5 Things a Parents Should Be During the Recruiting Process….

1. SUPPORTIVE!
Your child will need you more than ever during this period. This will be extra challenging as they are a teen and know it all. Therefore, you must remain supportive and on their team. Guide them in the right direction but let them walk the path.

2. ORGANIZED!
There will be tons of pamphlets, camps, emails, directions and communication. A teen usually has too much on their plate to manage it all. This is where an adult’s organization skills can hopefully relieve some pressure off the athlete.

3. A ROLE PLAYER!
Practice with your child the conversations he/she will have with the coaches and recruiting coordinators. It looks terrible when a coach asks an athlete a question and the athlete looks to mommy or daddy for the answer. Even worse is if mommy or daddy simply answers for the athlete.

4. OPEN-MINDED!
Not every athlete is going to attend the top D1 schools in the country. If your son wants to play, there are literally hundreds of schools out there with teams. Find several that aren’t necessarily on your radar and embrace them. There is something out there for everyone.

5. IN THE BACKGROUND!
The coach doesn’t want to talk to you. Trust me, I speak to them all the time. They are recruiting the athlete, NOT you. Like I have said a hundred times, when you (the parent) were dating your spouse, did you want to date them or their parents? Exactly. Stay in the background and let your son/daughter be a big boy/girl. This goes for interviews with sports writers, as well. Let the athlete speak for themselves.

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 14 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.

2355

Should College Football Players Be Compensated?

My local paper, The Lewiston Tribune, asked me to write an article on my opinion about the whole unionization of college football and if college football players should be paid. Here it is…..

It’s about time!

That was my reaction when I saw the Northwestern University football team won the right to form a union. The Nation Labor Relations Board made a groundbreaking decision that will impact college athletics for years to come.

Right off the bat, I will tell you that I am biased on this topic. I played football at UCLA in the mid to late 1990s. I have been on the other size of Oz’s curtain and I know what it is like.

I have had this argument (should college athletes get paid, do they deserve more, etc.) with friends and family in the past and will have it many more times in the future.

Bottom line, YES, I do believe college football players should get paid and be able to form a union to protect themselves. If they don’t, who will?

The NCAA? Not too sure I would jump on their shoulders and cheer too loud for them. They say it isn’t about the money but, in reality, it’s all about the money. On every angle you look at this topic, it’s all about the money.

If it is not about the all-mighty dollar, why do universities sell jerseys with their team’s top players’ numbers on them? Why not just wipe out that process altogether and sell No. 00 jerseys? Answer: No one would wear that number because it’s not related to a college athlete.

The colleges and universities know they aren’t selling jerseys; they are selling their top QB, RB or DL. It’s obvious. It’s too obvious.

It’s also obvious the top athletes who are making the colleges millions don’t see one dime of the money. Nothing.

How many No. 2 football jerseys do you think Texas A&M sold prior to Johnny Manziel’s last two highlighteel seasons? I would bet none.

Now, how much money do you think they estimate Manziel has brought in to the university in less than two years?

Ready for the answer … $37 million! All money that the university would have never seen had it not been for their star athlete playing the game of football.

And that money will keep on coming into the college while he plays in the NFL because he attracted fans and fans spend money. The more fans, the more they will spend and the more the school will spend to make the school look better (FYI: Texas A&M is about to finish adding 20,000 more seats to its stadium) and attract more boosters and students.

Go ahead and check to see schools’ application numbers after they do well in football. They always rise because the school gets more television exposure and students want to go to a wellecognized school with a winning team.

But the argument goes, a kid in college shouldn’t get that money since they are usually not very mature and would blow it right away. Fine, put it away and give it to them when they are off to the pros or graduate (that will really pick up graduation rates). I am all for that and think it could easily work.

One argument is that football players get paid by having their education covered and even a scholarship check to boot. There are a lot of holes in this argument.

Yes, just like a student on academic scholarship, a football player’s schooling is paid for. That is where the correlation ends.

You see, a student on academic scholarship has to be a top-tier student. That is all. Don’t get in trouble, keep your grades up and represent the university well and you’re good. Plus, they have the ability to get a job when they are not in class.

A football player on scholarship has to do all of those things, without having time to get a job AND has to play football. Big deal you say? It’s just a game you say?

Think about it like this, an average college football player’s schedule looks something like this during season …

  • Work out at 6 a.m.
  • Class from 8 a.m. to noon
  • Physical therapy from 1 to 2 p.m.
  • Meetings from 2 to 3 p.m.
  • Practice from 3 to 6 p.m.
  • Training table (mandatory dinner with the team) from 7 to 8 p.m.
  • Tutoring from 8 to 10 p.m.
  • Do it all again the next day.

A college football player simply has no time for anything else. They don’t have time for a job. No job means no money.

But they get scholarship checks from the university, you say? That check is nothing. It is so bad that even the NCAA admits that a “full scholarship” does not cover the basic necessities for a college athlete. My check at UCLA back in the late ’90s was approximately $800 per month. My rent alone was $450. After bills and food, there was NEVER any money left. Trust me, I was not buying anything crazy or anything at all. I wasn’t going to Disneyland every day, or ever. Without help from a parent, a football player on scholarship doesn’t survive.

With inflation and rent price increases, this check has increased to around $1,300 now. Ask any player living in L.A., and this barely covers rent and a few bills and meals.

In doing research for this piece, I spoke with several current college athletes and every single one said what they get is not even close to enough. They often will go without eating meals in order to save money to make sure the bills are paid. (fyi: since this article was written, the NCAA has adjusted to allow unlimited meals to college athletes less than two weeks after Connecticut guard and Final Four Most Outstanding Player Shabazz Napier made headlines by saying he often goes to bed starving)

One must wonder if the heads of the universities athletic departments or the NCAA are having to skip breakfast in order to make sure they have gas in their car to get to job/practice?

My bet is no.

Can you see how much time the athlete must dedicate to football? This is why they are so adamant about getting to be a union. So they can have some rights. So they can eventually get some compensation for being on the field and getting beat up all year long and risk life-altering injuries.

Anyone can do it? Not true. Only a certain few have the ability to do it.

To be a college athlete, to maintain the highest standards on the field and in the classroom takes a special person and that special person should be fairly compensated and protected.

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The Last Months of High School

The time of the year when your “friends” that don’t have any plans, try to derail yours.

The time of the year when you worry that you may never see your friends again.

The time of the year when the school day gets longer and longer and longer and…

The time of the year when the sun rises earlier and sets later.

The time of the year when temptation beats on your door.

The time of the year when you would rather be anywhere but sitting in a desk.

The time of the year when when you long to just be outside.

The time of the year when you look around and wonder how different your life will be one year from today.

The time of the year when you wonder if anything will be the same one year from today.

The time of the year when so many are relaxing and taking some time off.

The time of the year when a select few are working their tails off.

The time of the year when the good can become average or great and the great can become good or superb.

The time of the year when your parents have hit your last nerve.

The time of the year when your kid has hit your last nerve.

The time of the year when you want to leave.

The time of the year when you wonder if you are ready for the next step.

The time of the year when you are itching to sprint into the next phase of your life.

The time of the year when you wonder if you are ready for it all.

The last months of high school, you make it what it will be…

The last months of school will forever affect you and your life. 

CHOOSE WISELY and THINK AHEAD

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78

New Avenues for Small Town Athletes

I thought I would share with you an article I wrote the Lewiston Tribune that was published today. Enjoy:

If you are a high school athlete reading this, you live in a small town. It may not be the smallest of towns, but it is a small town nonetheless. Twenty years ago, it would have been extremely tricky for you to get recruited by a college. That is no longer the case.

Recruiting is much different now than it was 20 years ago. Before, it was all on your coach and what he/she could do for you. And, since you are in a small town, a coach would degrade your talent as being just the best of what is available. Sad, but true. With less people, usually comes less talent. That is simple math.

Therefore, the athlete has to prove to the college coach that he/she is not only the best in their small town, but they are also one of the best in the country and that the coach should undoubtedly recruit them for the next level.

Nowadays, with the proper use of technology, athletes can easily expose or “sell” themselves to colleges across the country. No matter if you are from a small town or a big city, the playing field is equal for all athletes on the Web. Technology allows even the smallest-of-town athletes to reach the biggest of city universities – instantly and for free.

Athletes can create a YouTube channel to highlight their games, practices and improvement over their careers. An athlete can create a Facebook and/or Twitter account to get in contact with a coach and send them film.

All of the above is fine and dandy, but if you still aren’t a top-tier athlete you won’t get past hello with the coaches.

Once you have set up your social media outlets to get your recruiting process going in the right direction, you need to let your current coach know that you are serious about playing sports in college. Let them know you have the desire to push yourself to do what it takes to play a sport at the next level. Your coach will also be able to contact coaches on your behalf and give you some insight into the whole recruiting process.

Plus, if you have expressed your desire to the coach and shown you have talent, he/she is undoubtedly going to remember your name if a college comes into their office recruiting another athlete. “Oh yeah, Sally is a great right fielder. You should also check out my pitcher Julie.” Now your name is in the coach’s head. They will ask for film (you will simply send them your YouTube link) and now your recruiting starts to pick up speed.

If you are really serious about your athletic ability, you need to look into a very good personal coach that specializes in your exact talent. A high school coach is good but they have to focus on the whole team and not just one athlete. They will often tend to know a little about a lot, while a specialized coach will know a lot about a little (think one particular position or aspect of the sport). Plus, your personal coach, if he or she has been around the block and has put other athletes into college, will have many contacts as well that can help you out in the recruiting process.

Every college will hold camps during the summer that athletes can attend to learn and prove themselves. These camps are less for learning (too many athletes attending) and are more for tryouts. You do not need to be invited to but it helps if you are so they know who you are going into the camp. You really want to focus on these camps between your junior and senior years. However, I would highly recommend going between sophomore and junior years to get your name in their head and get a trial run of what the camp will entail.

To be invited, simply have your current sports coach contact the school and say they think you should be invited. If your coach isn’t really motivated to help you, contact the school yourself. Give them some simple stats and let them know you are very interested in becoming a _____ (mascot of your choice). You are now in the school’s recruiting database and will now start to receive mail from them on a regular basis. Once you get to the camp, you must dominate.

Remember, an immediate knock on you as an athlete will be that, being from a small town, you aren’t playing against top talent simply because there aren’t as many athletes. Now, at the camp, you will be head-to-head with the actual top talent from all over the country. This is the moment when either you prove you have the ability to be playing with the big dogs or are simply the best of the average.

It is all on your shoulders at this point. Yes, you are an athlete from a small town, but you have set yourself up to be on the big stage.

Do you have the talent to be 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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What Does a Graduating Long Snapper Do Now?

Say you are one of the lucky ones that will be playing football next year for a four year university, what do you do now?

You get better! You don’t rest on your laurels. You make sure you are as prepared as possible when entering college so the coaches know you are serious and ready to take over the reigns for the next two to four years of your life. Nothing will upset a coach more than a recruited athlete coming in unprepared. That is essentially your first impression to the new staff at your new school and that can easily set you up, in the wrong way, for years to come. Don’t be that guy!

Yes, you are allowed to, and could be attending my Long Snapping camps from now until you report to camp for your school….and you should. Going to a camp right before you head off will polish off the rough edges, fine tune you and build your confidence.

You want a more advanced camp with only college level Long Snappers? You can attend the College Camp for Long Snappers on July 19-21 in CA. It will be structured just like the TOP 12 and EVENT ELITE camp but with no current HS players. All participants will be either 2013/JC heading to a four year university or a current college Long Snappers already doing what you believe, think and hope you are ready for in a couple short months.

Regardless, be prepared and don’t just sit. You got into college, but you have done nothing there….yet. See you soon!

Camera Time

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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 Rubio Long Snapping Signing Day Recap Continued, 5 MORE Player Commits…

Yes, the list is still growing with Rubio Long Snapping Commits from National Signing Day. These 5 players are taking their talents to the next level…

 

Chase McIntyre

A 2013 graduate of West Henderson High School in Hendersonville, North Carolina, Chase McIntyre has proven himself a consistent Long Snapper, as well as playing starting center. McIntyre is committed to Appalachian State University.

See a Review of Chase McIntyre

 

Chris O’Risky

A 2013 graduate of North Posey High School in Poseyville, Indiana, Chris O’Risky is effective in multiple positions, serving as starting Long Snapper, starting center and starting defensive end both his junior and senior years. O’Risky is committed to Eastern Michigan University.

See a Review of Chris O’Risky

 

Graydon Peterson

A 2013 graduate of Whitefish Bay High School in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, Graydon Peterson is an honor student and all-around player, serving as starting Long Snapper and starting center, as well as reserve defensive tackle. Peterson is committed to Dartmouth College.

See a Review of Graydon Peterson

 

Caleb Longest

A 2013 graduate of Duncan High School in Duncan, Oklahoma, Caleb Longest is a total package Long Snapper with good size, good form and good movement. Longest is committed to Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

See a Review of Caleb Longest

 

AJ Hantak

A 2013 graduate of Rockwood Summit High School in Rockwood Summit, Missouri, AJ Hantak is a tall, sturdy, athletic Long Snapper who moves the ball with both accuracy and speed. Hantak is committed to Eastern Illinois University.

See a Review of AJ Hantak

_________________________________________________________________

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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National Signing Day 2013 – Rubio Long Snapping Dominates

National College Signing Day for 2013 has concluded and once again Rubio Long Snapping is in the middle of the action.  Alabama, USC, Nebraska, and Michigan top the list of schools that have received commitments from Rubio Long Snappers.

6′ 2″ 241 lb. Cole Mazza from Bakersfield, CA committed to the Crimson Tide as one of 25 commitments to the nation’s number one college football program.  Originally committed to UCLA Mazza de-committed from the Bruins when it became clear that he was the number one long snapper prospect for D1 college football programs.  Chris Rubio isn’t surprised noting in an interview with Alabama website AL.com that “I can honestly say I have never seen such an overall dominant performance by a long snapper.  There was no doubt he was the best in the country. Mazza is as good, if not better, than advertised. If he continues at this pace with his snapping and his attitude, there is no telling how far he can go.”

Other promising Rubio Long Snapping alumni include Zach Smith to USC, Chase Domiguez to Utah, Gabriel Miller to Nebraska, Scott Sypniewski to Michigan. Brendan Turelli to Wyoming, Mike Lizanich to Tulane and Tucker Estheridge to Louisiana Tech.  In all thirty two Rubio Long Snapping alumni committed to major college football programs reaffirming that when it comes to Long Snapping Rubio leads the pack.  Click HERE for the complete list and visit rubiolongsnapping.com for more details on upcoming camps and the value of being a talented high school Long Snapper.

To see a full list of Long Snappers that have gone through Rubio Long Snapping and went onto college, and beyond, click HERE and enjoy!

Rubio Long Snapping

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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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245

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 BE a Freshman – Part 2

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
– Mark Twain

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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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46

It’s Coming Back Around….

 

Age 1 – I’m a mover and a shaker. The world is mine and I will
experience it all.  NOW!

Age 2 –  I’m into everything and I’m starting to grasp it all…I think


Age 3 – You can’t catch me! The world is mine…and I’m getting there faster now

Age 4 – I know what I know. I know what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine.

Age 5 –  I’m about to start a new stage of my life

Age 6 – My body is beginning to change. Not sure what is happening.

Age 7 – I really don’t like girls, but I kinda want to be around them.

Age 8 – Starting to make some good friends.  I bet they will be around forever.

Age 9 – People are changing. Where do I fit in?

Age 10 – Times are changing. Where do I fit in?

Age 11 – Starting to make some good friends.  I bet they will be around forever.

Age 12 – I really don’t like girls, but I kinda want to be around them.

Age 13 – My body is beginning to change. Not sure what is happening.

Age 14 – I’m about to start a new stage of my life.

Age 15 – I know what I know. I know what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine.

Age 16 –  You can’t catch me! The world is mine…and I’m getting
there faster now

Age 17 – I’m into everything and I’m starting to grasp it all…I think

Age 18 – I’m a mover and a shaker. The world is mine and I will
experience it all.  NOW!

Happy High School graduation to my Long Snappers.

The world is yours but never forget how you started out in life. Not much has changed and everything ends up coming back around:)

Click HERE to have this blog read to you by me in a podcast_________________________________________________________________

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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36

An Open Letter to Parents

Been thinking about doing this one for awhile and just needed the right time of the year. Well, that time is upon us and here you go. This blog is going to be an open letter to parents of graduated senior Long Snappers.

Dear Parents,

You did it! You have produced an upstanding young man that also happens to be one of the best Long Snappers in the country. That is quite an accomplishment to say the least. I know the past couple years have been, let’s just say, interesting. Most likely you have gone through the “I don’t want to be seen with you” stage to the “I need to be seen with you for money and to borrow a car” stage to the “I actually don’t mind your presence that much and kinda enjoy hanging out with you” stage. Well done.

Now comes the hard part, letting them go. There is going to be a fine line in letting them really lead their lives to the fullest and being flat out absent. You need to be there for your child but don’t hold his hand. Guide from a distance is the best way to put it. Since you are a parent of a Long Snapper and Long Snappers play football, there is a pretty darn good shot your son is already heavily involved in the “voluntary” summer workouts. Your son will need you only for motivation right now. His life is going to be a cross between really fun (new place and new people) to really bad (summer workouts mean they push them as hard as possible knowing they have a couple months to be healed) and he is going to need a little push every once in awhile. Keep on him and don’t let him miss a workout. You don’t want him pissing the coach off this soon in his career. They are like me, they remember everything.

During season will be simple due to their schedule. They will be so busy, they won’t have time to miss you, their friends or their home-life. That is a good thing. Keep up with the calls and such. Send them a little treat every so often. Gift card, simple note, baked goods. Doesn’t have to be a big thing. Just something that shows them you are behind them and will always be there for them. They will love it and be the envy of others. Trust me. 

Off-season is going to be very rough for them. They have no football (except conditioning – think summer time but worse since you have even more time to heal) so they will have a lot of free time on their hands. The free time is when they get into trouble with their thinking (too much of it which equals woe is me attitude and wishing for familiarity of home and past friends) and girls (too many of them and one will try to lock on…why wouldn’t they, your son is a Long Snapper!). Between January and May is the time when I would highly suggest a family trip out to the school if possible. He will need some family at this time, even if he doesn’t admit. Also, at this point, he should be acclimated enough to actually show you around and not look like a completely lost moron. Get him through this part of his first year and you should pretty safe the rest of the time. The rest of the time at school will be his second, third and fourth time through the process. This first year is the toughest. If you get to June and he is solid, you are sitting pretty.Do not let them transfer. It rarely works out. If they bring it up, shoot it down immediately. Do not let them fall behind on their grades, it is a rough road to get back on track. Do not let them come home every weekend, they need to spread their wings and learn to survive on their own. I don’t care how much they beg, don’t let them do it.

When it really starts to hit the fan, remember this and feel free to pass this along as it works for the parents and the kids: You are not the first person to go through this process and you definitely won’t be the last. If others can do it, so can you! I have used this phrase a ton in my life and I hope it can help you as well.

Rubio

 

Rubio Professional

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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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What is Grayshirting?

It pains me to say this, but it is true so I must. Long Snappers are usually the last to get recruited. Please take a moment to catch your breath and pick up all of the things you just threw in rage.
 
Since we are often so late to the dinner table of scholarship winners (of course, there are your exceptions that dominate early) coaches will often do whatever they can to get us a seat. This is where gray shirting comes in. According to NCAA.org, grayshirting is:
 
Gray shirting” is a term used in the recruiting process to describe situations in which a student-athlete delays initial enrollment in a collegiate institution to the winter or spring term after the traditional academic year begins. Students who “gray shirt” often use the fall to take classes part time or choose not to enroll in college at all. “Gray shirting” is not a formal designation by the NCAA or the National Letter of Intent program. If you are interested in “gray shirting” and signing a National Letter of Intent, it is important to review the applicable NLI provisions and to be aware of the informal nature of this commitment.
 
Let me bottom line it for you, a school will want you to gray shirt if they have filled up all of their spots for their current recruiting class. That way they can bump you to the next class of recruits.Still hazy? Let me use an example. Say your uber athletic son is a Long Snapper (given) and he is in the class of 2012. He is outstanding and being heavily recruited because he has been coached well. All of a sudden a certain school makes a big move on him (trips, handwritten letters, phone calls from special teams coach and/or head coach). They want your son and they want to sign him on the dotted line (actually cant do that until Feb of his senior year, but work with me). The problem is they have already offered eleventeen position players (qbs, receivers, running backs, etc) and they are out of scholarships. What to do, what to do? Simple: gray shirt. They will now ask if this is something you are interested in. Your son would now, essentially, be their first recruit for the class of 2013. He would graduate like normal for his senior year (May/June) but wouldn’t report to his college until January (most report right after graduation if on scholarship to get some extra classes in and to do the “volunteer” workouts over the summer). I have had a couple of my kids (kids = my Long Snappers) do this and it does work…..with the right person. One of the more notable ones is Christian Yount of UCLA/Pro. He decided to gray shirt, instead of take the normal route, because UCLA really, really wanted him (well done) and he wanted to go there (as he should). It worked for both parties. There are some definite advantages and disadvantages. Here they are, in my opinion:
 
DISADVANTAGES:
  • Time off. Your son may think it is the best thing in the world that he will technically have off from graduation until he reports. That could be a nightmare for him and you. Imagine a six month long summer where he has no responsibility. Exactly.
  • Emotions. Many kids that do this have a tough time being the top dog (recruitment, newspapers, etc) to someone who is forgot about for six months. No football for some for that long of a time can be very difficult.
  • Staying in the groove of school. How many times have you heard someone say I am just going to take a semester off to get refreshed and then I am coming back full speed? I think we know the ending of that story nine times out of ten. School and football are usually a good thing for a kid since it gives them a routine. Get them off that routine and oh man.
  • Identity. Sometimes it takes some time for a Long Snapper to adapt to which class he essentially is in when he does report. Is he with his original class of 2012’s (all his age and grad year) or is he with the class he will be signed with (2013, younger but will do all the meetings with)?
ADVANTAGES:
  • Time off. It can be a good thing to let your body heal and really get ready for when you report. The coaches will expect you to be perfect (as they do with any Long Snapper of mine they are bringing in mind you….focus up). High School football can take a major toll on the body. Some coaches are just insane with their lengths of practices and that can be taxing on the old chassis.
  • Socially. You will have to adapt to being able not be a full on football player right off the bat. After speaking with Christian, he said this was huge for him as it forced him to socialize with non-football players while the team was traveling (hint, hint: girls)
  • School. If you do this and have some money available, the best thing is to actually enroll in classes (can’t be a full load) at the school you will be attending. This way you can get a major jump on the rest of the kids in your class (2013 at this point) and you should EASILY be able to graduate on time, and if worked correctly, should be able to get your Masters on their dime. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
  • School again. Say the money is not obtainable, you can still take JC classes local to you as long as it is not a full load. More units for you to walk into college with. Win.
  • School again again. Getting there a bit early and not having to deal with football right off the bat, can really make a difference in getting comfortable with the workload. Anyone that has played a sport and gone to school at the same time can tell you it can be quite daunting. Doing a gray shirt gives you training wheels for the first quarter or two since you don’t have football to get in your way.
  • Maturity. You will have to get into the mature groove very quickly with the schooling system. You won’t have the football program to help you here. You will have to set up your classes and you usually won’t have tutors at your side until you are officially with the team (January)
  • Injury. Say you do get injured, you still have your redshirt year in your back pocket. Side note, if you gray shirt and redshirt, you better get your Masters or I won’t talk to you ever again…especially since they are paying for it!
  • Coaches. They will love you even more if you actually do end up doing this and going in early (basically with the rest of the 2012 class) but just don’t do any activities with them as a team. You would have to be very self-motivated and responsible (welcome to being an adult, suck it up!). You would be able to work out and be on the field with the guys…..just not at the exact official times as the team. For instance, the team works out from 4-6 pm and you would have to work out from 2-4. Coaches love this dedication and trust me they notice.
Bottom line, gray shirting is something that can work IF done by the right person. It can definitely be brought up to a coach as another way for you to become a player on their team and become another dominant Rubio Long Snapper in college.
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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 14 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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