You are here: Home / Archives for Article Archives

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.

82

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.

75

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.

170

Filed Under: Article Archives, Humor 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……

_________________________________________________________________

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.

50

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

Rubio Spray

February 25, 2011 By
I figured before I continue with these Rubio Long Snapping blogs, it might be time for a little background on the words and phrases I use in my spoken and written word. I definitely have my own sort of language. Many are confused by it while others embrace. Either way, I keep spraying so you better get used to it. Here is a key for you to get by:
EMBRACE: Definitely one of my favorite words. Originally started off as a saying between Sailer and I. Began as “accept and embrace” since we believe you should accept and embrace each and everything in your life. Keep that motto and life will be easier for you. Trust me. You will hear/see me use this word a ton. It can be used in place of several words and can be used for pretty much anything. For instance….
“I embrace so hard” translates out to “wow, that is really, really great.”
“Embrace” translates out to “love it”
The possibilities of this word are endless.
DONE: This word is used at the end of a sentence to finalize something. Quick and very to the point. Example would be being in a restaurant and asking the waiter/waitress if meal A or B is better? When they reply that meal A is better, you simply say “done.” Translates out to “that is perfect. I appreciate you telling me that and I will take it.” People get a little confused by this one as they are usually waiting for a follow up word. One must really hold on and let “done” do its work.
SPLASH: Means a little bit. A Long Snapper can have a splash of nervousness and needs to relax.

YES: Simple and to point. This word for me is used with a ton of gusto and always in an exclamatory fashion. Nothing is needed to follow it and a simple YES! will suffice most of time time. This one started back in the day when Sailer and I were running a camp in PA and ran into my relatives in Pittsburgh. Needless to say, they had a 87 course meal waiting for us and every time they asked him if he wanted something to eat, he simply answered YES! They were astonished and he just kept embracing (see, this time embrace is used differently…hopefully you are grasping the concept now). I will use this a ton after seeing an exceptional snap.

SPRAY: Means talk. You can spray someone with words or knowledge. The trick is to not get sprayed too much. Plane rides can cause a code red for being sprayed since you are trapped and usually can’t get away from the sprayer.

GANDER: Means to look at someone. One can “take a gander at a Long Snapper from a distance”

GLORIOUS: Means really good. Great if you will. Why don’t I just use the word great? Because I don’t want to. “That snap was simply glorious”

FANTASTIC: Means what it means but not a lot of people use it so I chose to embrace it. Try it next time someone asks how you are doing. Respond with fantastic. It really rattles them. On the phone is also a great time to use it. “Hey Rubio, how are you doing today?” “Fantastic, and you?” Given, I try to do it all the time to hear/see the reactions.

208: Refers to all of Idaho because the entire state has only one area code. I think this is amazing and can’t get over it. You will often her me call someone a “208er” or say “that is so 208”
WELL DONE: This one can get tricky since you already read about DONE and want to correlate this one with that one. Stop. You are wrong. This one translates to “You did a terrific job” I could look at a Long Snapper have a great snap and simply say “well done” and that is more than enough praise in Rubio terms. Well done is not said with a lot of excitement. There is no need to as it is strong in it’s stance.

SOLDIER: Means a great person. Someone who gets things done immediately. Someone you can trust. “You are a soldier! I can’t believe you finished all of the work so quickly“CAT: Means a guy. I heard a jazz musician spray it once. I embraced. Done. “That kicker is one odd looking cat”

WINNERS AND LOSERS: Another key phrase Sailer and I use. Simple and clears things up for people. In everything, there are winners and losers. Figure that out and life will be just a tad simpler for you. “You lost your prom date to another Long Snapper? Winners and losers my friend”

CAVEMAN: When a Long Snapper is very strong and extremely raw. Basically like a caveman. Tons of potential just don’t know what they are doing…yet. “That kid is a caveman. He is going to be good once he figures out how to do it”

HUGE WIN: Means what it means. A huge win would be having a Long Snapper that is extremely talented AND has fantastic grades.”You just snapped a .68 and have a 4.5 gpa! That is a huge win!” I prefer to really hold the huge for emphasis.

FARM: This one was created by Marcus J (Sailer’s brother). To farm or farming is a long process of doing something. Getting recruited as a Long Snapper is basically like farming. You plant a seed (snap well) and watch your crops grow (recruitment). Sometimes you need to stop the crop (move onto a different school) and sometimes the crop is right for the picking (you found your school). TOP 12ers have a different meaning for farming and you will have to ask them about it.

SPREAD OUT: I love this one. Spread out translates pretty clearly and simply means to move away. People crowd you? Just say spread out. “Alright, alright….you are all too close to me, spread out.” Used it a ton while teaching 6th grade. Originally used in The Three Stooges. It is a phrase that works wonders.

GIVEN: I use this when something is, well, a given. “Are Long Snappers more important then kickers? Given.” As one can see the word is very powerful and needs no partners with it. Easily stands on it’s own like “done” and “yes”

SIDE NOTE: Since I am a Long Snapper, I tend to be a higher level thinker. In being that, my mind works quickly and is all over the place. I will use the phrase side note usually when I am telling a story and then, all of a sudden, another story pops into my head. Instead of simply waiting until the end to spray the sub story I will say, in the middle of the story, “Side note” and then tell the sub story. Then, without hesitation, jump right back into the main story. It can cause confusion, but since I am speaking to mostly Long Snappers I know they handle it:)

Hope that clears some things up for everyone. I think that is most of the phrases and words I use in abundance. Let me know if I missed any and I will add them to this glorious list.

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.

61

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

My First Snap

February 22, 2011 By
Right off the bat I am going to tell you this one will be long winded but well worth it. It’s a great story and will explain a lot about the way I snap and teach my Long Snappers.
I am at UCLA and my first year is basically filled with coaches saying this, “Rubio, go play offensive line for scout team” In case you don’t know what the scout team is, let me clarify: blocking dummy with less pull. I was 18 years old, very chubby (I will choose not to use the word fat thank you very much), red shirting and third string Long Snapper. I was beyond the lowest man on the totem pole. I did what I was told and embraced. It stunk, but I was on the team.
My second season, I am the backup Long Snapper and actually getting a couple reps. When you are the second string guy at a skilled position, “couple reps” means maybe two per week. Those reps better be perfect or you will get even less the following week and your chance of sniffing the field will be become less and less a reality.
Anyway, I am fully cherishing my role as the second string Long Snapper. Lots of relaxing and not a lot of doing. I basically warmed up and had the best seat in the house for the game. All was well until I started to really think about being the second string guy. The main thought rolling around in my dome was: ok, so if this guy (the starter) goes down, I have to be ready to go right away. This was quite the concern to me for a couple reasons. First, am I really ready to go into a college game and do one of the most incredible and difficult things in sports (why yes, being upside down, hitting a perfect spot and having someone want to crush you is very difficult…a quarterback gets to stand up, look around and has people blocking for them…Long Snapper, not so much help or simplicity)? Second, how would I know when to start loosening up to get ready to snap in the game? This one might need a bit of explanation. In case you have never seen me in action (bending) I am quite possibly the most un-flexible human being in the history of man. Try to imagine a frozen caveman dipped into cement and you have me. Trainers at UCLA seriously told me that I was the most un-flexible athlete, not limiting me to just football, they have ever seen. Given, I embraced and I am pretty sure Sailer high-fived me when he found out that little fact about me.
Enough background, we are playing Arizona St. and it is getting out of hand….in a good way. By the end of the first quarter I think we were up by 20 and it just kept snowballing from there. At halftime, we were up 42-0. I begin my trot into the locker room and a coach grabs me and says, “Rubio, this keeps up and you’re getting some reps in the game.” Words cannot express how fast and hard my heart was pounding. I make it to the locker room and immediately start a power stretch. By end of halftime, I am in deep lather from stretching as hard as ever.
Third quarter comes and goes. We are still crushing them and I am snapping footballs on the sideline like it is going out of style. Finally, with about five minutes left in the game, a coach tells me, “Rubio, we attempt a field goal and you are going in” More stretching, more snaps, more cardiac arrest.
We are driving, I move towards the coaches, we stall and the ball is on the 25. Field goal unit is called. This is when the story really gets going. I jog on the field and get in our huddle. Things are said. I remember nothing. I was focused. Too focused. I meander up to the ball. Long-haired monster from Arizona St. is staring me down. He is exhausted. I am of course fresh as can be. I place my hands on the ball. Time stops. I look at my right hand and flip out. Here is where over thinking plays havoc on a Long Snapper and why I am so adamant about my Long Snappers not doing so.
I couldn’t remember if my dominant ring finger was just above, on or below the lace. I must have adjusted it from above, to on, to below twenty times in ten seconds (seemed like hours). Nothing felt right and I was thinking so hard on where my darn finger was supposed to go. I looked and nothing looked right. Take a gander at the photos to see how truly different all of these finger placements are and why I should have stressed so much about it:)
Above the lace
On the lace
Below the lace
Finally, after a couple days (or ten seconds) the guy (remember my long-haired pal from Arizona St who is waiting to crush me) says to me in the kindest, most gentile voice (not really), “JUST SNAP THE BALL _________!” (please feel free to throw in any degrading adjective you would like and you won’t equal what was sprayed to me). I heard him, took a quick breath and snapped the ball. The ball wobbled a tad, but was still money. My first college play was over. I had snapped a good ball and learned a very valuable lesson….do NOT over think when snapping. My long-haired buddy yelled at me but was dead on. I just needed to snap the ball. No thinking, just snapping.
From this point on, I knew to not over think any of my snapping. And, in turn, why I am always telling all of my Long Snappers to let me think for them and have them just snap the ball. Like I say, we are not working for NASA, it is simply a dead animal that I need you to snap really hard.

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.

653

Filed Under: Article Archives, College, Football, Long Snapper Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

The Waves of Recruiting

February 12, 2011 By

If you are reading this you are either a Long Snapper or someone that is correlated to the glorious art of Long Snapping. You, or the person you are linked with, is going to want to get better and advance. I mean, come on, seriously, who just snaps to snap? You are either trying to get a spot on the bus, become the starter or, like countless people out there, trying to move onto the next level.

Obviously, Long Snapping and the recruitment of Long Snappers has grown immensely (pause while I stick my chest out and sit with pride for a second….ok, that’s good) and it is not just being able to snap a dead animal really fast anymore. You need to know the ins and outs of recruiting. You need to know what it is going to look and feel like. You need to know where you stand. You need to know, essentially, what the process is. Recruiting and being recruited is a monster that can be your best friend or your worst enemy. And, just like many things, the more you know about it, the more you can prepare yourself for what to expect in this process.

Throughout my years of instructing Long Snappers and being involved with countless “recruiting”, I can tell you that it is simply like waves in an ocean. I am very visual person (anyone that has seen me teach can easily attest to this) and this is proven to me to be the best way to explain it. The recruiting process is basically made up of four waves and you will need to see which wave you will ride to the next level. I also find this analogy makes it much easier for everyone to understand the process and relax just a tad. Before I move on, let me clarify that this recruitment article is strictly for Long Snappers. I simply don’t care about other positions or how they are recruited. I care about Long Snappers. Plain and simple.

FIRST WAVE
8th Grade – Signing Day

This wave of recruiting is made up of your freaks….in a good way, of course. Wave one is filled (I will use this term “filled” lightly and you’ll see why in about a minute) with the Long Snappers that are juggernauts. This wave usually will only hold about ten Long Snappers….max. These are the athletes that are beyond ready for the next level about a year prior (think five star Long Snapper by their junior year in high school). These are the kids that are offered and commit early. Very few are within this group. Needless to say, don’t stress if you aren’t riding wave one to the next level.

SECOND WAVE
Signing Day – College Spring Ball (Date varies because they all hold them differently)

This wave usually rolls up with Long Snappers right after signing day. I know how everyone wants to be that guy that they write the articles about and puts the hat on of your school and you sign on that coveted day in February. Snap out of it. It is rare and, like the term’s definition, doesn’t happen often. Just a couple years ago it never happened (pause for chest sticking out again). The Second Wave forms after signing day when a college has offered X amount of “more important” positions (remember reading about a college that has offered four quarterbacks or nine running backs….that is what I am talking about) but then, on signing day, only one, or none of those players commit to their school. Guess what the colleges have now? Full scholarships! This is when a school needs to sit down and think, do they really want to go after the 200th ranked wide receiver in the country or should they go after one of the top ten Long Snappers in the country?

Wave two can also be for those partial late bloomers that did pretty good their senior year of football but did exceptional at my Vegas Event. Doing well there can obviously up your stock very fast.

You ever hear of a kid named Scott Daly? Did you ever stop to think of how he got offered less than 24 hours after Vegas? Hmmmmm. True, he would technically be considered a severe Wave Oner but his experience exemplifies my Vegas point.

THIRD WAVE
College Spring Ball – Mid July

When a college decides that they simply don’t need a Long Snapper for their recruiting class they are banking on one thing: they have a guy on their roster that can handle the job. That is great and they should since my hope is that he is one of my guys anyways. When a college has that one particular guy on campus and he has not played in a game, they will use Spring Ball has one immense tryout for him. They will test him to the limits. They will do a ton punts and pats under massive pressure to ensure their guy is ready for that first game in a few short months. During Spring Ball is when a second string, never played or proven Long Snapper can really make a name for himself….in a good or bad way.

Right after Spring Ball is when the Third Wave Long Snappers will start getting a lot of contact. This is because the school that is contacting them found out their guy they “thought” could do it simply cannot. Now they are essentially behind the eight ball and need to move quickly to fill their spot with a top tier Long Snapper that can go in there and get the job done now. This wave might be the most populated wave for Long Snappers. Schools will go hard after a kid and want him there as soon as possible. I have had kids take a recruiting trip, commit and get to campus to live all in one week.

FOURTH WAVE
About One Week Prior to the Start of College Hell Week

This group could also be called CODE RED! This wave is filled with Long Snappers that will be grabbed up by a college that had an unforeseeable thing happen to their starting Long Snapper. This would include, but is not limited to, not passing enough summer school classes so he is not eligible, married and left, major injury during summer workouts or just flat out told the school he is done with football. I have heard several different stories and the only thing that matters is that the school needs someone and they need them NOW. This wave is not very populated and is usually in severe cases but it definitely can happen.

That is pretty much how I view the recruitment of Long Snappers. The obvious next question is, “Rubio, what if I am not in one of those waves?” The answer is simple, you need to either plan on going to a JC to grow with your body and your snapping or head to a college that you are already admitted to because of course you applied to schools you wanted to attend regardless of what happens with Long Snapping.

Hope this helps and see you soon.

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

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

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

7289

Filed Under: Article Archives, Deep Snapper, Featured Posts, High School, Long Snapper, Motivation, Recruiting Tagged With: , , , ,

The Beginning……..

January 5, 2011 By
I am creating this blog to be able to go into a great deal of depth for my Long Snappers (always will be capitalized as they deserve it) and their parents. Imagine my Twitter on steroids. I will try to keep it up weekly. Instead of just jumping into a random topic about Long Snapping, I decided the first one will be in response to how I got started in Long Snapping. It is one of the most common questions I get and a pretty good story, so here we go…
Rubio – 7th Grade

Growing up I was always a bit heavy for my age. How big you might ask? Put it this way, elastic and I were very good friends from about second grade on. I was a big kid and a solid athlete. I did well at all sports that involved hand eye coordination and I enjoyed being in charge on teams. Pitcher, point guard, quarterback…those were my positions. I was a big kid and used my weight very well to my advantage.

Organized football began for me and it was “banished” to flag football. Oh, I could have played tackle but it would have been with kids at least four years older due to my extra bit of weight I was toting around. So, I played flag and was the quarterback. I loved it. I could throw the ball a mile (probably twenty yards) and football was one of my favorite sports. Years passed and I got to my freshman year in high school. Finally, I would be able to play tackle football without weight restrictions. I was beyond ready, or so I thought.
First day of freshman football and the coach says, “Rubio, what position do you want to play.” Given, I say “quarterback” and smile. This moment is one of the times in your life that you never forget. The coach looks at me and says, “Rubio, you are way too big for quarterback and you will NEVER touch the football.” I was sent to the offensive line and was set up with a coach who insisted on yelling every single thing. Let me clarify something pretty quickly here, I am not someone who enjoys being yelled at (hence why you will never, ever see me yell at my Long Snappers). I consider myself not too shabby in the brains department and can follow instructions pretty well. Tell me to do something and consider it done. Show me and it is really done. Yell at me and you are now Charlie Brown’s teacher to me.
Needless to say, I loathed freshman football. Fourth string everything, the pads were annoying, never played and was way out of shape. I was done with football. After season (yes, I made it through and did NOT quit….also a pretty substantial moment in my life) I told myself I wasn’t going to play again and would focus on grades and other sports. All that changed pretty quickly in about a year’s time.
Over the summer between my sophomore and junior year, a good friend of mine and I were throwing a football around at his house when he decided to snap it to me. He was the starting Long Snapper for the varsity team. I literally had never even paid attention to that position (who would) and never had seen someone do it up close (again, who would). Immediately, being competitive at that age, I told him I could do that. I grabbed the ball like I was throwing it and just tossed it, one handed, upside down to him. He was astounded and said, “Rubio, you know that snap was really good?!?” I had no idea what I had even done or how I did it. To me it was just throwing a ball upside down and backwards. It was easy for me and I was hooked. Here was my chance to touch the football and be somewhat in charge. I was essentially a more exclusive quarterback.
Rubio – 11th Grade

Junior year comes around and I am ready for football. Grew into my body a bit (still much closer to three clicks on the scale then to two but was over six feet tall) and knew what to expect. Plus, I had a niche. I ended up starting at Long Snapper and offensive lineman. I was very average at lineman but solid at Long Snapper. Junior year was finished and I got more and more focused on Long Snapping. I would set up a tire on a tree in my backyard and just let it rain. Remember, I used to be a quarterback and could throw the ball very well. Since I was a one handed snapper, it was the same thing to me as a quarterback. I just happened to me upside and aiming the wrong way. I got down, got set and threw it as hard as I could. I had no idea what I was actually doing, but I could do it and I did it well.

During my senior year of football, I began to get letters from universities across the country simply for Long Snapping. I thought it was a joke. Even though I was a Long Snapper, I still didn’t really focus on others and/or even watch a ton of football to see other Long Snappers doing it. I guess I never even realized if you did it in high school, you would essentially be able to do it in college. It turns out colleges really appreciate someone with solid grades, was well rounded with school activities, had a good frame and can snap a ball pretty darn quick.
Ended up narrowing my decision down to three schools: Columbia, Pitzer and UCLA. Columbia ended up being eliminated when the coach heard my mother yell while I was on the phone that there was no way in hell I was going all the way to New York (seriously happened). Pitzer got knocked out when I visited the school and just couldn’t see myself there. UCLA was the winner. It was a place I had always wanted to go and now I had the opportunity. Decision was done. I was off to the school of my dreams and the doors opened to that school in part because of Long Snapping.
What happened at UCLA? Maybe that story will be told on another blog:)

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.

34

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