<p>How common is what I call “sports lying” in football re: the size of players? I have already “sports lied” about my own son on this site. I said he is 6’2". He is just a shade over 6’1". I don’t feel so good about the exaggeration, but felt maybe I was just continuing an age-old tradition. A couple of years ago, I went to the AAU Basketball Championships with my middle son, then 12 years old. Every team’s roster stated that they had 2 or more 6-footers, most of whom were, in reality, 5’10" or 5’11". I think the idea was to intimidate the other teams. Similarly, I think a lot of high school (and college?) football teams add an inch or two and 20 lbs. to most of their linemen on the roster to make them seem more impressive on paper.</p>
<p>So, in all seriousness (and be honest here, please), is everyone scrupulously honest when it comes to telling college coaches how big our boys are? I know they can measure height and weight once you’re there, but will I be the only parent not enhancing reality if I’m dead-on accurate with my son’s height and weight as we begin contacting coaches?</p>
<p>hmm … reasonable question. I have a couple different questions for you … when a coach is dealing with your family do you want them to fudge answers or to be honest with you? Might there be any long-term consequences if the coach starts their relationship with your family by fudging answers?</p>
<p>Bellybones…get serious. An inch or a couple pounds makes no difference to a college coach during the recruiting process. Athletic talent, player stats, and character is what they look at. Coaches know pretty much everything about the recruits on their radar. My son is a college athlete (D1 Lacrosse), most if not all coaches that he was recruited by knew him throughout prep school and from summer camps. When you get to the money sports, they have a staff who specifically look and watch young talent, from their scouting reports only a chosen few of those recruits get passed on to a head coach for serious consideration. What you are doing or suggesting will come back to haunt your recruit during the process, so be honest and remember it’s about your son or daughter, not you !</p>
<p>Great question and absolutley true. Every player on my son’s high school and football team were listed as 2 inches taller and at least 20 pounds heavier! My son is 6’5" tall (really) and 220lbs. His coaches all list him as 6’5" tall 235- 245 llbs. He has received emails and letter from college coaches who have this information, supplied by his high school coach. It drives my son crazy. He doesn’t want to call his coach a liar and he doesn’t want to lie himself. He usually reports his corrects weight and tells them that he has been doing alot of aerobic work outs so his weight his lower than usual. It really does seem that coaches expect you to inflate your size.</p>
<p>Our student was absolutely honest about ht, wt, gpa, act, times (down to hundredths)…</p>
<p>otoh a teammate routinely lied about ht…had that teammate been that tall–our student would have been 2 inches taller…haha…
.in pics it really shows…
and college coaches can size kids up within seconds…</p>
<p>Lying hurts your kid, hs team , the hs team coaches reputation etc</p>
<p>Thanks all for the good advice. I think I was feeling guilty about already exaggerating my boy’s size here on CC. But I wanted to be sure I wouldn’t be the ONLY person being straight up with height/weight as we initiate our contact with coaches. And, @MJP2558, I think recruiting is a bit different for NESCAC football (and maybe even Ivy football) than it is for D1 LAX. I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure that the coach at Amherst and the coach at Brown have little idea as of today who they will be ultimately recruiting for their class of '16. My younger son plays LAX and I know that D1 major programs majors start paying attention a lot earlier. And I know it’s about my son and not about me (not sure where that one came from, but, gee, thanks for the important input).
For an O-lineman, there aren’t a lot of stats (actually, there are none, unless you count something goofy like “pancakes”). As some have pointed out, exaggeration is very common in football, especially among the guys on the line. Wrong, but common. In football.<br>
Best advice I got was from @3togo. You’re right…treat others as you would have them treat you.
And @Varska, thanks for the chuckle. Maybe yours is the best suggestion of them all!</p>
<p>This is incredibly common, and it is started and done by HS coaches. I was surprised this question was even asked as it seems all Coaches in our area (CT) do it… The only ones who dont are the ones who dont publish their rosters. Our coach wanted the team to look bigger and heavier on paper… Most college coaches realize this goes on, so we just told the truth on the recruiting info or when asked by coaches. and you are right Belly bones, they are not thinking about the class of 16, that real push will come over the summer and sept/oct of senior year… My sons coach at a Nescac school is still filling out this years class and even still hosting recruits and i understand that to be fairly common.</p>
<p>Not to resurrect this old thread, but I came across this informed take and thought I’d share (and for the record, we are giving height and weight in stocking feet and skivvies):</p>
<p>Glad we chose the total honesty route…thanks to all on CC for keeping us on the straight and narrow</p>
<p>We went to Bucknell Junior Day a couple of weeks ago. The first thing the boys did was sign in and get a name tag. The second thing they did was remove their shoes, get in line, and get measured and weighed! No B.S., right from the start.</p>
<p>I read a high school roster where an athlete was listed at 5’13"
She did not like claiming her 6’1" height! :)</p>
<p>Watch the coach, old school football coach always put a hand on the bicep, as they lean into a handshake. Make a sure athlete can tense that bicep while offering a strong grip
Witnessed coach eyes drifting in the conversation to the calf, hamstring, and thighs too.
A couple coaches even asked for athlete to take a start stance.</p>
<p>Author-as a 40-13 year-old man, I can sympathize with the 5’13" girl.</p>
<p>There were 100 prospects at the Bucknell camp. Sadly for Coach Susan, the day was horrendously rainy. We endured a soaking tour of the campus, but Bucknell is so pretty it looked good even in all that rain. We liked Coach Susan a lot. The indoor parts of the day were well done. However…no food. 100 hulking, hungry boys and no food. The event was scheduled for 4-7pm, then we were to have watched the spring game. Coach Susan mentioned something about tailgating with the parents of his current players, but it wasn’t really spelled out. It’s very likely that they aren’t allowed to feed the kids or it would count against an official visit? Anyway, it was so awful out that we bagged the game and got started on our 4-hour trip home in the rain a little early.</p>
<p>You are right on re: NCAA violation for giving away a sandwich.</p>
<p>Schools offer a munch for a price/couple $$ and record athlete’s name. Another way is for host to end tour at the college grill. </p>
<p>Inclement weather comes with football games.
Coach finds who wants a scholly when athlete sits in scorching sun, pouring rain or snow storm for a team when they are not even dressed to play.
This is another kind of measurable coach recruits in athletes.
Heard a coach say: What you say is important. What you do is critical.</p>
<p>Road goes both ways… no sandwich…what kind of coach doesn’t know the dinner hour of a player?</p>
<p>I think this can be true of many sports…coaches meeting our scholar-athlete would size up our athlete…I watched them check out kiddo, from sneakered feet to top of the head…Occasionally they’d ask ht/wt.
They are pretty good at sizing up an athlete, they see so many.</p>
<p>On one visit, our kiddo was out in horrible inclement weather with the coaches to see the team practice. It was expected and kiddo was happy to be with coaches for that time, they asked kiddo questions and kiddo got to see them run a practice.</p>
<p>bellybones, hahaha on the 40-13. I’m right there with ya.</p>
<p>author, I like your comment about recruits hanging in to watch practice if invited, no matter what. On one recruiting trip, the coach mentioned an “optional” early Sunday AM practice- current athletes required, recruits were optional. Her LL conversation happened immediately following this “optional” practice and I always wondered how much that small thing figured in to the overall impression she had made, and was possibly the clinching moment. Don’t skip the optional activity even if it’s raining.</p>
