Chris Sailer Kicking “TOP 12” K/P Logan Cooke Commits to Mississippi State!

June 13, 2013 By

Longtime Chris Sailer Kicking student and “TOP 12” Member Punter/Kicker Logan Cooke has committed to Mississippi State.  He chose Mississippi state over an offer from Louisiana Monroe.  The highlight recruited Combo Player has always had Mississippi State listed as his dream school, so when they offered he had no hesitation when it came to committing.

Logan is a big time talent.  He has attended multiple Chris Sailer Kicking camps and has impressed since day 1.  Each time he progresses at lighting rate.  Although I see him as a Punter / Kickoff guy, he also has huge field goal ability.  Overall, he is one of the very best prospects in the nation without a doubt.  I expect him to have a huge college career.  Well deserved!

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Scholarship, Preferred Walk On, Walk On

June 12, 2013 By

One of the most common questions that I get asked is, “What is the difference between a scholarship, a preferred walk on, and a walk on athlete?” It is also the most misunderstood statement from coach to family when it comes to the proposed scenarios.  I have written blogs and tweeted on this topic several times.  No matter how often I do so, unfortunately, my point will probably never be understood….until after the fact.  I speak on behalf of experience.  If you want honesty, here it is in it’s briefest form.

Scholarship = No Risk….. at least for 1 semester

Preferred Walk on = High Risk…. but at least you are on the team and in school

Walk on = Try out…. they really don’t want you and probably won’t help you get into school

There are little to zero guarantees when it comes to the opportunity to play college football.  I cannot stress enough that football WILL get you into a college / university that you would not have otherwise gotten into on academics alone.  And, WHEN you take advantage of this opportunity, you will graduate and have a degree that will last for the rest of your life.  So, no matter what, you win, if you are smart and understand that all of this is about education, not football.

Scholarship Specialist
If you truly want to PLAY college football, a scholarship will guarantee you an opportunity to see the field.  Not only will you be awarded financial aid, but you will be given the opportunity to win the job.  The job is yours to lose.  When a school makes an investment in you, they want to see the investment pay off.  College coaches have big egos.  They want to look good when it comes to proving that they made great investments.

Advantages
When you walk onto campus you will have the respect of your teammates and coaches from Day 1.  Coming in on scholarship is a huge confidence booster.

School is paid for (from a partial to full scholarship depending on the level and individual school).  Every penny counts.  Talk to graduates who had / have student loans (Rubio – [email protected]).

Scholarships are renewable at each quarter/semester.  Most coaches will honor that renewal based on your character and academic performance, not your athletic performance.  Most coaches get it.  Most coaches have a family and kids as well.  They will honor the promise made to you.  It is rare that a scholarship is not seen all the way through to graduation unless you fail in the classroom or off the field.  In short…  be smart and the degree is yours for free or at a discounted price.

You will have every opportunity to see the field.  If you are as good as or even slightly inferior to a walk on, you will play.  Coaches want to see their investment pay off.  Alumni want to see the athletes with “A NAME”.

Disadvantages
None

Preferred Walk On Specialist
Every coach in America will make this option seem like the best option on earth.  Why?  Because they get you for FREE (It is like being hired as an intern vs. being hired as the CEO).  13 years ago when I started my business this is all that kickers, punters, and long snappers were worth.  That is why I started my business.  From approximately 5 D1 scholarships in 1995 to 60+ per year (Low estimate) in 2013.  www.ChrisSailerKicking.com

Things have changed.  I changed them.  Yes, I will take credit.  Vegas, the first ever REAL kicker/punter rankings, and the introduction to long snapping as a position (Rubio – [email protected]) have forever changed the way that specialists are treated.  To accept a preferred walk on over a scholarship is like warping back in time.  You are taking a HUGE risk.

Advantages
None

Disadvantages
If I had the space and time I could write you a 200 page novel filled with just quotes from specialists and their parents with complaints about the LIES and unfulfilled promises that a college coach told them and/or made to them.  They are not lying, they are recruiting.

The day you walk on campus, you are 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th string.  Everything that the coach promised you goes out the window.  He may not even say hello to you as you walk by.

You have to put in your time and EARN the respect of your teammates and coaches.

You have to be much better than (not equal to or even better than) the scholarship athlete that the coach invested in.

Regarding the timeline that you were promised – Add 2 years to it on average.  Be ready to pay for your education.

Walk On Specialist
This option is nearly non existent in todays day and age.  With the introduction to the internet and 3rd party evaluations (Sailer / Rubio) a walk on is basically a thing of the past.  This means the coach will allow you to try out for the team.  He is basically telling you that you are not good enough.  He is trying to end the communication and get you off the phone.  This works out hardly ever.  No need to go into the advantages and disadvantages.  Is it possible to make a team this way…yes.  It is likely…no.

This blog is not intended to scare you.  It is intended to help you understand that recruiting is exactly that.  Don’t believe everything that you hear.  Each family is different.  Each situation is different.  I have 4 young children (12, 10, 7, and 5).  If they are fortunate enough to become athletes, I am fortunate enough to understand recruiting based on my experiences with thousands of athletes and their families.  Based on what you are looking for, heed my advice and make YOUR choice.  And remember in the end its about that degree.  So no matter what, you will win.

Percentages (My estimate)
Scholarship Specialist: 400 out of 500 see the field
Preferred Walk On Specialist: 100 out of 500 see the field
Walk On: 5 out of 100 make the team
College Degree: 100% up to you no matter how you are recruited.  Once you are in, you are in.

There are many success stories of walk ons and preferred walk ons enjoying success (Your recruiting coach will tell you every one of them).  But for every success story there are 10 stories of failure (Your recruiting coach will not tell you these stories).

One final thought.

Chris Sailer: UCLA, Cut by the San Francisco 49ers
Adam Vinatieri: South Dakota State, NFL All-Pro

The path you choose is up to you.  Depending on what you are looking for and what your ultimate goals are, take the content of this blog into consideration before making your college choice.

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Nike Summer Camp in TX – RECAP

June 10, 2013 By

Chris Sailer Kicking Kickers and Punters came out to TX on Sunday, June 9th from all over the country to get the best instruction and exposure in the country for Kickers and Punters. The talent level at this camp was off the charts. Easily, the best I have seen in one location. The overall winner of the camp was Sam Wyand (2015 TX).  Wyand was extremely smooth and consistent all day long. He handled the pressure of the competition very well! Other Kickers and Punters that were exceptional throughout the day were…

Sam Wyand (TX 2015)

Champion: Sam Wyand (TX 2015)

Competition Winners:

Top 2014 Prospects:

 

  • Cole Hedlund: Top 10 national kicking prospect. Field goals are near the top in the country. Kickoffs are exceptional and consistent. D1 Scholarship Pick.
  • Trent Manuel:  D1 written all over him. A great athlete that has natural talent. Has a bright future.
Ben Sweet

Ben Sweet

  • Ben Sweet:  A great punting talent. Has great ability and punts with excellent consistency. Could be special.

 

Top 2015 Prospects:

  • Andrew Galitz:  Shows great potential as a kicker and a punter. Longtime Chris Sailer Kicking student who continues to rise to the top of his class.
  • Connor Crow: One of the most naturally young kickers in the nation.  He has a huge leg and hits a big ball.
  • Damon Foncham: Very talented young punting prospect. Shows amazing ability and punts with great consistency for his age. Also solid kickoff guy.
  • Jack Gonsoulin:  Jack is a special talent. He has one of the strongest legs in the nation. Could be special.
  • Jon Coppens:  Jon stepped up big time. Makes kicks and competes at a high level. Is going to be a great college kicker one day.

Class of 2016 Prospects:

img_2796Butch Hampton: Has all the tools. I love his attitude, work ethic & overall ability. Fine young man and great future prospect.

 

 

 

Others of note:

Josh King

Josh King

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris Sailer Kicking will continues it’s summer tour with stops at UCLA (6/10, University of Oregon (6/15), University of Washington (6/17), The TOP 12 and EVENT ELITE Camp (6/21-23), The Underclassmen Invite Event (6/29-30), CA (7/11), LSU (7/13), NC (7/15), GA (7/17), The College Camp (7/19-21), MA (7/25), IL (7/27) and CA (7/29)

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Meet Mick Ellis

June 5, 2013 By

Mick Ellis is an 18 year old Texas native who grew up surrounded by football.  However, he didn’t always know he was going to be a kicker, an excellent kicker at that.  He was first thrown into the world of kicking when the football team he was playing for had an open position no one wanted to fill, Ellis stepped in.

“I was the only guy on the team that had played soccer so I gave it a try and ended up being good at it, so I stuck with it” said Ellis.

Wanting to improve his kicking skills Ellis began working with the professionals at Chris Sailer Kicking.  “The technique he teaches at all his camps I have used for all of my kicking” said Ellis of his experience at Chris Sailer Kicking.

In addition to great technique, Ellis found the atmosphere of camp to be beneficial to his football career, “how you go from practice to game [is important] and we practice like it is a game situation.”

Ellis spent last fall playing for Lovejoy High School in Lucas, Texas; but he doesn’t plan on ending his football career there.  He hopes to continue on to college football, with his top choices being Stanford, Ohio State, OSU, LSU, and Arkansas.  Along with his incredible leg, Ellis plans on taking everything he has learned at Chris Sailer Kicking with him to the college level.

“We practice with a lot of pressure and when you go to college there are 100 times more fans than you are used to, and it’s the exact same situation at all the camps” said Ellis.

His most recent accomplishments include: 2013 Vegas Event Class of 2014 FG Last Man Standing Champion, 2013 NC Nike Spring Camp Overall Champion, 2013 NC Nike Spring Camp Field Goal Champion, 2013 NC Nike Spring Camp Kickoff Champion and 2013 Vegas Spring Event Co-Kickoff Champion.

To find out more about Chris Sailer Kicking, and players like Mick Ellis, contact Chris Sailer Kicking today.

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Chris Sailer Kicking “TOP 12” Member Mike Knoll has committed to Boston College!

June 4, 2013 By

Chris Sailer Kicking 2-Time “TOP 12” Member Mike Knoll has committed to Boston College.  He has chosen Boston College over offers from Purdue, Miami (OH), Toledo, and Air Force.  Boston College has always been a top choice of his and during his visit, he felt like it was just the place for him to be!
Mike has been a Chris Sailer Kicking student for many years.  He is a Top 10 nationally rated kicker and Top 10 nationally rated punter, making him one of the most sought after combo prospects in the nation.  He trains privately with Chris Sailer Kicking Staff Member Chris Nendick in Chicago.  He made “Event Elite” as a sophomore last May in Las Vegas and followed that up by making the “TOP 12” as a junior this past January in Las Vegas.  Mike has all the tools to be a dominating player at the next level.

Mike is a loyal Chris Sailer Kicking student who will soon be a CSK Staff Member.  Look for Mike to continue to work hard this summer (he will next attend the “TOP 12′” later this month) and enjoy a great senior season.  Congratulations to Mike and his family from Chris Sailer Kicking.

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D1 Colleges Will Recruit You, You Have To Recruit D2 & D3 Coaches!

June 3, 2013 By

Recruiting can be the most challenging, yet exciting, time consuming, yet ego boosting, frustrating yet rewarding challenges that an athlete and that athlete’s family will face. In the end, when approached and tackled properly, it will all pay off. The key is finding the correct fit for every athlete. And that is not an easy challenge. Over the years I have given many speeches and written many blogs about the recruitment of kickers, punters, and long snappers. The goal each time to is to educate athletes and their families one step at time. Here is one more piece of that educational process.

D1 Colleges Will Recruit You. When Alabama, Ohio State, UCLA, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, etc. need to recruit a specialist, they will find the very best one and usually have them committed within days. Everyone wants to go to these schools and would jump on that opportunity. They also have a huge recruiting budget, the best resources, and the ultimate product to sell. Here is how the conversation goes when a coach from a D1 school calls me, Coach: “I need a list of the best kickers (punters, long snappers) in the nation.” Me: “Sure we have Kicker A ranked #1, Kicker B ranked #2, Kicker C Ranked #3 and so on.” Within hours those athletes are in contact with the coach. Within days the coach has visited the school, done character and academic background checks. Within weeks the athlete and the family are on campus visiting. Sign, sealed, delivered.

Your job when if comes to D1 programs:

Get exposure. Go to Chris Sailer Kicking & Rubio Long Snapping Camps and get nationally ranked. We are the most trusted specialist resource in the world for college coaches. Make sure to keep your rank current. An evaluation and ranking over time holds much more weight than a single evaluation 1 or 2 years ago. Keep your character intact. Be aware that a college coach will visit with anyone and everyone to make sure that you are a great fit for that program in every way. Clean up your social media (online resume). Get your grades and test scores as high as absolutely possible. Get to college camps in between your junior and senior seasons. This is when most college coaches will ultimate pull the trigger. If you are good enough, Chris Sailer Kicking will get you the exposure to get signed by a D1 program. D1 programs will find and sign the very best. The best programs get the best specialists. The next best programs get the next best specialists. And so on….

D2, D3, NAIA, etc. need you to recruit them. When Azusa Pacific, Colgate, William & Mary, Wesleyan, Nicholls State etc. need to recruit a specialist, they wait to see who the D1 programs are not able to sign and try to land some of the leftover pieces. Not everyone wants to go to these schools, so they aren’t able to be as selective. They do not have a huge recruiting budget, the same resources, nor the ultimate product to sell. Here is how the conversation goes when a coach from a D3 school calls me, Coach: “I recently got some film from Kicker A. He also recently visited the school and has been showing great interest in our program. What do you think Chris?” Me: “Kicker A is a great kicker. He has been to several camps over the years and has really impressed us. He continues to get better and stronger each time that we see him. He shows great D3 talent and potential.” Over the course of the next several months, depending on the time of this call a relationship between coach and player is formed. Perhaps after that player doesn’t get any D1 offers, he may sign with the program. The financials take much longer to figure out at this level.

You job when it come to D2 & D3 programs:

Get exposure (The same holds true for everything said above). You need to see the big picture. Everyone is not a D1 scholarship kicker, punter, or long snapper. Very few are. Most will fall into this category. There are 800+ Universities and Colleges that offer football. There is a great fit out there for you. In fact, there are most likely several. But YOU have to find them. YOU have to recruit them. Do not wait for them to come calling you. Make calls, send emails, take unofficial visits, go to practices, go to games, follow up, etc. Sign up with NCSA for help! Arrange a date to kick, punt, or long snap for them live. Your sincere interest will land you several college opportunities. These programs can offer partial/full athletic or academic scholarships. The more that they want you, the harder they will work to get you money somehow, someway. Believe me.

Never put all of your eggs in one basket. First and foremost always apply as a student first. Football may not work out due to injury or just lack of talent. If you are a legit D1 specialist, focus on D1 but make sure that you have D2, D3, etc. backups in place. If you are D2/D3 specialist, focus on those levels, but don’t be afraid to reach for the stars (you may improve in your final years). There is a home for everyone. Chris Sailer Kicking sees more specialists than anyone in the world and we still cannot find 800+ college level specialists per year to fill needs at every school. If you approach recruiting with a the correct plan in place you will find a home. Anticipate the ups and downs of recruiting and enjoy the ride. Remember you can make the NFL coming from any college. Take a look at NFL rosters and where the specialists played their college ball. The key is finding the right fit where you can continue to develop your skill. And ultimately, whether you make the NFL or not, the reward at the end will be a college degree from a great school that you most likely would not have received without football.

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Highlight Videos Avaliable in Dallas June 9th!

May 29, 2013 By

Chris Sailer Kicking is happy to announce that Highlight Videos will now be available for purchase at the Chris Sailer Kicking 1-Day Nike Camp in Dallas TX on June 9, 2013.  This is an incredible opportunity and will only be available to the first 30 kickers, punters or long snappers that reserve their video.  They are offering a rate of $125 for the Dallas camp.  Here is how it will work:

1. You can preegister for this service by emailing [email protected].  In the subject line type: “TX Chris Sailer Kicking Video”.  The staff will get back to you with further instructions.

2. Thy are taking a LIMITED number of kickers, punter and long snappers. If you are interested, email them immediately.

Below is an example of the videos. I am very impressed with the company and their services. If you choose to purchase a highlight video, the video will be yours to use as you see fit.  My recommendation: Email the video to coaches, add the video to your Chris Sailer KIcking Player Ranking Profile, add the Video to your NCSA Player Profile and add it to your YouTube page.

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College Camps, How to Act?

May 29, 2013 By

 

If you are attending a college camp this summer, here are a few tips to help you maximize the experience and get noticed for the right reasons.

  • Always go in with a positive outlook. Positive attitudes will not just help you mentally, it can help a coach evaluate you as someone he would like on his team.

 

  • Get rid of distractions. Camp is important and it deserves your full attention. Focus on the task at hand and not on your smart phone. This means paying attention even when you are not the focus…because you just might be! Always act as if your coach is standing behind you.
  • Remain calm and stay confident. Coaches watch for how you react to negativity. This includes missing kicks. Keep your head up and maintain a “get ‘em next time” attitude.
  • Maintain your respect and listen to suggestions. “Yes sir coach, let me try that” is a simple way you can show respect for the coaches position AND for what he is saying. Coaches don’t expect you to be as good today as you are going to be tomorrow. Let them know you are willing and eager to improve.
  • Always compete at your best. Most coaches are more competitive than their players. They will respect a player who is always giving their best.

Remember, you are not in your hometown anymore. Players at college camps will have skills that can surprise you. You are literally “Kicking it up a notch”. Chris Sailer Kicking wishes you success!

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CSK “TOP 12” Kicker / Punter Aaron Medley Commits to Tennessee

May 22, 2013 By

Chris Sailer Kicking “TOP 12” Member and top national national kicking and punting prospect Aaron Medley has committed to Tennessee.  Aaron decided to stay in his home state choosing the Volunteers over Oklahoma and Texas A&M.

Aaron is an incredible talent.  A Chris Sailer Kicking student since 2011, he has proven himself time and time again.  His recent “TOP 12” selection and great camp performances vaulted him onto the recruiting scene.  After his senior year he will join dozens of Chris Sailer Kicking specialists in the SEC.  I expect Aaron to be a great college player contributing in all areas.  Aaron is a fine young man who should be a future Chris Sailer Kicking Staff Member.

Congratulations.  Who is next?  Stay tuned…..

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Pros & Cons of Kicking on Turf vs. Grass…

May 22, 2013 By

 

Football surfaces have come a long way from when stadiums were multipurpose facilities. Both real grass and artificial surfaces are markedly better than even just ten years ago.

For Kickers, what are the pros and cons of kicking on grass vs turf? Let’s take a look at some considerations.

 

Consistency. Most Kickers would agree that a turf field will be consistent throughout the playing surface, while grass will have areas with varying “personalities”. While even turf surfaces will have differences between facilities, each field is generally consistent within itself.

Weather. Most modern fields have such good drainage it takes quite a deluge to dramatically affect the kicking surface. There are some turf surfaces that can actually be slicker than natural grass when wet. Snow can more easily be removed from turf surfaces.

Accuracy. Research shows field goal percentages are higher on turf as opposed to natural grass. This however, can also be misleading, as most stadiums that have natural grass are open air facilities.

Even many veteran Kickers in the NFL who initially preferred natural grass are becoming convinced that the new artificial turf surfaces provide a better opportunity for kicking success.

At Chris Sailer Kicking, we know the real difference is mainly between the Kicker’s ears. Control that piece of turf and you will see greater kicking success.

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