VIDEO TIP #1

CollegeInfo - Videotapes for College Coaches
By Ramona Barber

Ramona Barber is the Iowa State Youth Soccer Association Education Director and a contributor to Sports Communication Publications

"One picture is worth a thousand words!" So, how much more is a video worth? Quite a bit to some college coaches. Sooner or later, players investigating college soccer programs will probably be asked by a college coach to send a videotape. Putting together a quality video takes time and thought. It can also be needlessly expensive. Cost can be kept to a reasonable level if parents on club teams work together to collect video footage. Ideally, teams should be encouraged to begin collecting video footage when players are in their sophomore year of high school. A special effort should be made to tape games against strong opponents. It is a waste of time and money to tape games with mismatched opponents. Players should also have themselves videotaped while participating in other soccer activities like Olympic Development, high school games, international travel tournaments, three-on-three-tournaments, specialized clinic sessions, etc. Be sure to have a tape of a training session available because it is not unusual for coaches to ask for one. By the beginning of their senior year, players should have access to various kinds of footage that shows their soccer skill level and playing ability. The footage can then be adapted and personalized to meet the requirements of individual college coaches.

Never send an unrequested video to a coach. Not all coaches accept videos. Coaches of some of the more prominent college soccer programs discard hundreds of unsolicited soccer videos each year. Don't waste time and money preparing a video that won't be seen. The lower a school's recruiting budget, the more likely the coach will request a video. A low recruiting budget is not necessarily a sign of a second-rate soccer program. Often, schools with lower recruiting budgets are using their money to develop their academic programs. Investigate all the colleges that interest you. When you have identified the schools that you like most, contact each coach by letter or phone and ask if he would like to receive a video. Find out exactly what type of action he prefers to see. Ask how long the tape should be. Some coaches have very definite ideas about how much time they are willing to invest in video watching. If a coach wants a game, send a video of a game. If la coach wants skill practices, send footage of skill practices. If he wants highlights, give him highlights.

If a player has collected various kinds of video footage between his sophomore and senior years, it is relatively easy and inexpensive to edit the material into two or three different video segments. Most coaches request one or more segments of three basic types - an unedited game, action highlights or a combination or action highlight and training sessions. Coaches do not expect polished, professionally edited film. It is important that the individuals who video have above-average ability to capture player movement. If the footage is of low quality, don't include it no matter how wonderfully you played. Coaches get frustrated watching poor quality tapes. Some players can put together suitable videos in their own homes using their personal video and/or computer equipment. Players who don't have the equipment or aren't comfortable editing their own videos can look in the yellow pages under production services and find a competent editing service. Individual freelance photographers, the type that cover weddings and special events, are often much cheaper than corporate-oriented video services and can do a very satisfactory job. Before hiring a professional, be sure to ask about his experience filming athletic events. Ask to see some tapes that he has done. Remember that colleges often tape many of their athletic events. Check with local college athletic departments to see if they may have staff willing to hire out to do athletic filming. On very important events, like regional cup competitions, do not rely solely on a professional video service. Encourage parents to also shoot their own footage. The more angles and the more film shot, the more options players will have when they begin to edit film.

Be sure that each completed video cassette is clearly labeled with the player's name, address and phone number. Don't make the mistake of labeling only the box that holds the cassette. Cassettes can easily get separated from their boxes. At the beginning of each taped segment, include a verbal mention of the player's name, address, uniform color, uniform number and position on the field. If the color or number of the uniform or the player's position changes between segments of the video, verbally note the changes. At the beginning of each segment, also note when and where the action is taking place and the level of the competition of any game footage. No coach wants to see a blowout game. Showing play against weak opponents can even hurt your cause. Don't worry about showing footage of games in which your team has lost. The coach is interested in your performance, not in who won the game. Make sure that all footage is clear and visible. Never give editorial comments like "This was a great game which I single-handedly won!" Coaches feel that they are smart enough to understand the video with out a play by play description. Don't include footage from before the end of your sophomore year. Especially don't include footage of you as an eight-year-old playing soccer for the first time. The coaches want to see what you look like now. They don't care how cute you were in elementary school. Make sure that you have footage of your movement both on and off the ball. Most coaches want to see views of the field as opposed to isolated shots of the player. Goalkeepers especially are often asked to provide footage of training sessions. Try to start the tape with an impressive piece of footage. You have no guarantee that coaches will watch the whole video. First impressions count!

Realize that most coaches receive a large number of inquiries from players who are not seriously interested in their program. In order for a coach to take a player seriously, the player must convince the coach the he is sincerely interested in the coach's program. After a coach indicates that he want a video, make the most of the opportunity. Remember, the key to an effective video is personalizing it for the coach. A coach will be pleased with that player who makes a special effort.

VIDEO TIP #2

College Videos…Take One
By Tim Nash

A video of your soccer prowess can get a college coach's attention, but unless you do it right, your video will get the eject button.

Whether you're hoping for a soccer scholarship or simply trying to give a college another reason to admit you, sending a soccer video along with you soccer resume to college coaches may be worth the effort. A video won't automatically open doors (and it isn't a substitute academic or soccer credentials), but it can be a great way to introduce yourself--and make an impression.

One problem: Coaches get more videos than they have time to look at. Unless your video is good, coaches won't watch it all--even if you're the next Tab Ramos or Mia Hamm.
"The more time someone puts into preparing the video, the more likely I am to look at it," OhioState head women's coach Lori Henry says. "If its just thrown together, I don't have time to look at it."

Common mistakes
A well-made soccer video showcases a player in game situations. But many candidates make one of two mistakes: They produce either a collection of game snippets or a long and full game-length video.

"Players feel the need to show their best plays," says PrincetonUniversity coach Bob Bradley. "But most coaches are looking beyond just a good play or two. I want to see how a player handles himself on the field. Coaches get wonderful highlight clips put to catchy music, but that just doesn't mean much."

Nor do coaches like to receive two-hour game tapes.

"We don't have time to watch a tape where someone's daughter touches the ball only a half-dozen times in a game," says Lori Henry. "The tapes I like to watch are the ones where the players have gone out of their way to research all the games they have played and have picked out good environments to showcase themselves."

What to include
Make sure your video shows more than your dribbling and scoring. Coaches are interested in your defensive play, how you handle the ball under pressure, your passing skills and other things, such as on-field communication and what you do when you don't have the ball.

Juggle for the camera. "Kids think it's kind of corny, but for us to see a person touch the ball 150 times within a three-minute span really gives us a good idea of what the kid is like," says April Kater, head coach of Syracuse University's new women's program.

Goalkeepers should include a variety of the saves they have made. Coaches realize that almost anybody can catch a ball hit right at him. They want to see you diving low, diving high, handling crosses, sping one-on-ones and punting.
Be sure to label your tape with your name, address, phone number, position, team's name, and jersey number. "You don't know how many videos we get where the players give their names, but don't tell us who they are on the video," says April Kater.
Don't ask a coach to return your video. Copies are inexpensive and can be made at home if you have access to two VCRs.

Finally, send a schedule of your games and tournaments with your video. Some coaches may actually come out and watch you play.

Should you make your own video?
Making a good video takes skill, equipment and tapes of your games. If your family has a camcorder and a VCR, and you and a parent or a friend want to give it a try, take time to read the equipment manuals and visit the library to find out as much as you can about producing a video. If you don't have the time of the inclination to do the job yourself, you could hire a video company to do it for you. Ask your coach if he knows of a company, or check the local yellow pages under "Recording Service-Sound & Video" and "Video Production Services."

A professionally produced video can include music, a title, an introduction, and even a greeting from the player. But be forewarned: They are expensive. Most video companies charge between $50 and $60 per hour (with a half-hour minimum) to edit a video from game tapes. Rates for taping vary across the country, but it could cost as much as $200 to tape and edit a game. That's not with in your budget? Then check out the audiovisual department at your high school. A student may be willing to tape and edit your tape for free as a school project or for a lower fee than the pros would charge. Or, several families with team members could share the cost of having game tapes shot professionally. The tapes can then be edited separately for each player.

Are videos essential?
Unlike your GPA and your high school transcript, a soccer video is not a requirement. Don't feel that your college application will be weak in you don't send one. RutgersUniversity coach Bob Reasso says he is more interested in a player's resume and references than he is in seeing a video. Mike Noonan, head

coach at BrownUniversity, says, "A tape gives a coach an idea of the type of player and the level he is playing at, but it's very difficult to gauge other things such as speed, on tape. In an era of advanced technology, we sometimes forget how important it is to meet face-to-face.