The Athlete's Resume
Create a Highlight Tape to Separate from the Pack
Your highlight tape is your resume.
It is your hook and you must put it together with that in mind.
This is the best presentation of yourself; what will make a coach want to see more of you.
Or less.
At the end of the day, the performance that is showcased on the film is the most important part of your highlight tape.
Improving that performance and increasing the amount/level of highlight plays you are producing per game are not something that can be covered with a "how-to" guide.
That can only be done by improving your skills, understanding of the game, and overall playmaking ability.
However, we see many error's being made in one's highlight tape that can frustrate the viewer and turn them off from wanting more.
This guide will help you ensure that your skill level, and nothing else, is the focus of your highlight tape.
First, let's think back to the factors that determine a young athlete's placement at the next level.
You are making the highlight tape because you have the desire to play at the next level.
Your tape will showcase your skill.
Ht/Wt and grades should always accompany your film.
If you do not have great ht/wt, it is ok to leave it out, but the more info you can provide to let the coach know you are worth watching, the better.
Grades are important because the coach needs to know he is not wasting his time with an ineligible player.
Let's add another layer to athletic ability, because it is worth mentioning on it's own...
...speed kills.
If you are fast, showcase that with your film. If you are not fast, do NOT showcase that with your film.
Also, note that there are 3 governing ideas to always consider when you are putting together your highlight tape:
Where do you host your highlight tape?
Hudl. For a young football player, it is as simple as that.
Hudl is a massively successful company; it has the trust of every college coach and is used by nearly every high school football program in the country.
This means that nearly every high school athlete is on their platform.
A football coach expects your film to be on Hudl, and a Hudl page and highlight is all you need as a young football athlete.
If you do not have a Hudl profile, post your film on Youtube and then talk to your head coach, boosters, and teammates to get your team on Hudl.
The Intro
The coach clicked “Play” to watch you play ball.
That means you want to get to your game film as soon as possible.
Your intro page will simply give context. Include your name and what the film is. (i.e. Junior Season, Senior Mid-Season, etc.)
A single still photo can help if it shows off a college level body type.
You want your film rolling ASAP!
Keep your highlight tape clean
Want to know how to frustrate the viewer? Waste their time.
Additional still photos, excessive time before the snap of the play, and keeping the film rolling during a play that drags on are all wastes of time.
Cut that out. You want big play after big play.
Also a waste of time? Using the same play twice, but with two different camera angles, just to make your tape longer.
If you think a college coach, who watches film more than he sees his own kids, is not going to notice, you are wrong.
Lastly, your tape does not need to be longer than 3 or 4 minutes. If they like what they see, they will want to see more. If they don't like the first minute, they likely won't watch the rest anyway.
Game tape only!
This is football. While athletes of some sports can showcase important skills for their specific sport with drills and practice, football is all about game film.
The violence, complexity, and anxiety that comes in a football game cannot be recreated anywhere else.
Keep your film limited to game film only.
If you do not yet have game highlights your focus needs to be on improving that situation!
Earn that starting role! Become a better ball player.
If you can show speed against competition, use that. Otherwise, nothing other than game film is valuable for your recruiting process until you get some highlights.
Make it easy to watch.
We see this far too often.
The coach is looking for you. Highlight or circle yourself BEFORE THE SNAP.
Post-snap is chaos. Do not highlight yourself right before you think your big play occurs. The coach wants to analyze what you do the entire play.
Highlighting post-snap is a key way to frustrate the viewer and make them think,
“Shut this thing off!” Even if you are balling out....it is still frustrating.
Film angles are also HUGE.
There is the WIDE camera view (the one from the press box)
And there is the ENDZONE view (the one from the endzone)
Certain positions call for certain camera angles to properly showcase the strengths and deficiencies. The endzone view often brings the most clarity.
For QB, RB, WR, LB, K, P, LS, DB the ideal angle is generally sideline view camera angle. (the higher the camera, the better)
For OL, DL the endzone camera angle works best. This often applies to LBs as well. (This can be situational though we would have to look at the film, position and player to properly advise.)
Camera Angles are Important!
Here is a great example why! (Volume on)
Kolt was an offensive lineman in our program at AthleticOutlook who did not have the proper angle. Listen to our coach's experienced advice.
Make it easy to find.
A pinned tape is the first thing a college coach will see when he visits your profile.
You want to make it the easiest thing in the world for a college coach to view your most up-to date film.
Create your highlight tape, keep it up to date and ensure it is pinned!
This is what it should look like on your profile. This ensures it is the first thing a college coach sees when he visits your profile.
Have substance
What plays do you include?
Average, mundane plays need to be avoided at all costs.
You want plays showing you BEATING YOUR OPPONENT in the 1-on-1 battle. 1-on-2? 1-on-3? Even better.
Big time, game changing plays only.
Is an ankle tackle a highlight? No. Stopping a runner in his tracks in the open field and driving him backwards sure is.
Your first 5 plays are the most important, by far. Do not segment your tape by position.
Choose the top 5 plays that show your athletic abilities and your ability to create game changing moments.
Show yourself stopping, starting, and changing direction faster than the competition and you will make them want to see more of you.
If you put long runs, make sure you are putting distance between you and those chasing you. No coach likes to see a recruit getting chased down in high school.
Want more/bigger highlights? We've got your back.