2013 Top Tier All-American Colorado Kicking Camp

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Colorado Springs, CO- Feely Athletics and Special Teams Football Academy are excited to announce their second annual Top-Tier All-American camps. This years camp will will be held on June 22nd and 23rd at Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado. 

The Camp will be run by Tom Feely (Feely Athletics), and Chris Husby (Special Teams Football Academy).  

This camp is open to Kickers, Punters, and Long Snappers at all levels.  Our camps will be 2 days of Instruction, Drill Work, Seminars (open to parents) and Evaluation.  The Evaluations are for High School Athletes, so interested College and Middle School Specialists should register for the Afternoon "Instruction Only" segments of the camp.

Read more about the Camp & Benefits. 


Every specialist should have the tools and resources to be considered for All-American Status in high school.  This camp is unique in that it provides every kicker, punter, long snapper, and returner the top quality instruction to help them become considered for All-American Status. This camp will get players on a watch list to be considered based on their following season’s performance.Sign Up Today!

This camp is for specialists of all Skill Levels.  You don't have to be the BEST to attend.  Our highly trained staff will train even the Beginner & Intermediate level Kickers, Punters, and Long Snappers.  

Each High School Class: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior will have a set criteria that they must meet to be listed on the All American “Watch List” as they enter their upcoming football season.  Every athlete will go though a thorough evaluation assessment of the participants’ skills that will result in being listed as a highly publicized “Watch List” of Special Teams All American candidates.  (See 2012 Watch List). 

If they qualify for the “Watch List” The camp will be tracking their game by game statistics into a public database Watch List, that College Recruiters and Coaches will have access to see.  This is a great opportunity to be seen by many top programs.  At the end of the year, the top specialist from each class will be named to the EXCLUSIVE Top Tier “All American” list.(See 2012 All American Team).The watch list and finalist list will be emailed and sent to all the Division 1, 2, 3 & NAIA programs throughout the United States.

What our "About Our Camps Video"

Participants can register at TopTierAllAmerican.com and is open to any rising 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grader.  College athletes and Free Agents may also attend the camp only portion of the camp.

Our morning sessions will be player evaluations for Kickers, Punters, and Long Snappers.
Our afternoon sessions will include instruction, drill work, competition and great seminars. 

Must See areas near Colorado Springs

• United States Air Force Academy

• Coors Field (Home of the Colorado Rockies)

• Pikes Peak 
  
• Many other wildlife venues as well as state parks

We hope to see you at our Colorado Top Tier All American Kicking Camp!

-Chris Husby & Tom Feely
www.TopTierAllAmerican.com

www.TopTierAllAmerican.com

The Recruiting Labyrinth: Part 2: Becoming a Light Tower

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Have you ever been in a boat late at night, trying to find your way back to the dock and you can' t even see the shore? You know it is there, but it seems so distant and you get a huge knot in your chest for fear that you may run into some unknown object and become stranded, or sink. For most of us setting out to get that coveted college scholarship can be a lot like that. Now turn this analogy around and imagine that you are the Special Teams Coordinator for a college football program and you are given the task of finding and recruiting the best available kicker you can find and you know that your job may depend on how well that new kicker performs during gut check moments when the game is on the line.

You, the coach/recruiter may also feel like a boat in a large dark ocean looking for signs of a savior on the shoreline you can't see.  Your looking for a light tower to guide you through the treacherous waters.

As a student/athlete who desires to be that light tower guiding that coach to find you instead of any of the other thousands of guys he could discover, you need to start as early as possible to build your tower and enable it to shine brightly.

Besides the obvious, developing your skills to make yourself  competitive at a top level among your peers, you must find ways to help them see you. You must become not only visible, but stand out brightly along side your fellow competitors. it is well documented that only about 1-2 % of high school athletes get those coveted scholarships, but that does not mean that it is too difficult to try. In fact, doing things the right way, and starting those right things early on, with a plan, will increase your odds dramatically.

Some kids today are getting offers before they even reach high school. This article is not about,  or for those lucky few.  This is for the typical student-athlete who may be good enough to play college sports, but needs to get discovered first. Let's start at the beginning for that typical prospect to be.

Freshman year. while most kids are just glad to be on a team, you are not most kids. You are different because you have a dream. When Magic Johnson was asked how he got to be so good at an early age he responded that most kids he knew would pick up a basketball when there was a game. He was different because as a young kid he would go to the courts so early no one else was up yet. He would imagine himself in a very big game in the future and he would play full court basketball while imagining other players all around him. He always won his game and was always the hero. He concluded you need great imagination to go along with a great dream.

Step 1:

Build your Light Tower

Go to camps that give you quality instruction. Don't choose a college or university camp just yet, but find a great camp that will enable you to refine your skills. There are many such camps to choose from but be certain the camp you choose has a very low teacher-student ratio and that it is not a camp that is primarily taught by college kids, but by qualified experienced adult instructors. 

One to check out is the Kicking at the Lake Camp which offers a 6-1 student/teacher ratio. Also  Check out the Top Tier All American Camp, which has more to offer than most all other camps.

Most camps are for the primary purpose of getting discovered by the college putting on the camp, or colleges if it is conducted independently of a college.

If this is your intent, as a freshman or rising freshman, then this is fine, but generally speaking these camps do a lot less teaching and a lot more evaluation activities. There is nothing wrong with being evaluated as a freshman so long as you are there for that reason and that the evaluation is designed to compare you with only other freshman. In fact I recommend it as this is a great way to learn to perform under real pressure. 

One such camp that does evaluations that are based on empiracle data is the National Camp Series camps (nationalcampseries.com). They use a carefully designed mathematical system called the KIX system which was developed by measuring kickers, punters, and long snappers from all over the U.S. and Canada, using the exact same standardized testing plan. Within seconds of inputting the campers results into their web site the camper is automatically ranked nationally with others from the same graduation year. This takes the human judgement factor out of the evaluation that permeates all other similar camps. Human judgement is often influenced by the judge's  profit motives. 

The Top Tier All American Camps (see www.TopTierAllAmerican.com )

offers an National  Camp Series Evaluation, then quality instruction in the afternoon, followed by an opportunity on the 2nd day to be further tested to see if you qualify to be placed on an All American Watch List for the upcoming season.

Some Final thoughts on  Dreams and Fears:

True success is not an accident. True success starts with a dream. Realizing your dream is the  ultimate reward.  Fear is a powerful force that crushes your confidence which destroys your ability to achieve your dream. Fear changes your approach to life,  promoting you to not take chances. Fear is the enemy of your dream. Know your fears and overwhelm them with reckless abandon. Make your dream your passion and your mission. Fears will no longer exist. 

John Lennon wrote "...all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life."

- Tom Feely

www.Feelyathletics.com

www.TopTierAllAmerican.com

   

2013 Top Tier All-American Minnesota Kicking Camp

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(St. Paul, MN)-  Feely Athletics and Special Teams Football Academy are excited to announce their second annual Top-Tier All-American Kicking camps. The first camp of the 2013 season will be held on June 1st and 2nd at The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. 

Every specialist should have the tools and resources to be considered for All-American Status in high school.  This camp is unique in that it provides every kicker, punter, and long snapper the top quality instruction to help them become considered for All-American Status. This camp will get players on a watch list to be considered based on their following season’s performance.  Sign Up Today!

This camp is for specialists of all Skill Levels.  You don't have to be the BEST to attend.  Our highly trained staff will train even the Beginner & Intermediate level Kickers, Punters, and Long Snappers.

Each High School Class: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior will have a set criteria that they must meet to be listed on the All American “Watch List” as they enter their upcoming football season.  Every athlete will go though a thorough evaluation assessment of the participants’ skills that will result in being listed as a highly publicized “Watch List” of Special Teams All American candidates (See 2012 Watch List). 

If they qualify for the “Watch List,” the Top Tier All American Kicking Camp will be tracking the athletes game by game statistics into a public database Watch List, that College Recruiters and Coaches will have access to see.  This is a great opportunity to be seen by many top programs.  At the end of the year, the top specialist from each class will be named to the EXCLUSIVE Top Tier “All American” list. (See 2012 All American Team).  The watch list and finalist list will be emailed and sent to all the Division 1, 2, 3 & NAIA programs throughout the United States.

What our "About Our Camps Video"

Participants can register at Toptierallamerican.com and is open to any rising 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grader.  College athletes and Free Agents may also attend the "Afternoon Instruction Only" portion of the camp.

Read more about the Camp & Benefits:

http://toptierkickingcamp.blogspot.com/2013/05/benefits-of-our-top-tier-all-american.html
 

Our morning sessions will be player evaluations for Kickers, Punters, and Long Snappers.
Our afternoon sessions will include instruction, drill work, competition and great seminars. 

The Camp will be run by Tom Feely (Feely Athletics), and Chris Husby (Special Teams Football Academy).  This camp will also include some of the area's best instructors, Including NFL Free Agent Kicker Jordan Wettstein (U of MN) and 3x Starting Snapping Coach Ryan Coleman (U of MN).

Sign Up Here!

Must See areas in St. Paul

• Mall of America in nearby Minneapolis
• Minnesota Twins (Target Field)
• Minnehaha Falls
• Cathedral of St. Paul
• See the Famous Cherry & Spoon Sculpture at the Walker Sculpture Garden
• And Many More.

We hope to see you at our Minnesota Top Tier Camp!

-Chris Husby & Tom Feely
www.TopTierAllAmerican.com

The Recruiting Labyrinth-part 1: The Core Components

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The Recruiting Labyrinth-part 1: The Core Components

by Coach Tom Feely, Feely Kicking and Feely Athletics

In my first installment of this series on the recruiting process for kickers, punters and long snappers, titled "Recruiting Reality Changes with the Speed of Light" I discussed how technology, and social media, has changed the recruiting process dramatically, and those changes are soon to be overshadowed by even newer innovations. The trick is to take every advantage of these technological opportunities to gain an edge on the competition, but in so doing one needs to start with a overall plan.

I have had five sons of my own go through this process, and the methods and strategies I used were different for each one of them because I wanted to discover or create a better "mouse trap". I have also used what I have learned from those five experiments to help hundreds of others get discovered and eventually placed in a college football program.
 
The recruiting process, while it has some similarities with other football positions, is also quite unique from the other football positions, thus a different overall strategy is in order. I will be discussing most of the strategies that can or should be employed in a comprehensive plan for a football kicker, punter and long snapper.

First, before you set out to pursue a college scholarship, make sure you have, or  will have, the necessary skills that put you in range to compete at that level.

Often, I hear from parents and players statements that are based in myths that are not reality. Getting a scholarship, and even a walk on slot on a college team is very competitive and difficult today, especially for kickers. It is simple economics,  the supply of quality kickers coming out of the high school ranks continues to increase much faster than the demand for quality kickers by colleges. More kicking coaches are in the market training more kickers and the quality of skilled kickers has increased tenfold. To best situate yourself to be competitive I recommend these initial Core Components to a successful campaign:

1). Find a very competent kicking coach with a solid reputation and strong college connections and train with him as often as possible.

2). Become a kicker and a punter, or a long snapper who plays another position.

3). Take the most rigorous courses you can in high school and get the best grades possible.

Lets look at why these so important that I mention these three components  before any other strategies.

(1)    Find a very competent kicking coach: Since I became an Associate with the National Camp Series back in 2006, I have had the honor of meeting many great kicking coaches from around the U.S.  One thing that has resonated loudly in watching the kids perform at our camps is that the ones who perform the best in our evaluations are the kids who are trained by these coaches. These, ultimately are the same kids that get scholarships in college because their skill level  is superior to those not being trained, and their kicking coaches are helping them get placed. Coaches who are affiliated with a network, such as the National Camp Series, have the advantage of helping each other find schools for each other’s Athletes. We routinely share information about colleges we know that are looking or help each other find a home for a not yet placed athlete.

(2) Become a kicker/punter: This goes back to my economics law of supply and demand. The supply of good kickers is very high today, but the supply of good punters has not caught up yet. Most college coaches desire a combo kicker/punter guy so he can bring in or travel with fewer specialists. It is my observation that the majority of the first kids to get offered are guys who are combo kicker/punters and they are good at both.  The same principal applies to long snappers. Your stock value increases if you are capable of playing more positions than just one.  This is true for college and the pros. The guys who play several positions and are good long snappers are more likely to get scholarship offers than a long snapper is who can't play another position at that level.

3) The third of the above Core Strategies sounds like a pitch from a guidance counselor (which I am) but it still holds true for my athletes. The better your academic profile, the more opportunities you will have to be recruited. So many colleges have restrictions on who they can recruit because they have academic standards that demand well prepared student/athletes.  The better the student athlete's transcripts are the more potential colleges they will qualify for and the more one's chances of getting a great education will be.

As good friend and colleague of mine, former NFL kicker, Michael Husted, frequently points out to his student-athletes that what they are doing is "leveraging their athletic skills to get an education". That clearly puts this into perspective as we get so hung up on the trappings of this process that we lose sight of our ultimate goal; To get that college education, in order to be able to have a better life. You are using your sports skills as a tool to help make that happen.

 In part 2 of the Recruiting Labyrinth I will explore some of the ways to increase your visibility in a very large and dark ocean starting with the freshman year and working through the senior year of high school. Stay tuned for "Becoming a Light Tower"

-Tom Feely

FeelyAthletics.com
TopTierAllAmerican.com

2013 Top Tier All American Kicking Camp Schedule

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Feely Athletics and Special Teams Football Academy are excited to announce the locations for their second annual Top-Tier All-American Tryouts and camps.

This years camp will have 3 locations in St. Paul, Minnesota, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Tampa, Florida.

• The Minnesota camp will be held on June 1st and 2nd at The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. 

• The Colorado camp will take place on June 22nd and 23rd at Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, CO.

• The Florida camp will conclude on July 27th and 28th at Carrollwood Day School in Tampa, FL.

Participants can register at www.TopTierAllAmerican.com and is open to any rising 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grader. College athletes and Free Agents may also attend the camp only (afternoon) portion of the camp.

Each High School Class: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior will have a set criteria that they must meet to be listed on the All American “Watch List” as they enter their upcoming football season.  Every athlete will go though a thorough evaluation assessment of the participants’ skills that will result in being listed as a highly publicized “Watch List” of Special Teams All American candidates.(See 2012 Watch List). Every evaluated participant will receive a FREE Profile and a rating on the National Camp Series website for college recruiters to see.

Sign Up Today!

You are sure to leave the camp a better specialist, no matter your skill level!

!

If they qualify for the “Watch List” The camp will be tracking their game by game statistics into a public database Watch List, that College Recruiters and Coaches will have access to see.  This is a great opportunity to be seen by many top collegiate programs.  At the end of the year, the top specialist from each class will be named to the EXCLUSIVE Top Tier “All American” list. (See 2012 Top Tier All American Team).

Read more about the Benefits of our Top Tier Camp!

The watch list and finalist list will be exclusively emailed and sent to all the Division 1, 2, 3 & NAIA programs throughout the United States.

In addition to the camp, we'll have a number of discussions covering:

• The Collegiate Recruiting Process & Advice For It
• Importance of Strength & Conditioning
• Flexibility Training
• Mental Preparation for Specialists
• Small Player to Coach Training Ratios
• And Much More...

Early Bird Specials for all Specialists (Sign Up Here)!

Camp 1: June 1st and 2nd, 2013 at the University of St Thomas in St Paul, MN.
Camp 2: June 22nd and 23rd, 2013 at the Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, CO.
Camp 3: July 27th and 28th, 2013 at the Carrollwood Day School  in Tampa, FL

Top Tier: Register Now!

Watch our video to learn more about our Top Tier Camps!

 We look forward to seeing you at our camp!
-Tom Feely & Chris Husby

Benefits of our Top Tier All American Kicking Camp

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Thank you for your interest in attending our Top Tier All American Tryout & Kicking Camp.



The Top Tier All American Camps will be held on June 1st & 2nd in St Paul, MN, June 22nd & 23rd in Colorado Spring, CO, and July 27th & 28th in Tampa, FL.
 

This camp is open to Kickers, Punters, and Long Snappers of all skill levels.  Our three camps will be 2 days of Instruction, Drill Work and Evaluation.

Our morning sessions will be player evaluations for Kickers, Punters, and Long Snappers.
Our afternoon sessions will include instruction, drill work, competition and great seminars. 

The Evaluations are for High School Athletes, so interested College and Middle School Specialists should register for the Afternoon "Instruction Only" sections of the camp. 

More Camp Info: Here
Sign Up Today!: Register Here!

This will be a great camp and opportunity for you to showcase your abilities, but also improve individually for your upcoming season. 

 

The Camp will be run by Tom Feely (Feely Athletics), and Chris Husby (Special Teams Football Academy).  This camp will also include some of the area's best instructors.  It's a camp you won't want to miss! All Coaches at each camp have trained, competed, or coaches at a professional NFL level.

You are sure to leave the camp a better specialist, no matter your skill level!

Seminars will cover various aspects (From Industry Experts):  The College Recruiting Process, Fitness/Work out Training Tips, Nutrition/Hydration Tips, Flexibility, Video Classroom Work and much more.

All participants of our morning sessions will be run through the National Camp Series KIX charting system.  All participants will receive a bio and chart showing how you did on the NCS website.

Click here to find out more about National Camp Series.
Click here to read about the KIX Rating System

This camp is for specialists of ALL Skill Levels.  You don't have to be the BEST to attend.  Our highly trained staff will train even the Beginner & Intermediate level Kickers, Punters, Long Snappers and Returners.


Athletes that chart very well will have the opportunity to be listed on the Top Tier All American Watch List for Specialists.  There will be a Watch List for all 4 High School Classes: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors.  If your child qualifies for the Watch List, we'll be highly promoting these students to colleges of all levels.  During the football season, we'll track game stats, and at the end of the year announce of Top Tier All American Finalists.  It's a great opportunity for collegiate exposure for High School Athletes.  Read more about our Philosophy.

How does one register: Register Here!

Camp Locations:

• Camp 1: June 1st and 2nd, 2013 at the University of St Thomas in St Paul, MN.

• Camp 2: June 22nd and 23rd, 2013 at the Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, CO.

• Camp 3: July 27th and 28th, 2012 at the Carrollwood Day School in Tampa, FL.

If you have any questions please contact us at CoachHusby@gmail.com or call 651-353-2660 or Tom@FeelyAthletics.com or call 813-205-5008.


We look forward to seeing you at our camp!

-Coach Chris Husby & Tom Feely
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