Bryan Armetta

It's not even four years old, but it's hard to even remember what college
football was like before the creation of the transfer portal. Often stuck on
depth charts or in a situation that didn't suit them, players in the past had
limited options to further their athletic careers. Now, it's never been easier
to leave school (too easy in the eyes of some) if a better opportunity comes
knocking. 

It's hard to be mad at players doing what they feel is right for them; coaches
have operated in a similar manner for decades. Granted, the portal does add an
extra layer of stress to the typically low-key college football offseason, but
finding talent in unexpected places is a game in itself. What separates the best
coaching staffs from the rest isn't just work on the recruiting trail. It's the
ability to find value and talent just about anywhere. Here are three transfers
that, while not receiving a ton of attention right now, should be household
names by December.

QB Dillon Gabriel - Oklahoma
Dillon Gabriel seems like a signal caller tailor-made for the gunsligning Big
12. The former UCF Knight suffered through a broken clavicle in 2021, but he's a
proven performer when given the chance. Gabriel tossed 61 touchdowns with just
11 interceptions over his first two years in college. While the competition in
the American Athletic Conference wasn't exactly intimidating, that level of
success should carry over to the Sooners, who have had great success with QB's
in recent seasons. While Brett Venables isn't the quarterback whisperer Lincoln
Riley was, new offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, brought over from Ole Miss, is
one of the better offensive minds in the game. All signs are pointing to a
breakout season for the newest face of Oklahoma football.

> "Nationally, that's one of the biggest transfers in the sport this past cycle
... There's a lot of weight on his shoulders this year."

🗣️ @LateKickJosh [https://twitter.com/LateKickJosh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] breaks
down why Dillon Gabriel could be a major difference for @OU_Football
[https://twitter.com/OU_Football?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] in 2022.@OU247
[https://twitter.com/OU247?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] pic.twitter.com/GkFTZwmhB8
[https://t.co/GkFTZwmhB8]

— 247Sports (@247Sports) May 9, 2022
[https://twitter.com/247Sports/status/1523711590465343488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
RB/ATH Jahmyr Gibbs - Alabama
As good as they were last season, the Crimson Tide didn't rely on their running
backs as much as fans are accustomed to seeing. While their newest transfer
isn't exactly Derrick Henry, Jahmyr Gibbs brings plenty of explosiveness to the
'Bama backfield. In his sophomore year at Georgia Tech, Gibbs had over 1,000
yards from scrimmage in addition to over 500 yards and a touchdown as a punt
returner. A dynamic rusher and receiver, Gibbs is the kind of chess piece great
coaches get the most out of. After another draft-day exodus of skill position
talent, Nick Saban should be elated to land an all-purpose weapon like Gibbs.

> RBs with the most receiving yards on screen passes last season

1. Jahmyr Gibbs: 215
2. TreVeyon Henderson: 182
3. Travis Dye: 175 pic.twitter.com/tlG4ouXFfY [https://t.co/tlG4ouXFfY]

— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 7, 2022
[https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1522909118461145089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
S Brandon Joseph - Notre Dame

Although he went 14th overall, Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton had a real
argument as the best player in his draft class. Versatile and quick to react,
the intangibles Hamilton brought to the Irish secondary made him one of the
nation's most valuable defenders. To prevent a major drop-off at the position
this coming season, first-year head coach Marcus Freeman snagged an elite talent
in Joseph from Northwestern. One of the best ballhawks in the nation (nine
interceptions in his past two seasons), Joseph is a rangy athlete that has the
talent to become a first-round talent like his South Bend predecessor. As far as
replacements go, Joseph is as good as it gets.

> Remember me different… pic.twitter.com/nRmk0nyDUE [https://t.co/nRmk0nyDUE]

— Brandon Joseph (@BrandonJoseph_1) January 8, 2022
[https://twitter.com/BrandonJoseph_1/status/1479829398282977280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]

College Football: Three Transfer Portal Players to Watch in 2022

Tiffany Allen

For the past 50 years, Title IX has played a vital role in empowering female
athletes. The barriers for women in sports have not been eliminated (yet), but
over time, there has been slow and steady progress trending in the right
direction across the sports industry.

At GMTM [https://gmtm.com/], our mission has been to create a platform where
athletes have access to opportunities they may not otherwise have had. We want
to level the playing field and enable athletes to reach their goals, no matter
their background, income, geographic location, or gender. Female athletes
continue to strive for equality, and our network has been focused on cultivating
and promoting access to opportunities for women in sports.

With a large variety of Virtual Events [https://gmtm.com/virtuals] happening
live on GMTM right now, female athletes from all over the world are leveraging
their talent and finding opportunities easier than ever.

From bobsled to volleyball, and every sport in between, female athletes of every
age are finding new opportunities to compete.

Here are a few of the organizations creating opportunities across the GMTM
network and standout athletes who are leveraging their profiles to standout
against the rest of the pack!

USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is hosting a Virtual Combine
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/306/usa-triathlon-collegiate-triathlon-virtual-combine] 
on GMTM to increase awareness of triathlon as an emerging NCAA sport for women.
The Virtual Combine is open to all athletes, regardless of background or gender,
but is hyper-focused on increasing awareness and access to the sport of
triathlon for female athletes.

Molly Wert [https://gmtm.com/athletes/1345347/molly-wert/feed] is an 18-year-old
athlete from Scottsdale, AZ who has been a triathlete for the past 2 and a half
years. She started out as a competitive swimmer from age 8 until age 17, and
then transitioned into the sport of triathlon.

Elizabeth Stamey [https://gmtm.com/athletes/1344849/elizabeth-stamey/feed] is a
15 year old triathlete from Roswell, GA. She has been competing in triathlons
since she was 7 years old, and wants to continue competing with USA Triathlon at
the next level.

Elite 11
Elite 11 [https://gmtm.com/organizations/246655/elite-11] is home to the
nation's premier Quarterback competition. In partnership with GMTM, Elite 11 is
focused on growing and supporting the sport of flag football among female
athletes. Elite 11 hosted two female flag football Regional Camps in 2022. One
in Orlando and one in Las Vegas. Together, GMTM and Elite 11 were able to
deliver video footage from the two camps, to the female quarterbacks who
attended the camps.

Alexis Rabold [https://gmtm.com/athletes/1344586/alexis-rabold/feed] is one of
the standout female flag football quarterbacks from this year's list of camp
attendees. As an attendee at the 2022 Elite 11 Regional Camp in Las Vegas, she
received highlight videos and footage of her drills from the. Her GMTM profile
features clips from the camp that show off her precision passing and arm
strength.

USA Weightlifting
USA Weightlifting has a long history of producing Olympians and world team
medalists who have varied backgrounds ranging from acrobatics to water sports.
Because their athletes come from diverse backgrounds, they are strategically
focused on finding athletes who may not have prior weightlifting experience.
They are hosting a combine series
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/33/usa-weightlifting-combine-series] on GMTM that is
open to athletes from all backgrounds. As with many olympic sports, they are
trying to encourage more female athletes to learn about the sport and get
involved. Through the digital combine series, any athlete can tryout for the
team and get connected instantly with USA Weightlifting's High Performance
coaches.

Jessica Maposa [https://gmtm.com/athletes/1340574/jessica-maposa/feed] is an
athlete who has submitted to the USA Weightlifting combine series. She is a
CrossFit athlete who has started exploring weightlifting more seriously over the
past two years. She is passionate about the sport and has the ultimate dream to
represent her country in the Olympics.

Volleyball Canada
Volleyball Canada
[https://staging.gmtm.com/organizations/248345/team-canada-women]'s NextGen
Program is an important part of their Women’s Senior National Team and is viewed
as the entry point for anyone aspiring to play volleyball for Team Canada. In
2022, the Women’s NextGen Program hosted a two step identification process. The
first step was a virtual selection process on the GMTM platform. Athletes
submitted basic physical testing data, a highlight video and full game footage
through GMTM platform, for review by the selection committee. From there, 30-40
athletes would be invited to an in-person trial.

Bella Noble [https://gmtm.com/athletes/1332128/bella-noble/feed] is a 19
year-old volleyball player from Nova Scotia. As a setter, her career history
includes time spent on Team Nova Scotia (2016-2022), National Excellence Program
2020 (September - December) and Dalhousie University Women's Volleyball Team
(2021-2022).

US Rowing
US Rowing is a nonprofit membership organization recognized by the United States
Olympic Committee as the national governing body for the sport of rowing in the
United States. US Rowing serves and promotes the sport on all levels of
competition. The U19 National Team has launched a virtual submission
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/188/usrowing-u19-athlete-info-submission] for all
interested athletes to participate in. The goal is to encourage athletes, from
any background, to share their information and learn more about the
opportunities available within US Rowing, especially to grow the sport among
female athletes.

Lauren Peters [https://gmtm.com/athletes/1337504/lauren-peters/stats] has been a
coxswain since 2017. She was part of the 2019 Southeast Olympic Development
Program. In 2021, she had the amazing opportunity to be on the U19 National Team
for US Rowing. At the 2021 Junior World Championships in Bulgaria, she coxed the
Women's 8+ event and won gold.

-----------------

Check out all events [https://gmtm.com/virtuals] happening across the network
today. See if you have what it takes to make it to the next level and be sure to
share with any athletes who might be interested in accessing new opportunities.

GMTM: The Athlete Social Network Empowering Female Athletes

The Pac-12 hasn't seen a team reach the College Football Playoff since
Washington in 2016. It's a streak that has plagued the conference for the better
part of a decade, and last season did little to ease concerns. Despite a strong
early-season showing from Oregon, the conference's CFP hopes went down in flames
weeks into November. 

Despite the poor recent effort from this once-powerful conference, the Pac may
(finally) be back. New coaches, recruits, and transfers have a trio of
contenders looking quite formidable. While the Pac-12's depth is still a bit of
a wildcard, this might finally be the year where the CFP curse is broken.

The Contenders: USC, Oregon, Utah
USC made major moves this offseason, kickstarted by the sudden arrival of head
coach Lincoln Riley, who convinced quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver
Mario Williams to leave Oklahoma as well. Accompanied by former Oregon running
back Travis Dye, and it's clear that the Trojans have the conference's most
dangerous offense on paper. The biggest questions facing USC in year one are the
team's chemistry and whether the defense can fix its major issues from 2021. If
all goes well, this could be a playoff team.

The Ducks had a more tumultuous spring, as Mario Cristobal departed for his alma
matter in Miami. However, new head coach Dan Lanning, who was the defensive
coordinator at Georgia last year, may be a better fit for the roster. Outside of
Noah Sewell, Oregon lacks many defensive playmakers; having Lanning scheming up
plays might be a great way to generate pressure. Auburn transfer Bo Nix is
inconsistent, but he's experienced and talented, two things the Ducks needed at
quarterback. A daunting week one matchup with Georgia awaits Lanning's team.

Lost in the shuffle of a frenetic Pac-12 offseason is Utah, the defending
conference champions. The Utes are a model of stability this year, bringing back
1,000-yard rusher Tavion Thomas and quarterback Cameron Rising, a steady
starter, albeit not a spectacular one. The defense has usually been a strength
of Kyle Whittingham's teams, and that should remain the case even without
linebacker Devin Lloyd. To become a CFP contender, Utah needs to see improvement
in the secondary, which got torched by Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.

The Challengers: UCLA, Washington State, Oregon State, Arizona State
Similarly to Utah, UCLA returns a dynamic QB-RB combo in Dorian
Thompson-Robinson and Zach Charbonnet. With Chip Kelly calling plays, there
should be plenty of juice for the Pac-12's highest-scoring offense last season.
Defense was a different story in 2021; the Bruins gave up the most passing yards
in the conference. Defensive coordinator Bill McGovern, as well as new additions
such as North Texas transfers Grayson and Gabriel Murphy
[https://www.si.com/college/ucla/football/north-texas-edge-rusher-transfers-gabriel-and-grayson-murphy-commit-to-ucla-football]
, will be crucial if UCLA wants to reach the championship game.

One of the best under-the-radar moves of the entire offseason was Washington
State bringing in Incarnate Word quarterback Cameron Ward. Ward, who accounted
for 47 touchdowns, was a second-team FCS All American, and he now reunites with
his former head coach Eric Morris, currently the Cougars' offensive coordinator.
The defense is still shaky, but there's enough firepower to make WSU a force to
be reckoned with.

Oregon State had their best season in eight years with a 7-6 record. The
Beavers' offense, one of the best in the conference, was carried by a dominant
offensive line that returns three of their five starters next season. Starting
running back B.J. Baylor left for the NFL, but there's enough talent on the
roster to ensure that the Beavers still have a solid running game. The real area
of concern is the secondary, which struggled mightily at times in 2021. With
nearly all of the team's defensive backs returning, a smarter, more experienced
unit should emerge in Corvallis.

Despite a solid 8-5 record in 2021, it's difficult to get too excited about
Arizona State. The transfer portal was not kind to Herm Edwards, as he saw his
starting quarterback (Jayden Daniels), best linebacker (Eric Gentry), and
multiple offensive line starters leave Tempe. Still, Florida's Emory Jones is a
decent replacement at QB, and Wyoming transfer Xazavian Valladay has a ton of
talent at running back. Defense might be the program's greatest concern, as just
four starters from last year's squad remain.

2022 College Football Conference Preview: Which Pac 12 Team Will End On Top

Scotty Jenkins

Young baseball players often think their batting average is one of the biggest
attractions for MLB scouts, but they forget that batting average doesn’t matter
as much as on base percentage, runs, or RBI’s.

Batting average is a single stat that involves the individual. MLB scouts are
going to look deeper into a player's offensive stats to analyze their ability to
contribute to a team rather than themselves as individuals. It’s less about what
you can do individually than what skills you have to enhance an organization or
team.

Follow along for the three top factors MLB scouts are looking for when
recruiting potential players.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Knowledge of the Game
The best baseball players don’t just have talent offensively and defensively,
but they truly understand the game of baseball, inside and out. Baseball is
hands down one of the most complex athletic games played today. Many factors go
into understanding the knowledge of the game and there are many talented players
who simply don’t have this knowledge.

Baseball takes brains. You need to go beyond understanding the basic
fundamentals and truly understand the full game. Players should be able to
switch from shortstop to third base and still know where their cutoff position
is. Players need to understand the strategies behind a pitchers mindset in order
to be effective offensively. Players need to be able to watch film and
understand what adjustments need to be made in order to be successful. All of
this takes brains!

If you want to be noticed by scouts, demonstrating your knowledge of the game is
important.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Five-Tool Players
A 5 tool player in baseball has talent in the following areas: running speed,
throwing strength, defensive skills, hitting for average, and hitting for power.
Scouts might determine that players are a ‘3 tool player’ where they succeed in
3 out of the 5 areas assessed by scouts.

For reference, some of the best 5-tool players in the history of baseball were
Ken Griffin Jr, Barry Bonds, or Willie Mays. This doesn’t mean that all 5-tool
players start out this way, many of them have to work for years on 2 or more
components of their game to become 5-tool players.

It’s rare to find a prospect that is above average in all five tools, but if you
do you have a much better chance of catching the attention of MLB scouts.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Overall Athleticism and Coachability
The greatest baseball players of all time all have one thing in common,
athleticism. It is that god given gift that cannot be taught, but something they
are born with. Usually this means they are naturally strong, fast, and big! It’s
a factor that you either have or you don’t have.

All this means is that coaching you is going to be a lot easier because
athleticism comes naturally. Lets say a recruit finds a ‘3 tool player’ who
lacks natural athletic ability. It will be much more difficult to coach that
player to increase their ability in the other two tools they need to improve on.

Now this doesn’t mean that hard work cannot increase your athletic ability.
Research and history proves this to be true. You will simply be noticed more
easily by recruiters if you are naturally athletic.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Become a Standout Recruit
If you are a player who is worried about how you can become a standout recruit
for potential minor league or major league teams. These three factors should be
your new focus: Understand the game of baseball inside and out, be a 5-tool
player or as close to one as you can get, and make sure you stand out as an
athletic and coachable player who will easily make improvements to their game.

The Top Three Things MLB Scouts Look For In High School Baseball Recruits

DJ Cadden

While performance and execution are a fundamental necessity for the child when
it comes to getting recruited to play football at both a high school and college
level, it is not the only way to get recruited. As a parent, there are five
important ways that you can help your child best position themselves to get on
the radar by college coaches.

Create a database of coach contacts
A beneficial approach is to organize your child’s experience for college coaches
to access it easily. This can be done by creating a Hudl account for your child.
This way, you can organize your child’s contact with college coaches while
collecting field films to present to prospective coaches. College football
scouts constantly track their contacts and films that other student-athletes
submit. You need to do the same to stay ahead of the curve and increase success
for recruitment.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Register for NCAA Clearinghouse
NCAA Division I and II levels are big leagues, with many student-athletes
attempting to get into. Because of this, you need to create the best and most
aggressive plan of attack to ensure that your child is noticed if you want them
to try for one of these divisions.

The best way to do this is to register them with the NCAA website. Make sure to
go to www.ncaa.com [http://www.ncaa.com] to register on their clearinghouse to
have your child certified with the NCAA. This process is a must-use. Although
there is a small fee to register, it will pay dividends in the long run if your
child can crack into the division, especially with the ability for scholarships
for playing.

The benefit of the NCAA Clearinghouse is it holds as an additional place to
store film and increase exposure for your child. Even if they plan on playing
Division III or are undecided about which level they would like to play, you can
still create an account for them on the website and boost that level of exposure
for them.

Ultimately, when addressing the ways of recruitment, there is no such thing as
too much exposure to become a football recruit.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Don’t Get Too Involved
When helping your child get recruited, there is importance from the difference
between being involved and getting too involved. While it is crucial to involve
yourself within the recruitment process as a parent with your child, it is also
essential for your child as the frontrunner with their recruitment. College
coaches are continually looking at the parents’ involvement when recruiting. If
the coaches feel that the child doesn’t want to play the sport or get recruited
by a program and it is primarily the parents’ choice, they will notice this
immediately send out a cautionary red flag.

Often, the overarching level of involvement from the parent is a negative factor
towards the student-athletes success. The best approach to attempting this is to
sit down with your child, find out their top picks, and help motivate them to
continue the front-running in their recruitment process while addressing the
backend part.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Help them Decide Which Division Level is the Best Fit for Them
Talking with your child about what division they may be interested in and what
division they are the best fit for is critical to ensuring that they are putting
their best foot forward.

Most student-athletes are only aware of Divison I and II of athletic programs
because of the media push from these programs. It’s important to encourage your
child to assess their strengths and their end goal. Developing around a
well-built Divison III school may mean that your child has more playing time
than a Divison I or II school. Along with division leagues such as the NAIA and
NJCAA, which have competitive athletic programs, athletes can earn scholarships
and have a lot of playtimes.

Building the complete sports resume
After discussing their division expectations and hopes, it is also important to
create and finalize their sports resume around their strengths.

Like a career resume, this will showcase their accomplishments and goals during
their high school career. This can be done through both a paper application and
a digital one. The benefits of this could allow you to add on your child’s Hudl
and NCAA account that you had created in the earlier steps.

This way, you can have a running list that shows both facets of your child as a
student and an athlete. Most people only look at the athletic perspective for
recruitment, but the significant factor has an athlete who is also focused on
their sports. When creating the resume, don’t limit it to strictly athletic
endeavors; be sure to include academic accomplishments as well.

After you have accomplished each step in this article, you will have a good get
forward to helping your child become a success story for football recruitment.
The more effort and material you give the recruitment team, the better your
child will have with a potential offer.

Be sure to also sign up for a free profile to access the largest network
specifically designed to connect athletes to opportunities.

How Parents Can Help You Get Recruited To Play College Football

We hear about 'culture changes' in college football all the time; one-season
turnarounds ushered in by factors such as a new head coach or a star recruit.
However, in this sport, success is fleeting. A great year can be followed up by
a lackluster sophomore campaign, or even worse, a multi-year rebuild. Simply
put, early victories on the field or the recruiting trail don't guarantee
long-term contention.

With all that being said, Lincoln Riley's first few months at USC seem to have
the makings of something that will last. The former Oklahoma Sooner has brought
plenty of energy and excitement to Los Angeles, and with that often comes
premier talent. The influx of players and personnel flocking to So-Cal has fans
at their most excited since the Pete Carroll era, and rightfully so. However,
the past decade is littered with Trojan squads that have fallen painfully short
of lofty expectations. Can Riley build up this historic program to its former
glory, or is this just more California dreaming?

The Good: Transfer Talent & Experience
Aside from simply getting one of the best coaches in the game, USC's roster has
undergone a complete overhaul this spring. Following in the steps of Riley is
former Sooner quarterback Caleb Williams, who quickly emerged as one of the
nation's best passers in 2021. Although he played in just 11 games last season,
Williams worked his way into the Heisman conversation thanks to a stellar 21:4
touchdown to interception ratio. Since he's only a sophomore, Williams placed a
heavy emphasis on his development as an NFL Draft prospect
[https://sports.yahoo.com/caleb-williams-transfer-portal-entry-is-latest-and-loudest-example-of-free-agency-taking-flight-in-college-football-030744005.html] 
by reuniting with Riley, widely seen as the game's leading quarterback
whisperer. 

Williams' production at USC should be buoyed by fellow transfer Jordan Addison.
Addison, winner of the Fred Biletnikoff Award for the nation's best wide
receiver, is the kind of high-profile addition that can truly elevate an
offense. As a sophomore at Pittsburgh, Addison had 1,598 receiving yards in just
14 games. The impact he has on Williams' season could mirror that of Kenny
Pickett last year, who became a Heisman finalist and first-round pick in the
draft. Elsewhere, the Trojans made a massive in-conference move to land running
back Travis Dye, who transferred from rival Oregon. Dye, the fourth-leading
rusher in Ducks history, gives the offense plenty of big-play ability, ideally
shouldering some of the load off Williams and the passing game.

> Jordan Addison to USC is official.

USC's offense is loaded:
QB Caleb Williams
RB Travis Dye
WR Jordan Addison
WR Mario Williams 
WR Tahj Washington 
WR Terrell Bynum 

Good luck, Pac 12

— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) May 19, 2022
[https://twitter.com/UnnecRoughness/status/1527418773426294792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
The new faces aren't just on the field, but the sidelines as well. Riley's staff
is comprised of veteran head coaches from various programs across the country,
which should only amplify USC's brand nationally when pursuing high school
recruits. Offensive coordinator Josh Henson is a 23-year veteran of the Big 12
and SEC, spending the last three years as Texas A&M's offensive line coach.
Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex Grinch followed Riley to reprise the same
role with the Trojans; since he was Washington State's DC from 2015 to 2017,
Grinch has plenty of familiarity with the Pac-12 recruiting landscape. 

The Bad: Questions Left Unanswered
In short, not much, but there's still plenty of questions that need to be
answered before USC can be considered a true title contender. While new talent
for a team that finished 4-8 in 2021 was needed, the sheer amount of players
coming in means chemistry will take some time. Unlike other top schools like
Alabama or Georgia, where schemes have been in place for years and most starters
have had a year to get accustomed to the playbook, the Trojans are hoping their
new additions can catch up to speed from day one. 

However, fans should feel fairly confident in the offense heading into next
season. Riley's play calling and the trio of Williams, Dye, and Addison are
enough to keep this group near or at the top of the Pac-12 all season long. What
will truly separate the Trojans is if their defense, which gave up an average of
31.8 points per game in 2021, improves. USC's linebackers should be a strength,
thanks to Alabama transfer Shane Lee and Arizona State transfer Nick Gentry.
However, the program is welcoming in five new starters to the secondary, a major
shakeup for a position group that relies heavily on communication and being in
sync. Up front, the defensive line is fairly thin after Tuli Tuipulotu, who has
earned rave reviews
[https://trojanswire.usatoday.com/2022/03/27/uscs-most-impressive-spring-practice-player-it-could-be-tuli-tuipulotu/] 
from the coaching staff this spring.

> We're talking about the USC offense because it's fun. We're not talking about
the USC defense, which is starting from the same place as the 2019 OU defense.

The 2019 OU defense gave up 27 points a game and 357 yards a game. 

That team went 12-2. It also got racked by LSU.

— RJ Young (@RJ_Young) May 19, 2022
[https://twitter.com/RJ_Young/status/1527428171745968140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
Trojan fans have heard it all before; no amount of preseason polling and
recruiting class rankings can translate to wins. That doesn't mean the changes
Riley has brought to USC should be scoffed at. For far too long, the program has
felt stagnant, bland, and downright complacent with just winning the Pac-12,
which they've done only once since 2008. Regardless of how you feel about USC,
this is a national brand meant to compete for national championships. Grabbing
the biggest name on the coaching market and some of the biggest names in the
transfer portal is just step one. The Trojans have the pieces needed to make a
run at history. Now it's time to see what they're made of.

Is USC Football Finally Back? Recapping Lincoln Riley's First Spring As Trojans Head Coach

Lacrosse is one of the nation's fastest growing youth sports. Since Lacrosse is
a combination of many different sports, it’s no surprise that the game can
improve athletes skills for other seasonal sports.

Check out the five other sports that Lacrosse players are probably better than
you at and why!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Baseball
Baseball and lacrosse both require superb skills in both hand eye coordination
and speed. Lacrosse players tend to have the upper hand in both categories as
they more fluently and frequently combine both skills throughout their game. In
baseball both hand eye coordination and speed are required in infrequent bursts.

As a result of faster paced games, Lacrosse players can easily transfer their
skills to the ball field and be top athletes on the diamond!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Football
An athlete transferring to football from basketball, soccer, or baseball is
going to really struggle with the physical aspect of the game, but not a
Lacrosse player. Lacrosse is just as much of a hitting sport as football, with
equal, but different techniques used in making contact.

Add in the use of angles, dodges, and cuts as common movements on the field and
you’ll find that any Lacrosse player can easily add their athleticism to the
football field. Not to mention, Lacrosse players wear similar protective
equipment as Lacrosse players. The burden of more equipment won’t deter a
Lacrosse player.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Basketball
Lacrosse players can easily adapt to the game of basketball because of
similarities like the use of pick and rolls and constand progression of the
game. Spacing on the Lacrosse field is similar to that on the basketball court.
You look for open lanes, utilize a pick and roll, and have offensive plays that
are all comparable between the two sports.

Similar to basketball, Lacrosse also depends on getting the ball to their best
player for scoring opportunities on offense. This form of player isolation often
gives the offense a higher chance of scoring. Don’t be surprised if a Lacrosse
player schools you on the basketball court.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hockey
Hockey and Lacrosse are both said to be ‘Canada’s national sport’. Unlike any of
the other sports listed, hockey and lacrosse both utilize a stick and ball or
puck. Stick handling is a difficult skill, but easily transfers between lacrosse
and hockey.

Another unique aspect of both sports is players ability to move behind the net
of the goaltender. Substitutions can be made at any time of the game in both
sports and body checks are allowed in both sports. Look out for those crossover
Lacrosse players lacing up their skates!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Soccer
Soccer is one of the most common past sports for a Lacrosse player. Since
seasons are different between Lacrosse and Soccer a lot of players use both
sports to maintain their similar skill levels between games. Keeping up both
footwork and stamina is simple if you play both soccer and lacrosse.

Both sports have the same layout and positions: midfielders, defensemen,
forwards, and goalies. The games are equally fluid and demand players with
strong stamina. In fact, the skills required to handle a lacrosse stick are seen
as more difficult than kicking a soccer ball. The next time you watch a talented
soccer player, chances are they play lacrosse.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are Lacrosse Players Better than Than You At Your Own Sport?

In terms of popularity, college baseball doesn’t quite make the cut. Stadiums
definitely don’t sell out like football, basketball, or hockey arenas on college
campuses and tuning into your favorite college baseball team on TV isn’t exactly
an easy task.

You can’t count out the difference in the developmental process of the MLB
compared to other professional sports where all major league prospects spend at
least a year or two playing in the minors. This simple fact definitely accounts
for the lack of popularity of the sport at the collegiate level.

The question remains: if you are a talented baseball player, is it worth playing
college baseball or are you better skipping college programs for the minors?
Keep reading as we unpack differences involved with playing college baseball or
moving straight to the minors.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lifestyle
Unless you have been a professional athlete or know a professional athlete
personally, you cannot fully comprehend the lifestyle involved with playing at
the professional level of any sport. A high school student choosing to forgo
college baseball for the major leagues is in for a true 180 turnaround to their
everyday life.

Living on your own, managing your money, balance between your personal life and
work life, commitment to your job, or simply being on your own for the first
time in your life are only a few of the major changes in a high school players’
lifestyle. There’s a lot of maturity required for an 18 year old athlete to jump
from high school to a professional setting. College experience is often the
buffer that builds maturity in young athletes before moving on to their
perspective shows.

The lifestyle factor is completely dependent on the individual. It is a personal
choice and one that should be considered carefully.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Physical Preparation
If you’ve ever seen a high school baseball weight lifting session compared to
the minor leagues, you have a basic understanding of the difference in physical
preparation involved between the two different levels. Physical preparation is
another factor that greatly impacts a players readiness to move from high school
straight to the minor leagues.

College again offers players a buffer time to increase their physical readiness
to join a minor or major league affiliation. There are more specific weight
training programs, nutrition guidelines, and out of season training that takes
place in college that more accurately mirrors what players will experience in
the minors.

College gives baseball players more time to develop their physique from boys to
men. There aren’t many major league baseball players who are small in stature.
Successful players are physical specimens who follow the most up to date,
researched, physical routines to play at their peak performance.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Mental Game
The sister of the physical aspect of players is the mental toughness required to
skip college and move on to the minors. It can be a shocker for guys to move
from a big fish in a little pond, to a little fish in a big pond. Players
experience the reality that they are not the top player on their teams anymore
and might have to compete for their spot for the first time in their lives.

The season is also more grueling than players have ever experienced. They are
traveling more often and don’t have the luxury of returning to the comfort of
their own homes in between road trips or games. Not to mention, there’s no such
thing as ‘hurt feelings’ in the minors. Coaches and managers are going to tell
you exactly how it is without consideration for how that may affect your
feelings.

A new reality to the mental game of minor league baseball can be dramatic for
young boys working to become men, especially when they are away from the comfort
of their support systems at home.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To Play or Not to Play
The decision to skip college baseball opportunities to move on to the minors and
cut the years it takes you to play in the major leagues is a personal decision.
Be sure to consider if you are mentally prepared, physically prepared, and ready
for the dramatic change in lifestyle.

Why Top High School Baseball Recruits Choose College Over The Big Leagues

Brice Odel

At nearly 500 miles apart, two small Midwestern cities play host to a pair of
college campuses. At the heart of each campus lies two of the nations most
dominant college football programs.

I'm not talking about Ohio State, Notre Dame, or even Penn State. Instead, The
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (Whitewater, WI) and University of Mount
Union (Alliance, OH) are in a league of their own. 

Wisconsin-Whitewater and Mount Union have combined for nineteen national
championships and twelve runner-ups across the last three decades. The insane
thing is that they both compete at the NCAA Division-III level. This means that
nine of the twelve runner-ups were against each other.

Fifteen of the twenty Div. III championship trophies given out since the turn of
the century reside on these two campuses. The scary part is that this trend
doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

But it's time to break down each program individually and see who the real
"title town" is.

Whitewater, Wisconsin has a population of roughly 14,700 and it seems the entire
town floods in to fill a stadium with a capacity of 13,500 to watch their
beloved Warhawks play.

Believe me when I say that those fans have had a lot to cheer for. The Warhawks
have accumulated 6 national championships, 4 runner-ups, and 36 conference
titles. In their 15 playoff appearances they have been nothing shy of dominant,
collecting a 51-9 playoff record.

> Thanks to our 12,000 twitter followers! 

Warhawk nation continues to grow and is as strong as ever! 
pic.twitter.com/40bSvlY8EA [https://t.co/40bSvlY8EA]

— Warhawk Football (@WarhawkFootball) September 6, 2021
[https://twitter.com/WarhawkFootball/status/1434888606095642627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
125 consensus All-Americans have called Whitewater home in this programs lengthy
history. The Warhawks have a resume that stacks up with the best of them and
have cemented themselves atop the D-3 college football landscape.

Located just 20 minutes from the Pro Football Hall of Fame is the oldest college
football stadium in Ohio. Built in 1913, Mount Union Stadium in Alliance, Ohio
continues to play host the Purple Raiders home games. This part of the country
is filled with football history but none more successful than Mount Union.

> September means football.

Here are the days we play football.#ChampionTheStandard
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChampionTheStandard?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] 
🏴‍☠️ pic.twitter.com/she0ApbjPf [https://t.co/she0ApbjPf]

— Mount Union Football (@MountUnionFB) September 1, 2021
[https://twitter.com/MountUnionFB/status/1433059396498518016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
123 All-Americans have contributed to .657 win percentage and helped Mount Union
become 1 of only 17 programs at all NCAA levels reach 800 wins. They have
totaled 30 conference titles and 28 of the last 30. They have 13 straight
undefeated seasons in conference play.

The Purple Raiders have had TWO SEPARATE win streaks of 110 games and 112 games
which is an NCAA record by far. For comparison, Oklahoma has the D-1 record at
47 consecutive wins.

With 13 National Championships and 8 runner-ups Mount Union is one of the
winningest programs in history under father son duo Larry and Vince Kehres. Only
Princeton, Yale, and Alabama have more and most of these were before football as
we currently know it. In the modern era it has been all Purple Raiders.

A 30 year dynasty is something even Saban has not been able to do.

Since 1996, one of these two teams have appeared in every Stagg Bowl but two.
Mount Union looks to find new life in the post Kehres era where the program lost
just 30 games in 35 years. Something tells me they will be just fine.

> Happy Birthday to 2017 @cfbhall
[https://twitter.com/cfbhall?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] inductee Larry Kehres!

Legendary @MountUnionFB [https://twitter.com/MountUnionFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] 
coach boasts highest winning % (93%), most national titles (11), most conference
titles (23) & most unbeaten regular seasons (21) in college football history
#cfbhall [https://twitter.com/hashtag/cfbhall?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] 
#GoMountGo [https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoMountGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] 
pic.twitter.com/LAQLoXJXjD [https://t.co/LAQLoXJXjD]

— Football Foundation (@NFFNetwork) September 7, 2021
[https://twitter.com/NFFNetwork/status/1435226347022868481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
As for Wisconsin-Whitewater, they will look to bounce back from their Stagg Bowl
loss 2 years ago. These storied programs face off more than most conference foes
as they once played 7 straight National Championship games against one another.

Whitewater makes a strong case with its 6-3 head to head record over Mount Union
but I think Mount Union holds the "title town" crown by sheer volume of
championships. 

It seems almost unbelievable that neither team has won a championship since
2017. But after dominant 1-0 starts for both teams this Labor Day weekend I find
it harder to believe that the path to the Stagg Bowl doesn't go through Alliance
or Whitewater this year.

Where to find the most Division III football championships

Nisshanth Perumalsamy

Like many other Olympic sports, talent-transfer athletes make up a majority of
the talent pool in Team Handball. Talent-transfer athletes find team handball
after excelling in other team and individual sports. 

Within the sport of team handball, there are dozens of different skills that
translate easily from other major American sports. Basketball, football, and
soccer all have similar skills that an athlete needs to have to excel.

The U.S. National Men's Team Handball roster has a number of players who found a
unique path to competing at the highest level of the sport. Some came from a
career in major college sports and others continued to play handball after
finding it in the intramural or club level.

Luke Bolte [https://www.teamusa.org/usa-team-handball/athletes/Luke-Bolte]
 * Before discovering Team Handball in college, Bolte was a star basketball
   player at Hopewell-Loudon High School in Tiffin, Ohio.
 * While majoring in Business at Ohio State University, the 6-foot-5 Bolte
   played the OSU Team Handball Club and found success at the national level.
 * The 21-year-old Bolte is one of the younger members of the U.S. National
   Team.

Drew Donlan [https://www.teamusa.org/usa-team-handball/athletes/Andrew-Donlin]
 * Drew grew up in Plymouth, Minnesota playing football, basketball, and
   baseball growing up.
 * While attending the U.S. Air Force Academy he tried to walk onto the football
   team but was led in another direction. Many people believed that his skill
   set was better suited for handball
 * Drew is the first American handball player to score a goal in the European
   Handball Cup competition and the Spanish Asobal League.

Cedar Bellows [https://www.teamusa.org/usa-team-handball/athletes/Cedar-Bellows]
 * Before Handball, Cedar honed her athletic skills through basketball,
   baseball, softball, track and field, rodeo, and NPC fitness competitions.
 * Later discovered handball and played her first official season in 2019
 * Played in 13 National Team games last season

Bill Bigham [https://www.teamusa.org/usa-team-handball/athletes/Bill-Bigham]
 * Originally from Manhattan Beach, California, Bill's main sport was football.
   He even played for the University Of North Carolina from 1997 to 2000.
 * Discovered handball in college and fell in love with its similarities to
   basketball, football, and baseball.
 * 20 years later, he has competed in multiple handball world championships in
   both beach and indoor competitions and currently serves on the board of
   directors for USA Team Handball since 2010.

Chalmers Brown
[https://www.teamusa.org/usa-team-handball/athletes/Chalmers-Brown]
 * Before rediscovering handball during the Rio 2016 Olympics, Chalmers grew up
   playing basketball, track & field, cross country, rugby, football, and
   ultimate frisbee in his hometown New Jersey.
 * Was sitting on the couch watching the Rio Olympics and fell in love with the
   sport. Ended up moving to California where he began his beach handball
   journey
 * Chalmers was voted the Most Valuable Defender in the 2020 Copa Internacional
   de Balonmano Playa Volcán tournament

Kathy Darling [https://www.teamusa.org/usa-team-handball/athletes/Kathy-Darling]
 * Kathy was a star athlete growing up, being named a four-time All American in
   and Javelin and Discus throw during her time at Johns Hopkins University from
   1999-2003
 * She first started playing handball in 2005 and found success in the sport
   very quickly.
 * Kathy is also the creator and designer of the latest USATH logo.

Rajarshi Chattopadyay
[https://www.teamusa.org/usa-team-handball/athletes/Rajarshi-Chattopadhyay]
 * Before discovering handball, Rajarshi was a star tennis player at Richard
   Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland.
 * Discovered handball while watching the 2016 Olympics and knew he had to get
   involved.
 * He chose to pursue indoor Handball and has won 1st place in multiple handball
   tournaments.

Jordan Fithian
[https://www.teamusa.org/usa-team-handball/athletes/Jordan-Fithian]
 * Grew up as an urban legend, Jordan graduated high school as the all-time
   leading scorer and state champion in basketball, while being a two-time state
   champion soccer goalkeeper
 * 4 years after being named Mr. Kansans Basketball and Kansans Gatorade Player
   of the year, Jordan began playing Handball in 2008.
 * In 2016, his team won the 2016 USATH Open National Championships, Elite
   Division

Jade Hayes [https://www.teamusa.org/usa-team-handball/athletes/Jade-Hayes]
 * Prior to handball, Jade was a star volleyball player for the University of
   Missouri and the University of Central Florida
 * She then discovered Handball while living at Hermosa Beach
 * Now she is a part of the Team Handball beach team

Willard Johnson
[https://www.teamusa.org/usa-team-handball/athletes/Willard-Johnson]
 * Before handball, Willard Johnson was an elite handball player, winning high
   school championships, playing at MIT, and even playing basketball
   professionally overseas.
 * During one of his overseas hoop adventures to Iceland, Willard discovered and
   fell in love with handball.
 * Now he plays beach handball and has placed first place in the 2019 North
   American & Caribbean Handball Confederation (NORCA) Championships

Michael Lee [https://www.teamusa.org/usa-team-handball/athletes/Michael-Lee]
 * Michael Lee grew up in Auburn, Alabama playing baseball and basketball.
 * While volunteering at a Biomechanics Lab at Auburn University, he learned
   about handball and wanted to get involved.
 * Soon after, he was named the captain of the USATH Junior National Team in
   2016

Olympic Talent-Transfer: How These Former College Athletes Made The USA Handball Team

For the last few years, we've seen top high school football recruits retitle
their position as "athlete" to indicate their ability to play anywhere on the
field. Similarly, we've seen the most versatile basketball players who can do
more than one thing become known as "point-forwards". Across all major sports,
we've seen college recruiters and scouts opt to take a chance on the most
well-rounded athletes rather than the one who is best at passing, defending, or
scoring.

But, for most of the last few decades, only one sport can claim participants who
are widely recognized as the world's best athletes. They commonly have the most
rigid standards of training, the least amount of body fat, and most notably, the
most obvious desire and ability to push themselves beyond limits.

That sport is triathlon. 

Check Out The Event: USA Triathlon Virtual Combine
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/306/usa-triathlon-virtual-combine/tasks/1181/athlete-background]
Including three very unique disciplines, each of which don't give any particular
muscle group or heart rate monitors a break, a triathlon has long been seen as
one of the most difficult and thorough tests for the modern athlete. The modern
triathlon includes segments of running, swimming, and cycling - a blend of
endurance activities that challenges the mind and body almost equally.

Because of the variety in talents it takes to complete a triathlon, it is such a
clear way to identify the most gifted competitors. This is why at GMTM, the
social media platform working to connect athletes to opportunities, we are so
excited to partner with USA Triathlon for virtual talent identification
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/306/usa-triathlon-virtual-combine] this summer. 

USA Triathlon is America's governing body for the sport and hosts state and
national championships. USA Tri is also responsible for naming athletes to Team
USA, the nation's representatives for international triathlon competitions
including International Triathlon Union's world championships and the Summer
Olympic Games.

Through USA Triathlon events on GMTM, triathletes will be able to participate in
activities hosted by Team USA scouts and coaches to gain exposure and be seen by
the best in the sport. Through questionnaires
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/306/usa-triathlon-virtual-combine], video uploads
[https://gmtm.com/film/8191686/USA%20Triathlon%20Athlete%20Form], and messaging
to help connect athletes to coaches, young triathletes will be one step closer
to competing for the nation's national team alongside the best athletes at their
age.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The USA Triathlon Virtual Combine
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/306/usa-triathlon-virtual-combine] offers triathletes
and athletes from other sports background a step-by-step process to begin
participating. Through the event page, four unique activities allow participants
to showcase a variety of talents from different disciplines. Those four
activities include:

 * Athlete Background
   [https://gmtm.com/virtuals/306/usa-triathlon-virtual-combine/tasks/1181/athlete-background] 
   - Build your triathlete profile and share what interest you about USA
   Triathlon.
 * Highlight Reel
   [https://gmtm.com/virtuals/306/usa-triathlon-virtual-combine/tasks/1715/highlight-reel] 
   - Upload a highlight reel or a video of your highest sporting achievement.
 * 100 Meter Swim
   [https://gmtm.com/virtuals/306/usa-triathlon-virtual-combine/tasks/1703/100-meter-swim] 
   - Add your 100 meter swim time.
 * 1600 Meter Run
   [https://gmtm.com/virtuals/306/usa-triathlon-virtual-combine/tasks/1714/1600-meter-run] 
   - Add your 1600 meter time.

The USA Triathlon website [https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Triathlon] is already the
best resource for young triathletes hoping to find coaches, clubs, and events in
their area. The partnership between GMTM and USA Tri will supplement those
offerings by allowing youth and senior triathletes to interact in real time and
build a profile that organizes accomplishments, metrics, and content visible to
coaches.

If you are a triathlete or an athlete from another sport hoping to find an
opportunity with USA Triathlon, create a profile now [https://gmtm.com/] and
stay tuned for new events coming to GMTM this week.

USA Triathlon Partners With GMTM For Future Talent Identification

Grace White

For starters, the overall game and practice play is a lot more of a high tensity
level. There are many athletes that can feel a deeper level of nerves but there
are also many who truly level up and accept the competitiveness as a challenge.
As both choices are common, choosing to grasp the challenge and allow yourself
to propel in the uncomfortable foreign feelings you’re having will be a huge
game changer for you overall.

Similarly, both levels have daily practice times and weekly games you’ll compete
in. If you thrive off of routine, I would greatly encourage you to gain leverage
off of remembering the areas that are the same. One thing that is also important
to see is that the college routine of academics is also very different from that
of the high school schedule. As there may be many days you will be going
straight from class to your practice, there will also be ample amounts of days
that you’ll have free-time to rest before cruising on to the court. This
diversity of structure can be very helpful in the important rest times your body
and mind need.

What the schedule really comes down to is the specific division you will be
joining in on as well. There are times as a college athlete where it can feel
like you have two full-time jobs. From going to classes, working on all of your
homework all the way to having anywhere from 40-70 hours of court time. Do not
let this packed schedule overwhelm you, just embrace it and move forward.

Now, if you are the type of person that gains a passion of fire off of being
challenged and seeking to learn from all the unknown, the transition process
from the high school to college level athlete will initially feel a bit
smoother. Again, both types of people are normal and common. I would say it is
just important to figure out which one you are so that you can figure out what
areas of growth you will be able to leverage on for full success.

One of my favorite parts of moving on to the college level, besides the extreme
growth athletically, is that your team truly becomes your family. Of course, it
is important to branch out at times to gather friends from other areas of life
but when you are on a college team you spend hundreds of hours with your
teammates. From daily practices, weekly games to many miles acquired on travel
games you will be sure to see your team as family. Overall, moving forward in
joining a college level team for your sport is such a great choice and amidst
any hard times you have, the good will always out weigh the tough!

What are the Differences Between High School & Collegiate Levels?

Whether you got recruited to your dream school or took your only offer,
sometimes a transfer can be a necessity. It’s not simple progress, but neither
is getting recruited and you did that! There are some advantages and drawbacks
to consider before making the decision and starting the process.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why Transfer?
There are many reasons that might push a volleyball player to transfers schools:

 * Playing Time

This is a big one. It might sound like a cop out to transfer instead of working
hard a practice to find your spot, but sometimes it’s a logical decision. Let’s
say you are a freshman setter and you end up on a team with two phenomenal
senior setters, and another two in the sophomore class, you may not see the the
court until you are a senior. If that is something that is unappealing to you,
transferring may be a great solution.

 * Junior College

You might have gotten a great start in a JuCo program, but we all know that
doesn’t last forever. Four-year college will look to recruit from these
institutions and it may be a great way to continue your career out of your
freshman or sophomore year.

 * Coaching Changes

Almost any time you get recruited, you talk and build a relationship with a
coach from your perspective program. There is a lot of trust built when you
decide to sign with a school and you may feel completely comfortable devoting
your time to a team because of how it’s ran and who runs it. However, you can’t
guarantee that coach stays for all four of your playing years. Coaches get fired
or take new jobs and that may be a good reason to leave as well. The coach can
make or break a playing experience for athletes.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Advantages
Transferring may be an easier way into a great program because to coaches
transfer players provide two things: less financial commitment than offering a
scholarship to an athlete for all four years AND an athlete that knows the
demands of college volleyball, instead of a green freshman straight out of
college. You may find yourself with more playing time, fitting in with the team
and having a similar outlook on the game as your new coach.

While it isn’t a right fit for everyone, you may end up with a program that fits
your needs better or even a more prestigious program because of a transfer.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Disadvantages
While there are great reasons and positive outcomes to some transfers, it is not
without it’s complications. Tranferring doens’t always give an athlete the best
“look” in the eyes of coaches and teammates. May time it brings up the questions
of “why?” Were you not a good teammate or did attitude and effort problems break
relationships within your current program?

Transferring can also feel like starting over. You will have to adjust to a new
town, a new campus, a new coach, etc. Being a college athlete can already be
overwhelming on young players, and readjusting can be a lot to handle.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How It Works
The process of transferring vary by the level of volleyball and the conference
rules of your new school. However, it is very similar to the recruiting process.
Players wanted to transfer are put into a “transfer pool” and essentially
recruited again.

The NCAA website provides a great description broken down by division levels: 
https://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/current/want-transfer. One of the biggest
conversations you should have with a coach before transferring to their program
is what the process will be like within their conference and when you will be
eligible to compete again. Most likely they will put you in touch with a
compliance officer to walk through the process with you. Sometimes it will be a
full academic year before you play again, but to find the right fit, it may be
worth it.

How To Transfer Schools As A College Volleyball Athlete

Keiwaine Hicks

2019 was a transformative year in NCAA athletics. The NCAA Transfer Portal, a
database which allows other schools to confirm that a student-athlete can be
recruited, was created, granting college student-athletes the ability to
publicly declare intent to transfer and desire to speak to other schools. Most
importantly, the NCAA Transfer Portal allows college student-athletes to have
more control over the transfer process.

During the 2021 season at the Division I level alone, more than 1,700 male
basketball players and over 1,000 female basketball players entered their names
into the transfer portal.

College basketball student-athletes tend to be more calculating and confident in
what they are seeking in a new school after having experienced the recruiting
process and spending time playing college basketball. Some of these reasons
might include: academics, increased role/playing time, desire to move to a
certain location, and wanting to follow a certain coach who is coaching at a new
school.

Here are five reasons why the NCAA Transfer Portal is so popular among college
basketball coaches:

Limited Baggage For Transfer Athletes
Recruiting, especially at the grassroots level, can be a harrowing and
less-desirable experience for many college basketball coaches.

Every great coach enjoys watching film, engaging personally with young
student-athletes and showing off their college campus & facilities. But,
recruiting often comes with the headache of dealing with unwanted and often
time-consuming stress of dealing with additional baggage. A few examples each of
us are too familiar with are overbearing parents, AAU coaches, trainers, and
handlers. With Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) now into play, it’s foreseeable
that college basketball coaches might be dealing with high school
student-athletes’ attorneys, marketing agents, and accountants in the near
future.

All of these factors are virtually eliminated when coaches recruit current
college student-athletes in the transfer portal. Once a college student-athlete
is already in college, he or she usually has a sound grasp and foundation in
place and is able to take control of the process alone.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evaluating Play Against Other College Talent
When college basketball coaches are recruiting high school student-athletes,
they are evaluating how a student-athlete competes against other high school
student-athletes. Due to the nature of recruiting and the pressure of securing
commitments as early as a student-athlete’s freshman or sophomore year,
projecting how he or she will fare in college competition vs college players
can, at times, be a gamble.

When evaluating play of college players, basketball coaches can pull easily
accessible games of when a college student-athlete competed. If a Division-II
coach wants to see games of a particular Division-I player competing in top-tier
games, it’s accessible. If a Division-I coach wants to see games of a specific
Division-I player playing in a certain conference, those games are available.

Coaches are able to assess how a player responded to a given coaching style,
basketball system, or play against certain defenses. This information is key
when college basketball coaches are analyzing rosters, determining current
needs, and deciding to recruit a proven player rather than developing a freshman
or active player on the roster.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transfer Athletes Have Experienced College Life
Playing college basketball is a small, albeit extremely important, part of the
college experience. College basketball players will already have experience in
areas which include: understanding time commitment & time management of a
college schedule, receiving college-level coaching, and taking college classes.

Additionally, college basketball players are less likely to deal with factors
such as homesickness, distance from family/home, and slow adjustment to college
campus life that are often prevalent among college freshmen. Although
adaptability and maturity are never a given with any college basketball player,
the probability that current college players already possess these traits are
certainly higher than an in-coming freshman’s.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Short-Term Eligibility Makes Scholarship Distribution Easier
If a college basketball coach recruits a high school student-athlete, the
basketball coach is generally planning for the recruit to play basketball for
four years, even though basketball scholarships are renewable year-to-year.
However, if a coach gets players from the transfer portal, the student-athlete
might have three, two, or even only one year of playing eligibility remaining.
Rather than planning to account for four years for one player, a coach can
account for fewer years for a player.

This is especially key for programs that aren’t fully funded (have max allotment
of basketball scholarships available), might be experiencing budget cuts that
impact funding or recruiting budgets, or even programs that are experiencing
reduction of basketball scholarships due to NCAA sanctions. Although college
basketball coaches might desire and like the idea of signing a recruiting class
of five or six freshmen, the reality is that many coaches don’t have the
financial means and luxury to do so.


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Transfer Athletes Are More Developed Physically And Mentally
When college basketball coaches recruit and sign players from the transfer
portal, coaches are getting players who are more than likely already physically
developed to play college basketball. This physical development is due to the
student-athlete already having spent time and experience in a college-level
strength & conditioning program and a college nutrition program.

This is a stark contrast to a high school student-athlete who hasn’t experienced
a college-level strength & conditioning program and college nutrition program.
As a result, it might take freshmen a full year or even two years before
becoming physically ready to compete at and adjusting to the college level. In
certain cases, basketball coaches might be in a situation where they need
contribution immediately.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Without question, the NCAA Transfer Portal has become a game-changer in college
athletics. As the number of players who enter their names into the transfer
portal increases, the activity level of college coaches seeking players will
continue to increase as well.

Why The Transfer Portal Is So Important For College Basketball Coaches

Tiana Schoney

Gymnastics in the U.S. is really good, and most Level 10 gymnasts can do a lot
of the same skills. When it comes down to it, one of the biggest things a
college coach looks for in a gymnast is character. They look at the person as a
whole, not just at their athletic ability. Coaches want to make sure these
gymnasts will fit in with the culture of the program, with similar ideals as the
team. But how could a collegiate coach possibly find out how genuine an athlete
truly is based on one recruiting trip or their Instagram account? 

Why attend a summer gymnastics camp?
When I asked several college coaches how they find their top athletes, I was
surprised when they all responded with the same answer: Summer Camps. They
explained that it is so beneficial for these coaches to actually be able to
coach and work with these gymnasts. 

Gymnastics is such a mental sport, so when looking for athletes to build up a
team, it is important to find gymnasts who are mentally tough, who are also team
players. Jamie Wysong, Assistant Coach at Southern Utah University explains, "
You could have the most talented kid in country, but [she] could tear the team
apart." One of the biggest questions a coach will ask is, "Will this athlete fit
in with the culture of our program?"

That is why camps are a great way for coaches to see an athlete's genuine self.
They want to see you in action, so attending your desired school's summer camp
is a necessity. That way they can see how you are as a person. Wysong goes on to
state, "If an athlete is having a rough day, how do they handle it? And how do
they interact with other gymnasts?" These are things they are able to observe
first-hand at summer camps. 

Of course character isn't the only thing they are looking at. Gymnasts with
strong basics and who are teachable are what many of these coaches look for. If
you start going to these camps at a young age, these coaches will see how you
learn and improve over the years. They will see your hard work and dedication.
Schools like Southern Utah University want gymnasts who have strong potential
and work ethic. "We can teach skills, so really it depends on if that gymnast is
willing to put in the work," Wysong explains. 

What are the best gymnastics camps?
One of the greatest aspects of a summer camp is that while each camp has
incredible facilities and coaches, the main priority is fun. Camps such as Flip
Fest [https://www.flipfest.com/], located in Tennessee, specifically state that
their goal is to not only equip young gymnasts to become great at gymnastics,
but to also excel in every other part of their lives. With the push for athletes
to have better mental health, Flip Fest provides team and character building
activities, along with outdoor recreation such as jet skiing and a high ropes
course. Learning new gymnastics skills is still the primary focus, but creating
a healthy balance and positive outlook on the sport is at the forefront.

Another popular choice is Woodward [https://www.woodwardpa.com/gymnastics-camp],
which has two locations, one in the heart of Pennsylvania, and the other two
hours north of Los Angeles. The camp is newly redesigned by former Olympian Aly
Raisman [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g504KhKOYmA]. Each of these summer
camps host at least twenty-five world renowned coaches, many being college
coaches scoping out potential recruits. 

While camps like Woodward and FlipFest are on the more expensive end, all
gymnastics collegiate programs host some shape or form of camp that generally
cost less. For example, The University of Georgia hosts the Courtney Kupets
Carter Gymnastics Camp [https://www.georgiagymnasticscamp.com/]. Kupets is
currently the Georgia GymDogs head coach and former Olympian. Check out your
desired school's website to find more information on their summer camp and
remember that registration begins early.

These camps can truly be life-changing. Former Division I gymnast, Brooke
Cersosimo, explains that the summer camp she attended over the years is the only
reason her college coach found her. "I was from a small town in South Dakota. He
watched my work ethic over the years and could see potential." Cersosimo walked
on to the team her freshmen year and the following year earned a full-ride
scholarship. Summer camp opened the door for this athlete and also created
memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. 

If you are serious about college gymnastics, attending a summer camp should be
number one on your list. Even if you aren't in high school yet, it is important
to start going to these camps to build relationships with coaches. This is an
excellent opportunity to create positive interactions with them and let your
personality shine.

Do summer gymnastics camps help gymnasts get recruited for college?

After competing for the French National Team at the Sydney Olympics, Myriam retired from Synchronized Swimming to attend business school. She worked for Accorhotels in marketing and sponsorship in France, Thailand and Australia and eventually resumed her sporting career to compete for the Australian National Team in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Following her second retirement, Myriam combined her business and sports knowledge to return to sport and worked in high performance and sport management in England and in the U.S for several years before founding Athletes Soul. ​

In this podcast, Myriam and Joey go through some of the ways Myriam was empowered as a female athlete and ways that we can continue to make sure others like her are as well.

The Power of Female Sports - Podcast with Myriam Gletz and Joey Grant

VTO Sports in Dallas Texas - Lineman 1v1's

Connor is a co-founder of GMTM Sports, an athlete social network designed to connect organizations to the talent sources they need for recruitment and success. Andrew began his fencing career at an early age, attended Penn State University, and later joined Team USA to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. He's headed back again with his eyes on the podium and his future career when fencing isn't an option.

Connor - https://gmtm.com/athletes/3/connor-dietz
Andrew - https://gmtm.com/athletes/1335718/andrew-mackiewicz