imagine. Now, the ball is in your court to put all of the exposure you will be getting to good use.

_________________________________________________________________

Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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676

Adjusting to Something New

All over the country, Long Snappers are right in the mix of starting their football seasons. They are meeting new people, learning new things and possibly even living in new locations. Many are experiencing the exact same things and don’t even know it. I am going to clarify some glaring issues for all….

“My coach is not the same to me now as he was when he was recruiting me”
Well, of course he isn’t. He got what he wanted (you on the team and not playing for someone else) and you are essentially locked in. He did what he did to get you and now YOU have to prove yourself to HIM. He proved himself to you to get you there and now the rolls are reversed. He is the general and you are his soldier. You have a war coming up (season) and he is using you to do the fighting. He NEEDS to make sure you are ready on all accounts. If you are not, he looks like an idiot for recruiting and playing you. If he looks like an idiot, he gets fired and doesn’t get paid. You are with the big boys now and the stakes are higher. Deal with it.

“The other players are treating me like crap because I am a Long Snapper”
This is standard. You know how many of them think what you do is stupid and anyone can do it? You know how many of them are upset you took a scholarship from either a buddy of theirs or even them personally? You know how many of them can’t stand the fact that you get as much stuff (scholarship, gear, etc) as them, yet don’t have to go through the same type of practice as them? Hint: The answer to all is almost 100% of them.

You need to be yourself and take pride in what you do. Don’t act like just a long snapper, you need to act like THE Long Snapper. Take pride in your job. Don’t look down on it. Don’t publicize it too much (they won’t embrace right off the bat) but let them know (by action) that you take a sincere amount of pride in your job (extra drills, always perfecting your craft). This will pay off once they grasp the concept that you aren’t robbing the system, are actually very beneficial to the team and they won’t be able to win without you.
“I am not ready for the speed at this level!”
Very few are right off the bat. It takes time, you just have to be on a strict learning curve. Think about it this way: often, a team will bring in a top notch quarterback, has that quarterback been absolutely flawless? I am betting he has not. Everyone needs some time to adjust and you will as well. The trick is to putting in some extra work the right way (drills, film, meetings with coaches) to ensure that you are learning to deal with the speed at a quicker pace than others. Being overwhelmed is acceptable at the start . Being overwhelmed and not doing a thing about is not.

“I am having a tough time dealing being away from home and making new friends”
It is time to put on your big boy pants. As I stated in my last blog, if you are obsessing about the past, you can’t live in the present and make your future. It is wonderful to have a ton of friends back home and, with the onslaught of social media, it is easier than ever to remain in contact with them. But, now that you have moved on, and hopefully they have as well, it is time to spread your wings and meet new friends. Welcome to the real world and learning to associate with people outside of your comfort zone. Meet new people, learn new things, embrace differences. A couple of my greatest friends in college were not football players and it was definitely a nice change of pace. Once school starts, the possibilities are endless for meeting new people. Try to jump out of your normal routine to find new folks and see what they are all about. You might just be surprised. Remember, it is not what you know, but who you know and how well you know them:) 

I am going to end this blog with some words I took, by permission, from the first Long Snapper I have trained. His name is Casey Hales and he played at Duke back in the day. He looks nothing like a Long Snapper (think surfer that has been sleeping on the beach for a solid decade) but holds the record for most starts at Duke and is an absolutely terrific person. Here is what he had to say about the above statement:

As a freshman in college it’s easy to get frustrated when you’re finding your way in a new environment.Being away from home, in a new state or even across the country can be/is overwhelming at times. You don’t know anyone, you’re doing your best to get around campus, and from time to time you get lost.In this situation it is easy to look back at the comfort and familiarity of your hometown HS relationships and feel even more uncomfortable with the transition to making new friends in College. This is completely natural, but can be a slippery slope if it prohibits you from branching out. 
Adapting to college culture right out of high school is a process. Right out the gates you are holding on to what you know: your home life, HS friends and “remembering what that was like.”As you begin to get settled in and embrace college, you start to slowly let go of the times and experiences from HS to make room for new ones in College. This brings up two important topics to keep in mind: Attachment and Detachment. You will always have your friends from HS, but it’s crucial to make sure you’re not too attached to them, it can consume your energy by dwelling on missing those relationships. It is common to feel the bond of attachment to home and all that is dear to you, but keep in mind the the stages of human development. We must be free and able to detach and search for new friends and experiences. Change is happening all the time all around you, and you need to flow with it. The big key here is to be aware of these feelings, and recognize when you are too attached to something or someone that is preventing you from living an independent lifestyle.In this case, a need to detach yourself from the past to embrace the present i.e. College and everything that awaits you.Don’t sit on the sidelines, there are no spectators here, College is about participating and taking advantage of new opportunities. You will be amazed at what learn about yourself during this time.

I spoke with Casey about this topic last week and wanted to use him as an example. Not because he speaks so well and just dominated college life, but just the opposite and this is something very few people in the world know about him. In the second semester of Casey’s second year in college, he came into my home with his mother and told me he was done with football and school at Duke. He was going to transfer and knew exactly how he was going to do it. He couldn’t handle being away and was having a very rough time adjusting to college life and football.

He and I basically had it out right then and there in my home. We went back and forth with me explaining to him exactly what he was about to throw away (free education and new experiences in lieu of paying for education and experiences he already had). He listened and listened well. He decided to stay at Duke and ended not coming back on his allotted time (spring break, summer, etc) because he was having such a good time out there once he learned to accept and embrace it. He dove head first into college and experienced every single thing it had to offer him.

Never ever forget……
You make your life. Good or bad, you are in control of it. You make it what it is and what it will be. 

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Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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438

A Parent’s Role in Recruiting

 

1. Don’t speak to a college coach when they are recruiting your son/daughter.
I have said this one countless times on my Twitter (@TheChrisRubio) and even within this blog, but for some reason, parents still aren’t grasping the concept. The coach will want minimal contact with you. They are recruiting your son or daughter,  NOT YOU! Be cordial and answer their questions IF they are addressing you, otherwise butt out. Like I have spoken in the past, when you were dating your husband or wife, did you want go out on dates with them or their parents? Same thing.
 
2. Don’t speak for your son/daughter amongst adults. 
If a coach, or any adult with some authority, asks your child a question, let the child answer. Nothing worse than when I ask an athlete their height and weight and they either look at mom or dad for them to speak OR the child doesn’t even have the chance to speak before the parent chimes in. In doing this, it shows that the parent is overbearing and the athlete relies way too much on them. This is a red flag for a coach since they immediately begin to wonder if the athlete will be handle real life when mommy and daddy are not around. This one can completely crush your child’s recruit-ability, especially if you are looking at a school that isn’t located on the same block as the athlete’s home.
 
3. Be Supportive Mentally
This one shocks me, but it is a reality. Many parents simply aren’t supportive at all with their kids and can be downright negative. Very hard for an athlete to believe in themselves if their own parent doesn’t believe in them. You would be surprised at how much an athlete can improve PHYSICALLY when they are encouraged in a positive manner MENTALLY
 
If you feel this may just be you (little too negative at times), try the Oreo approach. Oreos are a simple food with two black cookies surrounding a frosting center. Think of the cookies as positive statements and the frosting as a negative one. Therefore, if your son didn’t have the greatest snap you would say “Your form is looking good. You had a bit of an issue with not getting your eyes all they way through, but that snap was definitely coming back quick!” You got your criticism in, but sandwiched it in between two positives. Trust me, it works and it works well. 
 
4. Don’t be overbearing 
You didn’t really think I would leave this one off the list did you?  If you want something and your kid doesn’t, it simply won’t work out. Going to college or the pros is a wonderful thing, but if both the athlete and the parent aren’t on board, it will never work out or be a train wreck if it does. It has to be a united front or the child will end up despising the parent and the sport. Any positive that once came from the sport will now be looked as a negative. Remember, it is just a game. Instead of really riding your kid before a game and stressing them out, how about just trying a simple phrase like “Have fun out there and try your hardest!”
 
Being overbearing doesn’t just pertain to parent and child. It can mean flat out harassing coaches, writers and recruiting services. There is very fine line between being persistent and being annoying. You cross it and your child could very easily be blackballed. If your child is that good, they will already know of them and won’t need to be told…over and over again.

To listen to this blog as a podcast, please go HERE_________________________________________________________________

Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

Rubio_Card_frontMAGNET

 

119

Athletes and Dating

High School can be an amazing time for an athlete. They can experience the challenges of some difficult classes, bonding with teammates that will become great friends, playing under the “Friday night lights” and, finally, dating, and possibly, locking into a steady significant other.

Depending on your point of view, the last three words of the above paragraph can either put an enormous smile on your face or make you want to cringe and kick a butterfly. The whole “my son, who is a tremendous athlete, just got a girlfriend and……..” is as old as athletics itself. The issue is how to deal with it.

Now, there are two ways to look at this and I have spoken to coaches about it as well….

  1. One side can be excited for an athlete that locks into a significant other as it can control and tame them a bit. If you have a significant other, you are less likely to be hitting the streets raging with your friends and get into mischief that way. An athlete that is tied down tends to be a bit more subdued on the weekend and, therefore, can get into less trouble.
  2. The other side is not a fan of an athlete having a significant other as it usually means more drama. And, with more drama, comes more mental anguish. The last thing a coach wants is their prized recruit wondering what he did wrong and how he can fix it with his date. The coach wants you focused. And, to clarify, that means focus on school and football.
So, the issue for the athlete is whether or not to get a significant other?  Let’s be honest, it is going to happen. Athletes tend to not have too big of an issue obtaining dates. Not sure if it is the confidence, the dashing good looks, the potential for a ground breaking hug or the ability to be a party trick, but Long Snappers always seem to be with a date(s). Part of the job if you will. Therefore, it’s going to happen.

Then, the issue for the parents of said athletes is whether to let it (flock of dates/locking down to a significant other) happen or “attempt” to put the brakes on it with their parental powers.

 
I say let them experience life and do what they are going to do. Let them have fun. Let them see what the bad ones are like so they know how to hold on to the good ones. They may even be that one in a million case that ends up with their high school sweetheart. Bless their heart if they are and more power to them. Plus, if you (the parental figure) try to halt it, they will push back harder. Remember, you jumped from birth to parenting without going through the high school years so you don’t know what they are going through at this stage in their lives.
 
I may sound cold-hearted but it is reality and I have seen it countless times with my Long Snappers throughout the years so I am tad biased. Too many times I have seen this happen…
  • a phenomenal athlete locks into a significant other
  • said athlete “knows” it is the real thing
  • said athlete becomes obsessed with their partner
  • they end up letting it consume too much time in their lives
  • they become distracted from their studies, their sport and lose focus
  • they get passed up on the depth chart and continually make excuses as to why they aren’t playing more or at all. 
  • they graduate (sometimes they don’t)  and, for the rest of their lives, wonder what if?

Bottom line, you (the athlete) are young and you should go out and have some fun. Date, enjoy life, lock in if you feel the need BUT remember that unless that significant other is paying your way through college, you might have to cut the strings and live your own life a lot sooner than later.

Chris-Rubio-2

Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Rubio has been featured in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the USA Today, Deadspin and countless other publications.

Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world, Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,000 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

1225

Building the Perfect Long Snapper

I have been asked countless times what makes up a great Long Snapper. I have taken to an earlier blog to actually spray about it in detail, but I figured I would break down just a tad more. This time I will go from the bottom to the top….literally.

Feet
A Long Snapper tends to have big hoofs and you can usually spot them from behind since they tend to absolutely crush the sides of their shoes from snapping in them. I have witnessed many a Long Snapper actually “blow out” a pair of shoes on the side. Immediate respect from me when I see that occur. Like Sasquatch, very rarely has this been seen live. Usually it is just noticed after that fact.

Ankles
I am happy when a Long Snapper actually has them. Many Long Snappers can break (pun intended) into the “Cankle” territory (calve just blends into ankle, one is never sure where one ends and the other begins). Cankles usually equate to being slow. No embrace.

Calves
They have to be glorious. If this makes no sense to you, you really need to get to one of my camps:)

Hamstrings 
Need to be nice and loose. If they aren’t, this will cause issues with speed and follow through. Being flexible is not mandatory but oh does it help. You should almost be able to use your legs like a bow with the ball being like an arrow. Like I say, anyone that breaks their legs backwards gets a high five from me! Seems like a fair trade off in my book.

Bow and Arrow
hammy option


Hips
Also need to be nice and loose. If you look like my 712 year old grandmother Macaw bending over for her cane to hit someone, you probably should start embracing yoga. Hips can be a deal breaker for a Long Snapper.

Butt
The bigger, the better. It keeps your weight back and gives you more power. Positive for balance as well. I cannot confirm, nor deny, but I am willing to put some cash on the fact that Sir Mix A Lot’s most famous song was about top quality Long Snappers. Some great Long Snappers have had huge cans. Of course, no names will be mentioned as to not embarrass them (wink, wink, wink)

Stomach
Free of butterflies (since we dominate under pressure), yet hairy and very itchy. Not sure why, but all Long Snappers continually scratch their bellies. Some really get their paw into it. Unfortunately, the belly button is not off limits.

Paws
A Long Snapper with freakishly long digits is always a positive. Chubby hands may have issues but usually can be worked around. If the palm of your hand looks like a Double Double and your fingers look like Snausages, you might want to embrace being a kicker.

Embrace long digits on a paw

Arms
Long. Duh

Chest
Possible hair. Very strong for blocking. Massive. Requiring constant attention. No matter where or when, a Long Snapper’s chest is fair game…to him. Hence, why Long Snappers are always pulling their shirts off their chest and readjusting. Might be something scientific. I embrace.

Face
Goatee, double duh. Possible beard of glory in November (if you can’t, please don’t, you are only embarrassing yourself…and no Abe Lincoln option). If you are man enough to pull off a ‘stache, you shall do it. Teeth have to be great since your smile helps out with the ladies. Once the smile reals them in, a simple “Oh you don’t know what a Long Snapper is, let me explain…for the next two hours” locks them down. You’re welcome Long Snappers.

Hair
Really?

(Click HERE to hear me read you this blog)

_________________________________________________________________

Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

Rubio_Card_frontMAGNET

 

77

Been There, Done That

When you go to one of my camps, you will notice something right off the bat. It isn’t the fantastic logo on the shirts or my dome so freshly shaven or even the kickers with their ridiculous cleats. What you will notice is that there is a distinct difference between those that have been to a Rubio Long Snapping camp and those that have not. Those that have are embracing and moving around like cattle (slowly and generally in a herd…given, never fast enough to break a sweat). Those that have never been to a camp are a bit isolated and slightly overwhelmed. 


Then, as soon as the camp begins, things progress to another level. The “vets” are still embracing and usually getting louder as they start swapping stories while the “rookies” are still trying to find their way. By about half way through the camp, I will always catch a glimpse of a majority of “rookie” Long Snappers that  are just flat out staring at one or more of my top kids. They look dumbfounded, overwhelmed and wonder how a snap can be so fast and accurate. I have even heard “Oohs” and “Ahhs” when they snap from the kids and the parents. Both are completely understandable as they are watching a Rubio Long Snapper dominate and it is a beautiful thing.

What everyone has to realize is that no one comes out of their moms (go thank your mother after reading this) and is a 5 star Long Snapper. No one. It doesn’t happen. Everyone starts off as a “rookie.” Yup, even the Long Snappers that you hear the most now (wink, wink) were once isolated rookies off by themselves. Every single one of my 4.5 and 5 stars were just average, or even well below average, at one point. You know how they fixed themselves?

    • They kept coming to camps and gained confidence.

 

  • They did not get intimidated or shy away from the competition.
  • They worked right and hard, not just hard.

Becoming the best takes determination, effort and time. Nothing worth achieving is done overnight. Things take time and the best things often take the most time. The question is do you have the desire to achieve what you want with your Long Snapping and your life?

Right about now, I’d bet you are thinking I am just blowing smoke and that the great ones are just that….great, and have been since they came out (hugs this time for your mom). Want proof? Here is a picture of a kid (face blurred to not embarrass him….yet) that I worked with when he was in the 8th grade

 

As you can see, his form leaves much to be desired (if you can’t tell, I can and trust me it needs A LOT of work). His weight is off, he is too extended, too low and just all over the place. This Long Snapper, especially being in 8th grade at the Vegas Event, could have EASILY thrown in the towel and never snapped again. He could have pouted, been intimidated and just been done with it all.

He didn’t do that. He did all of the things I spoke of in the above bullets and soon came to dominate. He held in there. He kept coming back. He worked right. He really worked on his form. He did not get down. He begin to have confidence as he improved. When you go to a Rubio Long Snapping camp, you are going to get better. It is a proven method that has worked countless times before with tons of Long Snappers.

Curious as to who this long time Rubio Long Snapper is…..click HERE to find out and never stop pushing yourself! Remember, you…can…do…any…single…thing…you…set…you…mind…to. _________________________________________________________________

Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

Rubio_Card_frontMAGNET

30

The Chris Rubio Award


Well, the big announcement has been made and now you all know about The Chris Rubio Award presented by Herbalife 24. The world of Long Snapping will be changed forever. Never has a Long Snapper been honored to this degree at the high school level (or college level for that matter).  THIS IS HUGE!

I gathered you might be a bit confused, so I decided to clarify it a bit for you. Of course, you can find out all the information on the actual website here, but I wanted to double it up for you.

TROPHY:

  • Similar to the Heisman, in that it will be given out every year and there will be two trophy’s. One trophy will go home with the winner and one will stay with Herbalife. 
  • The trophy (look up and to the right) stands approximately one foot tall, weighs 30 lbs. and is bronzed (the one you see on the picture/website is just the clay mold of it, new photo coming soon). 

CEREMONY:

  • There will be a ceremony at the Herbalife Banquet Hall in LA Live (right next to Staples Center) highlighting the three finalists. 
  • The three finalists and one parent will be flown to Los Angeles, CA and put in a hotel for the weekend (Dec 17) by Herbalife.

TO BE ELIGIBLE:

  • You must be an athlete that plays high school football at the varsity level, regardless of state division, or age. You DO NOT have to attend a Rubio Long Snapping / Chris Sailer Kicking camp to win this award.
  • You will notice there is a watch list already of the top Long Snappers in the country. You do NOT need to be on this list in order to win. The list can adjust over the time frame.

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • You must be the starter for your high school varsity team. 
  • You must not have more than one bad snap all season (snap that gets by the punter or the holder). 
  • You must do both punt and p.a.t. snaps. 
  • If you have to snap and block for your team, that is looked at in higher regard. 
  • The amount of tackles is taken into consideration with the voting. 
  • You must have started in 80% of the current year’s games for your varsity team. 
  • A Long Snapper’s physical size is NOT taken into consideration in the voting. 
  • Other positions played are NOT taken into consideration for voting. 
  • To qualify, you may be viewed by Chris Rubio in person, send in film, have a high school head coach’s recommendation, college special team’s coach recommendation or sports writer’s recommendation to be considered eligible. A panel of voters assembled by the Chris Rubio selection committee will vote for the winner.
VOTING:

  • A panel of voters assembled by the Chris Rubio selection committee will be voting. The panel will include: Chris Rubio, Herbalife representatives, past and current NFL Long Snappers, past and current NCAA Long Snappers, past finalists for the Chris Rubio Award, and Sports writers and columnists. Therefore, if you are one of the final three for the award, you will be on the voting committee forever. 
IMPORTANT DATES:

  • Last Week of September: A watch list will be announced highlighting athletes that have been recognized as a top Long Snapper through this part of the season. The eventual winner does NOT have to be on the watch list to win the award. This is a simple recognition of those that are in the lead.
  • November 21, 2011: Three Finalists are announced. The finalists will be determined by total votes. 3 points (1st Place Vote), 2 points (2nd Place Vote), 1 Point (3rd Place Vote). In the case of a tie, Chris Rubio will break the tie with his vote.
  • December 17, 2011: The winner will be announced at the Herbalife Banquet Hall at L.A. Live in Downtown Los Angeles, CA. The winner will be determined by total votes. 3 points (1st Place Vote), 2 points (2nd Place Vote), 1 Point (3rd Place Vote). In the case of a tie, Chris Rubio will break the tie with his vote. *All statistics will have to be verified by your high school head coach before you can be announced as a Finalist.

INFORMATION:
I know you already follow me on Twitter (if not, focus up) and now you will also want to be sure to follow the High School Football Awards Twitter account here for updates and like the Facebook page here for up to the minute information. You can also access the site by ChrisRubioAward.com or HighSchoolFootballAwards.com (both hit the same sight).

_________________________________________________________________

Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

Rubio_Card_frontMAGNET



12900

You are a Long Snapper if…..

I deal with Long Snappers. Lots and lots of Long Snappers. To say I know them well is the understatement of the year. In the past couple of weeks on Twitter, I have been spraying about certain “personality traits” I have noticed amongst my Long Snappers. One particular comment set the Long Snapping world into a tizzy. This wonderful, and true statement, was:
 
 “A true Long Snapper can’t do a head first slide, climb a fence and/or do a proper somersault.
 
Given, many o’Long Snapper has disagreed with me and said they, in fact, could do all three (please note: I have not seen one do all three AND have actually witnessed a top tier Long Snapper cut himself, on his belly, attempting to climb a fence).
 
Needless to say, I have been creating a list (couple have been put on Twitter) that I am certain will be continuously updated (feel free to add your own on this blog’s comment section). Here you go. Enjoy:
 
You are a Long Snapper if…
·     you can’t grab a football without immediately placing your hands on it the way you snap
·     you have waited for a significant amount of time for an elevator instead of just taking the stairs
·     you have burned your mouth on pizza, yet continued to eat the pizza

·     you tend to over-think things
·     you have thrown up from eating too much.
·     you have ever searched and searched for a chair simply so you can sit down instead of standing while working
·     you have a ton of female friends (and usually end up with the hottest one as your lady friend)
·     you have blacked out from eating too much
·     you have spilled on your shirt and proceeded to lick it up rather than use a napkin
·     you are a phenomenal dancer

·     you are always tugging at your shirt to pull it away from your belly/chest (this one is a flat out epidemic amongst Long Snappers)
·     you are smart – if you weren’t, you’d be a kicker:)
·     you have tried to hide a “good ball” at a camp so no one else would use it.
·     you like ranch dressing….on everything.
·     you have tried to snap other objects besides a football (rocks, pine cones, children, etc)
·     you have the ability to power through a brain freeze to not waste a good Slurpee
·     you have entered a belly flop contest.
·     you can throw as good, if not better, spiral than your starting quarterback
·     you think you can punt

·     you tend to walk very slow
·     you have more knowledge about Long Snapping than your head coach and, odds are, so do your parents
·     you are superstitious

·     you have responded to a waitress with the word “Yes” when she asks what type of cheese you would like on your burger.
·     you have the air conditioning in your car always turned on
·     you immediately sit in a car and point the vents directly at you showing complete disregard for all other occupants.

·     you have never ordered anything less than a large…in anything.
·     you tend to scratch your stomach a lot (side note: a true, true Long Snapper has been know to let his scratching get carried away and has been seen with a finger in his belly button at times and, yes, they will always smell it)
·     you don’t realize how heavy you actually breathe and often tend to grunt
·     you have raged while watching a football game on TV because they didn’t show the snap.
·     you have snapped a ball at a party
·     and last, but certainly not least, you have used being a Long Snapper as a pick up line with the ladies
_________________________________________________________________

Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

Rubio_Card_frontMAGNET

711

College Football Recruiting: Are You Dating, Engaged or Married?

Anyone that has even been a top tier athlete or involved with one, knows that recruiting is a wild ride. I have taken to this blog and described how recruiting basically occurs in waves and now I want to explain what happens when you actually do get recruited. The fact that you are reading this means that you are ahead of the game so I say well done to you. I decided to break it down in a pretty easy fashion so it is clear to anyone whether you are an athlete or just a casual observer. To me, when you are getting recruited, it is very similar to….
DATING – When you start getting recruited you are essentially just dating. When dating, you are not really locked down to one person and can play the field. Same with schools and coaches. You are not locked into them and they are not locked into you. You will look at other schools and they will look at other athletes. You would be ignorant not to and so would they. “Dating” in recruiting is when you really get to know the other person/coach/school. This is the time to ask a ton of questions, check out the environment and see if it is right for you. If the person/coach/school is right for you, than it is time to move onto getting…….

ENGAGED – You have found the one for you and you are ready to take it to the next level. You are ready to lock yourself in by verbally committing to a person/coach/school. When you verbally commit to a school before signing day you are essentially engaged to them. You are telling them I want you and only you just like a normal engagement to a person. And, just like a normal engagement, you do have an out. You have not signed on the dotted line (National Letter of Intent) and, therefore, are still not truly committed to them. You can back out of your engagement and, just like in real life, the other party will not be happy if you choose to do so. Committing and de-committing over and over is heavily frowned upon by schools, me and writers. It shows a lack of character at times and is not a good way to make yourself look like a stable human being. So, when you are really, really ready to take the next step you get……

MARRIED – You have dated, you have been engaged and now you want to commit…to the fullest extent. You are going to officially lock yourself into the person/coach/school by signing on the dotted line. Once you sign your National Letter of Intent, you are married. No pulling back now. You are committed to them and they are committed to you. Don’t even think about getting divorced/transferring as it is an uphill battle that rarely works out for the athlete. You lose a year of eligibility and many schools won’t take a chance on an athlete that has left somewhere else. Think about it, the school will immediately wonder why you left? are you a bad person? did you not get along with the coaches? did they not get along with you? why did it not work out for you? They will most likely contact the program you left to see what the deal was. Can you even imagine if new husbands or wives did that to ex’s….wow. That would get extremely ugly and it can for athletes and coaches as well. 

Get married to your school and stay there. If you went through the process of dating, being engaged and did all your homework, your decision will suit you well for the future of your academic and athletic career.

_________________________________________________________________

Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

102

The Difference Between a Walk-On, a Preferred Walk-On and a Full Scholarship

Easily one of the most common issues I deal with since I work with Long Snappers. Unfortunately, some schools still don’t embrace putting a top quality Long Snapper on full scholarship and are locked onto the preferred walk-on option for their specialists. Let me explain the differences to clarify for you….
WALK-ON
A flat out, standard walk-on is a student that has been admitted to the school, the coaches have no idea about and he simply wants to try out for the team. Tryouts are usually held in the spring time right before a team’s Spring Ball. They are usually run by a lower tier coach or even a GA (graduate assistant). Tryouts can last anywhere from a couple of minutes to a week and will cover a ton of athletic aspects and then your respective position. It is often like in high school when a coach had too many players tryout and he would just make everyone run for the first couple days simply to weed out who could and couldn’t handle it. If you can handle the nonsense at the beginning, they will give you a shot at your position but you better be absolutely terrific for them to bring you on the team. Why? Bottom line, they will kind of look like an idiot for having this gem sitting right under their noses and they didn’t even know it. Ever see those people on those antique shows that have their great grandpas old boots or something and it turns out they are worth a ton of cash? You scream out “What kind of moron doesn’t know they have something that valuable right in front of them after all these years?” FYI: coaches don’t like to be thought of as a moron.
It is VERY hard to make the team and this fashion. In all my time at UCLA, I don’t recall one ever making it. If you are going for the angle at a school that you have been admitted to for academics I wish you the best of luck as you are going to need it. Going in blind (not contacting the coach at all) leaves you behind a major 8 ball.
PREFERRED WALK-ON
This is a very common anecdote for a coach with a Long Snapper, as they know the full rides are few and far between. A Preferred Walk-On is an athlete that IS recruited by the school and is offered a spot on the team. Usually they are told and/or it is known, that the athlete will be placed on full scholarship as soon as he starts. The Preferred Walk-On will, depending on the team, get treated exactly like a full scholarship athlete but they just don’t get things (books, food, dorm, school, etc) paid for. Plain and simple. Couple key points about a Preferred Walk-On are….
·     Finding out when you are reporting. This is a pretty big one. If the school really wants you and respects you, you will be brought in early with all of the scholarship athletes. Usually     early August. D1 schools are only allowed to bring in 105 early. You want to be on that list.
·     Knowing the coach will always try to replace you. I was a preferred walk-on at UCLA and was a solid starter for three years in a row to several All-Americans. Good credentials, right? Yup. I was put on full scholarship and guess what? They still would bring in at least two Long Snappers each year to try and beat me out. Why? Why not? They would also try to have me coach other guys on the team (linebackers and tight ends) how to snap so I didn’t have to take a travel spot and they could just do a double duty. Two for one basically. Given, I am not ignorant and didn’t teach those guys a darn thing about how to snap. “Ok, guys, here is how you will take my job” Nice try.
·     Not all schools are created equal with their Preferred Walk-Ons. UCLA was great when I was there with all of their athletes. I was treated as an equal and embraced. I have heard of some schools making their Preferred Walk-Ons feel like second class citizens by having them share lockers, not giving them a number, or just making things rough for them. Ask other preferred walk-ons at that school to see what the vibe is. They will be deadly honest with you as where others may not.
FULL SCHOLARSHIP You are a stud. You have received the rare honor (only 85 per team in D1 athletics and the same in lower divisions but they can be split up in percentages) of obtaining a full scholarship to a university. Some lucky school is going to pay for your education and you will earn a degree on their dime. Huge, huge win. Work hard and make sure you don’t waste their money. They are investing in you and they will want a return on their investment. Bottom line, play like a soldier and do your job as expected. Keep your nose clean and represent your university well. Like they say, you will play for four years but will represent your university for at least the next forty.
To summarize, imagine the school as your parents. If you are a full scholarship athlete, they are flat out handing you the keys to the car. If you are a preferred walk-on, they are holding the keys out in front of you while they keep walking away from you. You can get them but you are going to have to work to get them from their grasp. If you are a walk on, your parents hid the car keys and gave you Ray Charles to help you find them. 
Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Rubio has been featured in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the USA Today, Deadspin and countless other publications. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world, Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be! In just 15 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,000 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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Now What?

When I see a Long Snapper go to college & not play, it makes me wonder if they worked as hard when they GOT THERE as they did TO GET THERE

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Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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The Parent Trap….

How much should parents be involved with their son and his Long Snapping career is a very touchy issue and I am going to tread lightly. A lot of it depends on the relationship between the kid and the parent. If you are laughing right now as a parent or the Long Snapper and asking, “What relationship?” let me reassure you of this….

For the Long Snappers – your parents actually were teenagers at one point in their life. They actually have gone through some of the same things you have encountered. True, it may not have been Long Snapping, but other situations can correlate to give them a very similar experience. Your parent(s) just want to be treated with respect and like an adult.

For the Parents – your kid(s) will get through this. It/They can be trying, but it is what it is. Like I always say, you have one teenager and I have hundreds. I see a a lot of teenagers per year. I see them all over the country and they are all pretty similar. Your kid(s) just want to be treated with respect and like an adult.

As for how a parent should handle the issue of dealing with college coaches, here is the best way to think about it so you can relate…..

When you were dating your future husband/wife, did you want to go out with their parents or with them?

You wanted to go out with your date and not their parents. Same with the coaches. They want to deal with the Long Snapper and not you. Sure you can assist (similar to a parent giving their kid a couple bucks for a date or advising them of a solid restaurant to go to) but let the Long Snapper take the lead. They speak to coaches, not you. The coach will be with the kid for the next four years and need to see their personality and not yours. Trust me when I tell you, an overbearing parent can crush a young man’s chances with a school.

Hope this helps.

 

 

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Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Rubio has been featured in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the USA Today, Deadspin and countless other publications.

Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world, Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 15 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,000 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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Rubio Long Snapper Daly Commits!

Rubio Long Snapper Scott Daly (2012, IL) has made his decision and committed to Notre Dame! He was offered this morning by Notre Dame Head Coach Kelly before ND’s Spring Game. Scott committed immediately as Notre Dame has always been his dream school. He was previously offered immediately after the 9th Annual National Event in Las Vegas by Northwestern.

Scott is the youngest Long Snapper to ever be offered (January of his junior year in high school) and commit (April of his junior year in high school). The previous record holder was Christian Yount of UCLA/NFL and Chase Gorham of Arizona who both were offered in May of their junior years.

Scott is a unique story as he originally came out to a Rubio Long Snapping camp as a baseball player that just wanted to sample Long Snapping. After his first camp, I advised him and his mother to trust me and focus on Long Snapping. He had the tools but just had no idea what he was doing. If he was willing to work, he could make a name for himself. Love it when I am right and a kid with potential WORKS his tail off. Daly is a great person, Long Snapper and his success is well deserved.

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Chris-Rubio-2Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the biggest and best resource for Long Snappers in the country. Offering the best instruction and most exposure in the world. Rubio Long Snapping can help you to become the best snapper you can be!

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 300 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

 

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