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Clay Matthews listened as the University of Notre Dame spokesman explained the ins and outs of academic opportunities for prospective student-athletes.
Tours were arranged to view campus housing and the school's athletic facilities.
Ten months away from the 2007 NCAA national letter-of-intent signing day for college football, Matthews was given red-carpet treatment.
Fraternity and sorority rush weekend for parents.
As Oaks Christian School football recruits Jimmy Clausen, Marc Tyler and Matthews' son, Casey, conversed and dined with coaches, current and future Notre Dame football players and attended the spring game, their parents were on their own recruiting tour.
It wasn't like this 30 years ago.
"I remember schools sending me a ticket and traveling by myself," said Matthews, an assistant coach at Oaks Christian and former star at linebacker for USC and the Cleveland Browns.
"Kids went off on their own. Parents were just glad that someone was willing to pay for a college education."
College recruiters are not only catering to parents, they've fast forwarded the recruiting process.
Wasn't it just yesterday that area blue-chip football players like Lorenzo Booker, Whitney Lewis and Josh Pinkard were moving forward to the podium at the Ventura County Football Coaches Association's signing date luncheon to proclaim the schools of their choices?
Last Saturday, more than four months before taking the first snap for his senior season at Oaks Christian, Clausen addressed members of the media at a news conference held at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., with the news that he was verbally committing to Notre Dame for the fall of 2007.
"This is a new phenomenon to offer (scholarships) this early," said Oaks Christian coach Bill Redell.
"I remember having one guy offer early when I was the coach at Crespi and I was upset. It can be a distraction and create problems (with teammates).
"We could beat ourselves if we're not able to keep it in perspective. As a coaching staff, we will work to keep everyone's heads on straight."
The bonus of having college recruiters flood the campus in pursuit of Clausen, tailback Marc Tyler, linebacker Casey Matthews, defensive back Marshall Jones, among others, is that it has opened opportunities for other players.
"They (college scouts) end up finding Anthony Gildon, Sean Wiser and others who may not have had a chance to be seen," said Redell.
Such has been the case when other schools with blue-chip football players — Westlake, St. Bonaventure, Ventura, Camarillo, Newbury Park and Hueneme, among others — have found avenues opened for other players.
And it has a domino affect.
A scout might be in the county to talk to Ventura coach Brad Steward, who will mention the junior tailback at Moorpark or the offensive lineman at Oxnard. County coaches have been referring athletes from other schools for years in a co-op effort to benefit the student-athletes.
From backup to elite: Shane Austin's name wasn't high on the list of Ventura County quarterbacks for the 2005 season. He wasn't even Rio Mesa's No. 1 quarterback when the season began.
With only 80 varsity passing attempts to his credit, Austin competed in the Elite 11 camp recently and emerged as a rising star.
Austin was runner-up, losing in a shootout, in the competition that drew high school quarterbacks from all over the country.
Austin has been attending a Bob Gagliano quarterback camp on Sundays.
"Shane has always been an accurate quarterback," said Rio Mesa coach Bob Gregorchuk. "Now he has improved his arm strength.
"We'll see how he does in passing league this summer against different coverages. We're looking to be more balanced offensively to take some pressure away from Malachi (Lewis)."
Austin completed 65 percent of his passes for 836 yards last season.
Lewis was the area's No. 2 rusher, gaining 2,187 yards on 308 carries and scoring 24 TDs.
Lewis has been offered a scholarship at Nebraska. USC and Notre Dame have shown interest in him.
Triple effort: The Moorpark softball team pulled off a rare -8 triple play last Saturday.
With runners on first and second in the sixth inning of a 5-2 win over Arroyo Grande, Moorpark catcher Kristine Priebe caught a bunt attempt in midair. Priebe threw to first baseman Kelsey Garrett for the second out. Catherine Sampson raced in from her center field position — Moorpark's second baseman and shortstop had rotated to first and third base for the bunt attempt — to catch Garrett's throw and complete the triple play.
Source: Ventura County Star
Tours were arranged to view campus housing and the school's athletic facilities.
Ten months away from the 2007 NCAA national letter-of-intent signing day for college football, Matthews was given red-carpet treatment.
Fraternity and sorority rush weekend for parents.
As Oaks Christian School football recruits Jimmy Clausen, Marc Tyler and Matthews' son, Casey, conversed and dined with coaches, current and future Notre Dame football players and attended the spring game, their parents were on their own recruiting tour.
It wasn't like this 30 years ago.
"I remember schools sending me a ticket and traveling by myself," said Matthews, an assistant coach at Oaks Christian and former star at linebacker for USC and the Cleveland Browns.
"Kids went off on their own. Parents were just glad that someone was willing to pay for a college education."
College recruiters are not only catering to parents, they've fast forwarded the recruiting process.
Wasn't it just yesterday that area blue-chip football players like Lorenzo Booker, Whitney Lewis and Josh Pinkard were moving forward to the podium at the Ventura County Football Coaches Association's signing date luncheon to proclaim the schools of their choices?
Last Saturday, more than four months before taking the first snap for his senior season at Oaks Christian, Clausen addressed members of the media at a news conference held at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., with the news that he was verbally committing to Notre Dame for the fall of 2007.
"This is a new phenomenon to offer (scholarships) this early," said Oaks Christian coach Bill Redell.
"I remember having one guy offer early when I was the coach at Crespi and I was upset. It can be a distraction and create problems (with teammates).
"We could beat ourselves if we're not able to keep it in perspective. As a coaching staff, we will work to keep everyone's heads on straight."
The bonus of having college recruiters flood the campus in pursuit of Clausen, tailback Marc Tyler, linebacker Casey Matthews, defensive back Marshall Jones, among others, is that it has opened opportunities for other players.
"They (college scouts) end up finding Anthony Gildon, Sean Wiser and others who may not have had a chance to be seen," said Redell.
Such has been the case when other schools with blue-chip football players — Westlake, St. Bonaventure, Ventura, Camarillo, Newbury Park and Hueneme, among others — have found avenues opened for other players.
And it has a domino affect.
A scout might be in the county to talk to Ventura coach Brad Steward, who will mention the junior tailback at Moorpark or the offensive lineman at Oxnard. County coaches have been referring athletes from other schools for years in a co-op effort to benefit the student-athletes.
From backup to elite: Shane Austin's name wasn't high on the list of Ventura County quarterbacks for the 2005 season. He wasn't even Rio Mesa's No. 1 quarterback when the season began.
With only 80 varsity passing attempts to his credit, Austin competed in the Elite 11 camp recently and emerged as a rising star.
Austin was runner-up, losing in a shootout, in the competition that drew high school quarterbacks from all over the country.
Austin has been attending a Bob Gagliano quarterback camp on Sundays.
"Shane has always been an accurate quarterback," said Rio Mesa coach Bob Gregorchuk. "Now he has improved his arm strength.
"We'll see how he does in passing league this summer against different coverages. We're looking to be more balanced offensively to take some pressure away from Malachi (Lewis)."
Austin completed 65 percent of his passes for 836 yards last season.
Lewis was the area's No. 2 rusher, gaining 2,187 yards on 308 carries and scoring 24 TDs.
Lewis has been offered a scholarship at Nebraska. USC and Notre Dame have shown interest in him.
Triple effort: The Moorpark softball team pulled off a rare -8 triple play last Saturday.
With runners on first and second in the sixth inning of a 5-2 win over Arroyo Grande, Moorpark catcher Kristine Priebe caught a bunt attempt in midair. Priebe threw to first baseman Kelsey Garrett for the second out. Catherine Sampson raced in from her center field position — Moorpark's second baseman and shortstop had rotated to first and third base for the bunt attempt — to catch Garrett's throw and complete the triple play.
Source: Ventura County Star
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