For the next installment of the Rubio Long Snapping Where Are They Now? series, we head to sunny Southern California to learn about Sodie Orr.

Sodie is a TOP 12 Long Snapper from the class of 2012 that was always a crowd favorite with his overflowing personality and his tendency to bring into song. Don’t believe me? Check out Sodie’s entry for a Rubio Long Snapping contest many moons ago….

https://youtu.be/Odzj5zhluOw

Sodie and his mom

Sodie went off to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo but realized that college football wasn’t for him in the long run. He had visions (or sounds) of music on his mind and he didn’t want let his musical dream fade so he ran with it! He has played under the name Sodie Orr, Sodie Aura and Wes James. Here we go…..

What is your occupation? I am currently a full time musician

Where do you live? I live in Carlsbad but am moving to the San Fernando Valley soon.

Married? Kids? No marriage and I ammmm NOT THE FATHER (yet, praise the heavens)

What is your fondest memory of your time playing college football? My fondest memory of playing college football is watching all the upperclassmen angrily look at me with jealousy in their eyes as they practiced while i sat on the sidelines for the last 2 hours of practice every day. Special teams was right after warm ups.

How come you no longer play football? Full time musician.

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snappers, what would it be? If I could give a bit of advice to Rubio Long Snappers, it would be to really appreciate the camps and time with Rubio while you’re there. Football was cool, but being a part of the Rubio family and Long Snapping community meant more to me than anything I ever did in college. I learned a lot about life and how to be a better human as well as a better long Snapper.

If you could give ONE bit of advice to the current Rubio Long Snapping PARENTS, what would it be? My advice to the parents of Rubio Snappers would be to push your young man harder. Make sure he’s doing his drills daily, stretching, and that his grades are up. I’ve seen a lot of my friends lives change completely in the best ways from dedicating fully to the craft. Shoutout to my NFL homies I met at Rubio camps.

When was the last time you snapped a ball and for what reason? The last time I snapped a ball was a few months ago, on camera, to show Rubio I still sling pearls. Once a snapper always a snapper.

If you could go back and play football in college again, would you go to the same school or a different one? Why? If I HAD to go back to school again and play ball, I would want to go to a different school. I didn’t enjoy my program very much, and would have enjoyed the benefits of playing for a big time football oriented university. I also realized once I got there that I didn’t love football at all. If Long snapping was an Olympic sport I would have gone for gold… but I knew that football wasn’t my path, so I left and went for my dream of making music. And if you’re feeling that way, it’s okay. Stick it out as long as you can and give it a chance to come around. But if you know deep down it’s not for you once you’re in it, don’t be afraid to follow your heart and passion.

Chance the Rapper with Sodie Aura (Sodie Orr)!

Any regrets during college? Anything you wish you had done or hadn’t done? I don’t have too many regrets about my college experience. Since my heart wasn’t in football, I do feel that I missed out on a lot of the things that were going on while I was traveling for away games etc. But I am and will always be grateful I got there through Rubio’s teachings and my own hard work.

What tremendous thing have you been a part of or experienced since you graduated? I did not graduate… instead I started writing music and decided to do a showcase in LA, where an A&R from Atlantic Records saw me and wanted to sign me on the spot. Since then, i have recorded at multiple Atlantic Records studios, opened for artists such as Curren$y, Ab Soul, Chance the Rapper, Shwayze, and more. I interned for rapper Too $hort for a year at his complex in LA, as well as producer legend Rodney Jerkins (aka Darkchild). And I believe that’s all just the tip of the iceberg. As long as I maintain BALANCE in my life (work hard/ maintain self care, grind/ get proper rest), EXTEND and network with the contacts I’ve made in the industry and beyond, and FOLLOW THROUGH on my commitments and goals… anything is possible.

Neil Diamond with Wes James (Sodie Orr)!!!!

The poster you see above was given to me by Sodie Orr. It is when he was a special guest of Neil Diamond (if you don’t know who the legend Neil Diamond, you have some severe issues) and opened for him in San Diego. I hang it proudly where I do lessons and have it right next to where all the Long Snappers snap the ball so they can see it and realize that life is not all about Long Snapping and a person has to be truly well rounded to succeed. This poster is truly one of my most valued possessions I own. Thank you Sodie!

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

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

In just 12 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 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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