College Budget Reductions Have Coaches Depending on Video

With money tight in almost all settings across the United States, college coaching staff's are no exception.  Travel, scouting, marketing material etc...all budgets that have been cut in recent years.  What does this mean for a high school prospect?  A skills/highlight video plays a more important role in the recruiting process!

As we speak, college administrators across the country are looking into every way possible to save a dime. Cutting the recruiting budgets of coaching staffs has made its way to the top of the list.  In the past a coaching staff may have been able to travel to an event to catch a glimpse of potential prospects, now they have become more dependent on reviewing them from the comfort of their office.  Coaches are becoming much more dependent on video to make evaluations and in some cases even scholarship offers without actually seeing a potential recruit play in person.  It's definitely not the coaching staff's preference, however in some cases no alternatives are available.

Where does that leave a high school prospect?  In most cases, you will have one chance to make a first impression.  The skills/highlight video must provide a college coach the information they need to decide on whether to pursue a recruit or move on to the next one.  Upper Hand Promotions athletes have the advantage, we have done the research.  We know what coaches are looking for in each sport!  Let us help you make a first impression that will give you an opportunity!

Create a FREE athlete profile on www.upperhandpromotions.com to start the process! 

For more information, visit and become a fan of our Facebook page, Upper Hand Promotions or email us at info@upperhandpromotions.com.

Even an ex NFL player has to reach out to GET NOTICED!

As I always say and as our Upper Hand Promotions program is designed, getting started early and actively promoting a high school athlete is the only way to maximize an athlete's recruiting potential.  You can not sit back and think a college will come and find you...That is not how today's recruiting world works!  Check out the story below, if an ex-nfl player's son needs to actively reach out to colleges, you do as well...

From a yahoo news article about son’s of previous NFL players:

Zeke Pike, QB, Edgewood (Ky.) Dixie Heights
Son of Mark Pike, former NFL DE-LB, played 173 games for Buffalo

According to the elder Pike, recruiting has changed so much since he came out of high school 30 years ago. So much change, in fact, Mark researched recruiting for his son. From that, he determined what he considered the best course of action: being proactive.

"I kind of figured it out early and realized what I needed to do," Mark said.

While Zeke was still a freshman, his father sent game film to college coaches. More highlight clips went out the following year. Mark wasn't recruited until his senior season. He selected a school (Georgia Tech) on signing day.

Zeke picked up offers before he even became the starting varsity quarterback in 2010.

"It was worth it all," Mark said of his actions.

A couple takeaways...

1) Be Proactive:  Starting early is the best way.  Get on a college's radar early in the process, so they can track you throughout your high school career.  In Zeke's case above, he was receiving offers prior to even starting on varsity.  Once you hit high school, it is time to get to work!

2) Highlight Clips:  A quality highlight film is essential, not just a highlight film.  If the film does not showcase the skills coaches are looking for, the tape goes in the trash.  Do not waste your time sending out highlight films that do not do what they were intended to do!

Most high school athletes do not have ex-nfl players for a dad.  In this case the athlete had a parent that knew the process, knew what coaches were looking for and had the time to proactively reach out to coaches across the country.  In the real world, free time and knowledge of the recruiting process is not something most parents or high school athletes have...That's what Upper Hand Promotions is here for...Let us help you navigate through the recruiting process!

For more info email us at info@upperhandpromotions.com... We would be happy to walk you through the recruiting process, develop a personalized promotional plan and help YOU maximize your recruiting potential!

Two Must Do Things to Maximize Recruiting Potential

I encourage every high school athlete to do the research, talk with their coaches and determine what actions they must take to maximize their recruiting potential.  Everything you read from college coaches, select coaches, high school coaches etc...I can promise will lead to two MUST DO action items, to get the recruiting process started...

1) Start sending Recruiting Letters of Interest to the coaches at the schools you are interested in attending.

2) Make sure that you have a skills/highlight video created and start sending off to college coaches or have it ready if they request one.

* A college coach can not recruit an athlete they do not know exists and prior to spending the money to come out and see an athlete, the college coach wants to know the athlete is a potential fit for their program.

There are two potential problems with the action items above, time and knowledge of the process.  The letter and video will take time to produce, researching potential schools and contact information for the coaches will also take hours of personal time.  Not to mention, the letter and video must provide the coach with the information they are looking for, for it to be effective.  If not, the college coach will throw it away and move on and the athlete may miss out on a potential opportunity!

Upper Hand Promotions can help address both of the action items above.
1) Recruiting Promotional Cards:  These cards are designed to effectively introduce the high school athlete to college coach.  We have all the contact information, so let us produce the letter and send it out for you, for not much more than if you designed, printed and mailed yourself, not to mention save you hours of research and development each month.

2) Highlight/Skills Video: Every coach wants to be able to see what they need to see in a short period of time.  Your video must be able to highlight the skills coaches are looking for at a position specific level.  Our program takes raw game footage and breaks it down to highlight the skills coaches want to see!  If you send a video that does provide the information needed, coaches will discard the video and move on to the next athlete.  Again, do not miss out on an opportunity!

For more information or to answer any of your recruiting questions, please email info@upperhandpromotions.com.  Talk to you soon!

Play Ball in Front of College Coaches

Upper Hand Promotions has recently teamed up with Top 96 Baseball Camps.  Top 96 camps are held all over the United States.  The camps are coached by active college coaches, each event has a list of which coaches will be in attendance.

As I have said all along, the best way to get noticed is to do a combination of promotion/marketing, attend camps and hard work on the field and in the classroom.  I suggest that if Top 96 will be hosting an event in your area, you take a look at the coaches that will be in attendance and determine if you have an interest in competing in front of those coaches!

If you are interested in learning more about the Top 96 program, schedule of events etc...Please send an email to info@upperhandpromotions.com.  Make sure to go through us,  as we will be able to save you some money at registration!

Take the 1st Step: Introduce Yourself to College Coaches

     At the start of each season, most high school coaches send out a prospect list to their college coach network.  The list will include the high school athletes involved in their program, with a goal of getting these athletes on their college coach network recruiting radar.
     Upper Hand Promotions has taken this process to a new level for high school athletes and college coaches, while saving high school coaches time.  Our by sport Prospect Guide will go out to every college coach in each sport.  Each athlete that chooses to participate in the Prospect Guide, will have a 1/4 page profile that will include their high school coach's scouting report, personal info, as well as any highlights/stats that are important for college coaches to see.  The college coach will have an easy to use prospect list, with athletes from several schools, all in one place.

The two pictures on the left are samples of what the cover and athlete profile pages will look like:

To introduce yourself to every college coach in your respective sport, send an email to info@upperhandpromotions.com, with Prospect Guide in the Subject Line.

There are very few guarantees in the recruiting process, however we can offer 1 guarantee...If a college coach does not know that you exist, we guarantee the coach will not recruit you and you will not receive an offer from that school!

There are several important steps in the recruiting process, make sure that the initial introduction is not something you leave out.  Without the initial introduction, there will be no recruiting process!



Class of 2012, Your time is NOW!

Right now is a very important time for high school athletes graduating in 2012. The majority have some varsity experience and are starting to actively look at their college options. In order to ensure they have options, all should be introducing themselves to college coaches, creating interest and getting on schools recruiting radar prior to their senior year. After all, a college program can only recruit an athlete they know exists. By the time the 2011-2012 school year kicks off, college coaches have the majority of their class of 2012 targets already in mind. Make sure you do what it takes now, so you don't miss out on a potential opportunity!

2012 Graduates To Do List
1) Create a list of potential target schools
2) Introduce yourself to the coaching staff
3) Consistent communication with interested schools to stay top of mind with coaching staff
4) Stay on the radar, Be Accessible

If you have not started the process above as a 2012 graduate you are behind the 8 ball. Get started now, before your senior season starts you should have initiated contact with the programs that interest you, determine mutual interest and have a plan for the schools with mutual interest to ensure you have options come signing day!

If you need help getting this process started or are interested in learning more about maximizing your recruiting potential visit www.upperhandpromotions.com and create your free athlete profile.

Class of 2012, move quickly, make yourself visible and if you need help...that's what we are here for...Email us with questions at info@upperhandpromotions.com!

Do Not Get Taken Off "The List"

Every college coaching staff, in almost every sport, has "The List" when it comes to recruiting.  Each staff has their own way of organizing, adding/removing prospects and deciding who to make and who not to make scholarship offers to each year.  The goal of a high school athlete is to get on as many lists as possible, stay on the lists and receive several offers to leave themselves options come signing day.

Upper Hand Promotions offers several programs and tools to help high school athletes get on "The List", at schools they are interested in attending.  Equally as important however, once you make the list, how do you stay on it to receive an offer at the end of the recruiting process?

4 Suggestions to Improve Your Odds of Remaining on "The List"
1) School/Grades:  Make sure that your transcript is easily accessible, never hide or hold back your academic information.  If your grades are not where they should be, acknowledge the issue and share your plan for improvement with interested coaches.  A coach finding out information you tried to hide, will lead to your removal from "The List".
2) Skills Video:  Let's face it your athletic ability will play a major role in receiving an athletic scholarship offer.  So, you must have the proper tools to showcase this ability to college coaches.  All athletes interested in competing at the next level, should have a highlight tape and at the very least one full game tape available at all time.  When coaches are discussing a prospect with a recruiting coordinator or scout, if video is not available, your odds of being placed on or remaining on "The List" are slim to none.  Give the coach a reason to want to pursue you!
3) Scouting Report:  An evaluation done by a trusted third party gives the college coach a different viewpoint and might point out something they missed or haven't had the opportunity to witness.  Again, give the college coach a reason to want to pursue you!
4) Parents:  I know, what do your parents have to do with you in regards to the recruiting process?  Simple...A college coach has thousands of talented high school athletes interested in playing at the college level.  When reviewing their recruiting lists, if a prospect's parent has been identified as a potential issue, another prospect at that position with similar talent jumps over them on "The List".  An example of parent issues could include: openly questioning coaches, complaining to other parents, challenging conditioning or training methods etc...Make sure your parents are aware that their behavior can impact your recruitment!

The hardest part of the recruiting process is making the initial introduction of high school athlete to college coach, catching their eye and earning a spot on "The List."  However, getting on "The List" is just the start of the process. Make sure you educate yourself to stay on "The List", once you get there!

Email info@upperhandpromotions.com with any questions you may have about this post or the recruiting process in general.

If you are ready to start introducing yourself to college coaches across the country, improving your odds of getting on "The List" at schools you are interested in attending...

Create Your FREE Athlete Profile on http://www.upperhandpromotions.com/ today!