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Expert: - 1/4/2008


Question
Hello, to give you a brief description about my story, I played football in high school for only a year.  The positions that I played during that time were QB and WR.  After my soph year in HS, I did not play any more and decided to focus on my school.  Fast forward 7 years and I am going to be graduating from college this may.  I am thinking about going to graduate school a year from now, and still have a strong desire for me to play the game of football.  I am 5'11 175 and my 40 is around 4.9.  So my question is in three parts.  My first question is, is it possible for a graduate student to walk on to a college football team?  Second question is, are there any football camps or football training facilities that I could go to, to train for tryouts if I could walk on?  Third, how could I get myself noticed by colleges that I want to attend and tryout for?  Thank you for your time in responding to this question.

Answer
Bob
There is no one answer to your questions.  The odds are against you of getting a scholarship and the chances of playing for a college team after a 7 year hiatus make things tough but not impossible.  There have been many grad students whom have played and several players whom have commenced their collegiate playing with little previous experience - BUT it is NOT impossible for you to make a team or to try to walk-on.

The simple answer to your questions:
1. Yes it is possible to walk on as a Grad student, but you will need to contact the compliance officer of you college and the football office.
2.  There are football camps but they are geared for high school players.  There are also private coaches who have mini camps.  What position do you intend to play?  
3.  You need to contact the coach at your school, the fact that you are a Grad Student should get you noticed.

Your desire to be on the field and to participate in the game is understandable.  Have you considered becoming an official.  We can always use good intelligent students of the game as football officials.  I began officiating after playing and continued while in law school.  It has been a very rewarding second job.  If I may suggest, contact your schools football office and set up a five minute meeting with the head coach [if you can't get a meeting send him a letter].  See if he will allow you try out in the Spring.  If you make the squad, great - just do your best and enjoy the game.  If you don't make the squad or after your playing days consider becoming a football official.  You will start learning the game and the mechanics of officiating by working high school and then working your way up the ranks from there.

Best of luck to you.
Vic Winnek
NCAA Football Official

College Football

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Vic Winnek

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Will Answer all queries RE: Rules of Football - NCAA & Federation; Officiating; Instruction on Football; Mechanics & application of rules; Setting up Instructional programs and clinics for: Officials, coaches and media; Liability Issues (Legal & Insurance questions)arising from coaching, playing, refereeing, product liability. Serve as an Consultant and Expert Witness in Football Related Matters in Tort and Contract (Standard of Care for: officials, coaches, players, assignors, BOD; Player, equipment, field & stadium Safety; Fee issues, independant contractor workers compensation. History of the College football game -its evolution. MY PURPOSE IS TO INFORM & EDUCATE FANS, MEDIA, THOSE INTERESTED IN FOOTBALL ABOUT: THE RULES, THEIR APPLICATION, PHILOSOPHIES; OFFICIATING; LEGAL ISSUES INVOLVING FOOTBALL. I WILL NOT RESPOND TO BASHING OF TEAMS, COACHES OR OFFICIALS. I will not dignify rude or disparaging comments with a response, nor entertain questions that use profanity or questions that suggest Football officials are corupt, such an insinuation is ridiculous and ludicrous.

Experience

24 years officiating High School & College football, NCAA Referee, Umpire, Back Judge & Line Judge 2 years Arena Football-substitution official Instructor of NCAA & Federation Officials, Played prep and college football; coached High School football; Athletic trainer; 23 years of instruction in Officiating Football

Organizations
Past President of Calif. Football Officials Assoc; Western Collegiate Football Officials Assoc.; CFOA-Long Beach Unit Board of Directors CFOA-South Bay Unit & Long Beach Unit, Pres. Executive Council of Calif. Football Officials Assoc.; CIF Presidents' Council on Officiating; Chairman Ethics Committee

Publications
Referee Magazine; California Football Officials Assoc. Instructor's Guide; NACC Div. 1-AA football officials' clinic; CFOA instrutional materials; Articles written: Line of Scrimmage mechanics, Forward Progress, Side Line Warnings, 2006 NCAA New Timing Rules; various instructional materials, UWLA Law Review

Education/Credentials
BA USC 1987
JD UWLA School of Law 1996
3 Years Reno Football Officials Clinic
4 Years UCLA Football Officials Camp Big 12 Mini Clinic NFL Grass Roots Clinic Aloha Clinic, Honolulu, HI West Coast Alliance Clinic

Awards and Honors
NCAA Div. 1 FCS & Div. III, 9 post season Bowl Games, play-offs, CIF Div. 1,2,3,5,8,9,10,12 Final, 10 years CIF Semi-finals, 19 years of CIF play-offs, California State High School Football Div. 1 Championship, Southern California Jr. College Championship, NCAA Div. III Semi-Final

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