Where college prospects dream of playing rarely matches their final destination. Reality in recruiting frequently stuns high school prospects and their parents. Time is the culprit. Families wake up one crisp Saturday morning, pile into the minivan and excitedly head to their first T-ball game. The next thing they know, their young athletes are preparing for their high school … Read more
College assistant coaches offer prospects opportunities extending beyond logo shirts and clipboards. Prospects, parents and even high high school and club coaches are generally unaware that recruiting begins in earnest at the assistant coach level. Assistant coaches are the gatekeepers. National Scouting Report scouts know that assistant coaches are the ones who first evaluate prospects and approve or reject them. Approval … Read more
At National Scouting Report, our scouts and office staff have worked with thousands of high school athletes and their parents during our 36-year history. Rarely, however, do we see families that truly understand how recruiting actually works, its complexities and nuances. Most families think recruiting is two-dimensional. In truth, it is three-dimensional. If you have … Read more
While listening to ESPN, I was entranced by an interview with former NFL No. 1 draft pick Ryan Leaf, whose travails have been well documented since his fall from grace with the San Diego Chargers nearly two decades ago. A recovering Vicodin addict, Leaf, 38, talked about how he started to spiral out of control … Read more
The story is both familiar and unique: a lifetime of involvement with athletics turns into a passion fulfilled through helping youngsters realize their dreams of becoming college student-athletes. Joe Pound is the Northeast Florida area director for National Scouting Report. A former college baseball player at the University of North Florida, Pound played for legendary coach … Read more
Question: Is teamwork a natural gift or a learned skill? I was taught by my two older brothers what teamwork means and how to be a good team player. They pounded its importance into me at a young age. Even in business I refuse to throw a team member under the bus when things get rough. When … Read more
What do the best of the best — Tom Brady, Alex Morgan, Steph Curry, Serena Williams, Breanna Stewart, Mike Trout et al — have in common? All of them love to practice. These athletes learned early on that the only way they could become the best in their sport was to put in the time, … Read more
A sport can be so ingrained in some people during their formative years that they are drawn back to it as adults. Such is the case with National Scouting Report scout Rebecca Wood Bosma. Volleyball was her irresistible pull. Bosma was reminded how much she loved volleyball when she read the Facebook posts of NSR scouts across the … Read more
Ever heard of Frenchman François-Marie Arouet? Well, perhaps you will recognize the man more readily by his nom de plume (pen name), Voltaire, the renowned writer, historian and philosopher who lived in the early to mid-1700s. One of Voltaire’s more familiar phrases which has endured these many years is, in a somewhat loose translation: “Perfect is the enemy of good.” … Read more
Athletes love their uniforms. Donning a uniform for the first time is one of life’s most exciting moments. Present and past athletes may never forget the thrill of receiving that first jersey with a number on the back and team name on the front. Uniforms make athletes feel special, unique and apart from everyone else. … Read more
