High School - Sports Recruiting Video

[wmas1960]

Don't know if I might get much help here. In additon to still work, does anyone out there do Video? Has anyone had any experience shooting for use in Sports Recruiting Videos.

I have had a few parents contact me over the years about helping them with this. Usually though I have never had a follow up on it and as such, haven't ever put one together. I have had a few parents contact me about buying copies of game tapes that I have shot for the teams that I cover.

Tonight, I had another pareant call who asked me if she could hire me to shoot some girls field hockey games. I am not familiar with the sport but have shot a bit of hockey, soccer and lacrosse. I assume this is somewhat similar. Anyway, the mother wanted to know if I could shoot the games, how much I would charge and such and if I could concentrate or isolate on her daughter.

Based on what I get for shooting sports for the coaches at one local high school near here, I told her, if I don't have a conflict in my schedule, I could go and shoot the games for $80 per game. Based on other parents, in the past, who have stiffed me when their team lost the game or when their kid spent most, if not all, the game on the bench, I told her that I would need payment before the game. At this time, there wasn't mention of any editing or anything. Just shooting the games. Perhaps they plan to edit the tapes themselves or take them to someone a little better equipped to edit the video.

I mentioned that for the cost of games, it would be more cost effective if I shot the game, a little wider and less biased and that she could then split the cost with other interested parents. Besides, from stuff that I have read in the past, I seem to recall mention that coaches really don't want that kind of one sided shooting. They like to see the players interacting with their opponents and their fellow teamates. This is where I am a little lost on what to plan on. Of course, I will shoot whatever the client wants and has paid for but I wonder, in case she does call me back, if it is better to shoot wider or as tight as she might have in mind. I would think that, maybe tighter than I usually shoot, so that an unfamiliar coach can clearly identify the target player. However, my instinct would be to tell the parent that it is better to be somewhat more inclusive.

Unfortunately, the woman called on my cell phone at a bad moment. I was at a meeting and they were just starting when I got her call. Thus, we weren't able to discuss it much or too completely. Hopefully she will call back next week as she said she would.

In the mean time, If anyone out there has any specific experience, or might know a good source of valuable information that could be useful before another conversation, I would appreciate any input or advice that could be offered. Thank you for your attention to this.

[Addman8]

A few thoughts from a HS Head Coach/Teacher/Photographer/Videographer/former college asst coach:

1) If that's all she wants is some "personal" coverage of her daughter, get paid prior, spend two hours running tape on the girl and call it good. Sounds like potential easy money for the time.

2) If this is for a recruiting video, college coaches do NOT want or have time to watch a whole game of one kid. Record the whole game (or several games) and pull the best shots that show her skills.

3) If you really want to help her out, I would imagine there are kids at the school who could do that videotaping for very cheap.

4) If you are going to truly shoot for isolating one athlete, don't stay too tight all the time. Coaches will want to see what is happening in the big picture as well.

Hope that helps a bit.


I have had a few parents contact me over the years about helping them with this. Usually though I have never had a follow up on it and as such, haven't ever put one together. I have had a few parents contact me about buying copies of game tapes that I have shot for the teams that I cover.

Tonight, I had another pareant call who asked me if she could hire me to shoot some girls field hockey games. I am not familiar with the sport but have shot a bit of hockey, soccer and lacrosse. I assume this is somewhat similar. Anyway, the mother wanted to know if I could shoot the games, how much I would charge and such and if I could concentrate or isolate on her daughter.

Based on what I get for shooting sports for the coaches at one local high school near here, I told her, if I don't have a conflict in my schedule, I could go and shoot the games for $80 per game. Based on other parents, in the past, who have stiffed me when their team lost the game or when their kid spent most, if not all, the game on the bench, I told her that I would need payment before the game. At this time, there wasn't mention of any editing or anything. Just shooting the games. Perhaps they plan to edit the tapes themselves or take them to someone a little better equipped to edit the video.

I mentioned that for the cost of games, it would be more cost effective if I shot the game, a little wider and less biased and that she could then split the cost with other interested parents. Besides, from stuff that I have read in the past, I seem to recall mention that coaches really don't want that kind of one sided shooting. They like to see the players interacting with their opponents and their fellow teamates. This is where I am a little lost on what to plan on. Of course, I will shoot whatever the client wants and has paid for but I wonder, in case she does call me back, if it is better to shoot wider or as tight as she might have in mind. I would think that, maybe tighter than I usually shoot, so that an unfamiliar coach can clearly identify the target player. However, my instinct would be to tell the parent that it is better to be somewhat more inclusive.

Unfortunately, the woman called on my cell phone at a bad moment. I was at a meeting and they were just starting when I got her call. Thus, we weren't able to discuss it much or too completely. Hopefully she will call back next week as she said she would.

In the mean time, If anyone out there has any specific experience, or might know a good source of valuable information that could be useful before another conversation, I would appreciate any input or advice that could be offered. Thank you for your attention to this.

[wmas1960]

Thank you for the experienced reply. The request was for "Recruitment" uses and your information follows what my thoughts were. Unfortunately, as I may have mentioned in the previous post, the call I got was at a confused and inoppertune time on my Cell Phone. Hopefully the woman will call me back again, as she said she would. I was hoping for a reply such as yours, so that I could give her some good experienced advice should she call back.

From all I have read, mostly on business related sites by people who do this work for people, it might be advisable to shoot wide and shoot up to 4 full games. That way, they should get enough material to select good performances to put into a tape. Perhaps, then offer to also shoot some introduction material (interview) with the player that can be added to the beginning of the tape.

I may not have the ability to edit these things together yet but, I certainly have the ability to shoot the component parts that they could send to someone else, or even edit themselves if they have good enough equipment available.

I normally shoot for coaches where I keep kind of wide. I have had several requests for that game footage for these types of tapes. However, occasionally, I get requests from parents for custom, I guess you could say, tapes. As you mention, and as I have heard before, I don't think those parents realize exactly what coaches are looking for. Grant it, maybe tighter than I normally do for the schools, so that you can more easilly identify the player, but still wide enough to show the interactions and all.

From what I have read, there are a few exceptions like Tennis, Baseball, Golf, Probably Bowling etc. Those sports, there is some need to evaluate individual skills like pitching, batting, swings etc. I did one video once for a Hockey Goalie. That was the easiest $60 that I ever made. Per the parent's request, I locked the camera down on a shot that covered that entire 1/3 of the ice, maybe a little tighter, and just let it run.

For everything else that I normally shoot, Lacrosse, Soccer, Basketball and Hockey, and I assume Field Hockey, I will definately suggest the wider coverage.

As for payment, as I mentioned earlier, I have been stiffed by parents several times in the past. Therefore, if I am going to the effort, I am going to definitely demand advance payment. I will put it that the parent is guaranteeing that I will sell enough tapes that it will be, at least, worth my while. I will give the parent several copies that they can resell or distribute to other parent's who might be willing to share the cost.

In any case, thanks again for your info. If anything else comes to mind that might be helpful, please add it.