[#1 Blackcat Fan]

What in your opinions would be the best route to take on this.
A player graduates & decides he is ready to call it quits on football after playing 8 years (grade school & high school combined) to concentrate on school. He is in his 1st year of college now. Football is not available where he is currently enrolled. He now decides he misses football so much he is willing to go any where to play, but needs a little help financially.
He is a better than average player. He is currently putting together a highlight dvd to send to some colleges. Any other opinions on any thing he could do to better his chances of landing somewhere with at least a partial scholly.
Any websites he can post this to or any combines for guys already graduated from high school. Any opinions are appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Need more info just ask or pm me.

[judgementday]

Maybe look at schools with coaching changes because that sometimes opens up spots from players transferring or not committing to scholarships...

Also, if you have any videos of games, put them all on a highlight DVD and send them out to programs.

Just my two cents...

[NEWARKCATHOLICFAN]

I would look at a school like Ohio Dominican University

http://ohiodominicanpanthers.com/sports/fball/index

I would send them your tape and call the coach and let him know you are wanting to make a move and see what he has to say.

Bill Conley
614-251-4556

[Granny Bear]

Would his high school coach be of any help?

[toussaints]

Wow, where have I seen this before?

Hey Blackcat, the same thing happened to me. I was at Bellarmine my freshman year, but wanted to get back into football. Bellarmine didn't have football, so if I wanted to play, I was going to have to transfer. I contacted some of the coaches that were recruiting me out of high school and Coaches Farrier, McCoy and Barber at Kentucky State allowed me to come in as a walk on and go from there. Now I had to pay for school that year, but they allowed me to live off campus to help cut the cost of going there.

The best advice I can give you is to contact coaches that were recruiting him when he was in high school, especially at the D2/D3/NAIA level. I doubt he'll be able to get a good amount of financial support from the team, but they'll help him find ways to pay for school.

[Stardust]

^ GB, that was exactly my first comment, and yes, the HS coach would be a great resource. I have experience with this with a kid that I coached in baseball a few years back. I want to tell you it can be done, but the climb will all be uphill.

He is like a free agent at this stage. He is enrolled in a school, but not committed, thus he and any school can engage in conversation. Honestly, the young man needs to make a realistic list of teams and start contacting them immediately. His coach can do the same. The level of school should be realistic due to sitting out a year. Right now is a good time with spring practices, they could have him come out, run 40's and agility drills, plus lift. If he is a skill player, he can catch passes or do coverage drills. As for financial assistance, I would only count on the level of academic money that he receives today. Even if he ran a 4.4 40, he's sat out a year. He's missed an entire year of football and no one will take a chance of offering money to an unknown commodity like they would have during High School. He will be Red Shirted, so bank on him not playing next school year.

It's a marketing blitz that you have to lead. You can hire one of these recruiting agencies, which I could lead you to a credible contact that I have, but IMO, you can do it all on your own and save the money. You will spend a few thousand dollars trying to do all that you can and just might find out sitting out another year may not be worth all the extra expense.

He's not getting a scholarship, thus he will be considered a walk-on. You can go anywhere and be a walk-on, so your options are many. But if he wants to play, you have to be a realist and choose the right small school. If it works out after a couple of years, he may get athletic money from the school or could transfer to a larger school.

Good luck, but trust me, it's a lot of work.

[Stardust]

Wow, where have I seen this before?

Hey Blackcat, the same thing happened to me. I was at Bellarmine my freshman year, but wanted to get back into football. Bellarmine didn't have football, so if I wanted to play, I was going to have to transfer. I contacted some of the coaches that were recruiting me out of high school and Coaches Farrier, McCoy and Barber at Kentucky State allowed me to come in as a walk on and go from there. Now I had to pay for school that year, but they allowed me to live off campus to help cut the cost of going there.

The best advice I can give you is to contact coaches that were recruiting him when he was in high school, especially at the D2/D3/NAIA level. I doubt he'll be able to get a good amount of financial support from the team, but they'll help him find ways to pay for school.

Good post. With my injured wing, it took me forever to post what I wrote, only to see that you posted the similar message :biggrin:

[RunItUpTheGut]

Where are you from blackcat. I assume Pburg.
Are you attending a college close to home?
Any chance you would more to Williamsburg or Bville?
While you may not be able to get a scholarship right off the bat, the Cumberlands and Union both hardly ever turn away players if you try out. At the very least they'll just stick you on the practice squad until you prove yourself. I believe most NAIA schools do the same.

[#1 Blackcat Fan]

Thanks for all the advise guys & gals. I'm finding out all your saying during this process. I knew it would be hard where he sat out a year. He does have an offer from the only school he has contacted (Campbellsville) so far to walk on. I was just hoping to get some financial help, but i'm learning where ever he may go ole dad is gonna have to pull out the check book the 1st year at least. He is at the point now he is willing to go anywhere to play. We are currently putting together a highlight dvd to send to several colleges (NAIA). Even though he has sat out a year he has been constantly working out to keep in shape. He has actually added 10lb of muscle over the last few months.
To answer some of the questions above he played WR/DB in high shcool. He is 6'00" 165lb with a legit 4.6 40. He made all district at DB his Jr & Sr years. Was honorable mention on WYMT's All Mountain team at WR his Sr year. Honorable mention at DB on Louisville Courier Journals All State Team his Sr year. All though my opinion is biased i do think he is a better than average player. Most of all he has the heart of a lion on the field.
Any other opinions anyone has would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again to all who have responded. I appreciate the advise. Hope this answers the questions above if not just let me know.

[#1 Blackcat Fan]

Just to add to the above post during his 8 years of playing the kid never missed a practice nor game. Even though there was a couple times he was running a fever and i tried to get him to miss & the kid flat out refused. Football was his life. He dedicated his heart & soul to it when he was playing.

[Granny Bear]

Just to add to the above post during his 8 years of playing the kid never missed a practice nor game. Even though there was a couple times he was running a fever and i tried to get him to miss & the kid flat out refused. Football was his life. He dedicated his heart & soul to it when he was playing.

Wow, sounds like he has that "intrinsic" factor that just might make the difference.
Good luck, Blackcat Fan!!

[#1 Blackcat Fan]

Wow, sounds like he has that "intrinsic" factor that just might make the difference.
Good luck, Blackcat Fan!!

Thanks Granny.