Expert: Thom Brooks - 2/9/2009

Question
My son is a highschool junior, he currently weighs 230, is 6'4 and runs a 4.75, he has played DE and OL. His goal is to play college football. He has great grades and has complied with NCAA, he has gotten a lot of letters from different colleges and we have sent back information they have asked for except for highlight film, his high school coach has not sent out anything and puts off giving us any tapes that we may copy, we have bought a camera and are starting to film but since he will be entering his senior year we will not have any film until then. Do you have any suggestions about what we could do? My son will be attending several camps this summer and we are hoping that will be a benefit to him. Thanks for your time and any suggestions will be appreciated.

Answer
Jason, hello!

Contact the college and their representative can get the film from that coach.  If there is an ego problem from that coach, go to one of the rival teams.  Perhaps their coach will share the film.  Go to U-Tube and see if any teams your son has played against was taking pictures where your son's play may have been recorded.  

The coach needs to tell you why he will not release tapes.  If he fears the other team's getting an advantage, I understand.  But, only he knows the reasoning to reject you.  If he keeps control of the film but makes you a copy, there should not be a fear of losing the tapes.  

Take care,

Thom Brooks