GET RECRUITED FOR SPORTS SCHOLARSHIPS- football, baseball, soccer, basketball, cheerleading + more!

TAKKLE's New Twitter Page - What Do You Think?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:41:00 +0000

Follow us on Twitter HERE!

TAKKLE

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:41:00 +0000

5 What NOT to Do's During the Recruiting Process

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:24:00 +0000

In no particular order, TAKKLE has compiled a list of what not to do during the recruiting process to maximize your chances of being recruited and getting an athletic scholarship.

1. Do NOT assume that just college coaches will find you.

One of the biggest mistakes an athlete can make is thinking that just because you are a phenomenal athlete with tons of press, awards and honors, that coaches will find you. Sometimes this does happen, as the case with "blue chip" athlete Bryce Harper. However, the vast majority of athletes looking to get recruited are not on coaches' radar yet. You need to seek out coaches, not wait for coaches to find you.

2. Do NOT be passive in the recruiting process.

Too often, athletes sit back and let their high school coaches, parents, or even college coaches take control of the process. In the end, athletes who do this wind up at a school where their high school coach or parents wanted them to go, or where they fit as an athlete, but not as a student. In the end, only you can decide which school is right for you athletically, socially, fiscally and academically...and letting other people steer might drive you toward a school which isn't the best choice for you.

3. Do NOT not brag to coaches.

Athletes who have a long list of awards, accomplisments, press, publicity and honors relating to their sport are highly coveted by college coaches. As an athlete, the content on your athlete profile, or athletic resume, can make or break your college career. Do not hesitate to include every significant accomplishment on your resume. Most importantly, don't be afraid to brag a little -- tastefully, of course -- to college coaches. When speaking to them on the phone, or in person, mention recent awards you have recieved and press you've been mentioned in. Athletes who are afraid to showcase their skills will be outshined by athletes who aren't afraid to do so.

4. Do NOT break the recruitment rules.

This seems like a pretty common-sense "no-no," but you'd be suprised at how many athletes (and coaches) break the National Collegiate Athletic Association, or the NCAA's, rules during the recruiting period. For a full list of recruiting rules, visit the NCAA's website. If you break the rules your athletic eligibility could be severed, which means you could be suspended from playing sports at college for a period of time. Make sure you know the rules going into the recruitment process and make sure you follow them.

5. Do NOT not promote yourself.

Promoting yourself to college coaches is the single most important thing an athlete can do in order to get recruited. TAKKLE suggests promoting yourself through:

Hire a Recruiting Service -- they can cost anywhere from $500 to $5,000, but the best services are well worth your money and can almost guarantee you will get a spot on a college team.
Participate in AAU, Showcases, Sports Camp, Clubs and Combines -- college coaches these events specifically to recruit, so showing off your talents here can make a great impression on coaches.
Fill out Questionnaires -- when colleges send you questionnaires, it means you are on their primary recruiting list, so make sure to fill them out and return them promptly so you don't get checked off their list.
Invite Coaches to Games -- coaches want to see you in action, interacting with your teammates, and not just on highlight, skills and game videos, so invite them to your high school games and show off your skills!
Create a Recruiting Profile on TAKKLE -- an online recruiting profile on TAKKLE is the best way to promote yourself, and to give college coaches an easy way to learn about you and follow your athletic progress. Register for a free TAKKLE account, fill out your RecruitMe sheet and create a profile today to share with coaches.
Keep Your Other Websites PG-Rated -- almost everyone today ahs a facebook, myspace or personal profile page. Coaches look at those pages and will be turned off to you if you have inappropriate, illegal or provocative pictures or content. Turn your settings on private and keep everything clean.
Send Coaches Videos -- send coaches your highlight, skills and game videos so they can see your athletic talents. Make sure the videos are high quality, and that you are identified via arrows or shpot-shadowing before every play.
Build up Your Awards, Honors and Media Coverage Section on Your Resume -- for the awards and honors which you can be nominated for, or which you can nominate yourself for, do so! You want to make your awards and honors section of your athletic resume as colorful as possible. One great way to do this is to nominate yourself for Sports Illustrated Video Faces in the Crowd on TAKKLE. Another way is to ask your coaches to submit your statistics to the local press.
Get Excellent Recommendations and References -- recommendations are very important to include in your application because they give the coach the perspective of a trusted voice, preferably your current coaches, other coaches who have seen you play, your trainer, alumnus, teachers, or influential family friends.

Congratulations to Gareth Gilna, Track and Field, who is Sports Illustrated's Video Face in the Crowd this week on TAKKLE!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:52:00 +0000

Gareth Gilna, a senior at Los Alamos High, was the state Class 4A champion in the 800 meters (1:56.13), the 1,600 (4:12.60, a meet record) and the 3,200 (9:27.35). In becoming the second 4A male athlete to sweep the distance events at the state meet, he helped the Hilltoppers finish second in the team competition. Gareth, himself, finished 2nd at the 2008 New Mexico State Cross Country Meet.

Gareth calls himself a "strength runner" and believes this is due to his hometown in New Mexico, which is located largely on hilly landscape. Gareth finished second at the 2008 New Mexico State Cross Country Meet. He hopes to continue on to nationals, but says his priority will always be getting a state championship.

Such success in being recruited is a result, in part, of Gareth's TAKKLE Profile, which has allowed him to showcase his athletic skills and talents to recruiters nation-wide. To be nominated for Sports Illustrated Video Face in the Crowd on TAKKLE, create a free profile on TAKKLE.com and upload your videos. TAKKLE helped Gareth Gilna gain national recognition from college recruiters. Will you be next?

To see Ebonys Sports Illustrated Video on TAKKLE.com, click HERE!

TAKKLE's Sports Photography Contest Deadline Extended

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:23:00 +0000

TAKKLE is extending the deadline for the Sports Photography Contest to Monday, July 20. We encourage both TAKKLE users and non-TAKKLE users to submit your photographs, so tell all your friends!

The winners get national recognition from college coaches and from other athletes, as their winning picture and a short biography will be posted on this Blog, on the official TAKKLE website, and on TAKKLE's Twitter and MySpace pages!

Please submit all photos to:

Michelle Sibley, TAKKLE
MSibley@takkle.com

Got Great Sports Photos? Submit Them to TAKKLE!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:06:00 +0000

TAKKLE is holding a Sports Photo Contest for athletes with pictures of themselves, or their teammates playing sports. We are accepting artisitic photographs, action photographs and everything in between! Submissions can come from TAKKLE users and non-TAKKLE users, so tell all your friends!

The winners will have their their winning picture featured in this Blog, on Twitter, on MySpace and on the TAKKLE.com homepage under Featured Photos. Submit your photos today and get recognition from college coaches nation-wide!

Please submit all photos to msibley@takkle.com. There is no limit to the number of pictures you submit. Deadline is Monday, July 20, 2009.

Some past winning photographs:

TAKKLE and NIKE Football on YouTube!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:26:00 +0000

Every NFL player has a special pre-game routine they do before a big game. Calvin Johnson calls on every muscle he's strengthened with a rigorous yoga regimen. Adrian Peterson calls on the fuel he gets from his pregame meal of salmon and strawberry ice cream. In the big moment, NFL stars bring everything and Leave Nothing.

TAKKLE and NIKE Football want to know, what do YOU call on in the big moment? Your will? Your gear? A drill you've mastered? A move you've perfected?

Visit TAKKLE'S brand new Nike Football page, and share everything you bring to the moment. Click below to see TAKKLE's YouTube video:

Has Sports Hazing Gone Too Far?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:40:00 +0000

According to a study conducted through Alfred University, 80% of college athletes have been hazed. And almost 50% of high school athletes have been hazed.

More and more, athletes have been the object of hazing, and this abuse has been in the forefront of the news since 1980.

According to US Legal Definitions, hazing is:
"Any willful action taken or situation created which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health of another."

When people think about sports hazing, they think about the athletes being forced to binge drink, having their fat circled, or being physically beated. But there also exists hazing which is mentally and emotionally damaging, as oppose to physically damaging.

Whatever the hazing methods and types, many sports teams use hazing to put the freshman in their place, or to continue a ritual tradition which has been going on for years. Others do so simply to belittle, embarass, harass, take advantage of and abuse their teammates. This is the type of hazing which has people worried the most; the type which is vengeful and cruel without reason.

It is important to remember, however, that no type of hazing is legal, and can have serious ramifications for both teammates and coaches, even if they did not directly participate. Knowing about it and not reporting it makes you equally guilty as those who participated.

However, why do athletes still participate in hazing others, and condone others to haze them? Why do athletes believe that being hazed and hazing others is an acceptable way to welcome new members onto a team? Many insist, suprisingly, that hazing brought them closer together with their teammates. What do YOU think? Can hazing ever be a good thing?

Email your responses to: msibley@takkle.com and your voice could be featured in the next blog, and on TAKKLE.

* * *

ESPN has compiled an extensive list of many incidents of hazing on high school and college sports teams since 1980. To learn more about hazing, and to view that list, click HERE.

If you have heard about, witness or been directly involved in hazing of any kind, be sure to report it to your high school or college police immediately.

Congratulations to Ebony Eutsey, Outdoor Track, this Week’s Sports Illustrated Video Faces in the Crowd on TAKKLE!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:26:00 +0000

Congratulations to Ebony Eutsey, from Miami Southridge High, who is Sports Illustrated's Video Face in the Crowd this week on TAKKLE!

A junior at Miami Southridge High, Ebony won the 400 meters at the Nike Outdoor Nationals with the fastest time (52.07) in the nation by a high school female this year. She also won the Florida Class 4A 400 title (52.68) for the third consecutive time and the 200 (24.06) for the second time in three years.

Ebony has been a state champion for three years and is America's fastest girl scholastic 400-meter runner, with a time of 52.42. She is ranked #1 in the nation in 400m & 12th in the 200m, is a State Champion 4A class in (2x)200m and (3x)400m, an All American 07-09 Dairy Farmers Track Athlete of the year, and a Gatorade Athlete nominee

And NCAA D-I coaches and recruiters are certainly taking notice of those accomplishments! "Everybody from Southern California to to LSU to Notre Dame to Columbia to Georgetown, along with all the top schools in Florida where track and field is a biggest-time activity, are beginning to extend invitations" (flrunners.com).

Such success in being recruited is a result, in part, of Ebony's TAKKLE Profile, which has allowed her to showcase her athletic skills and talents to recruiters nation-wide.

To be nominated for SI's Video Face in the Crowd on TAKKLE, create a free profile on TAKKLE.com and upload your videos. TAKKLE helped Ebony Eutsey gain national recognition from college recruiters. Will you be next?

To see Ebonys Sports Illustrated Video on TAKKLE.com, click HERE!

Football VS. Rugby

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:31:00 +0000

Which is tougher? Which is more physically demanding? Which is more dangerous?

Wikipedia calls rugby the most "physically punishing of any team sport." Players sprint for a total of 80 minutes, with only one break at half time. The objective of the game is to score "tries" by passing the ball backwards and sprinting forward. No padding or protective gear is worn, except for mouthpieces, and players tackle low on the body to drive their ball-carrying opponents backwards.

Football, on the other hand, is more commonly known in America. Instead of two 40 minute halves, there are four 15 minute quarters, during which there are several breaks. Protective equiptment, such as helmets, are worn.

Such is the reason that many people assume rugby is tougher than football: because football players wear padding and protection and "ruggers" don't.

However, according to the former president of the American College of Sports Medicine, Lyle J. Micheli, MD, because of their padding, football players "have more of disregard for the safety of [their] head, neck, and shoulders when tackling." Football players are taught to tackle using their heads and neck, which can be dangerous.

Rugby players, on the other hand, are taught to tackle low, using their arms by wrapping the opponents' legs together until he/she falls. It is because of this "safer" tackling technique that Micheli supports his research in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, which found that "compared to football, the incidence of injury in rugby is quite low (10 percent in American club rugby compared to 52 percent in NCAA college football)."

Still, it is hard to ignore the sheer rage which rugby players encompass. They use only their bodies to protect the ball, not shoulder pads and helmets. And most rugby players agree. They can't imagine how getting teeth embedded into your forehead, getting kicked in the face with your opponents cleats, getting taken out of the game because you're bleeding too much, and getting the wind knocked out of you every few minutes isn't "tough."

Tell us what YOU think in the TAKKLE forums. Which one is tougher? Football or rugby?

NIKE Wants to Know: What Do You Bring to the Moment?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:15:00 +0000

4th and inches. Overtime. A goal-line stand. LT calls on his trainer's playing card drill for mental acuity. Calvin Johnson calls on every muscle he's strengthened with a rigorous yoga regimen. Adrian Peterson calls on the fuel he gets from his pregame meal of salmon and strawberry ice cream. In the big moment, they bring everything and Leave Nothing.

What do you call on in the big moment? Your will? Your gear? A drill you've mastered? A move you've perfected?

Upload your own videos on TAKKLE'S brand new Nike Football page, and share everything you bring to the moment. Click Below.

The Internet's Best Sports Videos

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:58:00 +0000

Archery- Archery Trick Shot: Mini Aerial Coca Cola
Baseball- Best Baseball Catch Ever, MLB.com Top 10 Great Plays of the Week
Basketball- NBA Basketball: Top 10 Best Dunks Ever
Diving- World Record Highest Dive
Equestrian- Crazy Horse Jumping 2 (best clip at 00:55 seconds)
Fencing- Fencing Sabre
Football- NFL Best Catches Ever
Golf- Tigers Woods Signature Shots
Gymnastics- Damien Walters Gymnastics Showcse '06
Ice Hockey- The Best Hockey Fights Ever; Alexander Ovechkin
Lacrosse- Best of Lacrosse
Rugby- All Blacks Haka, Huge Rugby Hits!!!
Skiing/Snowboarding- Whistler Ski Jumping
Soccer- Top 10 Soccer Tricks
Softball- A League of Their Own: Part 8
Tennis- Best Tennis Highlights Part 1
Volleyball- Best Spiker
Wakeboarding- What a Night
Wrestling- My Sports Illustrated Video

Got a cool sports video? Email it to msibley@takkle.com and get featured on TAKKLE.com and in the TAKKLE Blog!

TAKKLE Taking Over Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:04:00 +0000

With TAKKLE's booming partnership with the NCSA and Sports Illustrated, the website designed to network high school athletes with college coaches and with other athletes is taking over the world of recruiting...on Twitter! In the past 25 days, TAKKLE's Twitter following has increased by a whopping 310% percent.

"Such a high following is a testament to their great tweets," says Beth Jacobson, an active TAKKLE athlete. "The tweets are always about things that high school athletes are interested in, whether it's an inside look at the recruiting process, free giveaways or links to really interesting sports news articles."

More TAKKLE athletes agree. The 6'5", 198-pound shooting guard, Eric Flynn, says: "Following TAKKLE is definately the best thing I've done to help myself during the recruiting process. Their tweets are filled with helpful advice to get you noticed by coaches." Flynn dreams of playing basketball for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels in the future.

TAKKLE's Twitter updates, or "tweets," disclose information about the recruiting process, high school, college and professional sports news, how to get noticed by college coaches and recruiters, TAKKLE news, free giveaways, tips to getting sports scholarships, how to get nominated to Sports Illustrated Faces in the Crowd, and more!

And as if you need more of an incentive to follow TAKKLE on Twitter, once TAKKLE gets 1,000 followers, a free TAKKLE Prize Pack will be given away to a random follower at that time. Help TAKKLE reach that milestone and follow us today!

NY Yankees' Mariano Rivera's 500th Career Save

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:33:00 +0000

Only two MLB players have ever had the honor of 500 career saves; one of them being NY Yankees relief pitcher Mariano Rivera.

Panamanian born Rivera, nicknamed "Mo," or "The Great Mariano" reached this milestone during the Yankees-Mets game on Sunday 6/28.

With a colorful athletic resume, including four world champion rings, it is no suprise that the Yankees' 39-year-old RP has made baseball history.

In addition to his rings, Rivera's record-breaking baseball career includes: the second-most saves in Major League history, the 15th best career ERA of all-time among pitchers with 1,000 innings pitched, winning the American League Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award four times, 9 saves in a world series, 34 saves in the October post-season, being named All-Star nine times, 50 game saves in a season twice, 40 game saves in a season six times and 30 or more game saves in a season eleven times.

Rivera will be the last MLB player to wear the number 42, which was retired twelve years ago in honor of Baseball Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson.

"So lets call him what he is: "The Great Mariano. The greatest closer of all time." - Tim Kurkjian, ESPN.

For ESPN's Sports Center video on Rivera: CLICK HERE!

How The Cheerleader Became Sexy

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:56:00 +0000

When people think of cheerleaders, their mind wanders to pretty girls with short skirts, midriff-revealing shirts and sexy dance moves. The cheerleader, in fact, is an American icon of popularity, beauty and sexuality. However, cheerleaders weren't always sexy. In fact, the first cheerleaders wore long sleeves, long pants and bowties...they were males!

It wasn't until 1923 that the first woman became a cheerleader, and at that point, the sport began its transformation. The first female cheerleaders wore turtleneck sweaters and long skirts. They didn't wear revealing outfits, let alone dance or perform stunts in a provocative manner, but instead, they lead the crowd in organized cheering for college sports.

It wasn't until 1960, when the NFL's Baltimore Colts (now the Indianapolis Colts) hired models to be cheerleaders for their football games, that cheerleading transformed sports into sports entertainment. In 1972, when the models proved to be too "dainty" for the harsh weather conditions, Tex Schramm, the General Manager of the Dallas Cowboys, hired 7 dancers to "lead the crowd." Eventually, college and high schools followed, perpetuating the notion of cheerleaders are entertainers.

With the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders leading the way, the skirts became shorter and the shirts became tighter. The uniform change had two purposes: 1) to entertain the crowd and 2) to allow for dance, gymnastics and athletics to be fully incorperated into cheerleading.

And thus....the modern, SEXY cheerleader:

Most Gruesome Sports Injuries Ever

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:58:00 +0000

Everyone knows that playing sports, especially at the competitive level, has its dangers; anything from sprained ankles to broken bones. The following is a countdown of the most gruesome of the more serious injuries in sports history. Please comment if you have suggestions for other injuries which should be added to the list.

1986 - All Black's Wayne "Buck" Shelford's scrotum was torn during a rugby game, leaving one testicle hanging out.

1989 - NHL Sabers goalie Clint Malarchuk's jugular vein was slit by a hockey skate.
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1989 - Julio Castillo impales himself on a fence while trying to catch a baseball in Queens, NY.

2000 - Boston Red Sox pitcher Bryce Florie took a line drive to the face which resulted in much blood, several broken bones and a small loss of vision. Can you guess what team the Sox were playing? The NY Yankees of course!

2007 - Edgar Andrade's ankle twisted 90 degrees when he broke it at the National Soccer Tournament in Mexico City, Mexico.

2008 - Housten reciever Patrick Edwards broke his leg when he ran, full-speed into a metal cart in the endzone, smashing his shin and shattering his leg.

How To Get Nominated to Sports Illustrated on TAKKLE

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:15:00 +0000

TAKKLE partners with the infamous Sports Illustrated to sponsor an SI Video Face in the Crowd athlete on TAKKLE.com. Every week, one very special athlete is nominated to hold this very coveted honor.

Why is being an SI athlete on TAKKLE so great?
If you are looking to get recruited to play your sport in college, whether you are striving to play at a top Division I school or a small Division III school, you need a colorful athletic resume. You need to prove to college coaches that you are something special and you have to properly showcase your unique athletic skills and abilities.

An essential on every athletic resume is a colorful 'Awards and Honors' section. You can't just have impressive statistics to get noticed by college coaches. You need honorable mentions from big names like Sports Illustrated....which is where TAKKLE comes in! TAKKLE offers its registered athletes a chance at getting nominated to be a Sports Illustrated Video Face in the Crowd, a unique honor which will make any college coach take notice of you.

The SI athlete's headshot and athletic accomplishments are showcased in the Sports Illustrated Magazine, on SI.com and on TAKKLE.com.

Now that you understand why being an SI athlete on TAKKLE is essential to your athletic future, I will explain to you exactly how you can become TAKKLE's next SI athlete in three simple steps:

1. Register for a free TAKKLE account. Fill out your RecruitMe sheet with essential statistics and any personal information you want to share. Upload your profile picture.

2. Under the "FEATURES" tag, click on the "SI Faces" link which will take you to the Sports Illustrated Video Face in the Crowd page on TAKKLE. Click "Upload Video" to upload your highlight video to TAKKLE. If the link isn't working, please email Janine at: jloffredo@takkle.com.

3. Once you have uploaded your video to TAKKLE, you are eligible to be nominated as a SI athlete. To get other TAKKLE athletes to vote for you, direct them to your profile page and ask them to click "VOTE FOR ME," located at the bottom lefthand part of your profile. To get a non-TAKKLE athlete to vote for you, invite your friends to join TAKKLE.

If you are chosen, not only will your picture, statistics, TAKKLE profile and highlight video be displayed on the Sports Illustrated Website, on the TAKKLE website and in the TAKKLE Blog, but also it will be featured in the pages of the Sports Illustrated magazine!

Know a good candidate for SI Faces in the Crowd who'se not on TAKKLE? Nominate them HERE!

Congratulations to Nicole D'Argento, Softball, this Week’s Sports Illustrated Video Faces in the Crowd on TAKKLE!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:02:00 +0000

Congratulations to Nicole D'Argento, from Ashland High, who is Sports Illustrated's Video Face in the Crowd this week on TAKKLE!

As a senior pitcher, Nicole finished the season with a 62–0 career record after throwing her 14th no-hitter to lead the Ashland Clockers to their second straight state Division II title. This year she was 25–0 with an 0.28 ERA and led the team in batting average (.703), home runs (13) and RBIs (48).

The two-time Massachusetts Softball Gatorade Player of the Year has been recognized in myriad press, including the Milford Daily News, The Boston Globe, and The Boston Herald. According to Lenny Megliola at the Milford Daily News, Nicole is easily "the best pitcher in the state."

In addition to her honors at the Gatorade Player of the Year, Nicole has also been on the cover of EPN Rise Magazine, and has been named the three-time Boston Globe All-Scholastic selection, the three-time Boston Herald All-Scholastic, MVP, three-time TVL All Start, and three-time TVL.

It's no suprise Nicole was heavily recruited by some of the most promising softball programs in the country. In his 37 years of coaching baseball and softball, Coach Dennis Baker hasn't "seen a female athlete better than D'Argento." Ashland Clockers catcher Kristen Giombetti agrees. "She brings the heat," Giombetti says. Nicole is promised to Boston College for the fall of 2009.

Nicole's TAKKLE profile has allowed her to showcase her athletic skills and talents to college coaches and recruiters nation-wide. To be nominated for SI's Video Faces in the Crowd on TAKKLE, create a free profile on TAKKLE.com and upload your videos.

TAKKLE helped Nicole D'Argento gain national recognition from college recruiters. Will you be next?

To see Nicole’s Sports Illustrated Video on TAKKLE.com, click HERE!

Last Week's Sports Illustrated Video Face in the Crowd on TAKKLE Attracting Online Publicity

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:01:00 +0000

Last week's Sports Illustrated Video Face in the Crowd on TAKKLE, Hannah Willms, is receiving much online publicity for her extraordinary talents.

A double-sport athlete of volleyball and track and field, Ms. Willms was nominated on TAKKLE.com for her success in the latter. (click here for last week's blog on Hannah Willms SI nomination)

Of her recent online publicity on sites such as DesMoines Register, The Iowa Sports Connection and Iowa Prep Sports, Willms says, "it's really exciting." But such publicity is to be expected for Sports Illustrated athletes, who are revered for their unique skills, talents and their promising futures.

Even more exciting to Willms is her SI nomination on TAKKLE. Her athletic profile, which was initially created for the dual purpose of attracting the attention of college coaches and networking with fellow athletes, is now acting a porthole to Willms' athletic success as a top track and field prospect.

“I had no idea that someone even nominated me for [Sports Illustrated Video Face in the Crowd],” Willms commented. But now that she has been nominated, it can only be expected that online publicity will only be the beginning of her athletic success.

"TAKKLE's athletes, especially those nominated for SI Video Face in the Crowd, are special," commented Andrew Guigno of TAKKLE. "They often have enormous success attracting national attention from coaches and colleges of their choice. I have no doubt that Willms will follow in a similar path to success."

To be nominated for SI's Video Faces in the Crowd, create a free profile on TAKKLE.com and upload your videos.

To see Hannah’s Sports Illustrated Video on TAKKLE.com, click HERE!

NCSA's Most Popular Recruiting Articles

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:48:00 +0000

TAKKLE's partner, the National Collegiate Scouting Association, or the NCSA, hosts a Recruiting Education Blog which covers high school and college sports news, advice for promoting yourself to college coaches, how to get sports scholarships, how to get recruited, recent changes in the NCAA rules, and more.

And with the NCSA boasting a 90% success rate of their athletes playing in college, you can bet the information coming from the NCSA is valuable, correct and up-to-date.

In 2008, there were 10 blogs which were the most popular, the most viewed and the most helpful to student athletes and their families:

1. What Happens If You DON'T Get a Call on July 1st?
July 1st is a very important date for high school juniors and especially seniors.

2. 3 Things Parents Should Do
Exactly how parents can help their kids through the recruiting process.

3. 10 Questions to Expect From a College Coach
You don't want to be caught unprepared when a college coach calls you!

4. 5 Ways to Give College Coaches What They Want
How to maximize your chances of getting recruited by giving coaches what they want.

5. Ways to Get Crossed off a College Coach's List
Inside look at why college coaches make certain decisions and how you can avoid getting the boot!

6. 5 Types of Questions you Need to Ask a College Coach
Asking the right questions can not only provide you with useful information, but it can also give the coach a good or bad impression of you.

7. What Should You Do With Your Highlight / Skills Video?
Advice from 6 top recruiting coaches about the step-by-step process vital to effectively promoting yourself to college coaches.

8. Why You Need to Talk to Your High School Coach ASAP
Why a bad or distant relationship with your HS coach could hurt your relationship with potential college coaches.

9. Behind the Scenes of College Recruiting
Takes you into the "War Room," where coaches make all their decisions, with expert and former D-I Recruiting Coordinator, Coach Taylor

10. Why Spring Break can Make (or Break) Recruiting
What you should be doing next Spring Break instead of wet t-shirt contests.

For more information on recruiting, follow us on Twitter, and visit our website.

What Do YOU Want Us to Blog About?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:38:00 +0000

Have a question about getting recruited, sports scholarships and high school/college athletics? Need advice or help getting noticed by college coaches and recruiters? Want to discuss issues, news and topics relating to sports and athletes? Interested in a topic we haven't blogged about yet?

Tell us what YOU want TAKKLE to write about, and we blog about it! Submit blogging requests to: msibley@takkle.com. Be sure to include:

1. Your first and last name
2. The sport you play
3. If you have a TAKKLE profile (if not, you can register for free HERE)
4. What you would like us to blog about

Is Cheerleading a Real Sport? Which Detroit team is going to have the toughest time economically? NEW Polls on the Blog!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:15:00 +0000

Is cheerleading a real sport? Which Detroit team is going to have the toughest time economically? Give us your opinion through our NEW TAKKLE polls, located on the gray sidebar on the righthand side of our blog. ------->

NIKE Football on TAKKLE.com

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:04:00 +0000

TAKKLE is partnering with NIKE Football to find out: what do you bring to the moment? As a high school football player, what do you call on in the big moment? Your will? Your gear? A drill you’ve mastered?

Vikings' runningback Adrian Peterson writes out his game goals so he can visualize them. LT of the San Diego Chargers eats a steak the night before every game. What do you do?

TAKKLE has created a group where you can share what's in your toolbox, and what you bring to the moment to succeed.

Register for free, upload your own videos, and share what you bring in the NIKE Football group on TAKKLE.com.

TAKKLE is Now on MySpace!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:44:00 +0000

TAKKLE is now on MySpace! Check out our new-and-improved MySpace profile HERE!

Why friend us?
1. See everything we post on TAKKLE Twitter instantaneously through our Twitter feed
2. Be the first to find out about giveaways, sweepstakes and TAKKLE prizepacks
3. Learn how to get recruited and how to get a sports scholarship
4. Find out all about our brand new NIKE Football group on TAKKLE (more on this in tomorrow's blog)

So what are you waiting for? Friend us on MySpace and GET DISCOVERED!

What College Coaches Want to See on your Athlete Profile

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Sibley) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:05:00 +0000

According to CaptainU, there are 5 things that every high school athlete who is serious about getting recruited should put on his/her athlete profile web page:

1. Pictures
2. Recruiting Event Schedule
3. Updated Academic Info
4. Athletic History
5. Recommendations

While TAKKLE certainly agrees with CaptainU, we have taken it upon ourselves to go into even more detail about the information you share with college coaches and recruiters on your athlete profile web page.

The below information is taken directly from TAKKLE's new E-Book about how to get recruited. The E-Book is currently still being finalized and therefore the below information is not available ANYWHERE but here:

On your TAKKLE profile, you should include as much of the following information as you see fit and/or relevant to your sport and your skills as an athlete. Organize your information into basic categories on your web page, such as Academic Information, Athletic Information, Awards and Honors and Basic Information.

1. Full name
2. Gender
3. Height and weight
4. Address
5. Personal email
6. Home and/or cell phone numbers
7. Sport
8. High School and graduation year
9. Goals for college athletics
10. Contact information for coaches and parents
11. One to two headshot
12. Five to ten action photographs which highlight your skills as an athlete
13. Highlight video, skills video and game video clearly labeled
14. Local press (videos, photographs, articles)
15. Athletic resume
16. Recommendations
17. Statistics
18. Academic information
19. SAT/ACT scores
20. Training log
21. Teams (club, high school, AAU, etc..)
22. Team accomplishments and awards
23. Individual accomplishments and awards
24. Jersey number
25. Games played
26. Games started
27. Game, tournament and showcase schedule
28. Position

To create a free TAKKLE profile and showcase your skills and unique athletic abilities to college coaches and recruiters nation-wide, create a free TAKKLE account HERE! And remember, always turn to TAKKLE for your recruiting needs!