1. When I was a high school player I attended an exposure camp that used videotape. Basically, infielders were taped at their primary position with balls hit to them by a coach. Basically, moving left, right, pop flies and of course double plays and other defensive situations. Outfielders were placed at their primary position, throwing to the bases, to cutoffs, and again moving left, right, back and judging different fly balls. Pitchers threw to catchers with the camera behind the pitcher. Basically throwing to different locations, different pitches with simulated counts(1-2 pitch, 3-1 Pitch). Everybody was videotaped hitting with the camera to the batters. The camera was on the opposite side, not filming the distance of each hit, but rather the batters mechanics, bat speed, etc. Included in each players profile was time running the 40. Pitchers velocity was measured by radar gun, and comments made about each player and a rating given.

2. Here are some things that are helpful to me with evaluation tapes...

HITTING

- 15-20 swings (10 from side view; 10 from either behind home plate

or from behind the mound)

- I look to see a lot of mechanical things from the side view.

- I look to see how the ball comes off the bat and the hitter's

ability to use all fields from the other view.

PITCHING

- 15-20 pitches (10 from side view; 10 from either behind home plate

or from behind the mound)

- pitcher should throw all of his pitches

- about half of the pitches should be from the windup; the other half

should be from the stretch

- it's helpful sometimes to show the radar gun reading on the video

after each pitch

CATCHING

- 10 pitches framed (from view behind pitchers mound)

- 10 pitches blocked

- 5-6 throws/pop times to second base (best camera angle for this is

from either behind second base or from behind the catcher)

- it's helpful sometimes to show the pop time reading on the video

after each throw to second base

INFIELDERS

- 3-4 ground balls directly at fielder

- 3-4 ground balls to glove side

- 3-4 ground balls to back hand side

- 2-3 slow rollers

- important to show all footwork on these

- if there's a way to show throws on some, that's helpful as well

- for middle infielders, important to show 5-6 feeds and 5-6 pivots

on double plays

OUTFIELDERS

- 3-4 routine fly balls

- 3-4 fly balls over head

- 1-2 fly balls to either gap

- throws to home plate (from view behind home plate)

1.The things that we look for in a highlight tape or DVD at the DI level are at least a half of the person's best game, some highlight clips, and a full game against a quality opponent.

2. As a women's basketball recruiting coordinator, I prefer to watch an actual game film rather than a highlight tape. Most kids look great on highlight tapes, but I like to see their weaknesses as well as strengths. A full game tape is more beneficial in evaluating a player's game.

3. We like to see about 5 minutes of highlights and then 1 or 2 full game films. In the highlight clip I want to see his range of skills offensively and defensively. For example if the player is a guard I would like to see if he can shoot from 2, shoot from 3, his ability to put the ball on the floor, can he break a guy off the dribble, and if he can handle the ball in the full court? Then can he defend another guard on the wing and in the full court. Two or three clips of each are sufficient.

4. We like to see a short highlight film to grab our attention. Don't just make it scoring however. Obviously, every shot you take on a highlight film is going in. A little of that is necessary, but we want to see all aspects of the game. Offensively we need to see dribbling, passing, and hustle. Defensively we like to see steals, taking charges, and all out hustle as well. The highlight film is necessary to grab our attention and warrant a further look.

Coaches like to see flaws too. After the highlight portion, put one good game against quality opponents. I would rather see a good game against great competition than a great game against poor competition. On the game film, try to edit out all the down time. The more time we waste fast forwarding through free-throws, time outs, etc, the less time we have to spend evaluating.

Finally, the number one thing that will diminish your chances of being recruited by our staff is an outward display of bad attitudes. Technical fouls, poor sportsmanship, and the like are almost always an immediate disqualified of our interest in a prospect.

5. The version that we like better is a straight game tape. Highlight tapes seem to show the good but no bad. We like to see it all.

6. Coaches definitely like full game films so they can see the players good and bad habits through the course of a game... Many coaches have certain things they look for or pick out of a game film that a highlight tape cannot give you... Our staff prefers game film over highlight films. If no game films are available, then anything is better than nothing.

7. I tell players to send game film, not highlights. The reason is, I want to evaluate them under game conditions, ie. when things aren't necessarily going their way. It tells me a lot about their competitiveness, attitude etc. Even when a player is struggling you can evaluate instincts and skill level. It also shows things that don't show up on the state sheet.

8. Our women's basketball program prefers whole game tapes, not just highlights...highlights are just that, it does not allow us to see how they defend, pass, move without the ball, foot work. Highlight tapes are usually of athlete scoring points.

It is also very important to us that the tape is of high quality. If we can't make out numbers and teams we move on to the next tape. Its unfortunate, but good players are becoming a dime a dozen. Coaches in general are much to busy to sit there and search a tape for clues as to who is who.

And finally, we need the athlete's number and jersey color we are watching. You do not know how many times people send us tape, 'hey watch Jamie, she can play', yet we don't know who Jamie is.

9. First you need to decide a plan to assemble a game tape, or are you going to do a collection of game segments. I like game clips rather then watching one game. Clips should be from about 4-8 games playing both offense and defense. (Defense: both man and zone and if you press, show that, The same should be with offense, show both man and zone.)

Tape should be no longer then 20-30 minutes. If coaches want more they will contact you.

Try to clip games that are at a medium range. Not far away where we cannot see number on shirts or too close so that we cannot view what is happening around the player.

Be sure to include a brief skill portion in the tape showing the student executing the kind of personal skill needed to play basketball; e.g. shooting form, dribbling or ball handling. Many times, these are some of the athletes' best skills but aren't always demonstrated in a game.

The tape should be clearly labeled with students name, jersey color, number, and the date of the contests. If a stats sheet is available, please enclose.

If the camera has an audio dubbing capability, you may want to consider adding music to screen out unnecessary sounds.

10. I just like to see unedited (or edited very little) game tape. I do not like "highlight" tapes. I want to see all the little things not on highlight tapes - playing hard, getting back on defense, etc. Seeing someone make shots doesn't tell me much.

11. I like a short a highlight tape followed by a complete game. Ideally, I like information (film, stats, letter) directly from the high school or junior college coach and not some summer league coach, AAU coach, or recruiting service. Getting a copy of an unofficial transcript is also a huge benefit.

1. If the only game tape you have is really far away, we would assume you just send us a skills tape. If you have quality film that is a little tighter angle, feel free to send it. Otherwise, we would prefer to receive a tape of fundamental skills on a gym floor or artificial turf. The tape does not need to be in great length; maybe 10-12 minutes. Keep it short and precise. Make sure the student-athlete is clearly identified on the tape. High lights are fine to send if they are clear. All of the music and effects are great, but unnecessary. Fundamental skills will bear the most weight however. Individual defenses, attacking skills, receiving, push-passing, and hitting; these are what we are looking at.

2. I want to see individual stick work showing multiple skills. Some game tape-showing positioning and off ball movement should be included as well. Also, I want to see shots on goal and defensive saves or tackles in a one on one situation.

1. As far as tapes go, I would like to see 2 -3 min. of highlights followed by 2-3 entire game films. Also, make sure tapes include school name, opponent names, and jersey color; to avoid confusion.

2. Highlights tapes are not useful to me. I like game footage. It is the only honest way to evaluate. A kid should be evaluated the same as one another. Game footage shows us the true player.

3. I would suggest two to three minutes of high-lights, followed by 1-2 complete games of their side of the ball. A little music (no cursing) is OK for the high-light, but not during the game. If they player could be circled or pointed out each play for the high-light version and game tape, that would be ideal. WE would prefer VHS. DO not send just a high-light; anyone can look good on a high-light. If there is no game tape attached we do not watch them. Also skip the corny interview and workout stuff.

4. I always recommend that players put a highlight film together to "sell" themselves, and then put a game film on the end. Most coaches won't recruit a kid without seeing some game film, but the highlight helps the kid. Also, recommend that they send a quality film. Film taken from ground camera does not show their ability that well, and a game in the mud makes it impossible to evaluate them athletically.

5. We do not need music or a big production. A tape with 12-15 hilite plays followed by a game film is ideal. Tell the kid to be active in the process and to "Recruit the schools that you want to recruit you" .

1. I think that all golf coaches would like to see a variety of clubs hit (wedge, 5 iron & driver) from two different camera angles: face on and down the line of flight. It would also be a good idea to hit a variety of short game shots (chips, pitches, bunker shots and putts) from both angles as well.

2. As a golf coach, I like to see a video of a golfer's full swing from the front view as well as backswing. I can get a pretty good feel for someone if she hits a couple of 7 irons, a couple of drivers, and then a few wedge shots from around 50 yards. If they want to include shots of them putting/chipping/hitting bunker shots, that's great too. When an athlete sends a resume to a coach it's better to put your scores/course yardage/number in field, not just how you finished in a tournament.

3. In a golf video, I like to see profile and back swing views of drivers, mid-irons (like a 6), and wedges. I really don't need more than a couple of swings from each view with each of those clubs.

4. How many takes? On our tapes we've noticed a few come through that the shadows in the background indicate a 2 to 3 hour time period had elapsed from the start of the tape. For our sport, that can indicate a fairly high occurrence of poor swings. At first we thought it may indicate a dedicated "range rat" style that we desire, but we have found it indicates peaks and valleys, something we do not desire.

Honesty is the key. Do not overstate the true level of play. We feel we can work with sound mechanics and turn participants into players. An honest evaluation of your game is best; pitch your commitment to team play, and display a desire to be coached.

5. As for golf, all we really need are a couple of shots from the side view

and a couple of shots from the front view with a Driver and an iron

(typically a 5, 6, or 7 iron). That is what our focus will be when

viewing a tape. However, it wouldn't hurt to also include wedge shots

(50-100 yards), bump and run chip shots, pitch shots, bunker shots, 20

foot putts, and 5 foot putts.

The tape doesn't need to be professionally made such as having it put to

music or including special effects, and there doesn't need to be any

narration.

The best thing a prospective student-athlete could do is add an updated

playing resume with the video. Seeing a few of the shots and looking at

a playing resume is all a golf coach needs.

1. Make sure that the athletes keep the videos short and to the point. One routine on each event is great, but what I am most interested in is what new skills the athlete is working on in the gym. Showing the same skill over and over is not necessary. If the tapes can be kept to 5-7 minutes, that would be best, seeing as how we have to watch about 100 of these a season. Long introductions where the athlete sits in front of the camera and talks are a waste of time. All of that information can be sent in a letter along with the video. Background music is ok, but no coach is swayed toward an athlete because of a "high tech" production... The worst is when background music is played instead of a gymnast's floor music during her routine.

2. I personally don't like "fireworks" and just want video from high-level competitions (Regionals, Nationals, etc). Sometimes it seems like the gymnast put more time into making sure the video has flare and not enough time working on new skills to include in the video.

I like to see new skills and combinations the gymnast is working in practice. The most updated competitions and workouts are preferred.

I also dislike when a gymnast puts only half of a routine from a competition on the video. For instance, if she fell on her dismount on bars, I've seen a gymnast cut out the second half of the routine on the video, but it's pretty obvious. All gymnasts have mistakes in competitions. It's how they handle them that makes them different.

3. A good highlight tape should have an introduction by the gymnast. This will show us her personality. Contact information should be included at the beginning and the end of the tape, both the gymnast's contact info and her club gym and coaches' info. As college gymnastics coaches, we need to see some of her competition video and some of her training. When I watch video I like to see one or two competition routines on each of the four events, then some of her in-gym training for each event.

4. DVD's & tapes should be short & action-packed. DVD's are preferred over video tapes. DVD's are much better than an athlete's website that coaches have to check. Coaches like to have a DVD on hand that we can keep in the athlete's file. Include only the best moves from competition (games). Do not include drills, long introductions, long pauses, poor quality film, awards ceremonies, march-in, stretching, old footage, mistakes, missed routines. The highlight tape does not have to include fancy graphics or editing. In fact, that can be distracting. Be sure to include contact information. Remind athletes that college coaches are not always permitted to return their phone calls due to NCAA rules. But athletes can call college coaches at any time.

5. I like to see a couple of recent competitions, as well as new skills the athlete is working on. They need to show each event.

1. As far as lacrosse goes, I think I may be speaking for many coaches (lacrosse) here. Try and put together some clips (highlights) of a game (or games), but most importantly would be game film. Three years ago I was given a highlight tape of a player that seemed to be the "real deal" however once he got on campus it was very clear that his skills and talent was nowhere near the level his tape showed. Basically I was duped.

Often times I will say to a recruit to send game film, this way I can see how he plays in any situation and how he reacts. The highlight films are fun to watch, but to be honest I don't think they hold much weight.

But as I said, if you do put together a highlight tape make sure you include game film- I always ask for the game where they are not scoring a lot or making the great save.

2. I actually prefer game film for men's lacrosse, because that enables me to gain a more complete understanding of a kid's all-around abilities, especially on defense...I do not want to see 20 clips of goals or takeaway checks--I'd rather see a kid run in transition, play off-ball defense, work for groundballs, etc...

3. The most important thing is that the Tape or DVD is of good quality. You should be able to read the players #s with out difficulty. You should be able to see a radius of at least 10 yards around the Player being evaluated.

I'm not real picky about watching a game tape or a highlight tape. However, I do look at the teams they are competing against. Don't give me a high light tape of a kid scoring 9 points against a start up program. Show me you can compete against good competition.

4. We like to look at all skills and all mistakes...I think mistakes are just as important as good skills they give us a heads up on what to expect.

1. We talked among our staff. The things we came up with are highlights for 5-10 minutes then a full game. Also, we want to see club soccer game and not high school. Generally in soccer high school play is far below club soccer, therefore there is nothing more frustrating than getting a tape of a kid scoring five goals against a bad high school team.

2. Tapes for soccer are very difficult. The biggest problem is where they are taping from? If it is not from a high vantage point we lose some of the spacing and movements off the ball. Conversely, if it is from a high vantage point you can't see the player very well especially if you don't know who you are looking for. Many times the numbers are difficult to see. The only real advantage for tape is two fold.

You may never see the player live, therefore tape is the best option, but rarely will a player get recruited off a tape.

Goalkeepers have an advantage because their position is relatively stationary. So in a game you can see them work without struggling to find them. For goalkeepers a training session is good so that we can see lots of reps and their technique in a controlled environment. Then some game footage is helpful. The game footage though we are leery of mainly because we don't know the level of competition the team is playing against.

3. In soccer, I don't particularly like tapes. I will never make a decision based on a tape. I need to see them play in person, so I would suggest that they send a copy of their hs/club soccer schedule.

4. I rarely use/view tapes unless they are TV quality with wide angle lens ...unless I can see where the ball was before it arrives at the player and where the player goes after the ball is delivered...it is of little or no use. Certainly, a hand-held camera with just the player in question in mind is of little or no value. Plus, such a video is difficult to watch.

5. In soccer, I want to go watch an athlete play in person above any other form of evaluation. As far as film goes, a whole game film is not necessary. Maybe 10-20 minutes of the film is enough. I look for one-on-one situations and speed. I look at how they receive the ball and first touch. Do they go get the ball, or do they wait on it. I look for headers. I spend a lot of energy watching what players do when they don't have the ball. A short segment of tape showing your personal skills (dribbling, juggling, ect.) can be helpful as well.

6. We do some of our recruiting by video. If you would like to send a video, please make sure that it is a highlight video and no longer than 20 minutes in length.

7. Tapes in soccer need to be game tapes. We like to see interaction on the ball, and a little bit of what they're doing off the ball. Club games are usually better than high school games but it's good to have a little bit of action to get a sense of the competition level for either because levels vary so much.

8. The video needs to be high-quality first. It needs to have close-ups and long shots to see their movement. It should be dependent on their positions: GK, def, mids, and forwards should have videos of how they trap, pass, head, and challenge the ball, running, sprinting. Videos should be from different games and against varied opponents. Info about who they are playing would be helpful as well to determine the quality of the competition. Also, something to highlight the players on the long shots would be helpful.

9. In soccer, it is important to have videotape that shows the entire field; that way you can see positioning, runs off the ball as well as where passes go. It doesn't have to be a lot of footage, just 7-10 minutes to see a player run, to see if they are athletic or not, and to get a feel for the player both on and off the ball.

1. As for softball evaluation/skills tapes/cd's, we like them to be no longer than 5 minutes displaying their throwing, fielding, base running, and hitting skills. We mostly do a lot of our recruiting in person through games and tournaments. My advice to high school athletes would be to go out and play at those high caliber exposure tournaments in there areas as well as attend various college softball camps/clinics to get seen as well.

2. Offense: hitting only (unless they are a lefty slapper). No bunting or slapping on RH batters.

Base-running: Include home to first times and home to home times. They only need to run each once.

Defense: Ground balls...including range balls and diving.

Throwing: Playing catch or throwing at position.

3. I want to see a little bit of everything, especially the swing. It is mechanics that I am looking for, not necessarily where the ball went. I hate game footage, I really don't get much from it unless it is edited well. So mechanics of the position and the swing are the most valuable. For pitchers, I want to see each pitch about 5 times from 4 different angles.

4. From a softball standpoint...I just want fundamentals...throwing, catching, hitting, and running the bases. I am not interested in game film since softball doesn't involve all the players all the time.

When I go to recruit in person...warm-ups and infield practice is the most helpful time...so duplication of that is most effective for me on video tape.

5. When I look at a tape I usually hit the mute button. All the flashy music is great but not what I am looking for. I am strictly looking at mechanics. Proper footwork when fielding, bat angle or slot, contact point, etc will be evaluated. Base running speed, arm strength and just over all athletic ability.

Most of the tapes you can't tell if the hitters are hitting against a machine throwing 45 mph or 55 mph. for the pitchers it is nice to see a couple different angles. Side, front or rear and also how they hit their spots. There is a big difference when pitching a high school distance of 40' and then moving to 43' in college, so the more tape we have the better.

I am only in my mid 30's and fairly computer savvy. These new CD's are nice, but if you have an old computer like most colleges, you might not have the program to open it. A good old VHS tape is always the best. DVD's you can't hit slow motion and watch the form.

Lastly, have the kids put their name and contact info on the side of the tape. If I have even just ten tapes to look through and half the kids have left their name off it, it is a pain in the rear to find the one I need.

Name, Address, Phone, Email, Travel Ball Team, team website and HS team should be listed.

6. I like to see actual game footage. I anyone can put together a tape showing great "once in a lifetime" plays. I watch a couple throws, a couple runs to first and a couple swings. I typically spend about 5 minutes per tape that I receive.

7. Videos are important. The role of videos is to get your self exposed to coaches all over the country. Most coaches don't recruit on videos alone, but it gives them a chance to see your skill and helps the coach decide if they want to come watch an athlete in person.

It is not important to pay a high price for a video. You can make one with your coach or parents. It is best not to send game footage. Coaches want to see fundamental skills, such as fielding, throwing, pitching, and hitting. It is best to show 5 of each skills, such as 5 ground balls, 5 of each pitch etc. For hitting it is best to film opposite of the hitter. This is the best way for coaches to evaluate skills. It is also important to have a basic intro giving your name, summer team, position and GPA.

1. For diving across the country coaches look for a tape of practice or a meet of their dives. We're not that specific on what we want to see as long as the athlete shows complete dives. However if the athlete wants to impress the coach cutting out all the other divers in a work out and adding music to the tape helps. Make sure it's something up beat and nothing that will put us to sleep.

2. Being that we coach women's swimming & water polo, we are always looking for some video evaluation of potential athletes. However, in our sports it is not a necessity for many coaches. If we were to look at tape, we would be looking for championship tape for swimmers OR clinic tapes wherein swimmers are usually shot from both above and below the water (usually at a summer camp). As for polo players any game tape, although championship tape would be preferable, would do. But again, as we have found in our sport, in-person recruiting is more valuable.

3. What I try to look at is the whole picture - before they get up on the blocks, starts, turns, stroke technique.

4. For swimming at the Division III level (and perhaps I and II also) I am much more interested in times for various events that the person swims. It is even more helpful if I can get a sense of how the athlete has progressed through their high school career. Another item that is very important in evaluating a swimmer is an up-to-date academic profile. This lets me make at least some kind of educated guess regarding their potential for not only being accepted, but also whether or not they are likely to complete their academic requirements in four years.

1. The players  hould be filmed from behind. The film should contain his playing, not just hitting.

2. A Tennis tape should include an overview of forehand & backhand, baseline, volley, & return play. I prefer to see tournament competition from my PSAs, have them tape a tournament match to see how they compete. Live points, serving and returning in a tournament are very helpful.

3. In men's tennis I ask for a tape of fundamental stroke mechanics and a segment with some match play. The tape does not need to be more than 15 minutes total but should cover all fundamental tennis strokes.

1. As a track coach I want to see how their running form holds up throughout a race; if they COMPETE, or just run. I also like to hear something from them about their passion and articulation of their running.

1. I like to have some individual skill footage (passing, blocking, hitting, defense, setting and serving) and then some game play. It's tough to watch a recruit on a tape and only see her touch the ball once or twice in the front row. I also like to see unedited versions of the game footage. As a coach, I know players make mistakes; it's how they react after that mistake that tells me a lot about the player.

2. I like to see a short interview with the prospects telling me a little about themselves (ht., wt., interests, etc.) limited to no more than 10 minutes. Next I like to see skill work in a controlled environment for maybe 10-15 minutes. By far, game film is what I do most evaluation off of. I want to see a solid hour of game film against good competition. Make sure to clearly mark what rotation you start in because jersey numbers don't always show up well on tape.

3. I prefer skills tapes from a practice, focusing on the player's most important skills. (setting for setters, passing for liberos, hitting, passing, and blocking for outside and middle hitters) These do not need to be long- just enough to give me an idea of their abilities. The perspective of the camera should include enough area to see the result of the pass or set, not just the athlete with the ball flying into and then out of the screen. For hitters, I like to be able to see their entire approach and contact, preferably from an angle along the net (not from behind them) The entire skills portion of the tape should be somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes, depending on the position and the number of skills displayed.

I especially like tapes that have the above skill session followed by an UNEDITED game tape. Set up the camera so it sees the whole court, press record, and leave it alone. A player's reaction and attitude between points can tell a coach a lot about them. If possible, set the camera up at the end line, behind the player's team, so they are on the near side of the net (especially for setters). This perspective allows coaches to see the game better than from the side of the court. Make sure that the viewer knows which player they are watching- either label the tape with jersey color and number, or zoom in on the player briefly at the start of the game. That should do it. There's my perfect highlight tape.

Things to avoid: trying to follow the ball with the camera

showing only one side of the court zooming in on the player during the point . Handheld cameras (use a tripod).

4. The best advice I can give you about volleyball is to film from the back side of the court, preferably at a slightly elevated position. The camera needs to stay stationary as to not cause sea sickness. I prefer running game footage; other coaches prefer skills and a little game footage. In any case, it is most important that the athlete is easily recognizable whether it is a jersey number that is clearly visible or a zoom in to show her or what position they start in.

5. I have attached what I would like to see in a video, of course if time is pressing I will ask for game footage tape (unedited and camera focused on the whole court and stable (non-moving)).

We also look for at least a 3.0 and 1,000 SAT/21 ACT. If they lack in either area, such as GPA we hope they make it up in the testing part. Being DIII all our scholarship money comes from academic aid.

INTRODUCTION

As a lead in, you should introduce yourself and share a little personal information (i.e. grade, height, playing position, GPA, study interests, etc.). This portion should last no longer then 30 seconds.

SKILLS

The skills portion of the video should move quickly and last 7-10 minutes.

Serving:

(View from behind so camera can see trajectory of ball and motion of player)

6 serves (3 deep, 3 short)

3-4 jump serves if the player is effective. Don't put it in if they can't do it.

Passing:

(View the player and where the ball is going)

5 each of serve, receive, run throughs & defensive digging.

Setting:

(View the player in front of the net)

Non-setters:

3-4 sets each left side & right side, with or without hitters.

Setters:

3-4 sets each left & right sides, 31's, slides & 1's. Need to include hitters for middle attacks.

Blocking:

(View the net and player so you can see footwork and how high the player is reaching)

Briefly show footwork & blocking alone at the net.

4-5 blocks vs. hitter. If blocking outside hitter ??" use 2 blockers, if blocking middle ??" use 1.

Attacking:

(View the player, net & where the ball is going)

4-5 shots from a variety of sets left side, right side & middle (include slide footwork if you are capable).

GAME FILM

Copy 15-20 minutes of unedited game footage on the end of the skills portion. Choose footage that is the highest caliber of play on both sides of the net. Indicate who the player is by number, position in the beginning. Do not move the camera with the player.

6. As a volleyball coach, I prefer a skills tape w/ a little game footage on the end. For about the first 15 minutes, I find it helpful if the recruit shows a close-up of them hitting, setting (if they're a setter) and some defensive skills- blocking and digging. That way I get a closer look at the athlete. I find it helpful if they throw some game footage on the end, particularly if the camera follows them throughout the match.

What I like the least is just a high school game film. It is hard to decipher who is who and gets a little boring.

7. What I like to see in a video tape is an unedited section of game footage, usually shot from the end-line, with a stationary camera with a tight enough shot so that the viewer can make out the uniform numbers. The game should be between, relatively, well matched teams. I have seen some videos with edited in arrows that point to the athlete before she prepares to make a play.

A lot of the tapes we get also start off with a skills demonstration section that lets the viewer see the athlete performing a variety of skills (based on her position). The demo portion can be helpful and it should have a very limited number of other people visible on the tape.

1. We like to see complete matches against some quality opponents. We also like to know who they are wrestling. A little bio information is also helpful; G.P.A., SAT score, class rank, and area of interest to study.