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The Final Snap of the 11th Annual Event

February 1, 2013 By

Every year, Rubio Long Snappers impress me more and more. Their snapping has become jaw-dropping at earlier ages. They are bigger, stronger, faster much sooner than they used to be with their bodies and, yup, even minds.  They, and their parents, have grown into a massive family (which is what I have always hoped for with Rubio Long Snapping). Seriously, think about it, you really don’t see a lot of Long Snapping families eating solo out in Vegas:)

The big national events really bring everyone together. You have Long Snappers, and their families, from all over the world coming to one place to do their best in an extremely stressful environment. Many come and do wonderful their first trip out, while many come and absolutely bomb on their first venture to the desert. More often than not, it is the later (hence why I always say to go as soon as you can in your career).

This video, is yet another example of what I am talking about in being a Rubio Long Snapper. This video personifies emotion and desire.

To say Emmett Odegard, the Long Snapper in the video, has come along way with his snapping would be like saying the Grand Canyon is a crack in the ground. He has been with Rubio Long Snapping for three years and started slow but listened….and listened….and listened….until it all paid off.

Emmett, who was absolutely fantastic all weekend, stormed into the finals as the #2 seed and had some intense battles along the way (7 total snaps against Keaston Sinicki, 5 of which they both scored on!) and was ready to take on, cue the music, Cole Mazza (who was the top seed).

In the video, Emmett was down three points behind Mazza and had to make a 3 pointer to stay alive in the finals. Basically, he had to be perfect and snap the ball through the middle rectangle (one with the chains) or he was done and Mazza would win.

This video shows the emotion of the Long Snapper AND the crowd. This video shows the camaraderie, that so many Long Snappers now possess and I love it. This video shows the desire and compassion of two Long Snappers. Both were exceptional and both should be proud of themselves. I am.

Two great examples of Rubio Long Snappers.

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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, College, Deep Snapper, Long Snapper, Maturity, Motivation, Relationships, Vegas Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Process of Being Great

December 14, 2012 By

EVERYTHING MUST WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE GREATNESS

 

HEART
Not matter how many people want it for you, if you don’t – it will never happen. You will never reach your potential. If you aren’t the one truly pushing yourself, you will never give it your all. You must have the heart and desire to want it and you have to want it all. It’s actually quite simple, you will be as good, or great, as YOU want to be.

FAMILY
This doesn’t just mean your immediate family. It is anyone that encompasses who you are and will help you along the way. No one achieves greatness on their own. No one. Family can be friends, coaches, teachers, etc. and they are all in your corner. They push you, sometimes nicely and sometimes not so nicely. They know what you need sometimes more than you do. You can survive without them, but it isn’t pleasant and they make your journey much more fruitful and obtainable.

ATHLETICISM
Can definitely put you in the drivers seat but will not keep you there. Eventually, the athleticism will wear off and then you will have to work smarter and not just harder. Your body, which houses your athleticism, will eventually wear down and then what are you stuck with? It is an important gear but not as imperative as others as it won’t keep you in the lead forever.

BRAINS
Really are the glue of it all. Will help you understand what to do and when to do it. Lack of brains will crush your chances for a long and fruitful career. Brains are a major gear and can stop or start the whole process of being great.

PERSONALITY
Getting along with others is not just a good thing, it is a necessity. Friends and family are one thing, but it is others that will enable you to achieve greatness in the long run as well. From trainers to journalists to managers to simply someone you meet along the way. Everyone can offer you something, just as you can offer something to everyone. Your personality will last much longer, and have more of an affect on others, than your athletic ability.

CONFIDENCE
The final touch. What takes a person over the top. The knowing you will dominate. The knowing you will get it done under pressure. The knowing you have “IT.” Confidence is the one thing that can heavily overpower the other gears within this system.

EVERYTHING MUST WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE GREATNESS

Do you have everything working together, in your life, to ensure YOU achieve greatness? 

Feel free to add a gear below in the comment section and explain why you feel it is needed to make you great…

 

Click HERE to have this blog read to you.

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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, Maturity, Motivation Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rubio Long Snapper Scott Shockley Needs YOU!

December 5, 2012 By

Those of you that have been with me for awhile know about Scott Shockley. Scott is a 2012 Rubio Long Snapper from GA. You can see video of him here from 2011….

 

That was his second camp and you can tell he was definitely headed in the right direction. Long, lean and strong.  Bright future to say the least.

Right after that camp, Scott found out he had cancer. He went from the brightest of futures to not knowing what was going to happen next. As I type this, I can’t help but break down when I think of it all and how difficult it must be for him and his parents.

To clarify, Shockley is an 18-year old Long Snapper and three sport athlete who was diagnosed with osteosarcoma (bone cancer) in his right femur in May 2011. He underwent surgery to the replace the diseased bone with a titanium endoprosthesis and eight months of chemotherapy treatments. Scott was in remission until September 2012 when the cancer returned in his lungs. He has undergone additional chemotherapy treatments and one lung surgery to remove some of the tumors and part of his left lung. He will be starting a new chemotherapy regimen in hopes of shrinking the remaining tumors so they can be surgically removed. Scott needs everyone’s prayers and support as he continues to fight this battle.

You know I have spoken with you before about Scott in this blog in which I wrote…

Q: Who is the toughest Long Snapper you have worked with?
A: Tough one. Rubio Long Snapper Carson Tinker of Alabama is a solid choice as he has overcome a ton this past year but I am going to go with Rubio Long Snapper Scott Shockley. Scott is a 2012 Long Snapper from GA that, one year ago, was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma. He has gone through MANY surgeries in one short year and is continuing to go head to head with chemo. Kid came straight from the hospital to my GA camp this weekend to say hello to me and the guys. He is a soldier and everyone needs to keep him in their thoughts.

SCOTT IS HAVING SOME TROUBLES, big troubles, as you can imagine, and I want you all to get involved IMMEDIATELY. His parents have created a blog, so to speak, that automatically sends out updates to those that register. I want you to register and I want you to do it NOW. I want you to find it in your heart to spray out to Shockley and let him know that you are with him. I want you to keep up with him. I want him, and his parents, to know they are not alone through this extremely trying time in their lives.

Here is what I need you to do. Go to: http://www.carepages.com/signup  and fill out the information and create a password. Once you are a member, go to visit on care pages. Scott’s care page website name is shocman17atl. Enter it and takes you to his webpage.

Let’s show Shockley what being part of the Rubio Long Snapping family is really all about….

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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, Football, High School, Long Snapper, Maturity, Motivation, Relationships Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Which One Are You?

September 28, 2012 By
There are several different types of people in the world, but I tend to break it down into two categories: givers and takers.

Now, before you fly off the handle and think of me as an intensely greedy person, let me explain. I don’t mean “give” in the literal sense. I am not talking about the person actually giving me something tangible. I am talking about how they give me something. The provide me with something. They enlighten me with something. That something could be an open ear, a laugh, a story, a wink, a nod, a hug, or maybe even some confidence. Those are the people you want to surround yourself with AND the person you want to be. You want people to be around you because you can provide them with something that you can’t even put a price tag on. That is when you know you are a success. 

 
On the flip side, you have those in your life that tend to simply always need something from you, the takers. Yet again, I am not speaking of only tangible items that you can hold onto (but they tend to want those, too). I am speaking of people that always want you to listen to them or want your time or want you to hear about their day or want you to help them, but, for one reason or another, never have anytime for you. At times, those that take are not only people, they can be jobs, situations, sites, or companies. 
 
Now, think about your circle of friends, teammates, co-workers, businesses you associate with, your job and your family members. Which ones are givers and which ones are takers? 
 
Look at yourself.  Are you yourself, a giver or taker? Is it time to re-evaluate others and yourself? Well, what are you waiting for? You are not getting any younger and life is too short to surround yourself with and/or be a “taker.” Like they say, the time is now. 
 
Do the world, and yourself, a favor….surround yourself with, and be, a giver.
 
So, what is it…….are you a giver or a taker?_________________________________________________________________

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, Long Snapper, Maturity, Relationships Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

How to BE a Freshman – Part 2

August 7, 2012 By

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

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

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

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Filed Under: Article Archives, College, Freshman, Graduating, Graduation, Maturity Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

How to BE a Freshman

August 1, 2012 By

BE Quiet – You should be extremely proud of all that you accomplished in high school, but remember just that…it was in high school. If you are lucky enough to play a college sport, you will be surrounded by All-Americans. Get over yourself and keep what you did in the past, in the past. Strive for new accomplishments and dominate.

BE on Time – You should always be at least fifteen minutes early to everything. Be late once and a coach will never, ever forget it. My motto is if you can’t be on time, be early.

BE Responsible – You should know that you are now officially a role model and many people are looking up to you and will want to emulate you. Whether it be the child that wants to be you or the parent that wants their child to be like you, you have a major responsibility to not let them down. Think before you do anything (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram). One slip up can hurt you for the rest of your life.

BE Nice – Whether it’s to the equipment guy, kids wanting an autograph, your parents, your tutors or academic advisor, you need to be nice. There is no doubt that all those involved in your life will speak to one another and if you are rude to one, they will all know and begin to look at you in a different light.

BE Assertive – It is very common for the upperclassmen to try and pick on you. It is what they do so get over it. They are simply testing you to see if you belong on “their” team. Advice: stick up for yourself but don’t start anything. IF, and the key word is if,  someone at practice attempts to push you around, push them back. Don’t take any crap or you will immediately be know as someone with no backbone that they (the team) won’t be able to rely on in a time of need. I repeat, stick up for yourself but don’t start anything.

BE Willing and Able to Adapt – When you go off to college, that is your new home. Accept and embrace it. Know that you are making a change and go in with an open mind. It is a new stage in your life and you need to go into it with wide open arms and not continuously talk about, think about or want to be home. If you are obsessing about the past, you can’t live in the present and make your future.

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

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

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Filed Under: Article Archives, Athletics, College, Freshman, High School, Maturity Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Athletes and Dating

July 1, 2012 By

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Filed Under: Article Archives, Athlete, Athletics, Dating, Featured Posts, Girlfriend, Graduating, High School, Maturity, Relationships Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Social Media for Athletes: To Embrace or Not To Embrace

April 1, 2012 By

Today’s teen athletes are actually very similar to those in the past couple decades. They make good decisions and they make bad decisions. The difference is, now, those decisions are amplified a billion times and spread faster than anything the previous generations could even fathom. An athlete can make a slip up on a social media site and it can be shot around the world with a single click on a smart phone in less than a second.

So, the question arises….should an athlete be involved with social media?

My answer is….ABSOLUTELY….but they should be monitored!

There are several types of social media formats out there. However, I am going only going to discuss only the two head honchos at this point along with the goods and bads of each, for a soon-to-be college athlete.

Facebook and Twitter
– Obviously, Facebook is the big dog of the group but Twitter is gaining steam. Pretty much the entire student body of any high school and college has a Facebook account….and they should. It is a tremendous way to stay connected with one another. If you don’t have an account, I am not even going to explain it to you because you are not reading this and you are currently in a coma.

Facebook Positives – Keeps people connected. You always get to see what people are up to regardless of geographic location. I live in Northern Idaho, but am easily connected with people in Los Angeles, Chicago, Lousiana, Georgia, Maryland…you get the point. Facebook is a tremendous way to keep up with people. I was speaking to some good friends of mine about how Facebook basically is going to wipe out the High School Reunion market. Why even go? Who doesn’t know what is happening with someone simply through their Facebook account?

Facebook Negatives – Imagine your high school hallway, add that group of really annoying girls/guys that are waaaaay too into themselves and amplify that all over the world. That is what Facebook can be. It is a drama-filled machine, if you let it be. The trick is not let yourself get involved. Don’t comment on someone’s post and you will not be involved. If you have a problem with someone, deal with them directly. Don’t just walk outside and scream it. That would be pointless….side note: that is what making a statement or subtweet (sent out to all, but directed at one) is actually doing. You are making yourself look worse than the person you are attempting to ridicule.

Twitter Positives – You can find out information INSTANTLY and you can spread information INSTANTLY. One click and it is gone, to anyone, in the world, that is following you.

Twitter Negatives – Again, you can find out information INSTANTLY and you can spread information INSTANTLY. One click and it is gone, to anyone, in the world, that is following you. Therefore, you say something ignorant and press “tweet” it is out there. Even if you delete it later, someone will have it on their Twitter account.

Facebook Recruit Advantage– Still pretty much under the radar from the NCAA so college coaches can use it to contact you without penalty. And, if they can’t, they can have assistants (people that work for the program but usually are not getting paid) contact you as somewhat of a “middle” man.

Facebook Recruit Disadvantage – You take a trip to a school or show some interest. Within a couple days, a beautiful student of that campus “friends” you on Facebook. You are amazed and almost break your keyboard clicking “accept!” Not to burst your bubble, but she doesn’t find you attractive…at all. She is on the athletic staff to “friend” you, then search through your account for any incriminating posts, messages, likes and especially photos. She will report everything you have done back to the coaches. Why don’t you take some time and go clean up your account now:)   Don’t want to or think I’m wrong? Check out this excerpt from an interview with Houston Head Coach Tony Levine (thanks M.F.)

Q: How  do coaches monitor social networks when it comes to recruiting? TL: “We monitor it for all of our recruits in more ways than one: position coaches, recruiting coaches, our recruiting coordinator, I do as well. Two things that come to mind: number one, if they’re taking other visits, it’s a great way to find out. When a kid posts a picture of himself at another school on a Saturday with a jersey on, you know he’s on a visit. The second thing is, what they’re posting. The same kid that we dropped because he took two other visits, on his Facebook page, and obviously I was friends with him — posted things nightly that we’re not looking for in our program”

Q: So a recruit can hurt himself by what he posts on his social media pages? TL: “Without question. And he did. In that respect, I think social media has changed (recruiting) for a number of reasons.”

Twitter Recruit Advantage – Still pretty much under the radar from the NCAA so college coaches can use it to contact you without penalty. And, if they can’t, they can have assistants (people that work for the program but usually are not getting paid) contact you as somewhat of a middle man. Easy way to follow your favorite coach or team and feel like you are part of them. Easy way to find other people in your situation, ie: Long Snappers.

Twitter Recruit Disadvantage – Anything you say, anyone you follow and/or retweet represents you. You say something asinine, you look asinine. You follow morons, you look like a moron. You retweet something ignorant, you look ignorant. Remember, whatever you put out there, EVERYONE will see. Someone bad mouths your lady, speak to them directly. You post on Twitter and everyone sees it….NOW! You don’t look like a chivalrous man, you look like someone airing their dirty laundry and no one cares. 

Trust me, I get it, there are tons of VERY funny things out there that I would love to retweet, but I don’t…because I am using my brain. Have common sense. You may get the funny line from a movie or inside joke, but just stop and think if the older football coach might not. Even if there is the slightest possibility that something could go wrong with a message or someone could decipher it wrong, don’t do it!

Would I Let My Kid(s) Have an Account – Yup, but as stated earlier, I would monitor it. It is the old theory of when a teen learns to drive. You are worried about how they will drive but almost more worried about the other drivers out there. Same difference here.

I would insist that I was their “friend” on Facebook or followed them on Twitter. If they put up a stink about that one because they are still at the “it isn’t cool to be friends with your parents on Facebook and/or Twitter,”  I would say “Ok. No problem. I won’t be your ‘friend’ on Facebook or follow you on Twitter, but then I have to have your accounts password to make sure everything is Ok.” If they still rage, then it is simple. They lose their computer, cell phone or any other way they can access their Facebook and/or Twitter account. You most likely bought them and/or pay their bills (yup, electricity counts) so the upper hand is yours.

Parents, I repeat, you have the upper hand AND you are just trying to help your child for the future. If they don’t get that, there isn’t much they will get.

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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, Facebook, Long Snapper, Maturity, Parenting, Recruiting, Twitter Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I Do Declare

January 4, 2012 By

I was recently speaking to a good friend of mine who asked me, out of the blue, “What are you doing for Rubio Long Snapping today?” It was a morning text that really got my wheels turning. I sat there, held my phone and responded with a basic answer and then, almost immediately, a mental diarrhea answer (everything just kept coming out of my mind). It sparked some good banter and definitely got my day going in a good way.

Now, I am not sure if my friend had planned that question to me so close to the New Year’s on purpose or not, but it definitely made me think about the whole resolution thing that everyone flocks to this time of  year. Everyone is going full speed into diets, workouts, self-betterment, etc. The questions is, how many actually stick with their resolution? Not many, huh? Why are the resolutions so hard to keep? How many people do what they say they are going to do?

Let’s think about this…what are some of the factors holding us (yes, I am just as guilty) back with the resolutions? Is it Friends? Yeah, they push us in the wrong direction! Companions? Maybe they aren’t being supportive enough! Work? Your new boss is just a pain in your butt!  School? No way, you can do all the work they ask you to do! Weather? As Lou Rawls said, Baby It’s Cold Outside! Grades? Too much work, not enough time! Coaches? Not enough are helping out to make sure your needs are met! Family members? Need some help and they should be willing to give it up! Sometimes, one wishes there was just a magic door to find all the answers. Poof! There’s a door, open it and walk on thru.

But wait. What if all those factors really aren’t the problem? What if, just what if, there was something else that played a significant role in this whole resolution thing? What if that thing could be looked at, told what to do and simply did it? What if, instead of making a resolution, a person made a declaration? What if a person flat out declared they were going to do something and, amazingly, it was done! Guess who can make that happen? Look at the last letter of the first three paragraphs to find the answer:)

So, what’s your declaration? You CAN make it happen. You WILL make it happen. IT’S……. ALL………. UP……….. TO………. ________!

(Click HERE to have me read you this blog as a podcast)

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

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

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The Fine Line

November 30, 2011 By

green…..green……green….green…..green……green….green…..green……green….green……green….green……green….
green…..green……green….green…..green……green….green…..green……green….green……green…
greeN…greeN…greeN…greEN…grEEN…grEEN…GREEN….GREEN….GREEN….GREEN….GREEN….GREEN….
RED!!!RED!!!RED!!!RED!!!RED!!!RED!!!RED!!!RED!!!RED!!!RED!!!RED!!!RED!!!RED!RED!!!RED!!!


Oh, the ever so fine line of a baby monitor. You lay there looking at it almost like a best friend and enemy in one. You know it is a great thing, yet you want to smash it.

Jolie and I have one for Damon and I loathe it. I know we need it and all, but I almost feel like I am in one of those old western’s simply waiting for a shootout at high noon. A couple nights ago, I was up staring at the monitor almost waiting for it to explode from green and peaceful to red and devastating. I was eye balling it and it was staring right back at me. I was just waiting for those little green lights to accumulate to the lava of red.

As I waited for the inevitable, I got to thinking and my mind started to move. I began to realize that the key to the power of the baby monitor is that fine line between green and RED. It is the line of “everything is ok” to “all hell is breaking loose.” It is the line between the baby is just moving around to the baby is in distress (Code Brown if you catch my drift). It is a very fine line, but when it is crossed, you are often in for a long haul of readjustment to fix the situation.

Now, I want you to take a second and think about life and how often we come across those tiny “fine lines” that have an effect on us. Those “fine lines” can have such a large impact on not only us, but those around us as well. Those “fine lines” can be a situation, a statement, a friend, a job, a grade, a paper, a number, a decision, a judgement or a significant other. The trick is to be able to see the “fine line” well ahead of it actually being thrown in your face. Often, if you wait until the “fine line” is upon you, it is too late and the wheels of distress are already in motion.

How often do you sit there and almost know something is eventually going to happen, yet still do nothing to halt the progress? Never? Not you? Really? You have never looked at an assignment and decided to procrastinate? You never looked at weights and decided to get to them later? You never looked at that ball and decided to work on your drills when you are less tired? You never looked at that person that needed to be told something and decided it is simply better if someone else told them?

How many times, after the fact, have you thought…..
if I had only done ________ or said _______
what I should have done was ______ or what I should have said was _______
why didn’t I just __________

Why don’t we just do it right the first time?

Think about your life up until now and how many big decisions you have made or been a part of. Now, think about if you made those decisions before or after that “fine line” appeared. Now, take that decision/instance, and imagine if you had done the exact opposite. For instance, if you were slow to the draw and let your monitor get to RED, how different would your situation be right now if you were on the ball and kept your monitor in the green?!?!?! Take some time on this one, it might blow you away.

Each one of those instances has that “fine line” of watching and waiting to doing and controlling. To be successful in life, one must be proactive in the green, instead of being reactive to the RED.

Imagine the power you would have over your own life if you simply took control of it. Today, and from this day forth, why not simply attack life instead of waiting for it to attack you?

(Click HERE to listen to me read you this blog)_________________________________________________________________

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

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

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How to be Recruited as a Long Snapper

November 2, 2011 By
In the past, I wrote a blog about What Makes a Long Snapper Great which had to do with the physical aspects of an athlete. This blog is going to have to deal with the actual recruiting of a Long Snapper once you have mastered all that the other information within the previous blog. Much of this will sound familiar if you have been to my camps, but now you can have the info to print out. I am even going to put the information in order of importance. Let’s begin…
 
1. Academics
I put this one at the top simply because without proper grades, it won’t matter how great of a Long Snapper you are…you will not be going to college. Couple key points to this one:
  • Try to maintain (a minimum, if you can go higher, do it!) a standard 3.0 and 1000 (out of 1600) on the SAT or 24 on the ACT. That is a pretty solid middle ground. My theory is that if you are GPA is higher, your test scores can be lower. This shows you are a hard-worker and, most likely, a poor test taker. If you GPA is lower, your test scores better be higher. This shows you are smart, but most likely lazy. Think of the GPA/Scores like a teeter-totter, when one side goes up the other comes down. 
  • Go into your counselor today and make sure you will be eligible for the schools you are interested in attending after high school. They will tell you, hopefully, that you are on pace to graduate. Let them know you want to know specifically for the following schools (this is where you list the schools you are interested in). Do not leave until you find out exactly what you want to know. I have witnessed many a Long Snapper lose an opportunity to play at the next level because they didn’t realize they had to take a fourth year of math or English or take an extra fine arts class. 
  • Take both the ACT and the SAT, and take them both at least twice. The first time for each is a trial run. Just use it to get the feel of the whole procedure. Why take them both? I call it the McGarry Rule. Michael McGarry is one of my Long Snappers from TX who scored a 1800/2400 on the SAT (not bad, but I am not writing home about it) but then took the ACT and crushed it with a 35! FYI: 36 is perfect and people at NASA struggle to get his score. If McGarry had not taken both tests, he would not have achieved that score that puts him in a whole separate category of recruits: academically, it is almost a given he can get in.

2. Body

A college is always going to want to recruit a Long Snapper that can handle the constant pounding of major college football. If your body is not ideal, the rest of “you” (other aspects I am and will mention) better be stupendous. They will not want to recruit a fragile player or someone that is injured more often than not. Think about it, would you buy a car that is always broken down? Didn’t think so. If you don’t pass the eyeball test, they will already be negative towards you in regards to your Long Snapping before you even snap one ball. 
 
3. Snapping 
I am not going to go into detail (there is a ton of information) on this one here, simply because I already did it within this Long Snapping blog. 

4. Camps – Long Snapping 
It is very difficult to be recruited without attending a Long Snapping camp (one with actual credibility…ALWAYS check testimonials and ask OTHER people) and doing well. Of course, I am partial to my own since I know they are proven and I have heard countless horror stories from parents about others. Don’t get me wrong, getting recruited without camps can be done, but it is extremely tricky since the coaches are going to want to know you are worthy of playing at the next level from someone that they know and can trust.  Your high school coach may say you are the best he has ever seen, but if he has never actually come across another college level snapper, his word carries no weight.

The same goes with camps. College coaches know which camps are telling the truth and which aren’t regarding the talent level of a Long Snapper. They understand there are tons of camps out there and most don’t have a clue about what it really takes at the next level. Couple things to contemplate….

  • If you are the best Long Snapper at a camp where there are just a couple Long Snappers, does that really prove anything? 
  • Do some research. Does the camp you are going to possibly attend have any sustenance or is it all smoke and mirrors? Does it look good from the outside but has no “guts” to it?
  • Contact the Long Snapping instructor yourself and get a feel of them. If you do not feel comfortable with them, you might want to move on. 
  • Contact some Long Snappers and/or their parents through Facebook and ask them the difference or why the chose to attend a certain camp. 
  • Be wary of camps that claim to have invite only camps but actually invite all. Kind of loses the aura of being invited. Not too exclusive if every Long Snapper is invited.
  • I would ask the instructor to give me numbers of parents I could contact to discuss. They should be willing to give you numbers (or at least have those parents contact you) to discuss the camps. 
5. Camps – College
Once you have been to one of the respected above camps, you will begin to get invited to Specialists Camps on a college campus. There are pretty darn important the summer before your senior year and they are a very good experience for all. Here is what you can expect from these….
  • Very little instruction (unless I am there). They are usually run by the full staff and they don’t have a ton of ideas on what to do for specialists. They know x’s and o’s but are not too familiar with the intricacies of being a Long Snapper. I have heard countless stories of my Long Snappers attending a college camp to literally snap for over 7 hours since the people in charge didn’t understand the position and/or how to coach it.
  • A massive tryout. The coaches will get a roster before the camp and they will know who the top recruits coming are. They will focus on those guys. Can you crack that code of being one of Long Snappers they really observe? Absolutely, but you better be an absolute stud.
  • A feeling of what the campus and the staff are like. I am a big fan of a Long Snapper trying to get to one or two before their junior year simply to get used to them (kinda like the ACT/SATs).


6. Personality (Yours and Your Family)
This one can be adjusted on the scale of importance depending the staff at the college. Some will rank it higher (possibly at the top) and some will keep it here. More personable staffs will put this one way up and will really want to get to know all of you well before your arrival on campus. Non-personal staffs won’t care too much.

  • Usually when a staff is getting to the point of locking you down to their school, they will make a trip to your school and speak with a couple people. These people are more often than not, but not limited to, your coach, your counselor and a random teacher. The college will want to know what type of person you are off the field. If they are there, it is obvious you can snap so now they want to see if you are worth “renting” for the next four to five years. They will not recruit a mental case or someone who is a trouble maker. There is no need since they can just go to the next Long Snapper on the list that isn’t a problem.
  • The college will also want to know about your home situation. What’s it like? Siblings? Mamma’s boy? Traveler? Overbearing parents? Remember parents/guardians, the school is recruiting your son…NOT you.
  • Being that you are a Long Snapper, you will be the last chosen by a college. Recruiting can take a long, long, long time for a Long Snapper. It can go right up until August of your senior year (yes, two months after you graduate). Be persistent with the coaches but NOT annoying. Make some calls. Be proactive. If you want it, go get it. YOU go get it, not your parents.

I know this is A LOT of information but it is exactly what goes into each and every recruitment of a Long Snapper. Trust me, I have been a part of many🙂

 

_________________________________________________________________

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 1,000 Long Snappers earning FULL SCHOLARSHIPS and PWO’s 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, Deep Snapper, Eligibility, Facebook, Football, High School, Long Snapper, Maturity, Motivation, N.C.A.A., Parenting, Recruiting, S.A.T., Vegas Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dealing with Pressure

October 19, 2011 By
As I have mentioned in one of my previous Long Snapping blogs that discussed my first snap, I am an over-thinker. And, in being so, I know that it can get you into a lot of trouble in Long Snapping, sports and life in general. When I was playing, I quickly realized that I needed to be able to calm my thinking and just focus (while not thinking) on the task at hand. This can be hard to do, especially when you start thinking about not thinking. Thankfully, I had a Meyers. 
What is a Meyers you ask? Meyers is a human (allegedly) that was an offensive guard when I played at UCLA (key word: offensive). He is, by far, the meanest man I have ever come across in my life. I could devote an entire year’s worth of blogs simply to him and I guarantee half of the stories you would swear are fake when they are all dead on true. He was approximately 6’6″, 350 lbs, with a gap in his teeth that could hold 35 cents (no dimes), skinny legs, a barrel chest (jacket size: 60), sweated so bad he would have to change his entire uniform at half and had a chip on his shoulder the size of Vermont. 

 

Meyers crushed this person…
then went after his family…
and then had ribs….
Anyway, Meyers and I were in cahoots (thank the Lord) and I requested he be right next to me on p.a.t.s. This was good and bad. It was bad for a couple reasons. First, Meyers would yell (imagine an angry trucker that was raised by wolves) at the defensive players which in turn made them upset and want to crush me (remember, I played when you could hit the Long Snapper). Never really understood why they would take out their frustration on me, but they did. Meyers was also famous for letting a defensive player get about half way past he and I, simply so he could try to really take out their knee and/or break their leg. Meyers didn’t seem to care that he would essentially slam the guy into my knee as well. I tried to explain this to Meyers and he just grunted and told me to shut up. I embraced and thanked God he was on my team. 

The good about Meyers was that it gave me someone to talk to and that is how I handled my nerves. From the time I got out to the huddle (we huddled on field which was great for TV time) to the time I snapped a perfect ball, I spoke to Meyers. I would ask about plans after the game, if he was hungry, what was his favorite movie and why he was so sweaty. He really hated the sweaty comment and would always proceed to tell me it was because he was an actually player and not a Long Snapper. Of course, I would ask why he was so sweaty the most:). The point is, by speaking to Meyers, it took my mind off the task at hand. I knew I worked right (not just hard) at practice and I knew was capable. The only thing that would stop me was, well, ME. I would be so enthralled with the conversation and what would come out of Meyer’s mouth, that the play would be over before I even had a chance to think about it. Did it work? Yup. I never had one bad snap in college.

Right about now you are thinking, “But I don’t have a Meyers, so what should I do?” Couple things have worked with my Long Snappers over the years. I advised one of my Long Snappers before each snap to look into the crowd, find the best looking girl and point directly at her. He was a major over-thinker and this helped him immensely. He would break the huddle, walk slowly to the ball while looking to the crowd. Given, in being a Long Snapper, he was built like a god and looked like Brad Pitt’s better looking brother, so the ladies already loved him. Once they figured out what he was doing, they would clamor to be the “one.” This method worked perfectly for him in Long Snapping and with the ladies.

Another thing that has worked for my Long Snappers is to simply get down with your perfect form, get your hands on the ball and say something absurd. From “sexy avocado” to “flapjack wilson” to “Rubio is sexy.” A Long Snapper will be so intrigued with the off the wall statement, they will forget about thinking…which is always a good thing.

If you are prepared correctly and have worked right, there is no reason to think during the game. Couple great examples of this are John Wooden and Phil Jackson. Both coaches are legends and were the best ever in college and the pro’s that basically did NOTHING during a game. Seriously, if you ever watched an older UCLA game or a modern day Lakers game, those two didn’t even look like they were paying attention or could care less. Why? Because they prepared their team correctly before the game. The bottom line is you want to make sure you are prepared enough before the game that there is no need to think during the game.

Got you thinking now, don’t I?

_________________________________________________________________

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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Ask

October 12, 2011 By

When I was recruited to play at UCLA, they didn’t offer scholarships to Long Snappers out of high school (thank goodness for guys like this). It was standard issue that a snapper walked on and, when they started, some schools would give you a scholarship. I say some because many still didn’t do it. All together now: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Ah, that felt good, now back to business.

When the starter in front of me graduated, I knew the job (and scholarship) were mine so I proceeded to walk right into the head coach’s office to ask the question, “so, um, what exactly do I need to do to be put on scholarship?” Mind you, the coach at time was Terry Donahue. Coach Donahue was/is a legend at UCLA and in the college football world, while I was a walk on Long Snapper at a time when Long Snapper’s were lower than the guy who invented skinny jeans for men.

Needless to say, that didn’t stop me. I walked right in (during my appointment time…he is the head man for God’s sake) and asked the question. He respected me for my bluntness and for being specific. I am a thinker and I wanted to know exactly what I needed to do for the job/scholarship and he was a busy man that didn’t need to bantering back and forth with a Long Snapper (almost hurts me to put Long Snappers in that tone, but it was true…..at the time).

So, I started and was flawless during Spring Ball (one of his requirements). I made all of the “voluntary” workouts during the summer (another) and performed like a champ during Fall Camp (this one was key). I did exactly what he asked and, after the first game, I walked right back into his office (yes, I made another appointment) and asked, “Hey Coach, I did every single thing you’ve asked of me….do I get the scholarship?” His answer, “Yes and thanks for coming in. I might have forgotten.”

First of all, well done to me. Second, FORGOTTEN!?!?!?!?!?! You kidding me? Thank God I did go in and ask. Imagine if I didn’t? Don’t get me wrong, I am sure I would have eventually been put on, but the stress of waiting could have been detrimental to my success at UCLA. It would have been just one more thing for me to worry about and that is something no one needs. Bottom line, asking helped me and helped me a ton.

If you want something, ask. If you want to know about something, ask. Seems easy enough, but many people, speaking to the youngin’s out there, never do it. And, if they do ask, they don’t ask correctly.

So, how do you ask? Simple. You ask the person you want the answer from and you request specifics. If you want to know why you are not starting at your high school or college, you would ask why you are not starting? WRONG. You need to ask why you are not starting and what exactly you need to do in order to get the starting job. Then, you will know the specifics. 

If your coach just kinda grunts and says to simply beat out the guy in front of you, then you need to respond with “I feel that I am better than him right now so I need to know exactly what I need to do to prove it to you.” At this point, the coach will have to give you a very specific answer to simply get you off his back. Please note that you were never rude in the way you asked. That is key. You upset a coach or back them into a corner and they will feel threatened….that is not a good thing.

As you can see, yet again, the ball is in your court. If you want something, just ask…but be specific. Leave no chance for someone to give you an open-ended answer. Be specific with your question and they will be specific with their answer.

You want to know what you need to do in order to be the starter, just ask but be specific. You want to know what it will take to be put on scholarship, just ask but be specific. You want to know if the best looking girl will go on a date, just ask but be specific (and mention you’re a Long Snapper…ladies love that). You want to know how to switch from being a Long Snapper to a kicker, don’t ask!

Hope this helps and if you have any questions, you know what to do:)

_________________________________________________________________

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, Coaches, Long Snapper, Maturity, Parenting Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Blink

October 5, 2011 By
You are born. You know nothing. Not up from down, not night from day, not good from bad. You are completely dependent upon others. You are fed, clothed and bathed by someone else. Where you go from here is not up to you. This is your beginning and you have no control. 
 
Blink.
 
You are growing up. You observe. You are beginning to know right from wrong.  You ask questions. Lots of questions. You are becoming you. You are forming opinions. You are creating thoughts. You are, slowly, taking your steps into life. 
 
Blink.
 
You are you…..so you think. You are big. You are the smartest you will ever be….so you think. You are in great shape. You have found love. You have lost love. You will find it again. You now question instead of asking questions. You are eyeballing life and sprinting full speed at it. You know it all….so you think.
 
Blink.
 
You are different. You look different. You act different. You are not who you thought you would be. You listen. You learn. You wait. You ask. You find out. You get answers. You are growing. Life is now coming to you and not the other way around. You wish it would pause. It never does. It is coming faster and faster. You breathe. Your heart pounds. Faster. You breathe. 
 
Blink. 
 
You are you. This is it. You observe more while speaking less. You have lived. You wish you had listened more, loved more, laughed more, learned more, lived more. This is your ending and you suddenly realize………you had all the control. Don’t waste your life. It will be gone in the blink of an eye. 
 
BLINK._________________________________________________________________

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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“I Don’t Have……

September 14, 2011 By

“I don’t have…. the size to be a top Long Snapper” – I will be sure to mention that to Jeff Palmer (Oregon, 5’10” and 190 lbs) or Mike Famiglietti (Western Illinois, 5’10” and 190 lbs) or even Casey Hales (first Long Snapper I worked with who was 5’10” and 180 but holds the record for most starts at Duke). No more excuses.

“I don’t have…. the room to practice my Long Snapping” – That’s odd considering I have given you countless drills that can be done in a room the size of a bathroom. No more excuses.

“I don’t have…. a big enough school to be recruited from” – Let me discuss that one with Drew Ferris who went to high school at the San Diego Jewish Academy (160 total students) and is now playing for the University of Florida. In case you are wondering, Drew is the only D1 football player ever to graduate from the San Diego Jewish Academy and it is not known for being a football powerhouse. At one time, Drew’s school was the only all Jewish school in the country that had a football team. No more excuses.

“I don’t have…. anyone to catch my snaps.” – In high school, I snapped to a tree or a tire. In college, I snapped to my bed turned on it’s side. Now, you even have The Rubio Target. No more excuses.

“I don’t have…. the grades to go to college” – Have you really been trying? I mean really trying? Go in and speak with your teachers. SHOW them you want the good grades and are willing to work to get them. Spend more time studying than doing anything else and you are fine. No more excuses.

“I don’t have…. a head coach that will help me with the recruiting process” – Be proactive. You make the calls. You send the emails. You do the work. In addition, if you have been to any of my camps or read any of my Long Snapping blogs you should be well ahead of the game and already know what to do and how to handle yourself. No more excuses

“I don’t have…. the flexibility to be a Long Snapper” – When I was at UCLA, after my very first physical, the doctors and trainers told me, in all seriousness, “Rubio, you have the worst flexibility of any athlete we have ever had here.” Did that hold me back? No. Not to mention, nowadays you can simply search yoga on YouTube and find over 125,000 videos. No more excuses.

“I don’t have….. anyone supporting me” – You have me. I am always there for you and countless people can tell you that. Need more? Download the Long Snapping podcasts and I am in your pocket and in your head….anytime. No more excuses.

“I don’t have…. ANY MORE EXCUSES”  

_________________________________________________________________

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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An Unfair-y Tale

September 7, 2011 By
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a person named Frank. Frank was just like any other person his age, he spent a great deal of time day-dreaming. Thoughts would pierce Frank’s mind like a knife and he would be forced to wrestle them into either the real world or let them float on by.
 
One day, a particular vision came into Frank’s head about being someone and doing something very few people in the world could do. Frank thought about being a top athlete and knew it was the thing for him. Frank told his good buddy, Dan, and they both proceeded to devour any bit of information they could about the subject and decided it really wasn’t that hard. They both could definitely do it and would go full speed into the process. They had the means and the desire. Nothing would stop them in fulfilling their dream to be a great athlete.
 
They started with a lesson. They both enjoyed the time with the instructor. The instructor was personable, made everyone feel welcome and definitely made sure everyone acquired some knowledge about the sport. Unfortunately, Dan was not so into it as Frank was, but that did not stop Frank and the lessons continued for both. Frank had a goal and they would achieve it.
 
Day after day, month after month, year after year, Frank would summon Dan to do the drills. To focus with him. To read with him. To stretch with him. To eat with him. To watch videos with him. To go to camps and combines with him. Dan did exactly what Frank wanted, if for any reason, to keep the relationship alive. After awhile, Frank could feel that Dan was drifting away from their dream and decided to look the other way and pretend it simply was not true. Hear no evil, see no evil was Franks’s motto. If they were this close, there is no way they could stop!
 
Camp after camp, Dan became less and less interested and it became more and more like work instead of fun. Dan even contemplated telling Frank he was burnt out and done, but did not want to hurt Frank’s feelings and/or lose the relationship. You see, at one point, they were actually the best of friends. But now, they were almost enemies. Frank didn’t even notice since he was so focused on the goal of being a top tier athlete.
 
Finally, after several years of lessons, camps, combines, events, films, trainers, stretching, eating, working out and countless hours of drills, Dan had had enough. Dan was not feeling well mentally or physically and was done. Done. He wanted no more. It was not fun anymore. It was not even tolerable. It was treacherous and was something that became dreaded. This thing that was once exciting and new, was now bland and exhausting. It was becoming obvious to all around, especially the instructor, that Dan simply was not into it anymore.
 
Something needed to be said and it needed to be said now. After one particular camp, the instructor pulled Dan to the side and asked Dan if he would like him to say something to Frank. Dan looked down, paused for quite some time, rose up with tears in his eyes and said, “No, that’s ok. I will speak to him. He’s my dad.”
 
 

Please note: this is a fictional story that I have made up. However, it could be very true and I don’t want to ever see it happen. This is why I always keep my lessons, camps and events fun and loose yet still extremely productive. I am firm believer in a happy athlete will be a good, if not great, athlete. Like I have stated before, one must wonder if my top kids are smiling because they are the best or are they the best because they are smiling?

Parents, please make sure your kids are happy with their athletic endeavors. Yes, you must push them and keep on them, but you must also support them and make sure they are following their own dreams and not yours.

_________________________________________________________________

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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You’re The Long Snapper

August 31, 2011 By

Both sides would agree, it was a great game. The offenses, defenses and special teams all did their jobs. Fittingly, this battle was coming down to the last play of the game.

Your team had been driving down the field running their two minute offense flawlessly. Little gains here and there to keep the ball moving and the clock stopping. The offense became stagnant, as they often can do in these situations, right at the 10 yard line. It seemed with less field to play, came less opportunities to score.

It was the 4th quarter, the game was tied, you were on the seven yard line and there was one second left. The previous play was meant to end the game but your trusty wide receiver turned out to be not so trusty. The ball was practically in his hands when he lifted his eyes to see the safety coming dead at him. That spooked him enough to make him forgot his main job: to catch the ball.

Your coach decided to put the fate of the team, the school and the community in his field goal unit.

You are ready. You were always ready by third down, let alone fourth. You were standing right next to the holder and kicker. You were a unit and you were their leader. They knew it and so did you. You were confident.

The coach grabs his hat, throws it down in disgust after the missed opportunity to score and yells “FIELD GOAL, FIELD GOAL, FIELD GOAL!” He grabs the kicker’s helmet to give him some last minute advice. He doesn’t even look to you. You don’t mind. You don’t need any last minute words. You know your job and you know what to do. You are ready and you are confident.

You jog on the field and notice your legs feel heavy and your hands are moist. The pulsating of your heart begins to beat through your pads. You are certain it is visible to others.

You slow your jog to a walk and locate the ref. You see him wipe the ball down and place it on the turf. You approach the ball like it is your prey. You have done this dance before. You have a routine. You know it hands down. You are ready and you are confident. You place your left foot into it’s spot, followed by your right. It is though you are strapping into ski boots. You bend your knees a bit. Your legs feel even heavier and you wonder if your knees can withstand the weight.

The crowd noise has become deafening. With your feet locked into place, you turn to see the holder and the kicker. The holder is down and the kicker is beginning his steps. The holder slowly mouths the words to you “This is all you.” You nod, bring your eyes back along the imaginary line the ball will follow as it leaves your hands, and turn to face the ball. The crowd noise is vibrating the stadium and your chest. It continues to get louder and louder and louder. It hurts.

You reach out with your right hand to grab the ball. The noise is suddenly…….gone. You put your left hand on the ball. You can only hear the beating of your heart. It is on a rhythm and that rhythm is picking up pace. You bend down into position. You look through your legs. The crowd is gone. The team is gone. The rest of the field is gone. Everything besides the holder is darkness. All you see is your holder. You maneuver your fingers on the ball to find that perfect spot. You are ready and you are confident.

Your holder looks at the kicker. The kicker gives him a nod. The holder slowly turns to you. You are ready and you are confident. He puts up his hand and the ball immediately, almost on cue, starts the process back. Your form is perfect. Your entire body is working in unison. The ball releases from the very tips of your fingers. It all feels effortless. The ball rotates through the air in slow motion. You see every….single….revolution. It hits the holder’s hands and BOOM, the whole world comes alive again. The noise is deafening, the speed is amazing. The ball is kicked and goes through the uprights.

The team goes crazy. Everyone is jumping up and down. You look around to find your group. You wink to the holder and the kicker as if it was just another day at the office. The team, the crowd and the community are ecstatic. People are rushing the field.

The Head Coach leads the way. He is rushing out towards you. He is getting closer and closer. His eyes are as big as apples. He is approaching you at record speed. He is less than five yards from you. He gets closer and closer. He goes right past you to celebrate with the kicker. He doesn’t even look at you or acknowledge your existence.

You don’t even bat an eye or turn around. You don’t need the praise. You don’t need the glory. You know who started the game winning play and without you, none of it was even possible.

You know who you are.

You’re the Long Snapper.

_________________________________________________________________

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: Deep Snapper, Long Snapper, Maturity, Motivation Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

What You Do….What They See

August 24, 2011 By

I speak with a lot of college coaches throughout the year. We hang out together and we speak about a lot of different things. Being the kind of guy I am, I like to do a lot of listening and observing….lots of it. Often, I will sit back and watch a coach watch an athlete. In doing so, I have noticed that coaches tend to do a lot of hidden “watching.” Not in a weird way or anything, they just really, really like to eyeball a prospective recruit. And, after communicating with many of them over the years and just being able to figure things out on my own, I have come to the conclusion that they see and decipher things you are doing that you might not even be aware of. Therefore, I decided to create a little chart to help you out. It will be broken down into two parts and will be labeled as WHAT YOU DO vs WHAT THEY SEE.

What You Do: Walking to greet them
What They See: An athlete’s gait (basically means strut and/or the way you walk) is a huge one for coaches.

  • Do you look awkward and/or nonathletic? Do you have your head down? Are your shoulder’s hunched? Are you shuffling along? All of these are Code Reds for a college coach. Hold yourself up high and be confident in your strut. You would already know this one if you had read this long snapping blog.

What You Do: Getting water. Hanging out in the locker room. Eating with your friends.
What They See: How you interact with your teammates.

  • Are you social? Too social? Reserved? Rude? Passive? Aggressive? These are all things coaches want to see. Most coaches really like a kid that is social but not too social. Bottom line, have fun but don’t be a jerk. Rule of thumb, if you wouldn’t do it with me standing right next to you, you probably shouldn’t be doing it.

What You Do: Hanging out with your family
What They See: If you are rude or not to your parents/siblings.

  • Trust me, they get you are a teenager and unless you have reached the age where you actually start embracing your parents again (patience parents, it will come) they understand the dynamic. Saying that, they want to see if you are a donkey or actually a decent human being. You can tell a lot about a person by how they treat their parent(s) and coaches know this. Now, you don’t have to be over the top as that will show you are too dependent on them (or the parent needs to spread out) but you also don’t have belittle or spit venom at them either.


What You Do: Grabbing the football
What They See: How flexible or athletic you are.

  • Not even kidding, I have witnessed a ton of coaches focus on when an athlete reaches over to grab a ball simply to see how he bends. Do you look like a 115 year old man or are you fluid? Also, I have witnessed even more check out how a kid catches a snap or fiddles with a football to see his coordination level. I have seen coaches lock onto a kid simply because he looks athletic and not awkward catching someone else’s snap!

What You Do: Running
What They See: If you have that certain type of speed they are looking for.

  • Ok, so you saw this one and said, duh Rubio. But did you know, many coaches know a Long Snapper is not usually going to be a gazelle out of the blocks so they want to see how you finish the play. They look for something called closing speed. Closing speed is when you are finally at full throttle (let’s pray it is less than a quarter mile to this point), you see where the punt is, zero in on the returner and then head towards them. Many top athletes will almost hit a sixth gear at this point and coaches LOVE that in their players.

What You Do: Stare at them, nod at them, have fujidadobs (pronounced foo-ja-da-dobs)
What They See: You are distant, you are fake, you are clueless.

  • Are you even paying attention to the coach? Skip this one and write your own ticket to never playing for that team.
  • Are you looking them in the eye? They want to make sure you have the confidence to stare them down just like they are doing to you.
  • Are you nodding? Coaches know the I-am-going-to-nod-at-every-single-thing-you-say-so-it-looks-like-I-ameally-paying-attention trick. You look like a weirdo and you aren’t fooling anyone. Throw a nod in every once in awhile, but continuous nodding makes you look like a bobble head.
  • Are you in full-on fujidadobs mode? I have good friend named CP. His family (I believe) came up with the term fujidadobs. Every person in the world has done it and the trick is to not do it often or in public. Fujidadobs is the process of being so enthralled in something that you completely zone out, let your mouth open and become glassy. Really bad cases of fujidadobs will involve drooling. If you are still confused, turn on Animal Planet or any show about building the biggest something (plane, tanker, megaloader, tractor, bridge) in front of a male and sit back and watch them. Within five minutes, they will have a huge case of fujidadobs. 
  • Bottom line, focus on the coach and listen to what they are spraying but do not zone out. If they ask you a question and you have no clue what they have even said, you are going to look like a complete idiot and not someone they want on their team.

A coach sees everything….everything. Their job/money/life is based on who they recruit. They control you, but you almost control them as well. Therefore, a coach is going to want to recruit a very athletic, physically good looking, well mannered person who listens. And, this Über athlete should be someone that he would be comfortable with babysitting his child (Lord help us) or dating his daughter (I don’t care how hot she is, run for the hills). 

_________________________________________________________________

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, Coaches, College, Long Snapper, Maturity, Motivation, Recruiting Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Do You Have the….

August 10, 2011 By

Courage to stand on your own, when, at times, it feels as though no one is supporting you and your dreams?

Open-mindedness to listen to those that know more than you and actually do want to guide you along the way to help you succeed?

Noticeable difference in your attitude, in a positive way, compared to others?

Faith to believe in yourself and what you are planning to do with your life?

Intelligence to know how to work smart and hard instead of just working hard?

Dedication to stick with your mission until it is complete?

Endurance to withstand the seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks and years it will take to achieve your goal?

Nod of approval from your superiors that will one day be recommending you?

Character to be someone that the next generation will want to follow and emulate?

Enthusiasm to be positive throughout your ordeal, as not every aspect of it will be enjoyable as you plow through it?

Do you have the __________________ to make all your dreams a reality?

(Go ahead and fill in the blank by using the first letter of each word that is in bold)

_________________________________________________________________

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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A Long Snapping Fairy Tale

July 20, 2011 By

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away there was a man named Rubio. One Saturday, many moons ago, he was doing his usual which, of course, meant molding a youth or two into modern-day heroes, otherwise known as Long Snappers. As he concluded his session of enlightenment, he meandered off the field and noticed a confused, but eager child. This child, appeared to be around ten years old, was doing something that immediately caught Rubio’s eye. He was playing a good ol’ game of catch with his dad. No big deal? What was odd is that he was playing catch upside down and backward.

Rubio took a double take and couldn’t help but stare. Could there really be a random youth performing the glorious art of Long Snapping on his own just a mere hundred feet or so from the older gladiators o’snapping? Rubio stood and watched and watched and watched (side note: little creepy now that I think about it). The child was doing his best but was definitely beginning to get frustrated. He would drag the ball, launch a ball, wobble a ball. All  the while, his father smiling and encouraging. Suddenly, Rubio found himself perusing towards the child. The youngin’ had just launched one over his father’s head and was becoming overwhelmed.

Rubio simply could not take any more of it. If this little rascal was willing and able, then gosh darn it, Rubio would have to make sure he knew what he was doing! There is no need for bad Long Snappers in the world you know.

Rubio got to the child while his father was about 15 yards back, turned around, picking up yet another wayward snap. The kid was flabbergasted with his snapping and a little shy to Rubio (double side note: I am pretty sure I would be too if I rolled up to me out of the blue when I was ten). Rubio explained to him who he was and what his job entailed. Right around this time, the father came back to see what was happening with his child and this random male. The father was a little taken back about the big, bald, man speaking to his son but quickly relaxed once Rubio explained the situation.

Conversation continued for a couple minutes and information was exchanged. Days went by and the father called Rubio to set up a lesson. The first sessions were interesting. The kid was very small, but willing to listen and had a very spunky attitude. Rubio loved his fire. The young Long Snapper was quiet but when he spoke, he sprayed venom. Rubio was enamored with his attitude.

Months passed. Years passed. The young Long Snapper’s form became impeccable. He went from the worst at a lesson, to someone Rubio could use as an example of what to look like to be perfect. He went from the young one, to the old one. He went from quiet and a follower, to vocal and a leader.

He grew. Maturity grabbed his body and threw him into manhood. His Long Snapping became dominant. He worked even harder and harder. He became more and more focused. He never backed down from a challenge and had no problem initiating one to prove his dominance. He was “there” with his Long Snapping.

This frustrated, small, reserved, quiet Long Snapper became one of the most dominant in Rubio Long Snapping history. Who is he?

 

Click HERE to see who this true story is about…….Will the next fairy tale be about you?

_________________________________________________________________

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

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

Rubio_Card_frontMAGNET

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