I love the holiday season.  There is something about this time of year that is quite magical.  Personally, I enjoy heading out shopping for friends and family.  As with everything else that I do, it is quite a production, and it usually includes a large peppermint mocha latte from Starbucks and quite a few hours trying to find that perfect gift for the people in my life that I love.  Beyond that, people just tend to be nicer to everyone.  I mean it was just yesterday that I saw a woman give a guy the finger as he ran her off the road into a Dunkin Donuts parking lot.  I’m joking of course (not really, I did actually see that but keep in mind, I live in Jersey and this happens by the minute).  In all seriousness, people are a lot nicer at this time of year.  More people say hello to others that they do not know, hold doors for people, and actually have manners.  It is really quite magical.

Speaking of magical, Tim Tebow has had quite a run of late. Love him, hate him, or just don’t really care, you have to admit that for a guy who couldn’t hit a bull in the butt with a snow shovel, he has really found ways to put the Denver Broncos in a position to win games in spite of his inaccuracy throwing the football.  Is it magic?  I’m not entirely sure about that, but something about professionals making ridiculous mistakes in late games (Marion Barber) and the consistency of opposing team fumbles that occur late in the fourth quarter kind of make you scratch your head and say, “Did that really just happen…again?”.  Not to mention the fact that Tebow cannot throw the ball for three quarters and then finds a way to complete his passes in the fourth quarter.  All of this begs the questions, what makes the fourth quarter Tebow time, and what makes everyone so much nicer at the end of the year?  The answer, believing.

I have never seen a person believe in himself, his team, and the power of God quite as much as Tim Tebow.  I watched a spot on TV on him this past Sunday and I came away quite impressed.  The man is so positive in his approach to everything he does.  Here is a guy that has been ridiculed by pretty much everyone for how bad he is and he still finds a way to be positive in his approach to everything. Tebow is constantly reassuring himself and his teammates that as long as they keep playing hard they will find a way.  He even talks trash in a way that endears his opponent to him.  It is really quite amazing and it is definitely contagious.  It is Tebow’s positive mental attitude and belief in all of those around him that keeps himself and his teammates in the right frame of mind to believe that when and if they have the chance to win, they can and will take advantage of it.  Not only does Tebow believe in himself, but he believes in his team and that has taken them from teh depths of the NFL standings to first place in their division and a potential playoff appearance. 

It is the power of believing  that also makes everyone so much nicer during the holiday season.  People believe in the magic of Santa Claus, Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, Elves on shelves and even Cousin Eddie and ultimately this makes people happier. It makes people want to be nice to each other and say hello to people they would not normally say hello to.  It makes them want to forgive those who they have held a grudge against all year long.  Believing makes you want to buy gifts, write cards, and sing songs in a way that you have not done all year. Having something to believe in just makes things better.

So that should be your focus as you continue to work on your basketball skills and sports performance training.  Learn from Tim Tebow’s fourth quarter success and everyone else at holiday time and believe in yourself.  Keep a positive attitude now and throughout the year.  Do not get discouraged when success does not always happen or even does not happen for a while.  Stay the course and beleive that you can and will be successful in whatever it is you want to accomplish, and it can and will happen.  Just look at where believing has gotten Tim Tebow and the Broncos.  Just look at how nice believing has made those around you.  It really is quite magical.

I want to take the thank all of my Elite Basketball Training family for your support throughout the year.  It is all of you that make it possible for me to do what I love to do best and provide you with valuable information on basketball skill development, sports performance training, and college planning and recruiting.  I wish you all a Happy Holiday and enjoy the time off with your friends and family.

See you on the court.

Rich Stoner

Elite Basketball Training, LLC

1.  What year are you in school?  Senior
2. How many schools do you have interested in you right now? None
3. What level do you think you can play at?  Division 1

Needless to say these answers were a little shocking and, more importantly, concerning to me.  Being a senior, this student athlete was already behind in the process, but being a senior, who knew very little, had no schools interested in him, and wanted to play at the Division 1 level multiplied that inumerably. 

As I sit down with more and more student athletes who want to play college sports this type of scenario has become the norm.  They and their families know very little about the college planning process. Consequently, a lack of knowledge and the rising cost of college education has prompted, more and more families to turn to professionals to help them save as much money as possible. 

What is THR?

THR is the nation’s premier one-on-one college planning service. We enable families to take advantage of all possible means of funding for their child’s college education. THR specializes in leveraging numerous financial opportunities in the market to support one of the most important decisions in their life.

Why does THR exist?

Families need direction in many aspects of college planning. Academic Development, Financial Aid Assistance and Athletic Placement are keys to successful planning. This planning process also includes: completing applications correctly, appropriately marketing your child to the desired schools they wish to attend, seeking the academic and athletic scholarships available at each institution, gathering the necessary information to promote your child and maximize their position within the admissions departments at the various colleges and universities. Below are several factors that remind us why it is so important to utilize a professional service when considering the next phase of your child’s education.

1) Over 90% of college applications have some errors or inconsistencies which will negatively affect their chances of admission.

2) THR has completed thousands of applications and families have been rewarded an average of $23,000.

 3) The least amount a family has received using THR is $11,000.

 4) The average college education in 2012 will cost over $39,000.

5) The average amount a family spends on tutoring, courses and materials during the college planning process is over $6,000.

When you add the time and money spent on preparing just one child to go to college, the cost is alarming.  It is for this reason that more and more families are looking for help with the college recruiting process.

If you would like to register for THR‘s programs or obtain more information You may contact THR through our website, THRcollegeplanning.com or call me at 732-239-0338.

Remember Elite Basketball Training provides you with the tools to take your game to the next level and THR‘s college planning services are a great way to take your game to the next level. 

Let me know what you think about THR and the college planning process in the comments section below. 

And don’t forget that that promotional price for Elite Basketball Training’s Speed and Agility Drills and Skills is goin on now at www.basketballspeedandagility.com so don’t wait to get your hand on a product that can increase your court speed exponentially.

See you on the court.

Rich Stoner

Elite Basketball Training, LLC

Thanks and be sure to let us know what you think in the comments section below.

1. Decide what level you can play at. (Division 1, 2, 3, etc.)
2. Decide where you want to go geogaphically.
3. Decide what schools are a good academic fit.  Do they have the programs that you are looking for.  Remember, the goal is to use your talents to obtain an education and degree.
4. Decide what size school is best for you.

These tips are used with every client of The Highlight Reel  as part of our College Advisory Package in order to generate a list of schools that we will then send your information (which appears on a password protected site) to.  Hopefully, this has been helpful for you and keep your eyes open for more college recruiting tips in the coming months, courtesy of The Highlight Reel – Central Jersey.

How to Prevent Recruiting Mistakes:

1. Parents often believe their son or daughter is better than they actually are, and assume they will be recruited while they wait for their mailbox to fill up with scholarship offers or wait for phone calls from coaches. This is the number one mistake. You have to be proactive and market your son or daughter the proper way. This is what we do, by getting your student athlete in front of hundreds of coaches.

2. Student athletes overestimate their ability and often believe they are better than they actually are. Again, same situation as listed above occurs. Overestimating your talent can leave you in the cold for a college career if you only target schools that are above your talent level. Though many kids make this mistake and end up transferring, a lot just get cut and never play their sport again. And that’s a shame.

3. Student-athletes underestimate their ability, and they think they would not be capable of getting a scholarship and they don’t even try to obtain a scholarship. You don’t have to be the best player in your league or even on your team to get some scholarship money, but you have to be a pretty good athlete and skilled at your sport. Most of all you have to try and in many cases have to ask for a scholarship. Scholarship talent is usually noticed, but not always. Don’t be shy about your ability, or about calling attention to it and your aspirations. This is why we are so successful in obtaining scholarship money for our athletes.

4. Parents and student-athletes often see other athletes get recruited and assume the same thing will happen to them since “I am better” or “I am just as good as they are.” Few people realize how college and professional scouts evaluate players. A .440 hitter in high school who has reached his talent ceiling will scratch his head when a .250 hitter, who has barely scratched the surface of his ability is offered a scholarship or drafted. Stats don’t always tell the story.

5. Parents and student-athletes often feel anything less than an athletic scholarship to a Division I program is unacceptable.  Don’t be foolish; remember you are going to college to receive a college degree. As the emergence of camps, showcases and private instruction takes on a new and more important role, many families feel that they need a scholarship to justify the time and expense they have already put into athletics. Understand that athletic scholarships are rare, full athletic scholarships even more so, and that a lot of times, a grant and aid package from a non-scholarship school is more lucrative than one with athletic aid. This is why we stress the importance of financial aid and academics as well.

6. Student-athletes get a letter in the mail from a coach and think they are being recruited and think they are now a top college prospect. Colleges send thousands of direct mail pieces to students on lists they purchase.

7. Parents and student-athletes assume that if they are talented enough on the athletic field, their grades do not matter much because a coach will get them into the school. Wrong! The first thing a college coach needs to know about a student-athlete is if they are eligible to play or enroll at their school.

8. Parents and students don’t realize how rare a full scholarship is. Aside of Division I football and basketball powerhouses, most scholarships issued to players are partial scholarships. Again, this is why we stress and obtain the need for financial aid and academic money as well.

9. Parents and students often receive help and encouragement from people who know very little about the recruiting process and little about college athletics. Listen to the right people and do your own homework. Also, beware of any agendas someone might have. Do not rely on your coaches, they have full time jobs, families and are volunteering their time to be a high school coach. You as the parent or student athlete need to seek out help when needed and that is why we are here.

10. Parents and students do not always know how to evaluate athletic ability accurately. Success on your team or league does not mean you are ready to be a college athlete or capable of receiving a college scholarship or even competing at the college level. Playing in camps or tournaments out of your local area is a good way to measure yourself against the larger population of athletes.

11. Families start the process too late and end up making a rushed decision. Start researching schools as early as possible and make first contact with college coaches at the start of your junior year, possibly even the end of your sophomore year. Just get your name in their pipeline by submitting our student athlete profile.

This month’s college recruiting tip is to BE PERSISTENT.  College Coaches will have a hard time remembering you if you only get in touch with them once in a while.   It is imperative that you, the prospective college player, be persistent in your attempts to get the coaches’ attention.  With so many ways to communicate, it is very easy to get in touch with college coaches in a variety of ways.  Start off with an email or a phone call to the 10-15 colleges that you are interested in (the top assistant coach usually handles recruiting so he might be your best bet).  Then send a follow-up-letter (I know it is old-fashioned, but it works) expressing your interest in their school.  Be sure to include your Recruiting Cards with your letter so that coaches can put a face to a name and get an idea of your stats and noteworthy accomplishments.  By sending them your Recruiting Cards along with your letter you will only increase your chances of being remembered in the crazy college recruiting market.  It is also a good idea to send them some game film.  I would try to avoid highlight tapes because anyone can put together a tape of their greatest moments and make themselves look like a college player.  College coaches want actual game film that can show them how you play in game situations.  Finally, I would make sure you email them your AAU and high school schedules and invite them out to see a game or two during the seasons. 

I know that this sounds a little overbearing, but you are trying to get into college, right?  You want to play basketball in college, right?  Then you have to do what it takes to not only get noticed,  but STAND OUT in the college recruiting market that is stacked with perspective players.  So BE PERSISTENT and use the multitude of resources that are at your finger tips so that you are not left standing in the dust as the pack passes you by.

Click here for more information =>RECRUITING CARDS

Recruiting Cards are designed to help you separate yourself from the hordes of high school players trying to get recruited by colleges, but what else can you do to make yourself stand out?  First off, prepare yourself to play college basketball.  Many boys and girls have aspirations of playing at the college level but not all of them put in the time and effort to get there.  Being able to play college basketball is the first step you as a player need to take in order to be able to do so.  Get in the gym everyday and work on your skills.  Hit the weightroom to gain size, speed, and strength.  If you are usure how, have a look around the site for drills and information on what you need to do to become an Elite basketball player.  “The will to succeed is nothing without the will to prepare,” and if you want to succeed at playing college basketball, you must be willing to prepare yourself to do so.