I get this question more than any other question. “How does my son get star ratings, and does your camp help us get stars.” I want to completely dispel this non sense myth. You do not get stars from appearing at a camp, getting a high five from a coach at a camp or from event being a standout at a camp. With very few exceptions, you get stars one very simple and direct way. “BY GETTING COLLEGE D1 SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS!!”
I hope this doesn’t blow your mind, but this is the 100% truth. After 12 years of running camps, working all of the recruiting services and all of the scouting companies, online or off, I can tell you that this is the fact!
I implore parents to stop worrying about this 100% percent meaningless system and refocus your efforts on performing well at camps, on the field, putting together great film, visiting college, and meeting with coaches, to get the all important scholarship offer. All of your time doing anything else is a complete waste of time. Here’s an example of why!
I am friends with and had a young man, a tight end from a top program in New Jersey that is now 6’5, 245. I would tell his father when he played for my 7v7 program and came to our events, that when the offers come, so does the stars. It took some time but once he had a great spring, did well at a few programs, and had a great season on the field, he started to gain exposure. As he gained that exposure he never gained any stars.
I told his father when the offers come the stars will come. So he persisted, reached out to coaches in college, reached out programs on twitter, sent his film to colleges and sent the updates. Eventually 1 by 1 programs began to offer his son, but yet he had no stars. As he accumulated 5 offers, then 8 offers, then 15 offers, then 20 offers and finally the “RATING EXPERTS” slapped a 3 star rating on him and one or two gave him 4 stars!! Meanwhile, it took 20 offers for them to even take notice because the COLLEGES take notice first and then the stars come.
This shows you how meaningless the system is and how irrelevant it is to getting recruited, to getting offers and to getting stars. Athletes will get the stars when he gets the offers. So get him to camps, get his film out there, contact coaches, meet with coaches and work the exposure side of the system to build his name, get his offers and then the stars will come.
Little known fact both Rivals, Scout and 247sports always give at least 2 stars to any athlete that has a bonafide offer from a D1 school. So when there final ratings come out if they didn’t know who you were before, you will magically have at least 2 stars.
Thats how Johnny Manziel and Marcus Mariota (Heisman Trophy Winners) only had 3 stars, and the number of offers and media exposure could dictate the knowledge of their offers, meanwhile the college coaches know he is the best already. You should always ask yourself, who will know more about football. A guy who played the game and coaches in college or some writer who sits a home in his underwear writing information that he must gather. Who has more intel? The college coaches and recruiting departments of a 50 million dollar BCS budget or the local writer getting paid 10k?
Don’t be fooled by the nonsense in chasing stars. Chase the scholarship, chase exposure and chase opportunity. If you get the offers the stars will come.
By David Schuman David Schuman
follow me online at www.twitter.com/nucfootball
email me at dave@nucsports.com
