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Post by phantom on Apr 15, 2010 20:24:20 GMT -6
There's a genetic component that says how tall you are and what your frame might look like, i.e. long arms or small hands or heart murmur, but after birth, it's all what you do with what you've got. You might have an advantage because you have exceptional levers because you're 6'4, but it don't mean squat without the necessary work done. So, I also disagree about the 'born not made'. We're given a physical profile, but what we do with it determines a lot more about our careers, etc. This has been proven pretty thoroughly by Gladwell, Geoffrey Colvin, Daniel Coyle. To me, barring those who are born on the low end of the physical spectrum for their positions (5'6 CBs, 5'11 OL, etc), the more important determiners are focus, resolve, and (relevant) time on task (weights, film study, etc). I'd wager the significant majority of D-I players separate themselves because of their work done, which is a more telling characteristic than physique and more difficult to explain than genetics. This isn't meant to downplay the importance of genetics to the point of being irrelevant, I just think that a D-I work ethic is even more rare and more revealing of a player's chances to make it or not. Hate to say it but not every D.1 player that we've coached has had a great work ethic. It's genetics. Most kids could work as hard as Jerry Rice but they'll never be Jerry Rice.
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Post by coach4life on Apr 16, 2010 6:47:30 GMT -6
Could be wrong about this, but it seems nowdays also that if you're not being talked to as a junior you can forget about a FBS/FCS team. These days guys in pajamas put 5 stars on a sophomore kid in another part of the country on some recruiting board by looking at hand picked highlights. This gets the alum all excited about a kid that might look good physically but who knows if they can really play? And now this kid thinks he's all that, headed for the NFL, yada yada. "Work ethic? Whaddya mean coach, I don't need to work that hard, I'm already the baddest dude on the field, and Rivals has me as a lock. Grades? The NFL ain't gonna care about my grades." News flash kid: You ain't playin' in the NFL unless your just a freak.
The recruiting coaches know what they're doing but it seems like if you don't have their attention as a junior you're too late to the dance as a senior. Everyone has pressure to get the kids they want wrapped up early with verbal commitments and such, not leaving much room for the late bloomer or kid who played behind a stud athlete who might be good enough to play at that level but didn't have the notoriety coming out of his junior year. If you're that kid that can really play at game speed but can't run a 40 fast enough, it probably isn't gonna happen either unless you play great when the right recruiter is at the game. If you're fortunate enough to have a coach with relationships and trust with the recruiters, he might be able to help you land somewhere, but if not...
I just wish the kids didn't get so much pressure, from others and their own unrealistic expectations, to get recruited by Whoever State. Play the game the best you can,complete like an animal, enjoy it, develop a work ethic, enjoy life, get your grades, focus on being a contributing citizen after it's all done. Do that and good things will happen for you, whether football is involved or not.
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Post by 42falcon on Apr 16, 2010 9:37:33 GMT -6
There is a huge genetic compnent to all of this not recognizing that is a big mistake by us. I look at some of the top Olympic athletes in power speed sports and it is the same way genetics play a role. They all train equaly as hard have equaly great coaches and therapists. But there is one thing that is the X factor and that is genetics. Are guys gonna make it who are not as geneticaly gifted because they work harder, or have better skills sure some are but ultimately they are in the minority.
This is an awesome thread just spent the morning reading all of it (should be working!) and it gives me a real apreciation for where a player needs to be to actually make it. Reality is a heck of a thing!
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Apr 16, 2010 9:49:03 GMT -6
Could be wrong about this, but it seems nowdays also that if you're not being talked to as a junior you can forget about a FBS/FCS team... EXACTLY. That was true even 10 years ago. If you didn't have some sort of offer/interest your junior year you pretty much had no chance of FBS scholarship. Gotta dominate your competition, stick out on the field (as someone put it coaches need to say "DAMN!" in the first 10secs of your highlight tape), have a great underclassman (junior) year, and qualify.
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