Coaches – Page 3

Key Questions to Ask a College Coach

April 11, 2013 By Rubio

I have been getting a lot of emails, texts and calls about what to say to a college coach once you get a hold of them or they of you. Some pretty basic questions to ask, but, I have to warn you, you might not like the “answers.”

Question you should ask but WON’T get a straight answer:

Player – Coach, are you recruiting anyone else at my position?

This is a great question but more likely than not, the coach will lie to you and say no one else. And, they have no reason to tell you. Think about it, would you be completely honest with a girl if you asked her to prom and she asked if there was anyone else you were considering asking? Didn’t think so.

Questions you should ask and NEED to get a straight answer:

Player – Coach, if I am preferred walk-on, when exactly will I report to camp, does this include my admission to school and when exactly when will I be put on scholarship?

Major questions to ask and you definitely need to find out the answers. You want to be brought in asap and if you aren’t, you need to find out why. Most likely they have another guy they didn’t tell you about and this could be an issue moving forward. Next, you want to make sure it is very clear when you will be put on scholarship. Is it going to be right after your first start? Is it going to be a semester after your first start? Is it going to be when the senior graduates? Is it going to be one year after you start? Use the word exactly and find out the specifics with the coach. Don’t let them fluff an answer.

Question you want to ask but SHOULDN’T EVEN BOTHER expecting a straight answer:
Player – Coach, will you be there all four/five years I am in school?

The coach will answer YES but there is no way he is being completely honest with you. If something better coaching wise comes up, they are gone (and they should be…this is their job and their livelihood). Remember, never, ever choose a college based on the coach.

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Filed Under: Article Archives, Athletics, Coaches, College, Deep Snapper, Football, High School, Long Snapper, Maturity, N.C.A.A., Parenting, Recruiting, Relationships Tagged With: Chris Rubio, coaches, college recruiting, deep snap, deep snapper, deep snapping, deepsnap, deepsnapper, deepsnapping, football recruiting, Long Snap, long snapper, long snappers, long snapping, Long Snapping Camp, LongSnap, LongSnapper, LongSnapping, nationally ranked long snapper, NCAA, Phone Calls, recruiting, recruiting process, Rubio long snapping

Can My Social Media Profiles Affect the Recruiting Process?

April 5, 2013 By Rubio

In this day and age of Social Media with almost all high school students on Facebook, Twitter, etc. college football coaches are no exception. So, what does this mean for potential recruits? It means you must always be aware of what your public facing social profiles look like. Just like in the corporate world during the hiring process, college football coaches are combing the major Social Networks to see what they can find out about a potential recruit. They are doing their due-diligence in order to make the best possible choice of student athletes for their particular University.

Social Networks in many cases are the perfect venue to showcase your talents on the field, but in some cases can be the most damaging off the field. Players should represent themselves online as they would offline to avoid any potential issues with college coaches following them on the various Social sites.

A common place to create a problem or controversy is the way you “comment” on your peers leaving comments on your Social profiles. Always, think before you reply back to ensure you are not leaving yourself open to negative feedback, potential controversy or negative press. Photos are no exception either. Often coaches scroll through potential recruits Photo streams to see if they can find any “red flags” during the recruiting process. Always be careful with regards to the photos you post on your Social profiles.

Bottom line is coaches are watching and players need to be conscious of this. The online term for this is Reputation Management. Make sure when you are “googled” you are represented the way you want to be!

–Rubio Long Snapping

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New Avenues for Small Town Athletes

March 27, 2013 By Rubio

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Do you have the talent to be there?

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

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

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Filed Under: Article Archives, Athlete, Coaches, College, Facebook, Graduating, Graduation, High School, N.C.A.A., Recruiting, Twitter, YouTube Tagged With: advice for athletes, avenue for small town athletes, Chris Rubio, college recruiting, football recruiting, high school, Lewiston Tribune, national recruits, recruiting, recruiting process, Rubio long snapping, small town athletes

Creating My Own Highlight Tape, Good Idea or Bad?

March 27, 2013 By Rubio

We are asked this question all the time:

Should I make my own Highlight Tape or have a professional do it?

If you look at investment of having a professional do it the right way vs. the potential awareness it will drive to you as a potential College Long Snapper the answer is pretty clear. Have a pro do it for you!

A Highlight tape in most cases is the one shot you have to impress a college coach in just a few short seconds. It is essential that it is done professionally and clearly defines you and your skill set. When choosing a Film maker consult with Rubio Long Snapping prior as we know what makes the perfect Long Snapping Highlight Tape.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when developing a Highlight Tape:

Put your Best Clips at the beginning of the Tape, in some cases you only have a few seconds to catch the attention of college scouts.
Make sure you include a small bio, contact info, jersey colors, your number, GPA, SAT Score, etc.
Follow up, be persistent make sure the coaches received your tape and that they viewed it.
Leverage your online presence by showcasing the Video across all your Social Media Sites, Youtube Channels, Scouting Website Profiles, etc. you never know who will see it.

Prior to any attempt at creating a Highlight Tape consult with Rubio Long Snapping to guide in the right direction.

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Spring Ball is the Time of the Year When…

March 21, 2013 By Rubio

Spring Ball is the time of the year when football players and coaches come together to see who has been working hard or hardly working.

Spring Ball is the time of the year when no one’s job is safe.

Spring Ball is the time of the year when the starter can separate himself from the backup.

Spring Ball is the time of the year when the backup can overtake the starter.

Spring Ball is the time of the year when you meet with your coaches to discuss your position on the team.

Spring Ball is the time of the year when the walk-on can show the coaches he can do it under pressure.

Spring Ball is the time of the year when the scholarship athlete leaves no doubt he is worth the money.

Spring Ball is the time of the year when you show everyone why you did all of those drills during the winter.

Spring Ball is the time of the year when you want to hide because you haven’t been preparing.

Spring Ball is the time of the year when you decide your destiny for next season.

What is yours?

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Filed Under: Article Archives, Coaches, College, Deep Snapper, Football, Freshman, Long Snapper, Maturity, Motivation, Parenting Tagged With: Chris Rubio, deep snap, deep snapper, deep snapping, deepsnap, deepsnapper, deepsnapping, Long Snap, long snapper, long snappers, long snapping, LongSnap, LongSnapper, LongSnapping, nationally ranked long snapper, Rubio Long Snapper, Rubio long snapping, Spring Ball, Spring Football

Rubio Long Snapper Drew Williams Commits to South Carolina!

March 13, 2013 By Rubio

Rubio Long Snapper Drew Williams (SC, ’13) has committed to South Carolina as a preferred walk-on!

Drew is an extremely athletic Long Snapper with a ton of upside. He moves extremely well on his feet and snaps a crisp ball. Drew will be headed to the Gamecocks to play under Special Teams Coach Joe Robinson who always gets a Rubio Long Snapper…smart man!

Congratulations to Drew Williams!

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So, a College Coach Calls and Says….

March 5, 2013 By Rubio

Last night, a coach calls me and here is our conversation…..

Rubio ” What’s up Coach ________!”

Coach “Rubio, what’s going on? Is this a good time?”

Rubio “Perfect. Let it rain. What’s up?”

Coach “I am calling to do a background check on a couple of your guys. What can you tell me about the following guys’ personality and how they handle themselves socially…”

The rest of the conversation is obviously private. You think coaches only care about how you behave on the field? THINK AGAIN!

Clean up your act and start with social media. Remember, if you retweet something ignorant, YOU are ignorant. If you are tagged in a photo that shows people being wrong, YOU are wrong. If you hang out with morons, YOU are a moron. Blunt, but very, very true.

Trust me, coaches will find out about all of this.

Make social media work for you and not against you.

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The Mental Focus it Takes to be a GREAT Long Snapper…

March 1, 2013 By Rubio

Even in non-game winning situations, the Long Snapper is under some pretty high pressure. He has to be concerned with getting the snap count right, making a perfect snap and engaging a block all within seconds. What is the best way to handle the pressure?

For many it takes getting into the right “state” or frame of mind. Most of us go through life letting outside events or other people have control of our frame of mind. It is important to know that YOU can control your state. It is critical for a Long Snapper.

Some will use a physical signal to put themselves in the proper state. It might be a chest pound or a smack to the side of the helmet. This physical signal tells the brain it is time to focus.

Once in the right state of mind, a Long Snapper can recall all of the perfect snaps in previous games and practice. He can quickly focus thoughts on positive energy and visualize a perfect execution. With practice he can break down the elements of a perfect snap in to several steps that are quickly and precisely executed.

Getting into the right state is part art and part science. It is a combination of positive attitude, determination, and self-confidence. It starts with that physical trigger that creates a level of focus and the proper state. It ends with yet another perfect snap.

Want to learn more? Visit our website and find out how Rubio Long Snapping trains Long Snappers to carry this type of focus and frame of mind.

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What to Look for in a Long Snapping Camp?

February 22, 2013 By Rubio

There are many things to look for when selecting a Long Snapping Camp to attend. For many Long Snappers the value of a quality camp can lead to the exposure they need to take their talent to the next level. Rubio Long Snapping offers every aspect a player needs to look at in selecting a Camp, see them below:

Exposure – The main ingredient in getting to the next level and Rubio Long Snapping offers the highest quality of exposure for its Long Snappers. Player Rankings, Player Profiles, National Recruiting Websites like Scout.com, ESPN.com and Rivals.com, National Events, Social Media, Youtube, Video, Blogs and much more!
Personal Instruction – Chris Rubio of Rubio Long Snapping attends and instructs at every camp. Rubio does not pawn his Long Snappers off to any old coach instead he trains his guys on every snap. This is extremely important when looking at camps to ensure top quality instruction.
Relationships – Meaning, next level relationships with major College Football Programs and NFL staffs. Rubio Long Snapping is the go to source for College Football Recruiters at four year Universities and beyond with contacts with agents and NFL staffs. College Football Programs take Rubio Long Snapping opinions and recommendations into the highest of consideration in the world of Long Snapping and now NFL is on board as well with all of Rubio’s Long Snapper continue their careers.
Results – Where have previous camp participants gone on to play? Will this camp help me springboard to the next level? Well click here to see where the latest of the Rubio Long Snapping players have committed to play next fall and click here to see a list of the previous year players and where they landed.

As you can you see Rubio Long Snapping offers everything in a Camp that any Long Snapper could ever need. Visit RubioLongSnapping.com for details on our upcoming Camps.

#FullEmbrace

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Top 5 Things a Coach Looks at When You are on the Field

February 20, 2013 By Rubio

Here are the top 5 things a coach will look at, in addition, obviously, to your athletic ability, when they are scouting you on the football field….

Are you looking to the crowd, specifically mom and/or dad, after every single play? There is nothing more frustrating for a coach than to see a player who needs constant reassurance from his parents throughout the game. Trust yourself and be confident. You will be able to speak with them after the game. It’s not like they can even help you during the process so focus on you and the game.
Are you hustling? If you aren’t hustling on the field, that means you won’t hustle in practice or in the off-season. They want an athlete that goes full speed and, by the end, of the game, is done.
Are you taking plays off? Goes along with #2. A coach despises a player that, quite obviously, will take a play off here and there. What happens when the play you take off goes your way? The play is done and so are you.
Are you interacting with teammates? When you come to the sideline, are you cheering your team on? Are you motivating? Are you putting people down? Are you focused on the game? Are you looking in the crowd? Are you arguing with coaches?
Are you making mistakes? This one can be tricky, because if you are hustling, going full speed and not taking plays off, it will be hard for them to even tell IF you have made a mistake on the field. Obviously, coaches don’t want you to make a mistake, but like they say, if you do, make it a hundred miles per hour.

Remember, if a coach actually comes to a game to recruit you, he will be completely focused on the little things throughout the entire process. Essentially is job and his life is on the line. He recruits poorly and he is fired. He will watch you like a hawk and see everything. Make sure he sees the right things and he leaves with no doubt you are the man for the job.

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The Importance of Repetitions and a Performance Mindset in Long Snapping

February 18, 2013 By Rubio

Three (must have) keys to success in Long Snapping are good instruction, practice and repetition, and most importantly – trust in your skills.

Repetitions train the mind and body to learn a specific skill set like Long Snapping. It allows you to execute the perfect snap time and time again, because your body is essentially programmed this way.

There is a false assumption about learning a new technique such as Deep Snapping and Accuracy that athletes should be able to apply it right away. Likewise, some players believe that they should be able to make adjustments in their game, and have it pay off right away. Change doesn’t happen overnight. When you expect change to happen overnight, you are setting yourself up for failure. Athletes must practice what they learn in order to put it into action. Why? Old habits are hard to change. So anytime you learn something new (or teach something new), it takes a lot of repetition to change.

Repetition trains the body to mechanically achieve the desired result of a “perfect snap”, but the mind is a whole other mechanism that is as equally important.

You might have outstanding form or technique, but you must trust in what you have learned in practice in order to apply it in competition. A lack of trust in ones skills is the top reason Long Snappers can’t repeat – in competition – what they do easily in practice every day.

Several mental barriers can get in the way:

Fear of failure
Perfectionism
High expectations
Focusing on results, rather than the process
Pressure of the moment

The concept of trust applies universally from youth to professional Long Snappers. To perform your absolute best – with consistency – you must trust in what was learned from practice.

So, how do we trust our skills in competition?

First, overcome the mental barriers mentioned above and perform at a high level. This is called the performance mindset.

Top Long Snappers have both a training/work mindset and a performance mindset. When you combine the two you develop a “flow” that allows your body to almost effortlessly execute at the highest level.

Change doesn’t happen overnight. It takes good instruction, practice and repetition, and trust in your skills to be a top Long Snapper.

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2014 Long Snappers may now celebrate Rankuary!

February 7, 2013 By Rubio

The rankings are completed for the class of 2014 Long Snappers post the 11th Annual National Kicking and Snapping Event in Las Vegas. This class was extremely tricky considering how many stepped up and showed me they belong in the TOP 12. Trust me when I tell you, that list was not easy nor was ranking this class…hence, why it took me the longest. Not one Long Snapper is safe with their ranking in this group and the Spring Event in Las Vegas is going to be a flat out battleground for them.

KEY POINTS:

My rankings are NOT done just from the Target
My rankings are NOT done from some mathematical formula.
My rankings ARE done by me and only me.
My rankings are based off of this blog I wrote about what makes a Long Snapper great.

A Long Snapper has the ability to adjust their ranking anytime I see them LIVE, not on video. For the rankings for the class of 2014, please go HERE

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Top 7 Things a Coach Asks Me about a Possible Recruit….

January 29, 2013 By Rubio

How are his grades? (No grades, no college….pretty simple concept, I would hope)

What type of person is he? (Long Snappers have a lot of free time and they want someone they don’t have to worry about)

Would you let him date your daughter? (In other words, can they trust you)

Is he coachable? (Nothing upsets a coach more than someone who thinks they are better than coaching that hears what they are saying and not listening. Trust me, they, and I, know the staring through someone trick)

Do you think he has “it?” (If you don’t know about this, you don’t have “it”)

Does he have video on YouTube? (the only time they bring up another video service, like Brand H, it is with disgust and DVD’s are pretty much obsolete)

Would you hang out with him? (Pretty much rolls with #2, #3, #4 and #5)

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, they don’t ask too much about a recruit’s athletic ability. They will know all about that from talking to me and your football coach. A coach, at any level, and agents, will want to know about things that usually aren’t on paper since those things will play a major role, in the long run, in how you do on the field.

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Rubio Long Snapper Zach Smith commits to USC!

January 24, 2013 By Rubio

Rubio Long Snapper Zach Smith (CA, ’13) has committed to USC as a preferred walk-on!

After a completely amazing performance this weekend in Las Vegas, the staff at Southern Cal was quick to get in contact with Zach and offer him a spot to compete for the starting job next year. USC has always been Zach’s dream school so he wasted no time in letting Coach Kiffin and Special Teams Coach Baxter know he is 100% in right when they offered the spot.

To say this is a steal for USC is a massive understatement. Zach is, easily, one of the top Long Snappers in the country. He averaged a jaw dropping .60 for a 15 yard snap and is beyond athletic when he moves down the field. The sky is the limit for this terrific Long Snapper and person.

Congratulations once again to Zach Smith!

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Vegas,Vegas,Vegas!!

January 16, 2013 By Rubio

Watch Out Vegas, Long Snappers from all over the world are coming!!

Vegas has never seen an attraction of this type, the finest Long Snappers in the world invade the desert! Rubio Long Snapping is holding their annual “Inter”-National Event on January 19th-20th at Faith Lutheran High School in Las Vegas! The two day event is a showcase of the finest prep talent and coaching in the world of Long Snapping. Players will compete for the highest of rankings in the world of Long Snapping. Former attendees of this event are currently playing at major D1 Schools and even the NFL.

Stay Tuned following the Event for player rankings and all the events results.

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RUBIO LONG SNAPPING: SPRING CAMPS

December 17, 2012 By Rubio

WHO CAN ATTEND?

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

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

WHAT ARE THEY?

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

WHEN ARE THEY?

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

SCHEDULE (subject to change)

Long Snappers:

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

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

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

LOCATIONS

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

WHY ATTEND?

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

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Q & A about High School Football Recruiting

November 29, 2012 By Rubio

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

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

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

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

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

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

Click HERE to have this blog read to you.

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

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Filed Under: Admissions, Article Archives, Ask Rubio, Athlete, Athletics, Coaches, College, Deep Snapper, Eligibility, Football, High School, N.C.A.A., Recruiting, Transfer, YouTube Tagged With: athletic, Bryce Haynes, Chris Rubio, coaches, college admissions, college recruiting, deep snapper, eligibility, football recruiting, high school, long snapper, long snappers, long snapping, national recruits, national scouts, NCAA, recruiting season, Rubio Long Snapper, Rubio long snapping, transferring, YouTube

A Parent’s Role in Recruiting

July 15, 2012 By Rubio

1. Don’t speak to a college coach when they are recruiting your son/daughter.

I have said this one countless times on my Twitter (@TheChrisRubio) and even within this blog, but for some reason, parents still aren’t grasping the concept. The coach will want minimal contact with you. They are recruiting your son or daughter, NOT YOU! Be cordial and answer their questions IF they are addressing you, otherwise butt out. Like I have spoken in the past, when you were dating your husband or wife, did you want go out on dates with them or their parents? Same thing.

2. Don’t speak for your son/daughter amongst adults.

If a coach, or any adult with some authority, asks your child a question, let the child answer. Nothing worse than when I ask an athlete their height and weight and they either look at mom or dad for them to speak OR the child doesn’t even have the chance to speak before the parent chimes in. In doing this, it shows that the parent is overbearing and the athlete relies way too much on them. This is a red flag for a coach since they immediately begin to wonder if the athlete will be handle real life when mommy and daddy are not around. This one can completely crush your child’s recruit-ability, especially if you are looking at a school that isn’t located on the same block as the athlete’s home.

3. Be Supportive Mentally

This one shocks me, but it is a reality. Many parents simply aren’t supportive at all with their kids and can be downright negative. Very hard for an athlete to believe in themselves if their own parent doesn’t believe in them. You would be surprised at how much an athlete can improve PHYSICALLY when they are encouraged in a positive manner MENTALLY.

If you feel this may just be you (little too negative at times), try the Oreo approach. Oreos are a simple food with two black cookies surrounding a frosting center. Think of the cookies as positive statements and the frosting as a negative one. Therefore, if your son didn’t have the greatest snap you would say “Your form is looking good. You had a bit of an issue with not getting your eyes all they way through, but that snap was definitely coming back quick!” You got your criticism in, but sandwiched it in between two positives. Trust me, it works and it works well.

4. Don’t be overbearing

You didn’t really think I would leave this one off the list did you? If you want something and your kid doesn’t, it simply won’t work out. Going to college or the pros is a wonderful thing, but if both the athlete and the parent aren’t on board, it will never work out or be a train wreck if it does. It has to be a united front or the child will end up despising the parent and the sport. Any positive that once came from the sport will now be looked as a negative. Remember, it is just a game. Instead of really riding your kid before a game and stressing them out, how about just trying a simple phrase like “Have fun out there and try your hardest!”

Being overbearing doesn’t just pertain to parent and child. It can mean flat out harassing coaches, writers and recruiting services. There is very fine line between being persistent and being annoying. You cross it and your child could very easily be blackballed. If your child is that good, they will already know of them and won’t need to be told…over and over again.

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Filed Under: A.C.T., Article Archives, Athlete, Athletics, Coaches, College, Eligibility, Graduating, N.C.A.A., Parenting, Recruiting Tagged With: Chris Rubio, long snapper, long snapping, Long Snapping Parents, LongSnapper, LongSnapping, Parent's Role In Recruiting, Recruiting for Long Snappers, Rubio Long Snapper, Rubio long snapping, Support Long Snappers

How to be Recruited as a Long Snapper

November 2, 2011 By Rubio

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🙂

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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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Ask

October 12, 2011 By Rubio

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:)

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Filed Under: Article Archives, Coaches, Long Snapper, Maturity, Parenting Tagged With: Ask, Ask Questions, Chris Rubio, deep snap, deep snapper, deep snapping, Long Snap, long snapper, long snapping, LongSnapper, LongSnapping, Rubio Long Snapper, Rubio long snapping

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