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High School FB Combines.. worth the $ or waste of $??

Started by mw1, April 02, 2014, 10:53:54 AM

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mw1

Do events like these NUC combines, 7-on-7's, etc. actually give kids college exposure... or, is it a waste of time and money?  I read this article.. and was wondering what people who have attended these camps in Fresno, etc. have opinions based on experience:

http://www.northwestprepreport.com/combines-probably-hurtmore-then-they-help-the-money-grab-is-on/
"People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do."

mw1

"People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do."

Darth Backer


Darth Backer


Division IV Junkie

If you are good enough they will find you....however they could hurt athletes too.  If you run a bad forty time you will get overlooked...doing something like track and field helps because you run more and it is more consistent then running a couple 40 times.
I have a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell!

Division IV Junkie

I have a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell!

good #2

I have long had suspicions about these combines not run by colleges.  I agree that the Nike Sparq combine is probably well run and beneficial because they obviously aren't in it for the money....It's Free!!!  I have one example, and i'm sure you all have others, of a kid who was invited to the NUC top 100 combine.  He planned on going, but for whatever reason, didn't at the last minute.  A few weeks later, he got a letter that said, 'based on your performance at the Top 100 combine, you are invited to attend this other one'.  Really!!!
It is my opinion that the best way to go is to attend the one day camps put on by specific colleges and their coaches.  Be realistic when choosing which camp to attend, because you don't want to go to the USC camp, for example, if you are not a USC caliber player.
JMO

good #2


Darth Backer


Darth Backer


DE66

If you have to pay it is a Money grab. My son attended the NUC for two years. He was the MVP in his second year but there was never any college contacts from it. We decided it was just a money maker and stopped attending. The SPARQ Camp on the hand is free and it is the one to attend. Very well run with electronic results.

DE66


Shonuff187

Everybody has their own opinion on these combines.  With that being said,  if a player wants to gauge his abilities,  athletically and by position this is the way to go.  It takes a lot for kids to leave their comfort zones and go out and perform at their best and be judged by other people and not just their best friends or school coaches that will tell little he is the best no matter what IMHO.

Shonuff187


TeddyKGB

Quote from: Shonuff187 on April 02, 2014, 01:53:33 PM
  if a player wants to gauge his abilities,  athletically and by position this is the way to go.  It takes a lot for kids to leave their comfort zones and go out and perform at their best and be judged by other people and not just their best friends or school coaches that will tell little he is the best no matter what IMHO.

Isn't that what happens on Friday nights? If a kid is not the most or one of the most dominant kid on the field on Friday night he is probably not college material.

TeddyKGB


Shonuff187

If a kid dominats on Friday nights and he is playing div 4,5 or 6 and then goes to a combine and gets cooked by D1 kids,  it shows him that he ain't the baddest fish in the ocean and he realizes that he's gotta grind more and get better.

Shonuff187


Shonuff187

Negative,  just speaking about my experiences,  that's all.

Shonuff187


valleyfan


valleyfan


Whoson1st

Quote from: Darth Backer on April 02, 2014, 11:48:05 AM
99.9% of kids are wasting their time.



:u: you got that right.....its money grabbing exploitation......... unless they are doing it for fun....thats different.  These events can be fun like a track meet or something like that. 

college scouts don't seem to bother with these results. 

Whoson1st


Coach Fowler

I posted something related to this topic.  It was an article from NFHS and its take on elite 7 on 7 etc...
Since then, I have done some research and without going into a 5-6 page paper on this issue I will sum up what I have learned.
Scout.com, Rivals.com, EspnU, etc. All have websites devoted to "recruitable" high school athletes.  They are also all connected to camps, combines, competitions and training organizations.  Thus, the connection between attending a combine etc... and the online exposure that may or may not happen.  I called a couple of the sites above and asked them how they "rank" the recruitable athletes on their lists.  For instance, how is Johnny A ranked #95 in the nation and a 4 star recruit?  I was told by both national recruiting person(s) that varsity game film plays a major part in this process.  Sending film to these scouting sites can help with this process if they watch it and are open to communicating.  Some have more juice than others in this area.  
Just because player "A" gets exposure on one of these sites does not mean they are going to get recruited or colleges are going to take notice.  In fact, in some cases the ranking system seems to change overnight.  There have been examples of nationally ranked schools suddenly recuiting a 2 star player and the next day that player becomes a 4 star recruit.  It was stated by a recruiting expert that it was a way for the big time school to justify recruiting that kid...  
Humbly, I would say that attending the Nike Combine (free), sending game-highlight film via hudl to the sites above and colleges interested in, attending college camps run by their staff, making certain you qualify academically, working to reach past your potential and helping your teammates do the same would be a good start to a recruiting plan.  

Coach Fowler


DE66

Quote from: Shonuff187 on April 02, 2014, 01:53:33 PM
Everybody has their own opinion on these combines.  With that being said,  if a player wants to gauge his abilities,  athletically and by position this is the way to go.  It takes a lot for kids to leave their comfort zones and go out and perform at their best and be judged by other people and not just their best friends or school coaches that will tell little he is the best no matter what IMHO.

Yes you are correct in respect in gauging yourself against other competition different from your normal competition. To attend once to see were you stand is alright. But to keep attending with the hope you will be seen or get some college recognition is a waste of time and money.

DE66


DE66

Quote from: Coach Fowler on April 02, 2014, 03:03:52 PM
Humbly, I would say that attending the Nike Combine (free), sending game-highlight film via hudl to the sites above and colleges interested in, attending college camps run by their staff, making certain you qualify academically, working to reach past your potential and helping your teammates do the same would be a good start to a recruiting plan.  

You hit the nail on the head!  This is exactly what you should do. Contacting schools and providing films and your grades filling out their forms with all the requested information is really important. WITHOUT QUALIFYING ACADEMICALLY,  YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME!  KNOW WHAT THE SCHOOLS ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS ARE.

DE66


Soaring Eagle

I cannot speak to the 7 on 7s or any of those combines since my son is a kicker.

What I will say is this...  My son attended several kicking camps and he was recruited to his current gig, specifically because of his ranking in one of those kicking camps.

We sent out tons of DVDs, email links to HUDL highlight films and such, with no response back.  And Trevor was one of the top ranked players in his position after his senior season.  In one category, he was #1 in California and #5 Nationally.  He was a late bloomer and did not have much exposure.  You can be good and still not 'found'...  So it was off to JC after high school.

Granted kickers are different than any other position and speaking only for our own situation...

The kicking camp is how the BYU coaches found Trevor.  We know it was due to the camp ranking (Ranked #3 Nationally for JC Transfers) because we asked the coaches how they found him.

One needs very good eyes if you are going to soar high above your prey!

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Soaring Eagle

One needs very good eyes if you are going to soar high above your prey!

Threads Hijacked to Date:   2    (Verify with the master of tread hijacking IZ, if you don't believe me!)

Jazz

The combines I feel are a waste of time and money.  They are played up to make you think you are doing your kid a disservice by not sending him there.  In reality you get questionable hand timing, and the fast food instruction they get is not worth it.  SPARQ is the only one I feel confident about (for combine stats).  Not only is it free, but it shows the kids what they are up against.  It shows you can't be nervous and staring at the beast next to you.  I think it helps them in the long run.  They may end up in a situation where they need to compete, and this helps get that nervousness out of the way.  The first time I took my son his eyes were "wide open", and nervous about the event.  The next time he went it was no big deal, and he could concentrate on himself.
The only youth camp I thought was good was FBU.  If you go thinking my kid will be discovered, you have the wrong impression.  Those are for growth and instruction.  To see where you stack up against kids from other areas.  To put you on the spot to perform at high level with 100's of people watching. 
As they get into high school it is the actual college camps that their staff's put on.  High school kids should be going to camps at colleges they would like to attend.  Even D2's & 3's NAIA's offer these in the summer. 
You put that with your game film, and they will find you. 

Jazz


the football guy

Guys My best buddy works the Nike training camp every year and works several D1 camps for major college programs. The Nike and Rivals camp are free but they are by invite only, He would not send any kids to a combine of any sort that has testing. Anything you have to pay for I would not go to!!!! Going to a College Camp does not mean a dam thing!!! Unless that staff from that college has personally invited you then your just there to have fun and get some good coaching, The NFTC and Rivals have all the major writers out there, If you think cause your son is good enough and you think colleges will find you ..YOUR WRONG, and If you think that colleges dnt have access to video of these NFTC..YOUR WRONG again..If you think colleges dnt pay attention to these rankings...YOUR WRONG AGAIN..every college has GAs and one of there jobs is to see who is who and who has what, remember college will offer you just because another college has offered you, they like to keep up with the Jones... guys theses NFTC and RIVIALS are good for your kids, and 7v7 are good because they are FUN to play in and it teaches kids how to compete on a national level,so when they go back home there confidence is sky high.. That Came from Coach Fred who I trust because I Know he works those camps all the time

the football guy


Darth Backer


Darth Backer


Whoson1st

Quote from: the football guy on April 03, 2014, 10:53:52 AM
Guys My best buddy works the Nike training camp every year and works several D1 camps for major college programs. The Nike and Rivals camp are free but they are by invite only, He would not send any kids to a combine of any sort that has testing. Anything you have to pay for I would not go to!!!! Going to a College Camp does not mean a dam thing!!! Unless that staff from that college has personally invited you then your just there to have fun and get some good coaching, The NFTC and Rivals have all the major writers out there, If you think cause your son is good enough and you think colleges will find you ..YOUR WRONG, and If you think that colleges dnt have access to video of these NFTC..YOUR WRONG again..If you think colleges dnt pay attention to these rankings...YOUR WRONG AGAIN..every college has GAs and one of there jobs is to see who is who and who has what, remember college will offer you just because another college has offered you, they like to keep up with the Jones... guys theses NFTC and RIVIALS are good for your kids, and 7v7 are good because they are FUN to play in and it teaches kids how to compete on a national level,so when they go back home there confidence is sky high.. That Came from Coach Fred who I trust because I Know he works those camps all the time



I have been thru the entire process. Combines, camps etc...   And yes, sitting across from D-1 coaches as the go thru the process of recruiting.  No one ever mentioned a combine(we went to many) or any results at said combine.  College camps on the other hand were very helpful.   These reindeer games like these are fun for the boys, no doubt , but 99% of them are wasting their money if they are doing it to be noticed. Not saying YOUR WRONG but 99% just aren't good enough to play college football. 
These combines pimp themselves out as the only way to get recruited. False hopes and wasted $.

Whoson1st


the football guy

Quote from: Whoson1st on April 03, 2014, 01:17:04 PM


I have been thru the entire process. Combines, camps etc...   And yes, sitting across from D-1 coaches as the go thru the process of recruiting.  No one ever mentioned a combine(we went to many) or any results at said combine.  College camps on the other hand were very helpful.   These reindeer games like these are fun for the boys, no doubt , but 99% of them are wasting their money if they are doing it to be noticed. Not saying YOUR WRONG but 99% just aren't good enough to play college football. 
These combines pimp themselves out as the only way to get recruited. False hopes and wasted $.
Not sure what your trying to say buddy, But 7v7 teams should not cost no more then 50.00 a tournament. These training companies like B2g charge alot,but the fee is for their training,7v7 are not ment for kids to get scholarships,although a small percentage do. That small percentage are the ones who get the exposure. If you go with the mind of having fun,making friends and getting more reps then its cool. If you just use a little common sense if you decide to do anything like that, Really someone has to know someone to be able to get your film look at, Just a little insight..hope it helps

the football guy


Darth Backer

Throw some spaces in after those commas buddy...   :huh:

Darth Backer


Whoson1st

Quote from: the football guy on April 03, 2014, 04:31:39 PM
Not sure what your trying to say buddy, But 7v7 teams should not cost no more then 50.00 a tournament. These training companies like B2g charge alot,but the fee is for their training,7v7 are not ment for kids to get scholarships,although a small percentage do. That small percentage are the ones who get the exposure. If you go with the mind of having fun,making friends and getting more reps then its cool. If you just use a little common sense if you decide to do anything like that, Really someone has to know someone to be able to get your film look at, Just a little insight..hope it helps


Just a little insight..hope it helps :huh: :huh: :huh: 

I'm talking about past experience thats called hind sight :u: :)-

I repeat,  combines although fun are not beneficial for college recruiting purposes.   re read what i wrote then re read what you wrote and you will see that we said the same thing  :)-

Whoson1st


the football guy

Quote from: Whoson1st on April 04, 2014, 08:25:09 AM

Just a little insight..hope it helps :huh: :huh: :huh: 

I'm talking about past experience thats called hind sight :u: :)-

I repeat,  combines although fun are not beneficial for college recruiting purposes.   re read what i wrote then re read what you wrote and you will see that we said the same thing  :)-
:u: :u: :u:

the football guy