Highlight Video Tips
Lee McDonald
Article posted on 12/27/2008

If you want to play college football, making sure you have a good highlight tape or DVD is very important. Send film to your top schools and be sure to communicate to your head coach your desire to play college football. Provide your high school or JUCO coach with plenty of copies of your highlight film, and tell him to give it to any college coach looking for a kicker, punter or long snapper. Use these tips as a guide:

1. Keep your tape to 3-4 minutes with your best kicks first. Most coaches will not watch the whole tape so your best chance to get their attention is in the first 30 seconds! Additional footage playing other positions is ok to show your athleticism.

2. Emphasize kicks with great height, placing less emphasis on distance. Shoot for a minimum 3.5 hang time on kickoffs and 4.0 hang time on punts. Never include line drive field goals or extra points, as these kicks will get blocked at the college level! Long snapping prospects should strive for long snaps under 0.8 seconds for DI consideration.

3. Eliminate all huddle shots, kicker steps etc. Making your tape move fast is vital. Do not waste a coach's time by making him watch unneeded footage!

4. Add 8-10 practice field goals off the ground at the end of your tape to show coaches you are ready to compete at the college level!

5. Clearly label your tape with your name, high school, graduation year, address, phone, e-mail, GPA, Test Scores, Head Coach's Name and Phone.

6. Use digital video for the best quality and clarity, as coaches will not evaluate poor footage. Mini-DV or Mini-DVD cameras work great and are very affordable.

7. Do not go overboard with graphics and music. After a brief introduction, showcase your best kicks only, and do not add unnecessary 'fluff'.

8. Have someone shoot your pre-game warm-up for extra footage. You never know how many kicks, punts or snaps in a game you will get. Have extra film as a backup.

9. Always have your best overall complete game tape ready to go if a college coach asks for one. Some coaches will want to see more than a scripted highlight film.

10. Post footage online on YouTube so you can e-mail a link to your online video profile, and update coaches on your progress. Coaches will not have to search for your tape when you contact them.

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