News from Advocates for Athletes!

Advocates for Athletes

January 2013

January what? The world is moving way too fast these days. Kids are growing up faster, people are spending more time at work and taking less time off, and in some cases college scholarships are being offered as early as sophomore year - in high school! I have to admit, at A4A we are moving faster too. We have been crazy busy getting the rest of our seniors signed and our underclassmen/women noticed. So far, we have had 16 seniors already sign or commit to colleges of their choice this past Fall and Winter.

Here are the schools: UCLA, The U.S. Naval Academy, Princeton, Georgetown, Pomona Pitzer, Kenyon College, Lesley University, University of Duquesne, Loyola Marymount University, Lewis and Clark, Cal Poly Pomona, Carnegie Mellon, Fresno State, Dominican University and Occidental.

I tell all that will listen - the sooner you start this process the better the chances as time really does move quickly. One of our athletes who recently committed to a very prestigious institution, started with us in November of his junior year. If you ask him that was way too late, he wished he would of started the recruiting process in his sophomore year. The process takes time because it is all about building relationships with coaches. And as we all know, any good relationship takes time. Maybe because of that we are working with many more freshmen and sophomores today than in years past.

We are still having fun though, probably more now than ever. With so many kids committed to "their" favorite schools, it feels great to know that we have played a big part in their futures. It has been especially fun working with this group of kids. Sometimes stressful for them, especially when it comes down to the wire for a coach to offer...or not. But a great 2013 class.

Our unique one-on-one personalized process of coaching and mentoring makes such a huge difference in the college recruiting process. Whether the athlete is a DI athlete or he/she wants the DIII experience, the A4A process works with athletes at all levels. If you have not already, visit our website at www.advocates4athletes.com to see more about what we do and how we do it.

Thank you for your continued support and referrals.

Steve

Steve Britschgi

President

Steve

What We Do

A4A logo jpeg

Advocates for Athletes (A4A) is a local, hands-on consulting and coaching business created to help educate and guide student athletes and their families through the college recruiting process, with the ultimate goal of obtaining a college athletic scholarship and/or admittance to a school of their choice because of their sport.

Please visit our website to lean more about our services and program @ www.advocates4athletes.com.

Who We are Talking To:

Below is a partial list of the colleges that our athletes are either attending, committed to or are speaking with:

Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Cornell, Brown, University of Penn, Bucknell, Columbia, Georgetown, Fordham, Colgate ,Duke, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, Wake Forest, U Conn, Notre Dame, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Arizona, Arizona State, LMU, Santa Clara, University of Washington, Washington State, University of Oregon, Oregon State, University of Portland, Portland State, USF, USD, UOP, Davis, Gonzaga, University of Denver, University of Nevada-Reno, Sacramento State, San Jose State, Fresno State, UCSB, Cal Poly, San Diego State, LSU, Clemson, Auburn, Ole Miss, BYU, TCU, University of Utah, Saint Mary's, Montana, Montana State, Boise State, University of Hawaii, Colorado State, Northern Arizona, American University, Elon, University of Florida, University of Alabama, Rutgers, Providence, Rice, UC Irvine, Eastern Washington, Cal State East Bay, Cal State Bakersfield, Southern Utah, Stony Brook, University of Massachusetts (Boston, Dartmouth and Lowell), Sonoma State, Chico State, Cal Poly Pomona, UCSD, Humboldt State, Cal State Monterey Bay, Chaminade, Hawaii Pacific, Seattle Pacific, Dominican, Colorado Mesa University, Western States College, Grand Canyon, Dixie State, Colorado State-Pueblo, Central Washington University, Northwest Nazarene, University of Puget Sound, Tufts, Williams, Amherst, Bates, NYU, Carnegie Mellon, Kenyon, Haverford, MIT, Hamilton, Middlebury, University of Chicago, Springfield, Clark, Swarthmore, Colby, Vassar, Trinity (Connecticut and Texas), Brandeis, Claremont Mudd Scripps, Pomona Pitzer, Occidental, Redlands, Whittier, Willamette, Western Oregon, Menlo College, Washington and Lee, UC Santa Cruz, Lewis & Clark, Westmont, Azusa Pacific, Point Loma Nazarene.

A4A Parent Testimonial

of the Month

A4A was a Godsend to our Student Athlete. Steve provided invaluable guidance on the recruiting process, advice throughout and the all-important ongoing check-ins with our son. We had no idea how long and how difficult the journey of getting recruited to a Division I football program would be. Steve and A4A helped us objectively evaluate our son's potential and match his goals to achievable results. You definitely need an "Advocate" in your corner during the recruiting process - and they don't get any better than Steve and A4A. We can't thank you enough for being there for us day or night, and making it all happen. The end result of all of the hard work is that our son, Shane, committed to play DE at the Naval Academy. We are all very happy with this result and highly recommend A4A!

Steve and Tammy Artim

Interesting News From the NCAA.

Publish Date Jan 3, 20213

Breakdown of Division I rules changes

One of the key elements of NCAA President Mark Emmert's reform agenda is the deregulation of the Division I rulebook. The Board of Directors is poised to take its first votes at the NCAA Convention January 19 on a series of proposals designed to make the rules meaningful, enforceable and supportive of student-athlete success.

Over the years, the Division I manual has grown to include rules that many in the membership believe are best left to individual schools and conferences. The Rules Working Group is identifying those rules that are less national in scope and refocusing the rules-making process on a group of commitments that speak to the values and principles of Division I members.

"Some of our rules are counterintuitive, outdated and just unenforceable. They don't make sense in the world we live in," Emmert said. "We are refocusing on the things that really matter, the threats to integrity, and the biggest issues facing intercollegiate athletics."

Emmert emphasized that the goal is to shrink the manual by simplifying rules and focusing on student-athlete well-being . The following Q&A provides more details on the deregulation effort:

Why is the NCAA changing its rules?

The goal of deregulation is to protect and enhance the student-athlete experience, shift the regulatory focus from competitive equity to fair competition and allow schools to use the natural advantages of geography, a talented student-athlete or deeper pockets. Over time, the rulebook has expanded to include rules designed to limit those things. The deregulation effort hopes to shift the focus from limiting the advantages of individual schools to making sure all schools compete within the framework of the collegiate model, in which athletics competition is an integral part of the student-athlete's education.

Why focus on fairness of competition instead of competitive equity?

The current justification for rules as creating a level playing field has produced too many rules that are not meaningful, enforceable or contributory to student-athlete success. The shift to a fair competition model acknowledges that natural advantages exist between campuses that cannot - and should not - be regulated. The changes are intended to better define what fairness means in terms of eligible student-athletes, scholarships, the length of the playing and recruiting seasons, and the number of coaches. Ultimately, retaining the current rules will not impede the competitive shift.

Why rely more on campus-level policies and procedures than rules for everybody in Division I?

The Rules Working Group recognizes that some schools will be pressured to adopt policies and procedures to not place their program at a competitive disadvantage. The new rulebook would require that policies be in place in specified areas, that they address key components or campus values and that they will be followed. NCAA violations would occur if policies are not developed or followed.

When will the rulebook be reduced in size?

The deregulation process will begin this month, when the Board of Directors votes on the first round of proposals to come from the Rules Working Group. These proposals will make major changes in the way the NCAA views personnel, amateurism, recruiting and benefits for student-athletes. The working group will have a second round of concepts for membership feedback and review this spring. The result of these efforts may not necessarily be a significant smaller rulebook, but the rules will be vastly more meaningful and enforceable.

Why does the NCAA have to do it this way?

The NCAA is a membership organization. The Division I membership includes 346 schools and 31 conferences, representing a divergent group of missions, resource levels, public profile and student populations. Preserving this diversity is important to leaders within the division, and in order to do that, the working group strives to build consensus around its approach and the ultimate proposals it recommends to the Board for adoption.

How will the NCAA make sure the rulebook doesn't get back to the way it was?

Part of the Rules Working Group's goal is to develop a process by which each new piece of proposed legislation must pass a three-part test of being meaningful, enforceable and supportive of student-athlete success. The working group is taking this charge seriously and is in the early stages of developing a new process for rules-making.

What if some of the deregulation turns out to have unforeseen consequences?

The working group has proposed a two-year period in which the membership can digest the new rules. After that period, if some areas are identified in which the working group went too far toward deregulation - or didn't go far enough - changes will be considered.

Recruiting Question:

My son is a only a sophomore. How can you tell if he has the potential to play his sport at the next level and when should we start with the process?

Answer:

A number of things go into that determination. The first and foremost is Passion. Does your athlete have the passion? Not just a "like" for his sport but the deep down "I love my sport" passion that gets him shooting his 500 shots a day and all the "extra" work that it takes to play at the next level. Passion is key!!

The next thing we look at is size and the potential to grow. How tall are the parents, grandparents, what size shoe does the athlete wear, big frame? long arms? Will he come close to the college coaches specifications that are used?

Then, how good is the athlete. We always get a coaches assessment on what they think, then do our own athletic assessment . Is the athlete a starter? One of the better athletes on his team, in his league? How many points, rebounds, assists? Vertical leap, speed, quickness? All-League, All-County? Honors, records?

We then take all these and create a personalized game plan. Ego aside, we suggest what division the athlete should should go after...DI, DII, DIII, NAIA or a combination thereof.

When should the athlete start the process? That's the most common question asked. The answer is, NOW!!! There is not a right time to start, but know this - the earlier you start the better the chances. With the media blowing sports out of proportion, many high school games on TV, every college game on TV, athletes being portrayed as heroes...more and more kids want to play in college. The competition for scholarships is getting more fierce by the day. Start now! Start building relationships with coaches today...frosh, soph or junior. Don't wait another minute!

Testimonials

"We wanted to take the time and let all of you know how grateful we are to have spent the past year working with A4A.

Steve, never would I have imagined that a word, "Process" would ring so true in regard to helping our daughter navigate the NCAA/Academic institutions.

As a result of A4A's extensive knowledge, patience and understanding, our daughter Lilly will be attending and swimming at a division one school in the fall of 2013!

Your knowledge and guidance created a low stress, less worry atmosphere in our household thus allowing our family to enjoy the college journey. The consistent support and advice you provided to our daughter along the way has made her more confident and smart about her choices. The experience has taught all of us that patience, persistence and following the "Process" pays off in the end.

Thank you for believing in our daughter and for providing such a valuable and knowledgeable service."

All the very best,

~Robin and John Nelson

Redwood City, Ca

"Navigating the student athlete college recruiting path can be a daunting and confusing process. We were fortunate to have A4A's services to help with this process for our daughter who plays soccer. Steve was very professional and extremely flexible in working one-on-one directly with our daughter, while keeping us abreast of current activities. Steve was also extremely helpful in the final stages of discussions and negotiations with the top schools on our list. The process was ultimately successful in that we had several options available for our daughter to play soccer in college at both the Division I and Division II level. I would recommend A4A's services for anyone looking to get professional guidance and assistance with the recruiting and college selection process."

~John and Kim Miller

Parents of Lauren-committed to Cal Poly Pomona-Aug 2012

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"Thank you for all your guidance and help throughout this process. We couldn't have done this without you!! "

~Karen Bruneman

Mother of Brooke-committed to Lesley University-Sept 2012

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"Steve, I am a true believer in your program and in A4A and what you have done. If you remember we came to you late in the game. Bemi was a great athlete in football (All-Conference as a junior and senior) but had zero, I repeat zero, interest from any school. More importantly, he had no one helping him or telling him what he needed to do even
to have any colleges look at him.

You sat down with us over lunch, laid out a very simple game plan and then you pushed to execute it. From the basics on what to do with ensuring Bemi focus on improving his SAT scores, to making a highlight video and then mapping out the schools that fit a major that he wanted to do with his life. I was impressed by how much 1-1 time you committed to with Bemi, how you coached him on what to do, how to send the emails to the college coaches, how to talk to the coaches, and how to follow-up. More importantly, you stayed on top of everything. You have a "failure is not an option" attitude and its contagious. It is also clear to me that you really care and you work to ensure that the kids you take on are successful and get a chance at a scholarship and more importantly a future education.

As you know we just got back from a weekend trip to Western State College in Colorado where Bemi has received a scholarship offer to play football there. There is no doubt if anyone wants to go to college to be a student athlete, your program is the way to get them that visibility and a chance. I will be happy to recommend your program to anyone. Please send any doubters my way.

Thanks again for all your efforts".

~Mario Paniccia

Intel Fellow & GM

Silicon Photonics Operation

Intel Corporation

mario.paniccia@intel.com



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"When our son decided that he wanted to play sports in college, we weren't sure of how to go about getting information out to college coaches. After countless hours of searching and feeling overwhelmed by the whole process, we decided to seek help, and that is when we contacted Advocates for Athletes (A4A).

After our first session with A4A, we felt like a huge weight had been lifted. A4A gave us so much information that we would have never been able to obtain on our own. With the expert knowledge and information they provided, and the one-on-one help, it made the whole recruiting process a lot easier. A4A gave our son the confidence and tools not only to sell himself to college coaches, but a confidence that he will be able to use throughout his life.

Thanks to the great service they provide, our son has signed with a great college, and is looking forward to being a college athlete. I would recommend A4A to any high school student that is interested in playing sports at the next level. Working with A4A was one of the best things that our family has ever done."

~Mother of a former St. Francis High School Football player recruited to University of San Diego

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"We have been working with Steve Britschgi over a year since October 2010. Since the very beginning, Steve has impressed us with his very professional business skills, always on time and never cancels appointments. He proactively follows up and lets me know what is going on with my son's recruiting process. He is on top of his business.

Besides the fact that my son is learning so much about the college recruiting process from A4A, Steve really cares about my son's overall well being. My son has been getting communication back from many prestigious college coaches so his program is working. Without Steve, my husband and I wouldn't have known how to help my son in the super complicated (or somewhat mysterious) process for the college application as an athlete. Now, we have confidence on my son's future for his college prospects with realistic perspectives and down-to-the-earth approaches.

Steve is always very positive and strives to instill his own positive thinking not only to my son's sport endeavors, but also for academic performance, life-long learning effort and beyond."



~Mother of a local High School Basketball player

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"The A4A program has helped my son tremendously. My son has given a verbal commitment to Fresno State this past summer as a Junior, and has already taken an unofficial visit to the school.

The program that A4A customized for my son utilizing the Advocates for Athletes playbook has been a huge help during this crucial time in his life. If I could summarize the changes that I have noticed in his approach to everyday life, his time management would be number one. The A4A program has really helped him prioritize his day to day activities. I have noticed that he is "goal setting" much more than before and incorporating many of the strategies that Steve and my son worked on.

The program works and Steve's diligence and genuine caring for his student athletes is very apparent."

~Tom Paroubeck

Father of Senior Baseball player at Serra High School who has committed to Fresno State

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"I wanted to share with you our family's appreciation for the service that Advoctes for Athletes has provided us. A year ago the task of selecting the right school for our daughter was overwhelming. Frankly, once we met with Steve and learned about the extensive research he had done on this issue and the process he had developed based on his findings we knew we made the right choice. An important side benefit in all of this is that our daughter has taken ownership in what will become her future. It has been a great lesson in learning for our family and his deliberate approach has taken much of the anxiety out of what is an othewise difficult and complicated process. You can count us among the "advocates" for Advocates for Athletes."

~David Bartoshuk

Father of Megan Bartoshuk. Committed to Carnegie Mellon