Warren Dowdell

Today we honor Warren Dowdell as our Male Athlete of the Day.  This 6’3″, 235-pound offensive lineman is a 2016 grad and carries a 3.97 GPA.  He graded out at 92% this past season and was presented with the Captain’s Award, MVP and Most Outstanding Lineman Award.  His NSR scout is Bryan Black who says of him, “Warren is a young man with unlimited upside.  As an 8th grader he is already showing the work ethic and maturity of a much more experienced player.  Warren is strong, intense and has an instinct for getting to the ball.  Playing at a smaller high school will give hime the opportunity to play on both sides of the ball and anchor both the offensive line at center and the defensive line at nose tackle.  Warren is a fast learner and has the determination to play at the highest level.  Keep him on your short list, he will not dissapoint you.”  And in Warren’s essay to college coaches he states, “My future plans are to play football at a Division 1 school, along with  getting a great college education.  I currently play for Beauregard High School in Opelika, Al. I have played all positions on the OL and DL and long snapping, along with a crash course in kicking this year. I am an Honor student, and part of the National Junior Honor Society, Who’s Who, and People to People. I am active in 4H of Lee County Alabama where I do Cattle showing and Livestock judging. I have won many trophies and ribbons with my cattle and livestock judging with recent awards from the Senator of Alabama with a Resolution. I am very competitive in everything that I am a part of.  Along with that I am very goal oriented and I always give a 110% in everything thing that I do.”

Adam Arcadia

Please welcome our Male Athlete of the Day, Adam Arcadia, a 2014 grad who plays second base at LaSalle College High School in LaSalle College, Pennsylvania.  He carries a 3.7 GPA.  In his personal essay to college coaches, Adam states, “I believe I am a player any coach would like to have in his program, I have a strong mental approach to the game, I’m a fierce competitor on the field, and have a strong work ethic. I feel I would be an asset to any program.”  Veteran NSR scout Ron Vrana is Adam’s scout.  In his scouting report, Ron says, “Adam’s love of the game is evident the moment you watch him practice or play a game.  No one will work harder than Adam.  His game has improved every year, and I expect it to continue to do the same during his high school career.  Adam’s line drive swing, and his above average speed allows him to help on the offensive side; while his good hands and knowledge of the game allows him to help on the defensive side.  His ability to turn the double play is high, and will only improve with his dedication to improving his arm strength.  While he is not a vocal leader, Adam’s fierce competitiveness makes him a quiet leader on and off the field.  Many players love to win, and Adam does; but, more importantly, he hates to lose.”

Emma Klimala

Our Female Athlete of the Day brings college coaches both athletic talent and academic excellence.  Emma Klimala is a golfer from Glenbard High School in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.  And, she carries an outstanding GPA of 5.1.  Her NSR scout is Tanya Olson who describes Emma in her scouting report, “Emma Klimala is a passionate athlete, with a very strong academic resume.  She has only been playing golf for three years, but has made incredible strides to improve her swing and learn as much about the game as possible.  Emma’s Swing Coach, Tim Jankowski, is dedicated to helping Emma get to the next level through hard work and hours of practice, especially in the off season.  Her driving distance is quite impressive, when you take into account her small frame.  She is working hard at getting her average putts per round under 30, as well as increasing her accuracy into the greens.  Emma is a great young lady, passionate about the game of golf, and will work hard to contribute to the success of a college program.”  Emma, speaking to college coaches, says, “Throughout my high school career, I have been striving to achieve the best grades I can, to create a strong base towards receiving a good future education. Through this, I have developed a strong work ethic that also renders itself evident in sports; specifically golf. I hope to improve on my golf skills not just in the next few years, but throughout my lifetime. After years of participating in various sports, I have learned to be organized, determined, and hard-working.  A large part of golf’s challenge is that it is a mental game. Before I get out on the course, I take time to examine the scorecard and course layout. I arrive at the course a few hours early to allow time to practice and organize my bag. Most importantly, when I get out onto the course, I plan out every shot as I approach the ball. If the ball goes somewhere I did not anticipate, I move on. Staying organized and focused on a plan is something that I will continue to use throughout my college and life experience.”

Leanna Bachman

Our Female Athlete of the Day is exceptional.  Leanna Bachman, a senior from Liberty Union-Thurston High School in Thurston, Ohio, is an outfielder with a 2.7 home-to-first time and a perfect 4.0 GPA.  Her NSR scouting report says of her that, “Talk about the full package.  This young lady, at 16, has a resume that most adults would be envious of.  Not only does she partcipate in 4-H, participate in FFA, raise pigs, ride horses, manage her own busines and swim for her high school swim team, but she plays softball too….and she’s pretty darn good at it. Leanna excels both in the classroom and on the field and has fully dedicated herself to becoming one of the best softball players in her area.  At school, she’s carried a 4.0 GPA for the last two years, and she is ranked first in her class.  Leanna is a 5’4″, 135 pound left-handed centerfielder but can and will play anywhere in the outfield.  She has spent some time at several infield positions, but she is a true outfielder with great speed.  She has a strong and accurate arm from the outfield.  Her knowledge of the game surpasses most seniors, and she dedicates a great deal of time to training year round with both a hitting instructor and a speed, strength and agility coach.  The speed training has paid off resulting in a “home to 1st” time of 2.7 and a “home to home” time of 11.6….and she’s getting faster.  Leanna is no slouch at the plate either.  In 2011, her high school batting average was .452 and her travel ball average was .421.”  And when Leanna speaks to college coaches in her NSR essay, she delares, “As a softball player, I strive to be an impact player on my softball team. I want to be the player my team depends on to get a hit, steal a base or make the catch. I want to be the player my team depends on to provide leadership and encouragement to other teammates. My goal is to make an impact every time I step on the field.  To me there are three main characteristics of being an impact player; mental focus, power and teamwork. I continually try to develop these characteristics to improve my game on and off the field.”

Neil Allor

We are proud to select as our Male Athlete of the Day, Neil Allor, a running back and defensive back, from Lake Fenton High School in Lake Fenton, Michigan.  He will graduate in 2014 and currently has a 3.87 GPA.  His NSR scout, Steve Lamay describes him this way in his scouting report, “Neil is an overall athlete. He is primarily a running back and cornerback. He has very good speed and knows how to use it. Very good at spotting and hitting the hole on offense. Defensively he can stay with even the best WRs and can get up and will the hand fights for the ball. Not afraid of contact and shows good tackling form. Has good lateral movement and turns his hips well in coverage. Gets to top speed quickly.”  And addressing college coaches, Neil says, “I love running up and down the field spinning out of tackles on the offensive side of the ball and destroying ball carriers on the defensive side. With the dream of becoming a college football player I am also pursuing either the mechanical engineering career or physical therapy career. To accomplish both of these goals I will use my strong determination, quick and clever decision making, and also pure instinct.  Football has has taught me to push through all the hard things and eventually some good will come out of it. My strong determination allows me to battle exhaustion, work hard in every drill, and make myself better every time I step on the field. Determination also helps by making me strive to be the best student in the classroom as well as a son or friend outside of school. To be a great football player you have to have quick and clever thinking. At any moment the ball could go one way or back the other way. Being alert and on top of all the events allows you to be in the right spot at the right time. Quick and clever decisions also help by making you pick right from wrong.”

Austin Antwine

NSR’s scout for North Georgia, John Arnold, describes our Male Athlete of the Day, Austin Antwine, this way in his scouting report:  “Primarily a linebacker, Austin also plays spot duty at TE and FB on offense and has good hands as a receiver. He prefers defense and is a very aggressive, downhill player that loves to hit. He has solid technique and is a smart player as evidenced by the fact that he is the defensive signal caller on defense. He plays with his shoulders square and plays with his pad level down. He maintains gap responsibility, gets off blocks and to the football, and has excellent pursuit to the ball both on plays to him and away from him. His agressiveness sometimes translates into over pursuit and he needs to continue to work on maintaining proper pursuit position for cutback; however, he does a nice job of retracing his steps when he does overpursue in order to be involved in making a play. He has adequate speed but must, and is, working very hard in the off-season to improve overall speed as well as size and strength. Game speed is very good. Austin is a one-sport  athlete by choice and is totally committedto becoming the best football player he can be and in playing at the collegiate level. He currently is in a highly-regimented training program at The Factory in Lawrenceville, GA. and has shown outstanding progress in all areas.  Austin has a great work ethic on and off the field and is considered a team leaderand is well-respected by his teammates.”  A 6’0″ 190-pounder, is also a great student at Northview High School in Duluth, Georgia who carries a 3.2 GPA.  He plans to study Exercise Science.  In his essay to college coaches, Austin says, “My work ethic, leadership qualities, aggressiveness and determination have led me to excel on each team I have been a part of since I started playing sports. I have been on two mission trips with my church. One trip was to Washington, D.C. where we met with youth that were in prison. We would play games and talk with them and try to get them not to give up on life or their dreams. The second trip was to New York City where we went to low-income neighborhoods and helped by cutting grass and cleaning up the neighborhoods. I have also worked with the foundation called 7 Bridges where we worked with homeless people on the streets of Atlanta. School is also important to me where I have made the honor roll and continue to be an A/B student.  My dream is to play college football, but I also want to get a good education and continue to help people that are less fortunate than me. I am sure that I can be a good teammate and student.”

Tara Haderer

Our Female Athlete of the Day is Tara Haderer from Westwood High in Round Rock, Texas.  She carries a 3.6 GPA and plans to become a biologist.  Her essay to college coaches is telling when she says, “My favorite subjects are Math and Science and I’m interested in a career in Biotechnology or Forensic Science. Whatever career I pursue, I’d like to interact with and help people.  I possess a strong work ethic and often push myself to achieve high goals and standards in both academics and sports. I’ve competed in gymnastics, soccer, track, cross country and swimming, however, basketball remains my true passion. In my free time, I like to knit and relax with my family. I’m really excited about the prospects of playing college basketball.  Through basketball, I’ve improved my leadership skills, developed new friends and learned to help others on and off the court.”  And her NSR scout, Randy Evans says of her that, “Tara is an excellent college prospect. She possesses an exceptional court awareness, outstanding quickness and unmatched hustle. She is the kind of player that is a coach’s dream due to her complete dedication to the game, whether it is during a game, in organized practice or working on her own time. Tara is all over the court, diving for loose balls, shutting down the opponents offense and is normally assigned to guard the opponents best guard.  Tara can play either a 1 or a 2 and in some situations could also play a 3. She has  very nice shooting form and can create her own shot, but needs to become more aggressive in taking shots. She has recognized this and is working hard to become a bigger offensive threat.  Tara is also an outstanding student in the classroom. She attends Westwood high school, one of the top ranked public schools in the country, and maintains a 3.6 GPA.  Any college program that is looking for an all-out, completely dedicated player should take a close look at Tara.”

Patrick Burton

We are pleased to present as our Male Athlete of the Day, Patrick Burton, from St. Columban’s College (High School) in Caboolture, Queensland, Australia.  Patrick, a 5’10″ goalkeeper, carries a 3.0 GPA and plans to major in Media Studies.  With a very long list of accomplishments, Patrick offers college coach an extensive history in goal.  His NSR scouting report states, “On the field Patrick has a competitive and persistence nature which allows him to continue to train and develop his skills until he has perfected his technique. Patrick uses each new challenge as a learning experience.  His other qualities include his determination to improve his skills by committing to training and hard work. Patrick stays focused, composed and concentrates on the entire game this allows him to read the play and predict a player’s next move. Over the last two years Patrick has learned to understand his own and his team’s abilities which allows him to be a consistent, safe and dependable goalkeeper. Patrick has the ability to direct his team on the field and the capability to control each situation rather than letting the situation control him. Patrick’s confidence and on field direction assists to inspires and motivate his entire team. Patrick has set his own daily training session to ensure that he obtains his goal for this year which is to increase his speed, strength and agility.”  In his essay to American college coaches, Patrick says, “I hope to make a difference to the college team with my confidence and mental toughness ensuring that if I make a mistake I don’t let it lead to further errors. I dominate my goal giving directions and encouragement to my team. As a goalkeeper I make decisions in quick succession and adjust myself and my teammates.”

Prospects can be fooled into a false sense of security

It is not uncommon for NSR prospects to receive hundreds of letters from college coaches.

For the recruit and family, it’s exciting to know that a college coach has recognized them. Getting known is the first essential step for any prospect. Without that happening, the train never leaves the station. It simply sits motionless hour-after-hour, day-after-day, month-after-month. A recruiting letter at least gets the engine started.

But, when a letter arrives, does it mean that the coaching staff is actually recruiting the athlete? No, it doesn’t.

The NCAA says that a prospect knows, for sure, that a coach is recruiting him or her when one of more of the following things occurs:

1. The coach calls the recruit at least twice. Why not once? Coaches often use a first call to gauge the interest level of the prospect in the school and the chemistry which may potentially exist between a recruit and a coach. Both are key initial steps for coaches. If the call goes well, the coach can put a check mark by the prospect’s name. However, there are things which can stand in the way of a second call happening. The first call can provide the coach with the degree to which the parents will stand in the way of the coach reaching the prospect and developing a relationship, that is the predicted accessibility to the prospect. If the coach finds that the parents are throwing up barriers, they may opt to mark off the prospect in favor of other prospects that are easier to reach and recruit. The general the attitude of the parents is also important. If the coach finds that the parents are stealing time away from the prospect by asking probing questions or speaking on behalf of the prospect, many coaches find that to be an obstacle too difficult to deal with on an ongoing basis. So, while the second call offers a big thumbs up, the first call is really the most important one if a recruit expects to move up on a coach’s recruiting board.
2. The coach goes to specifically scout a prospect in person. Most college coaches announce to the athlete, coach or athletic director that they will be attending a contest to scout a prospect. And when this happens, announced or not, the prospect can be assured that he or she is being recruited.
3. The coach offers a prospect an official visit. While the first two are important, this one is the sure-fire indicator to a family that their athlete is truly being recruited. Being invited to a Junior Day or for an unofficial visit is noteworthy, yes, but it’s the official visit invitation which cements a coach’s interest in a prospect.

Back to the letter – and the bad news. Colleges get info on tons of prospects. And, they first sift through the profiles they receive from reputable, reliable sources. Info delivered from mom and dad? That’s relegated to the “later” pile in the corner.

Their first mailing goes out to nearly everyone. The attached questionnaires, filled out and feverishly returned, get a cursory glance for need matches – size, speed, strength, position, GPA are all quickly perused. Anyone that doesn’t meld with their needs get tossed. The trouble is that they have neither the time, manpower, nor the inclination to send word back to the discarded masses. This leaves hopeful prospects waiting and wanting for more which inevitably isn’t coming.

Meanwhile, the letters which really do mean something, if not everything, from lower profile colleges get pushed aside into the prospect’s corner pile. Therein lays the conundrum. Prospects are fooled into thinking that they may be getting the thumbs up at any moment from one of their upper tier dream schools all the while the schools which they might realistically be candidates to receive scholarship offers are on a train on parallel track which is slowly but surely moving farther away.

High school prospects have to treat every letter as if it is the only letter, and scholarship offer, that might land on their doorstep. Taking any one of them for granted or scoffing at them as insignificant is a mistake. We encourage prospects to explore each opportunity as a possible, viable option. Study each school closely because one may indeed be the very best fit imaginable.