From a Rubio Long Snapping Parent…..

A long time Rubio Long Snapping parent asked me if they could write a blog for everyone to read. Here it is….

I have wanted to write about our experience with Rubio Long Snapping for years because there are things that I wish someone had pointed out/told me when we were first getting started.

Our son is a Rubio Long Snapper. He isn’t just a long snapper he is a Rubio Long Snapper and he is now playing Divison 1 college football on full scholarship.

From the time our son was in 1st grade he had 3 goals:

  1. He wanted to make the Varsity Football Team at his high school as a sophomore – we are a 6A school so making Varsity as a sophomore is a big deal. (He achieved this goal)
  2. He wanted to play Division 1 college football (He achieved this goal)
  3. He wanted a full scholarship (He achieved this goal)
  4. He wanted to play in the NFL (He is working toward this goal)

We have always encouraged his passion for the game and sent him to all different types of camps – full contact as well as skills and we have had him in sports performance training since 4th grade.

He started long snapping in 7th grade. His head football coach asked anyone who thought they could snap a ball to try out for the position and he won it. While we “knew” that he snapped the ball for punts, extra points and field goals, we really didn’t have any idea it was an actual “position” so to speak. We thought it was just “something extra” he did in addition to playing Linebacker and Fullback.

The summer before his freshman year in high school he came and asked us to go to a long snapping camp and my husband and I were like – a what??? What in the heck is that? We were in the process of signing him up with a college recruiting service and I asked the representative if he knew of any long snapping camps and he recommended Rubio. The college recruiting service cost us a lot of money and didn’t end up doing anything for us in terms of recruiting BUT it will forever be worth the money because of their recommendation of Rubio Long Snapping.

I got on the computer and found out that Rubio was doing fall camps in various locations but the one closest to us was already set up. I emailed Rubio and was able to get our son on the waiting list and – eventually – into the camp.

This camp was our first exposure to the ins and outs of long snapping and to Rubio. While at the camp, my husband saw another father there that he knew. The father

wanted to share all of his knowledge with us and informed us that we shouldn’t limit ourselves to doing only Rubio camps – we should do ALL of the different ranking camps and get our son out there so he could have as much exposure as possible. Basically he was saying not to put all of our eggs in one basket. We listened politely to everything he said but at the end of the camp I told my husband that I didn’t agree – that I really liked this Rubio guy and how he ran his camp and our son seemed to respond to him and that was that. We never looked back and never put him anywhere else and have never been sorry about that. Interestingly enough, this other long snapper never ended up playing college ball and his father approached my husband here in town after our son received his scholarship to tell us how wrong he had been and if he had it to do over again, he would’ve stuck with Rubio like we did. He spent so much time running from one camp to the other that his son never had any consistency in terms of critique or what he needed to do to be the best that he could be.

SO WHY NOT PUT YOUR KID AT ALL THE DIFFERENT RANKING CAMPS?

Well, there are several reasons for this in my opinion. First, they are extensions of Kicking Camps – not really long snapping camps per se and it is not always the same person doing the evaluations and/or rankings so there is no consistency in what your son is being told to do and/or work on to improve.

Over the years, I can’t even count how many times our son has been approached to train with these other companies or attend their “invite only” camps. They have stalked him on social media, private messages and at different college camps he was attending that they happened to be running. The invited him to their regional camps and their “invitation only” camps (which is pretty much anyone that will pay for it). What they REALLY wanted to do was recruit a Rubio Long Snapper. They will pretty much tell you anything/everything you want to hear to get you to go to their camps but they really don’t do anything for you and your son in the long run – oh yeah – big talk and all but very little contacts and actions. If you look across the board in college football – the vast majority of long snappers come out of Rubio Long Snapping. I’m not telling you that there aren’t some from other companies but – overall – the college coaches trust and rely on Rubio and his evaluations. It doesn’t really matter if you are the #4 ranked long snapper in your class on their site if they are only ranking 30 kids. What, exactly, does that tell a college coach? That you invested your time and money with a company that doesn’t see enough long snappers to truly be an expert in the art form that really is long snapping.

I’ve seen kids go with other companies in addition to Rubio and think that they are somehow going to be chosen for a bowl game that way. That.Isn’t.Going.To.Happen. Let me repeat that – That.Isn’t.Going.To.Happen. Look back through their choices over the years and you can bet that their choices are never kids that train elsewhere. They TELL you that your kid is amazing and has a shot at it just to get your money and have your kid at that camp. Rubio now chooses snappers for 2 different bowl games and that isn’t an accident – he really is the foremost authority on long snappers.

If a “coach” from another long snapping company only tells you and your son how amazing he is and how much this company could do with/for them, they are likely blowing smoke up his (and your) butt. The truth is that every long snapper has things that can be improved. Our son continues to train with Rubio privately once a year and with Finch as many times as we can manage it when he is home for any period of time and he attends the college camp. And guess what? There are still things Rubio has him working on in order to go to the next level – the NFL.

Regardless of which college team is your favorite I don’t think that there is any doubt in anyones mind that Nick Saban is one of the best coaches in college football history. There is a reason that he only uses Rubio Long Snappers – think about that!

RANKINGS AND HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM

This is a tricky one and I will be the first to admit that I didn’t (and still don’t) always agree with Rubio in whoever was ranked above my kid. Now, I didn’t question the STAR rankings of the kids involved, but if there were several kids with the same number of stars – I didn’t always think that the person/people he ranked above my son were better than him. Sometimes I did agree and sometimes I didn’t but what I always DID agree with is whatever he critiqued our son on needing to work on so that is where we put our focus. Concentrating on that is what made our son the long snapper he is today.

If you and your kid don’t like where he is ranked, work on what Rubio says he needs to work on and improve that and then the next time Rubio sees him he will likely move up in the rankings because he fixed, or at the very least improved, that situation.

Or you can go coach shopping and find another company to tell you what you want to hear because they want your money. If they are telling you how awesome you are when Rubio is telling you what you need to work on then I would question their knowledge level. The way I look at it is this – wouldn’t it be “easier” for Rubio to just tell every kid how amazing he is and then write that up after every camp? He doesn’t do

that – he actually pays attention to the kid AT the camp and then goes back and watches their film and gives you detailed information – and he balances that – giving positive affirmations as well as things that need to improve. Ask yourself which “review” a college coach is going to trust – one that only tells you how amazing this kid is or one that is honest and straightforward? I personally prefer to hear the bottom line truth and so does our son. What about you?

AND ANOTHER THING ABOUT RANKINGS

I’ve heard a lot of people complain that their kid should be ranked higher or have more stars when their kid hasn’t been at camps. They complain that Rubio only wants them at the camps so that he can make more money. Two things here:

  1. Rubio can only rank the kid if he SEES the kid. So even if you think your kid is better than John X right now, if your kid isn’t at the camp and John X is and John X is better NOW than the last time Rubio saw your kid then John X is going to jump your kid in the rankings because he can only compare John X NOW to your kid the last time he saw him. This isn’t Rubio moving your kid down in the rankings at all – it is about another kids improvement since the last time he saw him and since he hasn’t seen your kid since then…..well you see how that is?
  2. This is Rubio’s business – his livelihood, his way to support his family so absolutely there is a financial aspect to him doing this. But – I have never been involved with an organization where the owner gives so much back to the kids. If you or your kid texts Rubio, he answers, if you comment on one of his posts on social media – he answers. He is encouraging and funny and supportive of everyone that is part of the Rubio Family – parents and kids and he doesn’t charge a dime for any of that “extra” support. My son started as a true college freshman and his first game was an away game and it was supposed to rain. Although my son was confident in his abilities he was a bit nervous and got in touch with Rubio and guess what Rubio did? He answered him right away and took the time to talk him through everything that needed to happen for our son to be successful. He set him at ease and helped him get out of his head in that minute when it truly mattered. I don’t know any other “long snapping” companies that are that accessible in that way and would’ve taken that time – after business hours – to do that. Do you?

    RUBIO FAMILY

Our particular high school class of long snappers was an exceptionally close class and I have heard people from other classes complain that they don’t have that bond that we

had – parents and kids. ANY class can have that bond but you have to have one or more families who are invested in making things happen – lunch together during camps, dinners together after camps staying the same hotel in Vegas and regional camps, etc. Guess what that means? Someone has to step up to the plate and coordinate it all – meaning do the research and keep in contact with everyone. If no one does that then it doesn’t happen.

The other thing I noticed is that all the families in our class were supportive of ALL the boys. There wasn’t any competition EXCEPT on the field. These kids have had a group chat going since they were Event Elite together summer before their Junior Year in high school and Top 12 the summer before their Senior Year and they are going into their (academic) Junior Year in college now and still chatting via group text. If someone was going to turn down an offer, they told the others in their group chat so that the rest of them could reach out to the coach if they were interested in playing for that college. No one “hoarded” that information – they shared contact information for coaches so that they could all achieve their dreams. They were all doing exactly what Rubio taught them to do – building each other up rather than tearing each other down.

Whenever I’ve seen issues between kids in the same class (not friendly competition), you can bet that some adults is egging that on and so if you stop any of that, then you can all have the same closeness up and down the rankings that we had. I can honestly tell you that out of the 5 Start Snappers in our class any one of them could’ve been #1 in the class on any given day. And, out of the parents in our class – we are still close to many of them and keep in touch and keep rooting for each others kids.

Rubio actively encourages these kids to not only be great long snappers but also to be great human beings.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

If your son genuinely wants to play college football don’t be laser focused on whether it is a scholarship or a PWO. I mean, I get it – they all want a full ride but there are still some schools that simply will not bring in a long snapper on scholarship as a true freshman. Don’t make your son feel like a failure that he “only” received PWOs. Long Snapping isn’t like playing QB or RB where the school is going to take at least one player in that position every single year. If they don’t need a long snapper, it doesn’t matter how good your kid is – they aren’t going to take them.

We constantly told our son that he could play where HE wanted to play whether it was a PWO or scholly (and he multiple offers of each type). Ultimately he chose a school

that offered him a full ride but – for him – it was more about the actual University then it was about anything else.

CONTINUED TRAINING

This is a mistake I’ve seen families make. Our son got the offer so we are done with training. The difference between high school football and college football is the difference between driving on the Interstates here in the US and driving on the autobahn in Germany and you want your son to keep honing his skills for his entire college – and NFL – career.

We highly recommend starting private lessons with Rubio in high school and continuing these at least yearly – through college and beyond. Also, be sure you have your kid training at least sometimes during the year with a RUBIO instructor (Samantha can tell you where the closest RUBIO instructor is to you) and if you aren’t near one then go with Virtual Lessons. We started private lessons with Finch as soon as we started with Rubio and that made a huge difference. We didn’t have the option of virtual lessons at that time so we drove quite a distance on a regular basis so that our son could improve. With the option of virtual lessons, the sky is truly the limit in terms of improvement.

The one “regret” that I have is that we didn’t start private lessons with Rubio in Idaho sooner than we did. It is definitely an investment but having Rubio completely and utterly focused on your son for a period of time truly is priceless and every time we have gone up there it has taken our son to the next level. So, as soon as you can afford that – do it – you won’t regret it.

We also recommend attending January and May Vegas if at all possible. It gives your son invaluable experience.

THOUGHTS TO TAKE AWAY

To sum all of this up, our son worked very hard and daily to achieve his goal of playing college football and continues to work his butt off to be the best that he can be but none of this would’ve been possible without Rubio.

Rubio wasn’t easy on him. He set goals for him that were sometimes difficult for our son to achieve but he worked as hard as he did because Rubio expected it of him and challenged him to never settle for less. People rise to the level of expectation that are

placed upon them and we believe that Rubio set him up for success by expecting these things from him.

So I will end this the way I started it…..Our son is a Rubio Long Snapper. He isn’t just a long snapper, he is a Rubio Long Snapper and we are very proud of that distinction.

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

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

In just 14 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,000 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

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College Summer Camps

Right after signing day, a high school athlete will start to get invited to countless college camps across the country. They will get your information from RubioLongSnapping.com. These invites can be quite appealing but let me clear them up for you….

  • The camps usually happen within the month of June
  • Everyone gets invited. Don’t feel special.
  • Check out the roster first. If a school just offered a Long Snapper a scholarship the year before, they will NOT be offering another one the following year.
  • The summer between your junior and senior year is the key time to go.
  • The summers between your freshman and junior year is a time to go to one or two just to get your feet wet and see the process.
  • DO NOT GO TO TOO MANY. I can’t say this enough. I say it every year and every year I see Long Snappers hitting five to ten camps in June and killing their chances to go to college. Your body will break down, your form will go to trash and your snapping will suffer. You do poorly at one and the word will spread. All the coaches know each other and will talk about you.
  • I would recommend NO MORE THAN THREE in the summer.
  • Don’t expect much instruction from these camps. They are usually just cattle calls with TONS of Snapping. Pace yourself.

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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 New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the USA Today, Deadspin and countless other publications.

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

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

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Rubio Long Snapping 2016 Summer Camps

Here we go, you have seen what others say about Rubio Long Snapping and now is the time to get involved.

Below is a very detailed list of dates, locations, and explanations of what Rubio Long Snapping has in store for summer 2016:

INSTRUCTIONAL, EVALUATION & EXPOSURE CAMPS

11008605_803691366373662_2946603680863802142_nSummer Long Snapping Camps are open to ALL levels Long Snappers. You do NOT have to be invited to attended any spring or summer Rubio Long Snapping Instructional Camps. These Long Snapping Camps are open to Long Snappers from 8th grade (younger with permission from Rubio) through junior college. The winners of each camp receive FREE admission to a Fall camp put on by Rubio Long Snapping (travel and accommodations excluded). Please note: these camps will sell out quickly!

These camps are one day camps that offer instruction, film and classroom session, Long Snapping Discussion, NCSA recruiting meeting, Nutritional Discussion, YouTube film 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.

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 a Rubio Long Snapping Fall camp of your choice (travel and accommodations not included).

  • July 7, TX
  • July 9, IL
  • July 11, NC
  • July 12, GA
  • July 31, CA

You can register for any Rubio Long Snapping summer camps HERE


VEGAS NATIONAL EVENTS

VEGAS XXV Finals

As you know, the Vegas Events are the biggest and best Long Snapping camps in the world. They are truly a national event to see how you compete against the best in the nation, and world. The May Event, or VEGAS XXVIII, is the second largest Long Snapping camp we run (VEGAS XXVII in January was the biggest). The main difference is the weather and there are less seniors since many have already stepped onto their college campuses for their next stage of their life.

The Vegas Events are NOT an invite only camp. They are first come, first served. Long Snappers ranging from 8th grade – JC are allowed to attend.

This is the SUPER BOWL for Long Snappers. No other Long Snapping event comes close to the exposure offered by the Vegas Events. Rubio Long Snapping is, by far, the most credible recruiting source for Long Snappers in the country.  The “TOP 12” and “EVENT ELITE” is the list to be on if you are seeking national exposure. From the Vegas Events, the Rubio Long Snapping Staff will select the “TOP 12” Seniors/JC & the “TOP 12” Underclassman and “Event Elite”. Over 90% of the “TOP 12” have received full ride D1A scholarships in the past. Over 99% members of the “TOP 12” have gone on to play college football. In addition the “TOP 12” Underclassman will be invited to attend an exclusive summer camp to train and compete amongst that elite group.  The Competition Finals Round Winners (FG, Punt, and LS) will receive FREE Rubio Long Snapping Camps for 1 FULL YEAR. (Excludes transportation and Hotel). The Vegas Events offer the best exposure possible for Long Snappers. Rubio Long Snapping has personal relationships with over 100 D1A Universities and many more at other levels. This is your chance to get recognized on a national scale. Rubio Long Snapping works very closely with Scout.com, Rivals.com, Espn.com, etc. and have also been featured in Sports Illustrated, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Deadspin, etc.

  • VEGAS XXVIII Prep Camp, May 15, TX
  • VEGAS XXVIII Prep Camp, May 15, GA
  • VEGAS XXVIII Prep Camp, May 15, CA
  • VEGAS XXVIII, Small Group Session, May 20, Las Vegas
  • VEGAS XXVIII, May 21-22, Las Vegas

You can register for any Rubio Long Snapping VEGAS EVENT HERE

FBU CAMPS

Army All-Americans 2015

Once again, Rubio Long Snapping and Chris Sailer Kicking will be teaming up with FBU to run the specialists portion of their camps. FBU is the world’s largest football training service and has hired us to handle their Long Snapping section. It is an honor and we are proud to do it again. It is a top notch organization that benefits countless athletes across the country.

Rubio Long Snapping will be running more camps than EVER. This year I will only be at the TOP GUN CAMP.  All other locations will have two Rubio Long Snapping Senior Instructors in attendance (staff members that have been with me for well over 30 camps). They will follow the same format as myself and report directly to FBU and yours truly.

Rubio Long Snapping will be choosing the two Long Snappers that will participate in the US ARMY ALL-AMERICAN BOWL at the FBU TOP GUN CAMP in South Carolina on July 14-15. Rubio Long Snapping will also be selecting the East Bay Youth All-American for the Class of 2019 (Freshman All-American Bowl) and 2020 (8th Grade All-American Bowl) at the FBU TOP GUN CAMP in South Carolina on July 14-15.

You MUST be invited to the TOP GUN camp by performing well at one of the regional camps prior to the TOP GUN Camp. Bottom line, you will have to do well at one of the camps, that our staff  is in attendance at, to pick up an invite from myself and/or one of my senior instructors.

  • April 8-9, San Antonio, TX
  • April 15-16, Austin, TX
  • April 15-16, Miami, FL
  • April 22-23, Orlando, FL
  • April 22-23, Phoenix, AZ
  • April 29-30, Orange County, CA
  • June 3-4, Lafayette, LA
  • June 24-25, Los Angeles, CA
  • July 14-15, Rock Hill, SC, TOP GUN CAMP***

***Rubio will be in attendance.

Please register for FBU CAMPS by going to fbu.net, calling (973) 366-5027 or emailing cdecker@allamericangames.com
COLLEGE CAMPS

BAMA College pic

Rubio Long Snapping will be in charge of several university led college camps across the country. These are camps that the universities put on and have us run.  Per NCAA rules, you will not be ranked at these camps. You will register through THEIR respective sites.

Here is the list, so far, as more will be added once the dates are finalized…

  • June 1, University of Georgia
  • June 3, LSU
  • June 4, Alabama
  • June 5, University of Washington**
  • June 6, Texas A&M
  • June 10, University of Cincinnati**
  • June 11, University of Oregon
  • June 12, University of California Berkeley (CAL)
  • June 19, University of Miami
  • July 24, Army

**Rubio will not be in attendance.

NFL FREE AGENT CAMP

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You (the specialists) asked for it, you got it. They (NFL coaches) asked for it, they got it. As you know, Chris Sailer and myself have always run the biggest and best exposure camps for high school Long Snappers and kickers.  For the second year, we are moving into the NFL realm to give the needed exposure to our college athletes.

This one day camp will be a showcase for NFL coaches. There will be little coaching (you shouldn’t need a ton if you are at this camp) as this camp will all be about exposure. NFL coaches and personnel will be on hand to personally see the Long Snappers in action.

In order to attend this camp, you must be out of college and be eligible for the NFL draft.

  • March 17, Las Vegas, NV

You can register for the NFL Free Agent camp HERE (spots will be limited)

COLLEGE LEVEL CAMP

This camp will be ONLY for 4 year university college Long Snappers AND Long Snappers entering into a 4 year university. 1st year JC and freshman, sophomores and juniors in high school can NOT attend this camp.

This will be a very high level camp that will be run similarly to the TOP 12 and EVENT ELITE camp. Cost of the camp will include accommodations, transportation to the fields and the instruction, and meals. This camp is built for Long Snappers looking to dominate the college camp and get ready for the NFL.

  • July 15-17, IMG Academy, FL

TOP 12 & EVENT ELITE CAMP

Top 12

This camp is open ONLY to those invited personally by Rubio. You are chosen to attend this camp by performing extremely well at either the January or May National Snapping Events in Las Vegas. Do NOT sign up for this camp unless you have been formally invited by  Rubio. Former “TOP 12” and “EVENT ELITE” members includes countless college and NFL players, All-Americans, NFL Pro Bowlers and Super Bowl participants.

Some Long Snapping “TOP 12” Alumni: Christian Yount (Cleveland Browns), Justin Drescher (New Orleans Saints), Aaron Brewer (Denver Broncos), Jon Weeks (Houston Texans) to name a few.

The “TOP 12” is chosen after the January Event (VEGAS XXVII) and the “EVENT ELITE” is chosen after the spring Event (VEGAS XXVIII). There are obviously 12 chosen for the “TOP 12” and there is no set number for the “EVENT ELITE”. Those that deserve it and are top of their class in May, get chosen…it could be one, it could be 20.

The success rate of those we have chosen have been selected in the past that go on to play college football (most on scholarship) is over 95%.

  • July 18-20, IMG Academy, FL

Invites go out after each Vegas Event.

UNDERCLASSMEN INVITATIONAL

You will almost think of this INVITATIONAL as a baby TOP 12 & EVENT ELITE Camp. This two day camp that Rubio Long Snapping puts on will be completely gearing towards the athletes and their parents/guardians. This camp is meant to not only get the athletes headed in the right direction in the beginning of their high school careers, but also their parents. It will provide information regarding nutrition, social media, recruiting, film, education and, of course, on field instruction. This event is just as much for the parents/guardians as it is the athletes!

College recruiting for Long Snappers is finally getting where it needs to be. Scholarships are being offered earlier and earlier each year. Early exposure is necessary these days. The Rubio Long Snapping Underclassmen “Invite Only” Event is the perfect opportunity to make a name for yourself and solidify your national ranking at the perfect time. The middle of the summer is now the time college coaches build their underclassmen lists. You want to be on that list. This camp will get you there. It is also your first opportunity to prove that you are a “TOP 12” candidate in your class. The camp is set in July for a reason, college coaches asked us to do this. They want the inside track early. Don’t be surprised to see more and more underclassmen offered during the season in the near future.

There will be formal meetings/classroom sessions on individual topics such as: Training (what level is right for the underclassmen athlete, how often, proper techniques), Nutrition and Lifting (Good habits, bad habits), Social Media (Setting up and using the proper social media outlets – this has become a must), Filming (proper angles, techniques, times, set up), Education (the importance of it, standards, year by year plan)

  • July 21-22, IMG Academy, FL

Invites go out in May.

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r4ubio5Rubio 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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National Signing Day

Cole Mazza Signing

Rubio Long Snapper Cole Mazza signing with Alabama

Today is a National Signing Day for football (there are two, one in December and one in February). High school and JC football players around the country will be signing on the dotted line to play for their respective schools. It is a great time of the year for all involved. It is Signing Day. It is covered by major sports affiliates and it begins the process of which college will dominate tomorrow with the stellar high school athletes of today.

With all the hoopla, comes questions….let me clear some things up for everyone. These are all from questions I have received over the years. Here you go and be sure to reference back to THIS blog I wrote about the difference between a full ride, a preferred walk-on and a standard walk-on:

Is Signing Day the only day an athlete can sign with a college? 
Absolutely not. It is just the first official day for the seniors to make their commitment official. A scholarship athlete can sign anytime on or after that day. You can literally sign the day you get on campus if you are a late pick-up for a school. The whole Signing Day is just a lot of pomp and circumstance that the media has turned it into an event.

Do Preferred Walk-Ons sign on Signing Day?
No, they do not officially sign anything. However, many schools and parents like to have a simple ceremony that represents signing. A preferred walk-on, although verbally committed to a school is NOT locked into that respective school. They have the option to change their mind to another school at any point if a scholarship comes their way. Not exactly the most kosher thing to do to a coach/program but they would most likely understand. I look at it like this, an athlete not taking a scholarship would be similar to a person not taking a free car and opting to pay for the same car.

If I sign with a college on scholarship, can I adjust after?
Sure, BUT you can transfer with the new transfer portal BUT it can be tricky. Some schools like an older transfer (already graduated from previous school) and some don’t. Think about it, why would a coach want an athlete that could not fit in at their first stop? A transfer athlete always brings up red flags…why is it going to work this time, why did he not get along with players and coaches at the first school, it is a homesick issue, is he a problem case, schooling? All are questions that a new coach is going to want to know about you. Bottom line, make your decision and stick with it. This can be a big gamble.

How do the schools get the athletes signatures? 
Most athletes sign in the early morning and then fax them in to their new home (school).

Why have a Signing Day? 
It is the day your verbal commitment becomes official.

Can a junior that is offered a scholarship sign early?
Nope. They must wait just like the others within his graduating class. All of this waiting around gives way to all the committing and de-committing which coaches and sports writers absolutely love (dripping with sarcasm).

Is it true that scholarships have to be renewed every year by the school?
Yes. This is one of those things that not a lot of people know about but it is true. Every single year, the staff has to renew your scholarship for the next year. Therefore, if you are not producing as an athlete, student or person, your scholarship can not be renewed. It is not very common for it to happen, but I have witnessed it occur. Usually, a social issue is the final straw in saying bye bye to your education being paid for by the school.

What can go wrong with the Signing Day process?
Several things and most involve the fax machine. If the exact form is not sent in signed properly, the deal is not sealed. Many schools have lost an athlete because the Letter of Intent was faxed upside down, backwards or just not clear. Then, when they tell the student-athlete to do it again, said athlete often takes it as an omen that it wasn’t meant to be and poof! a new school is chosen. Trust me, it does happen.

All in all, Signing Day is a great thing that should be cherished by all but definitely don’t feel as though it is the end all be all. No matter when you sign, you are still going to be on full scholarship with your school paid for, and that is the most important thing.

___________________________________________________________________

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 18 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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Form Letter to a Coach

You should send a school a simple letter/e-mail/Facebook message to let schools know you are interested and for you to get on their radar/mailing list. 

First, make sure you send it to the Special Teams Coach and/or the Recruiting Coordinator. Remember to keep it very simply and to the point. The person reading your letter will almost always be male and they don’t need any fluff. They will want a bottom line and quick points.

I created a template for you and it should do the trick. Embrace….

Coach __________,

My name is _________________ and I am very interested in becoming a student-athlete for your university.  I am a Long Snapper.

I currently play at __________________ High School in ____ (put your home state) and will graduate in ________ (month) of 20__.

I attend Rubio Long Snapping camps and am currently ranked ____ in my class and ____ in my state. You can see my profile, which will have Chris Rubio’s evaluation, my picture and a video of me HERE. (link your profile within the word HERE since it looks cleaner). Please feel free to contact Chris Rubio at either 208-572-2852 or Rubio@RubioLongSnapping.com if you would like more detailed information regarding me and my Long Snapping abilities.

You can also view my YouTube channel with more practice and game footage HERE. (Put a Hudl link if you have one as well)

I also noticed you have a home game (you could also use this for Spring Games) coming up on Saturday, the ____ of _______________. I was hoping to be put on the recruit list for that game so I can see what game day is like for the _______________ (school mascot name).

Please let me know what the next step in the recruiting process is for me to become a member of your team.

I look forward to hearing from you and hope to see you at one of your games this fall!

Thank you for your time,

John Smith
____________ High School, Class of ______
GPA: ______  ACT: ______ SAT: _________
Twitter: @____________ Instagram: @____________
E-Mail: _______________________________
Cell: _________________________________
Home Mailing Address: _________________________________________ (Street Address, City, State and Zip Code)
Other Honors: ________________________________________________  (Eagle Scout, All-League, MVP, Captain, Etc.)

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 17 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.

2780

Consider Which Parent to Take With You On Trips

Yup, you read that correctly. An athlete should be very careful when going on an official (school pays for the trip and you only get five of them) or an unofficial (athlete/parents pay for the trip and you can take as many as you’d like) visit when deciding who goes with them.

Let me break it down for you….

If you are going to a school as a football recruit and aren’t exactly ideal size, you might want to leave your 5 foot tall mother at home. The mom’s height will spook the coach since they will think “Oh man, this kid is done growing.

On the other hand, if you are undersized and your dad is a giant, definitely bring him since the coach would think “Ok, kid doesn’t pass the eyeball test right now, but he has the same genes so he will get there in some time

Remember, coaches will already know what you can do through my rankings and by speaking with me. But, they will like to see how you pass the eyeball test, so don’t give them negatives to think about when recruiting you.

___________________________________________________________________

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.

1063

5 Things a Parents Should Be During the Recruiting Process….

1. SUPPORTIVE!
Your child will need you more than ever during this period. This will be extra challenging as they are a teen and know it all. Therefore, you must remain supportive and on their team. Guide them in the right direction but let them walk the path.

2. ORGANIZED!
There will be tons of pamphlets, camps, emails, directions and communication. A teen usually has too much on their plate to manage it all. This is where an adult’s organization skills can hopefully relieve some pressure off the athlete.

3. A ROLE PLAYER!
Practice with your child the conversations he/she will have with the coaches and recruiting coordinators. It looks terrible when a coach asks an athlete a question and the athlete looks to mommy or daddy for the answer. Even worse is if mommy or daddy simply answers for the athlete.

4. OPEN-MINDED!
Not every athlete is going to attend the top D1 schools in the country. If your son wants to play, there are literally hundreds of schools out there with teams. Find several that aren’t necessarily on your radar and embrace them. There is something out there for everyone.

5. IN THE BACKGROUND!
The coach doesn’t want to talk to you. Trust me, I speak to them all the time. They are recruiting the athlete, NOT you. Like I have said a hundred times, when you (the parent) were dating your spouse, did you want to date them or their parents? Exactly. Stay in the background and let your son/daughter be a big boy/girl. This goes for interviews with sports writers, as well. Let the athlete speak for themselves.

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

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

In just 14 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,000 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

2355

3 Things That Will Upset a Coach

Starting a text with “I have a question

  • JUST ASK! Now, you have wasted the coach’s time and have put him in a bad mood right off the bat. Just come out with your question right off the bat. All he is going to say is “Ok” and then you are going to ask the question. He will be busy enough, so he doesn’t need to double up questions.

Starting a text or email with “I know you are really busy but….

  • If you know the person is busy, why are you bothering them? You will just end up upsetting them. You don’t want to be known as that kid.

Bragging to them about meaningless things

  • There is no need to tell them you are the top Long Snapper at your high school. We should hope so for the love of all that is holy. Definitely no need to brag about being the top Long Snapper at a camp that had ten kids at it. That would be like Sailer bragging he has more hair than me…not really saying much:)

signature

 

___________________________________________________________________

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.

1524

Sad, But True

There once was a Long Snapper that went to visit his favorite college in the fall. He took his father. His father spoke too much. Rubio told the father to stop talking to the coaches as they would want to talk to the son and not the father. Rubio told the the father it was like when he was dating his wife. Did he want to hang out and speak with her or her parents? He said he got it.

The Long Snapper got a tour of the weight room and the locker room from the coaches. The father kept talking.

The Long Snapper was asked questions by the coaches, the father answered.

The coaches offered the Long Snapper a preferred walk-on spot. The kid was ecstatic. The father reached out, shook the coaches hand and said we will take it. The kid didn’t speak.

The father called Rubio after this and said “they” had committed to their dream school as a preferred walk-on! Rubio congratulated them and hung up.

Two minutes later, Rubio’s phone rang, he answered it. It was the head coach of the college that had just offered the Long Snapper a preferred walk-on spot. The coach asked Rubio what he knew about the dad he had just encountered. Rubio told him all he knew. The coach replied with “love the kid and his ability to snap but we are going to pull the offer because we can’t stand the dad and don’t want to have to deal with him for four years.”

The offer was pulled. The Long Snapper did not go to a four year university.

THE END

p.s. Yes, this is a true story.

 

___________________________________________________________________

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.

5387

8 Things Every Parent Can do to Help with Recruiting

Follow these easy steps to make your son and/or daughter a more recruitable athlete…

 

  1. Do NOT overstep your bounds. If I have said it once, I have said it a hundred times….the coach will be recruiting your son and/or daughter, NOT you.
  2. Be very supportive of your son and/or daughter. I know they are going through their teenage years and this one can be tough, but remember, you were once a teenager (even if they don’t acknowledge) and times can be tough.
  3. Make sure your son and/or daughter will actually have a chance to go to college. There are tons of hoops to jump through nowadays, and you want to make sure your child has them all covered.
  4. Create a nice, clean highlight tape that is available on YouTube. Remember, you do NOT have to be an award winning director to create a great video.
  5. Review possible questions that a coach might ask your son and/or daughter. Role play if you will. Make sure your child speaks clearly, slowly and is looking you in the eyes.
  6. Do research on schools and try as hard as you can to take some trips to the schools on NON sports days. Sure, every school looks amazing on game day, but that is not reality. It will only look like that about six weekends per year. Go to the campus on a Tuesday, see what is really like. Go during different seasons so you can truthfully understand the different weather the area might have.
  7. Be sure your son is getting the right type of exposure from the right people. Just because someone tells you something, doesn’t mean it is true. Ask around, ask other parents. Do your homework.
  8. Allow your kid to be on social media, but make sure they know you are monitoring them. Nothing personal to the athletes, but they are young and they are dumb (sorry, it’s true and the reason I know it’s true is because every single adult was also, you guessed it, young AND dumb once as well) and they will make mistakes. The only difference is that when an adult used to be young and dumb, only the people that saw them do something ignorant knew about it. Now, with the onslaught of social media, the world can know about it in less than a second. Even saying that, there are so many benefits to social media for them to be off of it (one of the first questions a coach will ask me, “is the kid on Facebook? Have him friend me so I can contact him”).

 

 

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

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

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

In just 15 years, Chris Rubio, President and Owner of Rubio Long Snapping, has become the #1 Long Snapping instructor in the country and the go-to man when a college coach needs a Long Snapper. Colleges from across the country rely on “Rubio’s” word day in and day out on who the best Long Snappers are in the country. Rubio Long Snapping has assisted in over 1,000 Long Snappers earning full scholarships and preferred walk-on opportunities to major colleges and universities just for Long Snapping and many into the NFL as well.

 

 

654

Something Special for the NY Long Snappers

It turns out that SoloShot will on hand at the Rubio Long Snapping NY camp this Sunday, September 14th!

SoloShot was on hand at the Rubio Long Snapping Season Prep Camp in CA in late July and was very impressive. Basically, the subject (whomever you want to film) wears a “tag” and the SoloShot follows that person, non-stop, for as long as you want. It is kind of creepy, but in a good way.

You use any video camera you want, you set it up on top of the SoloShot which is on a tripod. Boom. Done. A parent or coach can now actually see real life instead of always behind a small viewing screen.

Before you email me, yes, SoloShot will be on hand for a couple other Rubio Long Snapping camps this fall and definitely at VEGAS XXV!

152

Happy Ranksgiving to the Long Snappers from the TX Camp!

The rankings are completed for ALL Long Snappers that participated in the Rubio Long Snapping Nike Fall Camp in TX on November 10!

There were many new Long Snappers out in TX and several impressed me. For a full recap article of the Rubio Long Snapping camp in TX, please go HERE

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. That is why I am at all my camps.
  • My rankings are based off of this blog I wrote about what makes a Long Snapper great.
  • If you would like anything added to your profile page, simply email me (Rubio@RubioLongSnapping.com) the information and consider it done.
  • All Long Snappers are ranked after their first fall camp of their freshman year in high school.

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

For the rankings for the class of 2015, please go HERE

For the rankings for the class of 2016, please go HERE

For the rankings for the class of 2017, please go HERE

ranksgiving

74

Semi-Final List for the 2013 Chris Rubio Award

Here is the initial watch list for the 2013 Chris Rubio Award. These Long Snappers have proven, through multiple stats, that they deserve to be on this list to possibly win the award on January 17, 2014 in Las Vegas, NV.

The members of this watch list will now be required to provide no more than a one minute updated highlight tape (on YouTube), a letter of recommendation (scanned and emailed to Rubio@RubioLongSnapping.com) from a current coach, a current teacher and a reporter that covers their area explaining why they deserve to win this prestigious award. Everything mentioned above needs to be emailed by no later than November 2o, 2013. If all is not received by November 20, the Long Snapper will not have a chance to win the award. Following review of all the material, a semifinal watch list will be put on December 1st.

  1. Andrew Robinson
  2. Brandon Locha
  3. Davis Winkie
  4. Josh Lowe
  5. Joe Lang
  6. Tanner Carew
  7. Nate Adams
  8. Alan Lucy
  9. Blake Ferguson
  10. Connor Kelsey
  11. Johnny Den Bleyker
  12. John Morrison
  13. Garrett Frum
  14. Mitchell Hardy
  15. AJ Carty
  16. Will Parker Carter
  17. Scott Meyer
  18. Hunter Varga
  19. Josh Sinkuc
  20. Alex Edwards
  21. Seth Combs

 Cole

Cole Mazza with The Chris Rubio Award

110

Rubio Long Snappers in College Games – Weekend of 11/7/13

RubioHere we go….week eleven!

Get your DVR ready to see A LOT of Rubio Long Snappers in action. If I miss one, please just email me (Rubio@RubioLongSnapping.com) and I will make sure it doesn’t happen again as well as update this page immediately. The list of Long Snappers that have gone through Rubio Long Snapping camps is very large and it is tough to keep track (tough problem to have, huh?)

Below are games that will have a Rubio Long Snapper on the team in bold.

GAME ON!!!!!

Tuesday
Bowling Green vs Miami (OH)

Wednesday
Central Michigan vs Ball State

Thursday
Oklahoma vs Baylor
Troy vs Louisiana
Oregon vs Stanford
Prairie View A&M 
vs Alcorn State

Friday
Louisville vs Connecticut
Air Force vs New Mexico

Saturday
Western Kentucky vs Army
SMU vs Cincinnati
Vanderbilt vs Florida
TCU 
vs Iowa State
Missouri vs Kentucky
UAB vs Marshall
Penn State 
vs Minnesota
Iowa vs Purdue
Auburn vs Tennessee
Kansas State 
vs Texas Tech
Florida State vs Wake Forest
Arkansas vs Ole Miss
Appalachian State
 vs Georgia
VIrginia vs North Carolina
Western Michigan vs Eastern Michigan
Tulane
 vs UTSA
USC vs California
Nevada vs Colorado State
Illinois
 vs Indiana
Syracuse vs Maryland
Nebraska vs Michigan
Hawaii
 vs Navy
Boston College vs New Mexico State
UTEP vs North Texas
Mississippi State
 vs Texas A&M
BYU vs Wisconsin
Tulsa vs East Carolina
North Carolina State
 vs Duke
FIU vs Middle Tennessee
Kansas vs Oklahoma State
Arizona State
 vs Utah
UTM vs Memphis
Old Dominion vs Idaho
Southern Miss vs Louisiana Tech
Arkansas State
 vs Louisiana-Monroe
Virginia Tech vs Miami (FL)
Houston
 vs UCF
Texas vs West Virginia
LSU vs Alabama
Notre Dame 
vs Pittsburgh
Utah State vs UNLV
Colorado vs Washington
UCLA 
vs Arizona
Fresno State vs Wyoming
San Diego State vs San Jose State
Wesley College vs Charlotte
Brown vs Yale
Harvard vs Columbia
Marist vs Campbell
Coastal Carolina 
vs Charleston Southern
Bucknell vs Fordham
Savannah State vs Howard
San Diego vs Morehead State
Eastern Illinois 
vs Murray State
Citadel vs Elon
Samford 
vs Furman
Dayton vs Drake
Western Carolina 
vs Georgia Southern
Montana 
vs South Dakota
Abilene Christian vs Incarnate Word
Jacksonville vs Mercer
Nicholls vs Sam Houston State
Indiana State 
vs South Dakota State
Missouri State vs Southern Illinois
Davidson 
vs Stetson
Montana State vs Eastern Washington
Presbyterian vs Liberty

96

Rubio Long Snapper Wyatt Tucker Smith Picks Up Offer from Central Arkansas!

Rubio

 

 

Rubio Long Snapper Wyatt Tucker Smith (MS, JC/2014) has picked up a full scholarship offer from Central Arkansas!

This is Wyatt’s second offer with his first being from Troy a month back. Wyatt is a great Long Snapper and person. Here is what his profile evaluation says…

Wyatt is just flat out great! He is built, easily, like a D1 Long Snapper. He snaps like one, he runs like one and he looks like one. He is ready now. Snaps a nice, smooth ball with some great strength behind it. Very impressive to watch him snap the ball. Great attitude and continuously working to get better. Tell him to do something and just consider it done. Great attitude.

Congratulations once again to Wyatt Tucker Smith!

85

Happy Ranksgiving to the Class of 2014 Long Snappers from the NC & GA camps

The rankings are completed for the class of 2014 Long Snappers that participated in the Rubio Long Snapping Spring Nike Camp in NC & GA.

Be ready to see a new 5 Star Rubio Long Snapper…

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. That is why I am at all my camps.
  • My rankings are based off of this blog I wrote about what makes a Long Snapper great.
  • If you would like anything added to your profile page, simply email me (Rubio@RubioLongSnapping.com) the information and consider it done.
  • All Long Snappers are ranked after their first fall camp of their freshman year in high school.

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
Ranksgiving

87

Happy Ranksgiving to the Class of 2013 Long Snappers from the NC & GA Camps

The rankings are completed for the class of 2013 Long Snappers that participated in the Rubio Long Snapping Spring Nike Camp in NC & GA.

Be ready to see a new 5 Star Rubio Long Snapper…

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. That is why I am at all my camps.
  • My rankings are based off of this blog I wrote about what makes a Long Snapper great.
  • If you would like anything added to your profile page, simply email me (Rubio@RubioLongSnapping.com) the information and consider it done.
  • All Long Snappers are ranked after their first fall camp of their freshman year in high school.

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 2013, please go HERE
Ranksgiving

150

Key Questions to Ask a College Coach

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.

Authorities

 

346

Happy Ranksgiving to the Long Snappers from the Chicago Camp!

The rankings are completed for ALL Long Snappers that participated in the Rubio Long Snapping Nike Spring Camp in IL on March 17th.

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. That is why I am at all my camps.
  • My rankings are based off of this blog I wrote about what makes a Long Snapper great.
  • If you would like anything added to your profile page, simply email me (Rubio@RubioLongSnapping.com) the information and consider it done.
  • All Long Snappers are ranked after their first fall camp of their freshman year in high school.

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 2013, please go HERE

For the rankings for the class of 2014, please go HERE

For the rankings for the class of 2015, please go HERE

For the rankings for the class of 2016, please go HERE

_________________________________________________________________

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

66

New Avenues for Small Town Athletes

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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