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Now What?

April 28, 2011 By

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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Athlete, Athletics, College, Maturity, Motivation Tagged With: , , , ,

The Parent Trap….

April 27, 2011 By

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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Athlete, Coaches, College, Parenting Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The People I See on My Travels – 4

April 25, 2011 By

Another airport, another person to marvel at.

The setting is DFW (Dallas Fort Worth Airport for you non-travelers). I’m scrambling through the airport searching for my flight. I get to my gate and I see the check-in desk, the ticket-taker person, chairs that people are sitting in, a big open area that people walk through in order to get to check-in desk and/or ticket-taker AND Mr. I-Really-Really-Want-People-To-Notice-Me (face has been blurred)

Please take a gander at this genius:

Where do I even begin?

Let’s look at the facts with this guy. He was….

  1. Completely sprawled out so everyone HAS to see him. Come on man! Yet again, do people not know the difference between public and private?
  2. Wearing the shoes that make people have to stop and stare. Given, I have already sprayed about my hatred for said shoes. The more prevalent they become, the higher up the list they are getting towards Crocs and Uggs.
  3. Talking ridiculously loud on cell phone. If you weren’t staring at his shoes, his manner of sprawled-outness or his positioning on floor for sprawled-outness, his cackling on the horn was sure to get your attention.

Best part, he was not even on my flight. He was just parked in a random spot. His gate was elsewhere. Amazing. Rethinking this one, I should have “accidentally” tripped and landed on him and just said “oh sorry man, I never thought someone would be sprawled out RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WALKWAY.” Well, I guess I can live and learn:)

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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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Humor Tagged With: , , ,

10 Steps to Making a Great Highlight Tape for a Long Snapper

April 22, 2011 By
One of the most common questions I get is always about extended highlight tapes. Everyone wants to know about content, length, set up and delivery. Here is my answer in a quick and easy format.
Please note: you could easily just use the highlight tapes that I make for you at all Rubio Long Snapping camps as well if you’d like. Benefit: they are verified by me.
 
1. Your highlight tape should be available online on YouTube. 
  • Reason: YouTube NEVER goes down. It is able to be seen on EVERYTHING (computer, cell, tablet). I know many schools use Hudl but Hudl doesn’t always work on all devices.
2. Your highlight tape should have an intro (you spraying the basics – name, school, contact info, my contact info) and printed contact info on a screen or two.
  • Reason: A coach will want to make sure you are not a moron. Blunt, but completely true. You don’t have to recite a soliloquy but they should be able to tell you have a pulse. They will also want to know who to contact (you, your email, possible cell, my name and info, school, HS coach and his info). That is it. No need to put other nonsense (speeds, maxes and such as you are probably just lying anyway). You will want to put my info so they can you use me as a credible source. Some randoms info is going to be worthless to you as a coach won’t trust them. They will want someone that will be dead honest with them….hint, hint: me. 

3. Your highlight tape should be a heavy majority of punts and NOT pats. 

  • Reason: A monkey can do a pat. They aren’t that big a deal. The speed of the punt is what they are going to want to see. Ratio should be about 95% punts & the views should be from a front/side angle and total side view. They will want to see if there is an arch (arch = usually needs more speed). Please note: put your best snaps first!!! If you don’t catch their interest right off the bat, you are done.

4. Your highlight tape should show live snaps and practice footage. 

  • Reason: Game footage is obvious and I always recommend to have some practice snaps because it lets them see your body without pads. Also, it will allow them to see your form and you blocking (yes, you need to put those) a bit clearer and, if you can do it, you can put running tape on of some snaps. That is a huge win. Plus, if you have been to some quality camps, you are most likely better now than you were during the season. Improvement is a good thing.

5. Your highlight tape should be between three and ten minutes.

  • Reason: Your audience will be males. Males lose focus quickly. You don’t grab their attention pretty quick and you are going to have a huge loss on your plate. The only way I approve of a longer highlight tape if it is just ridiculously good (you’ll see what I mean at the end of this blog).

6. Your highlight tape should have no sound after you speak. NO MUSIC or RANDOM SPRAY

  • Reason: It is incredibly annoying and it just gets muted anyway. Trust me, I see hundreds per year and none of them have had the volume turned up. Please note: no one has actually had the guts to put on some silky smooth sounds of Lou Rawls or Teddy P so that might be the reason for immediate muting. 
  • Reason: No one wants to hear a mom yelling, dad cheering, grandma hitting someone with her cane (sorry, flashback) or any words written (.71 for 15 yards!). They, a coach, won’t even look at it and will just end up calling someone they can trust to get a time.

7. Your highlight tape does NOT need to be done by world class professionals. A couple of the best ones I have viewed were done on pretty cheap standard video cameras.

  • Reason: audience is males and they want a bottom line. It doesn’t have to be Avatar. 

8. Your highlight tape should focus on Long Snapping. Sounds basic enough, but you’d be surprised.

  • Reason: You want them to know how great a Long Snapper you are first and foremost. If you are going to show them highlights of another position or sport, they better be just that…HIGHLIGHTS. You want them to see something extraordinary, not just ordinary and it should be placed after your Long Snapping portion.

9. Your highlight tape should be edited well. Meaning, not a lot of wasted time on it. Example: waiting for thirty seconds on each snap while the punter remembers when to move his hands to be ready for your glorious snap or watching the returner run for a touchdown.

  • Reason: Again, your audience is males and they have short attention sp…..hey, look at that bird….just kidding, but you get my point…I hope.

10. Your highlight tape should be reviewed by someone who knows what the college coaches will want.

  • Reason: Simple, you want them to be pleased right off the bat and not wanting more or less.

Here are examples of a couple great ones….

Hope this helps and I look forward to a plethora of great highlight tapes….finally:)
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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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Deep Snapper, High School, Long Snapper, Motivation, Recruiting Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Baby D______ Contest!

April 18, 2011 By

Unless you have been in a cave (ie. not following me on Twitter – side note: boo to you) for the past eight months you should know that my wife, Jolie, is pregnant and due May 23. Also, if you know me, you figured there was no way I would let this get away without having some sort of contest. Well, let the games begin my friends.

Here is how this will work. I am looking to see who can guess the weight of the baby and, as a tie-breaker, the time of arrival of Baby D_______ (name is not being revealed since all names we were throwing around people were telling us they were dumb – thanks a lot family members). I will do Price is Right style with the numbers…meaning, you go over and you lose…I don’t care how close you get, don’t overbid.

Embrace him already opening paw to guide ball


This contest will be open to anyone but you can only enter once. So, for instance, if Cory Cheadle enters, so can his mother Michelle, his father Frank and even brother (I don’t know his name, but I assume he also embraces camouflage slippers so I’m in).

To enter, simply email me (one entry PER person PER email address – so, in the above scenario with the Cheadles, they would need to have sent me four different emails from four different email addresses) your entry. As an example, stellar Rubio Long Snapper Reid Ferguson would email me an exact weight and time in email like this: Hey Rubio, my entry for the contest is that the baby will weigh 7 lbs and 7 oz and will be born at 12:57 pm. PS. I love your camps & I can’t believe how much they have benefited me. Yours truly, Reid.

The winner of the contest will receive $100 off a Rubio Long Snapping camp of their choice (TOP 12, Small Group Session & Private Lessons excluded). Obviously, you can pass the win to a Rubio Long Snapper if you are not a Long Snapper (parent, grandparent, brother, etc.).


I will post all weight guesses as comments on this blog. Therefore, it will be continuously updated so keep checking. I will not post the times that people submit as I don’t want any one to trump another person’s guess by cutting off their time frame (I see that John Smith put 11:57 so I will just put 11:56 to block him).

The contest will run until the baby gets here. Game on!

Well, as you know if you follow me on Twitter, the baby has arrived! Damon Dale Rubio rolled in last night a perfectly healthy, wide eyed boy. He literally came out with his eyes wide open. Gotta tell you, kind of disturbing seeing your kid come out and immediately mad-dogging you:)

So, back to the contest. Damon was 8 lbs on the dot when he was born and entered the world at 9:32 pm. Now, if you look at the comments on this blog you will see the person that actually pegged the exact weight was my mother, the Debster! (Side note: she guessed that weight as that is how much yours truly weighed). Since I am a fair man, and my mother actually doesn’t know any Long Snappers personally to give the win away, I am giving it to the next closest guess (without going over, in true Price is Right fashion) and that person is………..Melissa Etheridge with a guess of 7 lbs 15 oz – double side note: Melissa is Tucker Etheridge‘s mom and pretty sure not the singer:) Congratulations to her and her family!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Contest, Humor Tagged With: , , ,

Rubio Long Snapper Daly Commits!

April 16, 2011 By

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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Athlete, College, Deep Snapper, Football, Long Snapper, Motivation, Recruiting Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Meet the “TOP 12” Long Snappers!

April 14, 2011 By
Going to Vegas in January for underclassmen Long Snappers means several things: seeing what all of the commotion is about, doing your absolute best, getting your ranking solidified, watching in awe at the top seniors that you have read so much about and, of course, making the exclusive TOP 12 list! The TOP 12 is chosen from underclassmen in January and they are simply the best of the best in January. They are the ones that snap the hardest, the most accurate, have the best blocking and are able to handle the pressure of the entire weekend. You make this list and you are on way to greatness….if you keep working as hard as you did to make it. The TOP 12 Long Snappers of January will be listed below and get the most exposure possible. They are invited to exclusive TOP 12 and EVENT ELITE camp this summer. You are only allowed to attend this camp if you prove yourself at one of our Vegas Events (January or May). Therefore, in May, I will be choosing the EVENT ELITE. They will be the best of the best in May and combine with the TOP 12 during the summer for the invite only camp. Some simply aren’t ready for January Vegas and need May to make a name for themselves. This happens. I know it. One particular instance would be Jonathan Weeks. He came in January, was not ready, worked his tail off and came back to dominate May. FYI: Jonathan Weeks in now doing this for his job. Side note: after reading his bio on that page, try to figure out what special teams camp the coach found out about him:) Think about this….come this summer…will you be reading daily about the TOP 12 and EVENT ELITE camp this summer or will you be participating? MAKE IT HAPPEN. ENOUGH EXCUSES. See you in May. PROVE YOURSELF!!! With no further adieu, here are your TOP 12 Long Snappers of 2011….. All information in this article is current as of April, 2011. Click on each individual players names for more information. Chris Fitzpatrick fitzpatrick_chris.jpg High School: Anderson County
State: KY
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #5
Height: 6-1
Weight:  235
GPA: 3.5
SAT / ACT:
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. LSU 2. Purdue 3. Boston College 4. Northwestern 5. Western Kentucky
Hobbies: 1. Weightlifting 2. Fishing 3. Cooking
Chris Says: “My dedication of always trying to improve my long snapping abilities makes me the best Long Snapper in the country.” Chris Rubio Says: “Fitzpatrick  has grown a great deal with his body and his Long Snapping. Has transformed into one of the top Long Snappers in the country. Very, very solid speed that dips into .7s quite often. Very accurate and moves well for being so big. At this pace, he might be a five star by May Vegas. Keep a very close eye on this long time Rubio Long Snapper.” Cory Cheadle cheadle_cory.jpg High School: Hilton Head Christian Academy
State: SC
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #4
Height: 6-3.5
Weight:  255
GPA: 2.85
SAT / ACT: 1360
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Clemson 2. Auburn 3. Alabama 4. Tennessee 5. Maryland
Hobbies: 1. Fishing 2. Gofing 3. Boating
Cory Says: “My ability to snap well under extreme pressure is what makes me the best Long Snapper in the country. ” Chris Rubio Says: “Cheadle continues to impress me. Blocks very well, incredible flexibilty, solid personality and body, and he has the ability to snap the ball rocket fast. Cheadle continues to woo me with his overall snapping ability. Even under a bit of pain, he is doing well. Watch this one. I fully expect May Vegas to be his welcome party into the 5 star club.”Grant Meersand meersand_grant.jpg High School: Mira Costa
State: CA
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #3
Height: 6-1
Weight: 218 GPA: 3.3
SAT / ACT:
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Colorado 2. UCLA 3. Northwestern 4. Arizona St 5. LSU
Hobbies: 1. Playing football 2. Paddle Boarding 3. Hanging at the beach with friends
Grant Says: “I am the most consistent and can handle pressure better than any other person in the country and that makes me the best Long Snapper in the country. ” Chris Rubio Says: “Grant handles pressure as well as anyone in the country. The bigger and stronger he gets, the better he is. Easily one of the best forms around on a Long Snapper. Darn near flawless and picture perfect. Blocking is very solid. Speed improves every week. Very, very solid Long Snapper right now.”Jeff Overbaugh overbaugh_jeff.jpg
High School: Service
State: AK
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #6
Height: 6-1
Weight: 235 GPA: 3.5
SAT / ACT:
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Michigan 2. UNLV 3. WSU 4. Oregon St 5. LSU
Hobbies: 1. Downhill Skiing 2. Sea Kayaking 3. River Rafting
Jeff Says: “My proven ability to snap fast and accurately and block well in two Play Off/State Championships as well as the Tanoa Bowl Classic (Alaska vs Washington) makes me the best Long Snapper in the country.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Overbaugh is very fluid and smooth. Starting to look effortless. Very strong. Blocking and speed of the ball will really bump him up the rankings board. Love his confidence. Definitely looked like a man on a mission in Vegas.  Once he stops thinking and really lets the ball go he will be amazing.” Kyle Ashby ashby_kyle.jpg
High School: Brazoswood
State: TX
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #8
Height: 6-0
Weight: 240 GPA: 3.7
SAT / ACT:
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Oklahoma 2. Missouri 3. Stanford 4. Texas A&M 5. La Tech
Hobbies: 1. Activiites with Church youth people 2. Hunting/Fishing 3. Working out on Long Snapping
Kyle Says: “My Accuracy, Consistency, Smooth, Tight Spiral, and the best work ethic of anyone in the country makes me the best Long Snapper in the country.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Ashby is really coming into his own. He has turned himself into a terrific young Long Snapper. Very, very smooth. Love to catch his snaps. Almost fall into your hands. Great spiral and his frame is terrific. One of the most accurate within his class. Once he gets his body really involved and trusts his form, he will be top 5 and move closer to the elusive 5 star rating. Very solid Long Snapper.” Matt Cincotta cincotta_matt.jpg
High School: Charlotte Catholic
State: NC
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #14
Height: 6-1
Weight: 195 GPA: 3.74
SAT / ACT: 1090
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Notre Dame 2. Duke 3. Wake Forest 4. Va Tech 5. Virginia
Hobbies: 1. Target Shooting 2. Basketball 3. Golf
Matt Says: “I am the best Long Snapping in the country because I offer the combination of a consistent long snapper with the quickness, speed, and athleticism of a linebacker.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Cincotta is making the turn to greatness. Ball has always been fast and on target but he had an issue with his spiral. Left hand used to move a tad which caused the spiral to disappear. Well that problem is almost completely gone which is great for him and terrible for the other Long Snappers ahead of him. The more size and muscle he gets, the better he will be. Watch this one!” Patrick Gerrits frix_trent.jpg
High School: Wellington
State: FL
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #9
Height: 6-2
Weight: 222 GPA: 3.3
SAT / ACT:
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Villanova 2. Tennessee 3. Va Tech 4. La Tech 5. Purdue
Hobbies: 1. Building Robotics 2. Traveling 3. Collecting historical swords
Patrick Says: “I am the best Long Snapping in the country because I  am consist, accurate, focused, and always improving are four words that I feel describe myself best. In the last two years I have consistently snapped over 100 times without a single blocked punt in a game.  Under the most pressure situations I stay consistent, accurate and focused. Every day I try to find ways to improve, and every year I find that I Improve in some way, for example my blocking and snapping speed have increased significantly over the past year.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Patrick is one of the smoothest Long Snappers in the country. Does well under pressure and RARELY misses. The bigger and stronger he gets, the better he will be. Almost looks like he is not even trying when he snaps he is so fluid. Pretty soon he is going to realize how good he and his form are and he is going to just let the ball go and then watch! Great kid and personality. Blocking continues to improve.” Reid Ferguson ferguson_reid.jpg
High School: Buford
State: GA
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #2
Height: 6-2
Weight: 240 GPA: 3.7
SAT / ACT: 1550
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. LSU 2. Tennessee 3. North Carolina 4. Florida St. 5. South Florida
Hobbies: 1. Playing football (preferably Long Snapping) 2. Spending quality time with friends and family 3. Watching movies and eating
Reid Says: “The attribute about me that makes me the best Long Snapper in the Country in my work ethic.  I am willing to do anything to be the best at what I do.  Especially if you give me a challenge, I will go above and beyond to try and reach that goal.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Reid is ready right now for the next level. Terrific frame, speed and accuracy. Blocks very well. Can’t say enough good things about him. Been a true student of Long Snapping for quite some time and it has paid off.” Scott Daly daly_scott.jpg High School: Downers Grove South
State: IL
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #1
Height: 6-3
Weight:  235 GPA: 3.0
SAT / ACT:
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Northwestern 2. Notre Dame 3. Stanford 4. Michigan St. 5. Iowa
Hobbies: 1. Working out 2. Golfing 3. Traveling with my family
Scott Says: “I am the best Long Snapper in the country because I have a phenomenal work ethic.  I’m teachable and I never feel I have learned enough.  I always strive to become better and I prepare myself so that I can only get better.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Daly is a machine. Went from average with potential to the most dominant Long Snapper in his class in one year. Works like a horse and built like one too. Kid is beyond smooth and fast. He is a no brainer scholarship Long Snapper.  Continues to dominate. Ball explodes out of his hands. Beyond fast. Almost shocking. Very, very smooth Long Snapper. Body is excellent. Very athletic.” Scott Sypniewski sypniewski_scott.jpg
High School: Marquette Academy 
State: IL
Graduating Class: 2013
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #2
Height: 6-1
Weight: 215 GPA: 3.4
SAT / ACT:
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Michigan 2. Western Michigan 3. Nebraska 4. Illinois 5. Oregon
Hobbies: 1. Working out and becoming better 2. Hanging with friends 3. Playing sports
Scott Says: “I am the best Long Snapper in the country because I dont let anyone out work me.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Sypniewski is growing with his body and snapping. This Long Snapper is just flat out great…..ALREADY! Very, very smooth and accurate. Needs a tad more pop to really pick up his speed (which is already excellent for his age). Great snapper and person. ” Trent Frix frix_trent.jpg
High School: Calhoun
State: GA
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #7
Height: 6-0
Weight: 190 GPA: 4.0
SAT / ACT: 1030
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. LSU 2. Tennesee 3. Georgia 4. UAB 5. Alabama
Hobbies: 1. Hunting  2. Fishing 3. Hiking
Trent Says: “I believe I am one of the best long snapper in the nation because I have been the starting long snapper on my varsity high school team for the three years I have been in high school. I also started at outside linebacker this past year and have also played receiver and running back during my high school career. During the time I have been in high school  we have went to the Georgia state championship three years in a row and have an overall record of 40-4. I have also started the past two years at center field on our baseball team which won the state championship in 2010. I have also been practicing on my long snapping and competing in camps since I was in the 6th grade. I think that my overall athleticism, experience, and work ethic separates me from the other long snappers and makes me one of the best in the nation.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Frix is going to be great. He already is beyond good. VERY athletic and strong. Hands are like rockets. Body is solid and getting better by the day. Form needs a couple quick tweeks but looks as though he is definitely headed in the right direction. Blocks well and runs even better. Watch this one.” William Eads eads_william.jpg
High School: Hoover
State: AL
Graduating Class: 2012
Position: Long Snapper Current National Rubio Long Snapping Ranking: #13
Height: 6-0
Weight:  202 GPA: 3.65
SAT / ACT: 23
Top 5 Colleges Choices: 1. Alabama 2. Ole Miss 3. Mississippi St 4. Wake Forest 5. Florida St
Hobbies: 1. Fishing  2. Golfing 3. Hanging out with friends
William Says: “I believe I am one of the best long snapper in the nation because I have experience blocking in games and I came through for my team in many clutch situations throughout the last season.”
Chris Rubio Says:  “Eads has really grown into his body. Oozing confidence, which I love, and is snapping is benefiting. Body is getting bigger and stronger and his snaps are quick. Blocking is coming along. His form is absolutely fantastic. When he gets all the way back and lets it go, he is amazing. The bigger he gets, the better he is going to be simply because his form is so darn solid.”    
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 32162805_1690368751039248_6661371560290418688_o.jpg
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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Athlete, Deep Snapper, Exposure, High School, Long Snapper, Motivation, TOP 12 Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How Can Twitter Benefit You?

April 11, 2011 By
Anyone that knows me, knows that I am a big advocate of Twitter. I was hesitant at first (most are since it is a relatively new concept out in the world) but I have jumped in with two feet and I am wholeheartedly behind it. I see major benefits for everyone involved and I even created a step-by-step basic instruction manual to set up your own account (come back to this later when you set yours up). The benefits are immense, but the basics you need to embrace are….. Mass Text Messaging – That is pretty much all Twitter is….if done correctly. People are always asking me to send a certain message to their son:
  • an inspirational quote (Good morning. #QOTD! “For success, attitude is equally as important as ability”)
  • a blog
  • a picture of perfect form
  • a personal video clip of a Long Snapper
  • a funny message (You know your wife is 8 months pregnant when….she says, w/ a straight face, “yeah, I think I’m just gonna have Samoas for dinner tonight”)
  • my protest of the day (#ProtestOTD! Guy at gym w/ full on massive stereo headphones. Ease down buddy. You are going to tip over & u look like Princess Leia)

With Twitter, it is simple. You can actually set up yours and their cell phone to follow me and receive a text message when I put out a message (that link I provided about 18 lines up will show you how to do this).

Searching Topics – On the Twitter site, you can easily search any topic you want (hint, hint: Long Snapper) and find out any time someone has mentioned that particular subject. This can be huge for finding articles about topics that interest you (hint, hint: Long Snapping).
Example of my Twitter page. Notice search option on bottom right corner    

Information – You can follow anyone that has a Twitter account and see the stuff they want you to see. This is a great for a Long Snapper that wants to know about a certain school, conference, coach, player. Most, if not all, of them will have a Twitter account and will post inside info about news, camps, pictures, etc.   For instance, I follow @JeremyCrabtree (ESPN), @BrandonHuffman (Scout.com) for breaking news on recruits (by breaking, I mean the instant it happens…with Twitter, if set up correctly, yet again, refer to my step-by-step sheet, you will know the second it gets posted without having to check Google). Personalities – This is a great advantage of Twitter for me. I get to follow certain people (hint, hint: Rubio Long Snappers….there are many with an account), see what they are like in the real world and even have met some interesting cats. Coaches will want a Long Snapper that has a personality. As one D1 Coach told me, “Rubio, I’m going to have to spend a lot of time with this guy, so he better not just be a robot.” Two people that I would reference would be The Purdue Long Snappers. @FinchMachine and @Ballinger.

@FinchMachine Twitter Bio: I can’t dance but I can longsnap. Who am I kidding? Of course I can dance.
@Ballinger (great stache) Twitter Bio: just your average joe who also happens to long snap trying to make it and stuff

These are two guys that I never would have known without Twitter.  Here is how our relationship started….a Twitter fairytale if you will…..

  • They had heard of me through long time Chris Sailer Kicking student Carson Wiggs (he is Purdue’s kicker and, let’s be honest, basically only does well because his snappers are so solid and because he knows Sailer).
  • They started following me on Twitter to see what I would say next. Word is they were a tad shocked at some of my spray. Embrace.
  • Sprayed me a message or two (easily done on Twitter)
  • I checked them out on Twitter and found out they were very funny (please note: they are in college so their stuff does toe the line a bit but it shows their personality and I embrace)
  • Done

Bottom line, as a Rubio Long Snapping parent told me, everyone should have a Twitter account and follow @RubioSnapping for these reasons: 1.       Keeps me informed as a parent what is going on with all things related to long snapping…your camps, current events, recruiting, etc. 2.       Fun to track what you are doing and what is going on with my sons’ peers. 3.       Good educational information on long snapping…

Looking forward to receiving an email from Twitter letting me know you are following me:)

 

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 32162805_1690368751039248_6661371560290418688_o.jpg

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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Deep Snapper, Exposure, Long Snapper, Maturity, Recruiting, Twitter Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Only So Many Days….

April 5, 2011 By
You only have so many seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years to make things happen in your life. Whether it’s traveling the world, writing a book, finding that right job or even meeting that perfect someone…your time is limited. If you are looking to be an elite athlete, Long Snapper of course, you’re time frame has just dropped significantly. Your window is considerably less and the time needs to be taken much more seriously. In the drive of life, you will be rolling by that window of opportunity at 100 mph and you need to make sure you open your eyes, heart and mind fully to take full advantage of it. Today is a day. A Tuesday to be exact. Just like many others. But I have to ask…..
How are you going to make it different?
How are you going to improve?
How are you going to show the coach there is NO DOUBT you deserve that starting spot in the Fall?
How are you going to separate yourself from those clawing at your heels in the rankings?
How are you going to improve to catch that Long Snapper ahead of you that you think you are better than BUT have not proven it to me yet? How are you getting ready for the Spring Event in Vegas this May? How are you getting mentally ready for the challenges of Vegas to ensure you grab a TOP 12/EVENT ELITE spot? Please notice how I have used the word you so frequently. This piece is about you getting up and making yourself better. Not mommy or daddy. Not your coach. Not your tutor. Not even me. YOU need to pick yourself up and get the work done. Like I always say, you will be the one snapping the ball. Focus up and let’s go. Now pause. I want you to picture yourself getting better, making yourself better, leaving no doubt…dominating. Now make it happen.    
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 32162805_1690368751039248_6661371560290418688_o.jpg
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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Maturity, Motivation Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

What is Grayshirting?

April 4, 2011 By
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.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 32162805_1690368751039248_6661371560290418688_o.jpg
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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Coaches, College, Eligibility, Freshman, Graduating, Graduation, Recruiting Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Hand Placement for Long Snapping

March 29, 2011 By
There is an age-old argument in regards to Long Snappers and where their hands should be placed on the ball.
“You have to hold it like this!”
“You have to cup the football with your dominant hand”
“Your thumb and index finger need to be almost touching”
“Your non-dominant hand needs to form an L”
“You need to have all of your dominant fingers touching”
“Your thumb needs to be on the seam”
“Your non-dominant index finger needs to be on the seam”
“Blah blah blah”
Cue Charlie Brown teacher again.
Let me ask you a couple quick questions just to crush all of the above statements….
1)    If every Long Snapper’s hands had to be the EXACT same way to be a great snap, then how is it possible that every Long Snapper in high school, college and the pro does not have  the exact same grip? (Rubio comes out swinging baby!) Answer: they don’t.
2)    How is it possible to have all Long Snappers have the same grip on the football when everyone’s hands are not the exact same dimensions nor hold the same character traits? For instance, my hands are huge with very long fingers that spread extremely wide (think 180 degrees from thumb to pinky…..go ahead and try it….I will pause). Should I force someone with tiny paws to have the same grip? Answers: It isn’t and nope.
My paw on the bottom and a Rubio Long Snapper’s (2013) on top.

At this point, you are either embracing and are having an epiphany (what a great word) or are upset with me since I just demolished your theory. Either way, you are probably saying, “Ok Rubio, so what’s the proper way to hold the ball when snapping? My answer: there really isn’t one.

I pulled up some pictures of several very dominant college and pro Long Snappers. Look hard at them. I want you to notice one thing: not one of them has exactly the same grip and they were all instructed by me at some point. The closer you look, the more you will notice the little differences.

You might see them and say “Come on Rubio, there is barely any difference!” But let me remind you that being a Long Snapper means dealing with a very small surface area (football), any slight adjustment or variation on that area conveys a completely different feel and will result in a completely different outcome (ball trajectory, spiral, placement, etc). Compare it to a car and it’s “area”….just the slightest movement within it and everything feels different (imagine driving from the passenger seat…you could do it, but man would it be different). Now imagine if that car was the size of a football. An inch adjustment would mean you are now driving from the trunk.

Therefore, I am a firm believer in doing what comes natural to you. Hold the ball with your dominant hand the way you would throw a pass like a quarterback. Remember, like I always say, a Long Snapper is just a quarterback that is upside down and going the wrong way? So, go ahead and snap like it that.

What about the non-dominant hand you ask? Well, this one can be a tad trickier. I taught myself and I have my left middle finger right on the seam. Why? It felt comfortable and it was easy for me to remember where to put my hand. Not a lot of scientific reasoning for you on that one. It worked, and I embraced it. Done.

As I have continuously worked with Long Snappers over the past decade I have noticed that many can’t do that grip because of hand size or lack thereof. It seems that most like to embrace a split of the seam between their non-dominant index and middle finger. Hey, whatever floats your boat. I don’t care, just get the ball back there fast and put it on the hip. If you are getting the final product right, why would I adjust you?

Breathe. I don’t want you getting all stressed about this topic. No need. Your grip is not a deal breaker. It is just something that starts the process and it can be done hundreds of different ways. Here is the best part about this whole discussion: there is no right answer or way. Snapping, essentially, is not how you are holding the ball but how it is released and how you are using the rest of your body. It is a very small step in the entire process of a perfect snap and becoming a great Long Snapper. Plain and simple.
Still confused? Looks like I will see you at a camp or a lesson in the very near future where I guarantee I can explain my theory.

Chris-Rubio-2

Rubio 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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Long Snapper Tagged With: , , , , ,

Talent

March 25, 2011 By

Just woke up with Long Snapping on my mind. Happens quite a bit as you can imagine. Almost always good thoughts and ideas, but every once in awhile something will creep into my dome and upset me. This thought was one that woke me and wouldn’t allow me to fall back asleep with a smile on my face. 

I just recently received a message from a parent that one of my Long Snappers has decided to “retire” from Long Snapping. It happens. I know this. Long Snapping is not for everyone. I get it and I completely understand. I would never want someone to do something they are not really happy with in life.

HOWEVER, it drives me crazy when I think back to some of my Long Snappers that have “retired” simply because they were met with a challenge and couldn’t stand up to it. I think back to many that I have had that hung it up and wasted all of their talent as they came to a new bridge to climb over. They didn’t cross the bridge. They got to the edge, looked at it, turned back around and headed for easy street.

Not everything in life worth doing is on easy street. The sooner you figure that out (talking to all of my Long Snappers right now), the better you will be in every aspect of your life.

Things getting a little tougher? Suck it up. You are fine. Whenever I get stuck in a very difficult situation in life I always think of this statement: Am I the first person to be doing this? If the answer is no, then I am pretty darn sure I can do it. And I do! I use that little statement continuously in everything I come across (from playing football, to going through hell week, to graduating, to finding a job, to getting married, to having kids, to having my wisdom teeth removed, to flying for hours at a time, to making deadlines, to simply getting out of bed sometimes).

As some point in your life you need to realize how much talent you really do possess. You need to realize that if someone else can do it, that you also can do it and, for the love of all that is holy, you can do it better. What is stopping you? YOU?! Get up and go. Get it done. Do your drills. Do your homework. Eat your food. Don’t eat your food. Be a human being that people want to respect and hang out with….for good reasons. Enough excuses.

DO NOT WASTE YOUR TALENT! If for any reason alone, you will upset me:) Now go have a great day. Make today better than yesterday. Go!

 

_________________________________________________________________

Chris-Rubio-2

Rubio 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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Athlete, Athletics, Long Snapper, Motivation Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What to do…What to do…..

March 22, 2011 By

Recently, I have had some conversations through text with some of my college Long Snappers and it brought up a very common problem. Therefore, I shall now spray. See if you can relate…..

Rubio Long Snapper “My head coach comes up to me at spring ball this morning and tells me I do the exact same thing every time before I get set. He said I was like a pitcher. Given it took everything in me not to ask if he would want his pitcher to throw balls or strikes?”

Rubio Long Snapper “My coach told me to do something that I know is completely off from what you have taught me…..help”

Sound familiar? If you have been Long Snapping for more than 18 seconds in your career I can almost guarantee that someone, usually a coach, has spoken to you about your snapping. And, usually, that spray will completely counter what someone with knowledge has told you prior about Long Snapping (you should be nodding your head right now). So, one would wonder, how do I respond to such person?….especially if it is someone that can control my fate a little (playing time, making sure you get a college letter, etc).

Here is what I used to do: nod my head, with respect of course, and pretend they were Charlie Brown’s teacher (remember to click on the blue or you lose a lot of what I am saying here).

I came to the realization early on in my snapping adventure that not many know about the wonderful art of Long Snapping. That is obvious with most any conversation you have with the average Joe. However, I’m smart (given, since I am a Long Snapper) and I knew I didn’t want to disrespect and/or upset the coach that was in charge of who would be starting in the game so I simply nodded and listened to exactly what they were telling me to do. I would even go as far as actually practicing what they told me to do in front of them. Key phrase: in front of them (one must not look like a complete moron at all times while doing some outlandish drill a person of authority thinks will get you better even though they have never snapped a ball a day in their life).

Then, when it was live, I would do exactly as I was properly taught (side note: you remember how I was taught, right) and the ball would zip back there. It was great to watch how happy the coaches were that their method worked (wink, wink)! Shhhh, don’t tell them that you actually really just went back to what was already working or did a new way that I taught you. They will just care that the ball is back into the punter’s/holder’s hands. They will not be able to see the intricacies of the actual snap so don’t over stress about it.

Bottom line, you are going to have to deal with difficult people your entire life and you need to realize how to handle them. They will never go away and it won’t always be about Long Snapping. Trust me, if it was life would be a whole heck of a lot easier.

 

_________________________________________________________________

Chris-Rubio-2

Rubio 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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Athlete, Coaches, Deep Snapper, Football, Long Snapper, Maturity, Motivation Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

The People I See on My Travels – 3

March 19, 2011 By
Another flight, another person for you. As you know, I travel all over and see a ton of people. This one even baffled me. Let me introduce you to Mr-I-REALLY-Think-I-At-Home guy:
Please note: this is not an actor. He really rolls like this in public!

Can’t tell what this guy is doing you say? Let me clear it up for you…..he is cutting his nails while everyone is waiting to get on their flights! I really wish I was kidding, but, unfortunately, I am not.

Once again, as was with this guy, I simply couldn’t divert my eyes. I was staring into an eclipse with binoculars on but I didn’t care. This was something that needed to be viewed and analyzed. I was starting to get a little nervous that he would catch me, but then I realized, am I really the one that should be embarrassed? Absolutely not. Therefore, I embraced.  This guy is so off with his social norms that he needs to realize how clueless he is. I was hoping he would see me. He did not.

He was so blatant with his clipping (I was approximately seven feet from him acting like a paparazzi and he didn’t bat an eye), it made me really hope it was in the summer. That would have opened up so many opportunities with the obvious sandal option. This cat was at an airport I frequently hit, so I am really pulling to see him in a couple months. Keep your well manicured fingers crossed.

_________________________________________________________________

Chris-Rubio-2

Rubio 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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Humor Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Why Not Coach, Rubio?

March 17, 2011 By

One of the hardest habits I have to break on my Long Snappers has absolutely nothing to do with snapping. It has to do with that they/you call me. Like I have said, I am a private football coach that teaches Long Snapping. So, therefore, one would want to call me coach.

Please don’t.

“But Rubio (see how I am already training you here), you are a coach so we should call you coach.” True, but I am out with it.

Here are my reasons…..I won’t just coach you about Long Snapping. Anyone that has spent any time with me knows this for a fact. I make it a point to get to know each and every Long Snapper (and quite often their parents if they embrace) I encounter and my spray of Long Snapping is just a tiny aspect of what I actually do and teach. If you have been with me at a camp, lesson, event, on the phone, through Twitter, whatever and think all I do is coach Long Snapping, you seriously need to have your head examined.

Here are a couple images to show different things that I have taught my Long Snappers:)

Modeling poses with Drew Ferris (FL)
How to be a Harlem Globetrotter
How to send out a quality Twitter message with Harrison Elliott (Air Force)
How to be a table
And who can forget, getting ready for prom with Corey Gibas (Texas A&M)

Being an athlete (former, unless you count the domination of random Long Snapping contests, ping pong, wiffle ball and arcade basketball as maintaining my athlete title). I have had MANY experiences with coaches as I am sure you have as well. Now, I want you to think back to all the coaches you have had. Go ahead and think. Now, out of all of them, how many bring a massive smile to your face? Maybe ten percent….if you are lucky? I’m not talking about a smile because you “remember just how crazy Coach _____ was” but a legit, “man, Coach ______ was just a flat out great guy” type smile. Getting my point?

Most (not all, but most and this is my point….the bad ones leave a terrible taste in your mouth and I don’t want that stigma associated with me) coaches can coach but they can’t speak. What that means is that many/most coaches know the games in which they are leading but have lost, and choose not to gain, the ability to speak to another person/their player as a human being. Side note: pathetic and sad. 

What I like to do, and would have appreciated being done to me, is to treat each and every one of my Long Snappers like they are my own child. That is what I do….always. Is that what a coach will do….not always. 

Will I say some outlandish things every once in awhile? Yup. Do I speak like that to Alec, Cruz and Damon? Yup. Will I get in a Long Snapper’s face every once in awhile? When needed, yup. Am I mean or rude about it? Nope. No need to be. I can convey my point with words and not berating or yelling. In my opinion, those that yell and intimidate those that are younger (players on their team) are insecure and essentially really don’t know what they are doing. They need to yell to show their “power” and “dominance” because they can’t do it any other way. I am beyond out with that. (note: not all coaches are like this and if you are solid coach, I respect you and will give you a big hug the next time I see you)

You know that coach you had that did tackling drills all practice long? Guess what, he had no idea what he was doing. When you advance and have good, solid coaches (yes, they do exist and I have had several) you will rarely do tackling drills. Not because you don’t need to know how to tackle, but because you can learn without abusing your body, and often your demeanor and/or mentality, over and over and over again. I am beyond out with that. There is no need for it. How about speaking to the player and simply explaining what you would like them to do? If a coach can’t explain what they want a player to do in great detail and in a way that they (the player) can comprehend, maybe they shouldn’t be coaching.

Getting my point? I’m not saying that all coaches are evil demons that remind you of the Sergeant on Full Metal Jacket, but many are. It is not always their fault. Many have been raised that way in their sporting life, but one would think they would want to break that cycle. God knows I did.

Bottom line: You will have hundreds of coaches in your life, some will be great and some will be bad, but, I promise you this….you will only have one Rubio!

 

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Chris-Rubio-2

Rubio 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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Filed Under: Coaches, Humor, Long Snapper, Maturity, Relationships Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The People I See On My Travels – 2

March 15, 2011 By
Well, I have been to a couple of airports since my last entry and oh do I have some winners for you (I’m only going to tell you about one right now). Let me introduce you to Mr-I-Have-No-Idea-That-I-Am-Wearing-A-Backpack guy. Please take a second and look at the following picture I have added for all the visual learners out there:

The Enemy
This guy is the person you see in the airport wearing a monster backpack. Seems innocent enough and you almost feel bad for him. Don’t ever feel sorry for this person. They are the enemy. They can take a person and/or magazine rack out with one turn of their body. Their backpack is usually filled with at least one laptop, and from the damage they create, one would assume at least a cinderblock or two.
This particular man was on a flight with me and sitting across the aisle. I noticed him right off the bat as he is a rare “double bagger.” Basically, he carries a monster backpack the normal way and then carries another bag with his paws. The extra bag just adds to his dangerousness because he will pay more attention to the bag in hand instead of the weapon he carries on his back (which does enough damage on it’s own, let alone when he is double unfocused).
He took out at least two small children simply walking down aisle of the plane. I was smart enough to see him coming and fully embraced the person next to me to avoid his wake. He sat down and tried to stuff his backpack/weapon under the chair in front of him. Given, it didn’t fit so he had a personal ottoman all flight. He almost cramped up he was in such a fetal position for so long. I was really hoping the cramps set it in so he would wait to get off the flight. They didn’t.

When we landed, I tried again to snuggle with the person next to me to make some room for Godzilla’s tail but I couldn’t get out of the way quick enough and was nailed several times. I am not sure if the guy was warming up for a hula-hoop contest or what, but he was spinning like a wild man and connecting with me on each turn. After four of five blows to my grill, I decided to just embrace hoping he would knock me out cold to end the misery. I was literally ducking and diving like a boxer.

Bottom line: you see a person on your travels with monster backpack, get away. You see a person with monster backpack and bag in hand, run for the hills.

_________________________________________________________________

Chris-Rubio-2

Rubio 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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Humor Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Nike Spring Camp in CA

March 11, 2011 By

I can’t sleep. It is 2:24 am and I am pretty much wide awake. Couple reasons: baby on the way (May 23 and I am a thinker so my mind is always rolling on this one), a certain Apple product has peaked my interest, I watched Short Circuit a couple hours ago and was shocked at how bad it/the acting was (I refuse to believe all classic 80’s movies I grew up with are the same way!) and, finally, I am thinking a ton about this weekend’s Nike Spring Camp in CA.

(Side note: thought this was known, but apparently it is not, when you see something in my blogs in blue, like the words Apple product, that means there is a link within that word…click on it for a whole new world of possibilities. Double side note: you might also need to meander back through some past blogs to clear some things up)

This weekend’s camp is the beginning of my spring and summer tour. Think first day of school. I didn’t dread school when I was younger. I enjoyed it. It was easy and I was able to hang out with my friends. Don’t get me wrong, I was not a fan of homework, but rest of it (socializing, etc) made that part worth it for me. This camp is my first day of school…and I am excited.

It is essentially a local camp (I live in Idaho, but travel back to California quite often) for me so there will be a lot of Long Snappers that I know and this won’t be their first rodeo at a Rubio Long Snapping camp. I am very interested to see who steps up. Being comfortable around me is one thing. Performing in front of me is a whole other. The “regulars” know the routine and what I expect. The new guys will not. I would love to see a new Long Snapper come in and just wow me. Love it, but will it happen?

2011 –  Obviously, this class is stacked and there will be some key players in CA for this camp. I wonder if Scott Thompson and Tanner Gibas will show their dominance like they did in Vegas at the 9th Annual Event and blow everyone out of the water. Will Den Bleyker be confident and really let the ball fly? Will Longo show me how he has gained weight and prove that UCLA made a great decision in offering him a spot on the team? Will Gibbs stick his chest out, trust his form and let me see his improvement? How about Avila, the kid is built like a rock and is improving by the second.

2012 – This class is starting to really get their identity and it is solid. A lot of movement is going to occur in their rankings during the next nine months through the spring/summer camps and especially Vegas. This camp is their first step in a long journey and they need to start off on the right foot. The group in CA is filled with good Long Snappers…which ones will step up on Sunday and be great?

2013 – Several new sophomore Long Snappers will be attending this camp. Always intrigues me, but can they possibly keep up with some of the already old-timers? Key match-ups to see will be Lizanich (proven dominance), Mazza (up and coming, built like a 20 year old) and Thompson (form is best in class, and I am just waiting on the size to kick in). I am fully expecting a good amount of movement in this class.

Just read this post. Looks like I am putting a bit of pressure on the Long Snappers out in CA. That is not like me at all. I would never play a mind game like that now would I? Of course, being a Long Snapper is a position where one has to be able to handle an immense amount of pressure so maybe I would. Those that know me know the real answer is………

_________________________________________________________________

Chris-Rubio-2

Rubio 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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Athlete, Athletics, California Camp, Deep Snapper, Exposure, Football, High School, Long Snapper, Motivation, Recruiting Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Who Makes Up Rubio?

March 9, 2011 By

How did I get to be me? Who influences me? Who is a part of my everyday life? Kind of odd questions but ones that I think would make me seem a little bit more open to many of you. I am going to open up to you and give you bit of insight on my family. This blog is going to introduce just a couple of these characters to you. I choose to use the word characters instead of people because that is what these people are….characters.

Jolie – My wife. She deserves an entire blog (or better yet, a book), but all I am going to do is show you a picture of the two of us and let your minds go crazy. I may, or may not, come back to her and this story (easily one of the best you will ever hear) later. Trust me, it is amazing.  Here is your picture:

Jolie and Yours Truly

Cruz – My oldest son. Full of personality. Excellent athlete. Easiest way to explain him is if you watch the show Modern Family, Cruz is Manny. No doubt. Cruz has the personality of a 25 year old gigolo. I keep telling him he is nine.

Cruz

Alec – Eight year old son who is an artistic genius, extremely bright, kind and talks louder than anyone I have ever heard. It is almost shocking. He might be an off-spring of Will Ferrell’s character Jacob Silj from Saturday Night Live. I can’t wait until he can work Vegas for me simply to call out names.

Alec

The Triplets – Mother (Deb), Aunt Donna and Aunt Leslie

They actually aren’t triplets, or so they say. They are sisters that act and look identical. They wear black EVERY SINGLE DAY of the year. Christmas…check. Weddings…check. Baptisms…check. Funerals…..kidding? They love them. It is like the SuperBowl since they are finally in style. Quick run down:

My mother (Deb), Aunt Leslie and Aunt Donna on Easter Sunday.


Mother (Deb) – Often called Deb because, for some reason, she does not respond to mom. I could say mom all day and she wouldn’t hear it one time. I say Deb and she is all of a sudden like the dog from the movie Up when he smells a squirrel. She is the leader of the triplets. She just had one of her knees replaced. Still limps on it. Think she forgot she replaced it. She wears black.

The Debster

Aunt Donna – Easily the nicest person you will ever meet. She won’t say a bad thing about anyone. Literally, someone could be talking about the devil and Aunt Donna would say, “Um, well, he um, at least he looks good in red.” A little absent minded at times (at times = 23 hours and 59 seconds of the day)….adds to her charm, but I guarantee you will never, ever find a nicer person. She wears black.

Aunt Donna

Aunt Leslie – The funniest of the three. If you ever get a chance to hear her tell a story, usually making fun of the other triplets, you will die laughing. Always loyal. Hilarious. According to her, she has never had a good day….in her entire life. She wears black.

Aunt Leslie

Barb (The Big Queen) – Mother-in-Law. Great listener. Amazing person. Loves to hear a good story and is all about the pulse of the people. Not sure how, but she can watch 15 TV shows per day, TiVo another 20 and watch those too. She pretty much defies science and can bend time.

 

Big Queen and yours truly

Dale (The Onion) – Father-in-Law. Nickname is because he has so many layers (well done Marcus J). Doesn’t speak to anyone he doesn’t like….please note: doesn’t talk much:) Absolutely hilarious when he does speak. Shockingly poignant. Doesn’t use real names. Only nicknames. I can’t tell you mine unless you are over 17. I embrace.

The Onion. Given no face option.

Ruth (The Gypsy) – Grandmother-in-law. Nice as can be. Barb’s mother so she can also defy science. Therefore, she is in her mid 80’s but is able to act and looks like she is mid 50’s. Changes outfits on the hour for some reason (jacket you see in photo on the below was immediately taken off and replaced with blue top for a group shot). Has a knack for predicting the predictable. For instance, when we told her Jolie was pregnant, she had no doubt, through her powers, that it would be a boy….or a girl. True story.

Ruth

Macaw – My grandmother. She is 94. I think. She thinks. Anytime you ask her she bumps it up simply to be the oldest person around. She hates when she is not the oldest. I always try to point out someone that looks older and tell her they are older (I don’t even know the person, just do it to keep her fired up). She then proceeds to hit me with her cane….which she really doesn’t need and only uses it for abusing her grandson…me:) Yet again, I embrace since hitting me with it keeps her spry.

Macaw, her cane & Cruz

 

 

That is all I will do right now. I can do friends next time. The characters go on and on and on…..  Hope you have a little better feel of who I am.

 

_________________________________________________________________

Chris-Rubio-2

Rubio 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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Filed Under: Article Archives, Humor Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What Makes a Long Snapper Great?

March 3, 2011 By

Rubio-Ad.jpgI work with hundreds of Long Snappers per year and often get asked the question, what makes a Long Snapper great? The answer is something that I should be able to (don’t worry, I can) spray out to someone pretty darn clearly and with the utmost precision for a couple different reasons.

First, I rank Long Snappers for a living on RubioLongSnapping.com so I probably should know what I am talking about and not just go off something like a ball hitting a target. It would be pretty ignorant of me to completely demolish a Long Snapper’s ranking simply because he missed a target by a quarter of an inch (would you punish a quarter back if he was aiming for the center of a receiver’s chest, but was off a quarter inch….didn’t think so). So much goes into the art of Long Snapping, but very few actually know what it entails.

Second, I get asked by coaches of all levels that exact question (what makes a Long Snapper great? in case you already forgot) simply to challenge me. They are actually testing me and want to hear what I say to decide if I actually know what I am talking about. Can you imagine asking a world class chef why his food is so tasty and he responds with “um, well, it is hot and, um just tastes good.” You would not trust him and definitely would not think he knew what he was talking about.

My answer needs to be precise and broken down so the average Joe can understand. For some reason, not everyone is as into Long Snapping as I am so I try to stay away from getting too technical. I know it is pathetic and sad, but it is what it is. I will work on the people I meet and you do the same. Hopefully, sooner than later, enough of us spraying can enable people to see the light and figure out that the “center just doesn’t do the snapping for punts too.”

Those of you on my e-mail list have already received something similar to this, but I thought I might make it even clearer. Here, in my opinion, is what makes a Long Snapper great……

SPEED – This is easily one of the top things everyone sees when they watch a Long Snapper and it should be. How fast is your snap from 15 yards? We are talking from the instant you start your snap (that is when the defender can get moving) to the instant it hits the punter’s paws.   You are looking for something below .78. Most top tier Long Snappers nowadays flirt with the high .6s. Obviously, the quicker you are the better your rank and the more people/coaches/agents will be drawn to you. Easy way to judge speed is to simply watch the ball from the side about ten yards away. Does the ball have an arch or is it still rising when it hits the punter? Arch is bad, rising is good….told you I would break it down for you:) Check out this video of Rubio Long Snapper Tanner Gibas (2011, CA – headed to Kansas) and how his ball is rising:

Please note on this video: Gibas is basically trying to kill the person catching the ball. I love this (sorry Mr. Sue) because I ALWAYS teach my Long Snappers to snap the ball through the punter and not to him. Mr. Sue actually looks like he is trying to defend himself. I love it! Sorry, yet again Mr. Sue.The average high school Long Snapper hovers around the 1.0 second region. Most high school coaches don’t care simply because they just want the “ball to get there” (sound familiar to all of in the high school world?). The average college Long Snapper is mid .6s to high .7s.The pros are usually right around the same as college but they just don’t ever miss. They are like machines.

ACCURACY– This is usually the third thing someone notices about a Long Snapper. How accurate are you when snapping. Meaning does the punter/holder have to move around a lot to catch your snaps. Best possible location is the right hip (for a right footed punter). Even though some punters like the ball at their chest, this is actually not that great of a spot since they (punters) have to turn the ball over and, for some reason, they can have troubles with this process. A great Long Snapper is not going to make their punter/holder move. Good way to test this is to have someone catch your snaps from about 15 yards away while sitting in a lawn chair. How many footballs in a row can you snap without making that person move? Five, ten, fifteen, fifty? Anything less than ten and you need some work in my book.

Here is a good example of a Rubio Long Snapper, Scott Daly (2012 – IL – Starting at Notre Dame now), showing some very solid accuracy. The ball is in the same spot on all snaps.

CONSISTENCY– This one is a bit tricky to understand since everyone always tries to lump it in with accuracy. Little bit different since consistency, in my eyes, means the ball staying the same speed the with each and every snap. Basically, you and the punter/holder/kicker are trying to create a rhythm. Given, the whole process starts with the most important person on the team, the Long Snapper. Your snap needs to be a good, consistent tempo at all times. It is very hard for a punter to get a rhythm with a Long Snapper if one snap is a rocket and the other is a floater. If you snap a .75 that is great, but is it like that every time? Varying your time from .7 to .8 is a massive valley to cross and can screw up the timing of everything. It is similar to seeing fast ball, fast ball, fast ball, change up…it would screw you up. Big issues with this category come when a Long Snapper has to snap and block.

Below is a great video for consistency from Rubio Long Snapper Reid Ferguson (2012, GA, now at LSU). When you watch this masterpiece, note how the speed is almost identical on every single snap. It almost looks like one snap, cut and pasted over and over again.


SIZE– This is either the first or second thing someone notices about a Long Snapper. Even before you snap a ball someone is going to judge you on your looks. Think about it. You ever look at the old time Cadillacs and say, “Man, I bet that thing hauls!” Not even close. You see a massive ride that isn’t going anywhere quick (quite comfy though).How big are you? How strong are you? Are you built well? Do you pass the eyeball test? If you got off a plane to visit a college coach, what would be the first thing he thought when he saw you? Size and look of your body is a big thing with colleges and, therefore, a big thing with me.Given, not everyone is 6’4″ and 250 lbs so you have to do the best with what you got. How would you look in just your underwear? If vomit is making its way to your mouth right now, you might want to hit the elliptical and some weights. If you are undersized you will need to make up in other ways to compensate (grades, perfect form, blocking, speed of ball, attitude, aggressiveness). Perfect example would be someone like Rubio Long Snapper Scott Thompson (2011, CA – headed to NC State). He is not a giant, but uses his solid Long Snapper frame….meaning massive butt and legs which is a good thing for a Long Snapper:)…exceptionally well. Watch this video to see Scott really utilizing his backside almost like a trebuchet…love it!


Ideal Long Snapper frame? Rubio Long Snapper Nick Boyle (2011, NJ – headed to Delaware) is pretty darn close:

Yours truly and Nick Boyle
Please Note: I am not a small fellow (over 6 ft tall and above two turns on the scale)
and Nick is making me look like a child.

ATHLETICISM– how athletic are you? Can you move down field? Would you be able to divert the punt returner or even tackle him? Are you light on your feet or are you causing the ground to shake…in a bad way? Solid athleticism can really help out a ranking if you are under and over sized. It is not a deal breaker, but man oh man can it help a Long Snapper that is battling against another one in the coach’s eyes.

On that note, I can reflect back on quite a few Long Snappers that are beyond sub-par athletes (think doing a layup, mind you with no one around, and launching it well over the backboard….not even kidding) that are exceptional at Long Snapping.

BLOCKING– how well do you block? “My HS coach does not require me to block” doesn’t fly with me. It shows toughness and coaches will want to know if you can block. You say the school/coach you are getting recruited by does the spread punt….awesome! What happens if/when that coach leaves and the new one wants to see you block since he is doing the pro style? You aren’t going to say “sorry I don’t block” you are going to do exactly what you need to do to get/keep the starting spot.

Blocking is a major selling point for a Long Snapper. You can jump up the rankings very quickly by being able to snap AND block. Like I always say, there are thousands of people that can snap a ball, and there are thousands that can block, but there are very, very few that can actually snap AND block.

Look at this video of Rubio Long Snapper Samuel Rodgers (2011, PA – headed to Syracuse) and how his snap is the exact same (phenomenal) when he is blocking. Such a huge win to be able to do both.


SPIRAL– This one is pretty basic. Either your ball spirals or it doesn’t. You can look at this one two ways. 1) Scientifically: tight spiral cuts through the wind due to less resistance. 2) Caveman: Bad spiral is hard for the punter, who is already fighting an uphill battle since they aren’t a Long Snapper, to catch. How well does your ball spiral? Having a very fast snap and little to no spiral will crush your speed, your ranking and the opinion of you in a coach’s eyes. Just think if someone didn’t know a ton about Long Snapping, wouldn’t a nice, pretty spiral be something that catches their eye? The answer is undoubtedly YES.
MENTALITY– This is a huge one for Long Snappers and can absolutely crush you. Being a Long Snapper is extremely challenging because you essentially can never obtain a rhythm. A lineman misses a block and he has about forty seconds before he can redeem himself. You might have to wait for twenty to thirty minutes.  You snap a perfect ball, jog off the field and have to wait for a large chunk of time to get back in there. The only time you are on the field a ton is if your team is great (pats) or terrible (punts).How well do you handle pressure? Look at the picture below. Would that bother you or would you thrive on it?

Being a Long Snapper is a difficult position. If it was easy, quarterbacks would do it:) Coaches and I need to see how well you handle pressure and awkward situations. When you are playing in front of 100,000 people are you going to tell them all to shoosh? Nope. Didn’t think so.

When you combine all of these factors with a solid work ethic, you will get a Long Snapper that is simply a juggernaut. See, that is the trick. Finding someone that has all the attributes AND is willing to put in the time and effort. When you mix them all together you will obtain something along the lines of this (turn your volume WAY up so you can fully embrace)…..


For those of that don’t know (welcome back from living under that rock you have been calling home for the past 8 years), in the video is long time Rubio Long Snapper Christian Yount. He is someone that got into Long Snapping simply to get a spot on the bus. After hearing his HS coach tell him to “not even bother with Long Snapping since no one goes to college simply for that”,  Christian accomplished the following….

  • He went out and received a full scholarship to UCLA during his junior year (first to ever do that)
  • He was the only member of his HS team to get a full ride (the irony on this simply delicious)
  • He started all four years at UCLA
  • He was a two time Playboy All-American (the first one to ever be chosen)
  • He was selected to the Senior Bowl
  • He played in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Bucaneers, Cleveland Browns and the New England Patriots.

To top it all off, and in the Long Snapper way, Christian is a superb human being. Combine it all and you have a Long Snapper that is, well, great.

Told you I could answer the question:)

_________________________________________________________________

Chris-Rubio-2

Rubio 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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Filed Under: Featured Posts, Long Snapper, Recruiting Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The People I See on My Travels

March 1, 2011 By

Anyone that knows anything about me knows that I travel….A LOT. I average roughly over 100 segments of flights per year. Delta Airlines loves me. For those non-frequent fliers, a segment is a section of flight between layovers. For instance, if I travel from my home in Lewiston, ID to LSU it will be four segments as I will venture from Lewiston, ID to Salt Lake City, UT to Dallas, TX to Baton Rouge, LA. Bottom line, I get around and, in meandering around the country, I see some interesting characters along the way. This blog is going to be short and talk about one person, unnamed and I don’t know (thankfully or I would have said/say something immediately), that I see. I will say almost 100% of the people I will report on will be from airports. If you haven’t been to an airport lately, I highly recommend it for people watching. They are a reality show waiting to happen. This section will undoubtedly be added to over the year.

If you have been following me on Twitter (well done by the way) you already have read about some of my encounters in my travels. As previously stated, the Rubio Long Snapping blog is going to be like my Twitter – just on steroids. I will obviously be able to go into more detail as I am not limited to 140 characters (max you can put per Twitter message, I know it is called Tweet but I protest that word so don’t expect me to use it ever again. Only reason I used it this time was to clarify. Don’t worry, I just hit myself for going against my own protest and it won’t happen again) and can really spray about the places and, more importantly, the people I see along the way. Hopefully, this blog will be passed around to people you know so they can be educated on how to function in society since it is obviously not a given.

First person I want to discuss is the I-Am-The-Only-Person-In-The-World-And-I-Think-I-Am-At-Home guy. Please take a gander at the photo of this guy (I was nice enough to blur his grill so no would recognize him).
Seriously, who sits like this in public!? I am not even sure I would lounge this way in my own home while watching Man vs Food contemplating how bad Sailer, Marcus J and/or  I would crush his challenges. This guy isn’t at home, he is waiting to board a plane! Come on man. Have some couth. Before you even say, “Rubio, he is saving the seat for someone,” let me reassure you he wasn’t. I sat there and watched him. It was like a car accident, I couldn’t look away and it wasn’t because he was sporting a scarf either. Bottom line: have some common sense when you aren’t at home. Plain and simple.
That’s all for now. Please spread the word on sitting properly in public. I thought it was simply a given, but apparently I was wrong. Maybe if we all get the word out, people can be fixed.
More to come as my travels continue……

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Chris-Rubio-2

Rubio 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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