"Accountability is important because if you aren’t doing your stuff or staying on top of everything nothing happens and you feel stuck. You have to keep moving." - Alex Alexander

Athlete of the Month

We're thrilled to introduce our Athlete of the Month.

Every month, we recognize and celebrate the dedication, passion, and hard work of an outstanding athlete in our VIP community.

We call them 'Next Play Athletes' because they are disciplined, determined, and don't let anything stop them from achieving what they want.

They always move forward because they stay focused on their Next Play.

Size and talent alone don't make up who they are; heart and character do.

They actively seek coaching and accountability, working tirelessly to improve crucial skills such as marketing and selling themselves.

Meanwhile, their peers often wait for coaches to approach them and then resort to making excuses

It is always one of the hardest decisions to make.

That said, this month we would like to honor, congratulate, and recognize, Alex Alexander.

A few quick facts about Alex Alexander:

Position: Safety
School: Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas, NV)
Goal: Play Division 1 college football.

Offers: Airforce (D1)

Signed: N/A

A few quotes and insights from our athlete of the month:

1. What inspires you to work so hard towards earning a scholarship?

"I want to keep growing and developing both as a student and an athlete. I know that I am capable of having a successful college career and playing as a D1 athlete. My goal is to get better every day and to show college coaches what I can do in the coming year."

2. Why did you think it was important to start this process now?

"I didn't understand the importance of networking and relationship building when I started high school. As a Junior, it is critical that I am doing outreach to get myself on the radar. This is the time for me to get in front of coaches and start relationships so that I have a game plan for communication, visits, etc. going into my last year of high school that will result in scholarship offers. I have learned that it is not always the best athletes getting scholarship offers; it is the ones who can market themselves the best."

3. How important is accountability in achieving your scholarship?

"Accountability is everything because nobody is going to do it for me. Nobody is going to market me better than me. Coaches are not going to know me unless I go out there and make it impossible not to know me. I need to ensure that I am doing everything within my power to achieve this goal. Also, accountability correlates with discipline, and I believe that with discipline, anything is possible."

4. What do you believe stops athletes from getting a scholarship?

"The biggest reason is that college coaches do not know them. There are hundreds of thousands of kids playing high school ball and there is a very small funnel to sift through in evaluating high school athletes for college scholarships. There is a tiny fraction of players who are getting pushed and marketed by coaches and people around them from a very young age. They are the same kids that are being highlighted by media outlets. That is the majority of what college coaches see. So, if you are not in that minority, you need to find a way to make college coaches see you. There is also the added competition of kids that are already in college and going through the transfer portal."

5. What do you believe is the biggest reason that gets in their way?

"I believe lack of discipline, lack of planning, lack of knowledge of the process, and self-doubt are all factors that stop athletes from getting scholarships. Most athletes think that the only way to get attention from college coaches is to be promoted by somebody else, especially on social media. Most athletes are too quick believe what they see online, and most do not understand that there are many different paths that can lead to a college scholarship. Even after learning more about the recruiting process, many athletes are too quick to compare themselves to others around them or what they see on X or Instagram. This can lead to self-doubt and a lack of motivation.

At the end of the day, the best things you can do are 1) educate yourself 2)believe in yourself and your talent 3) develop a recruiting plan and 4) execute on that plan without worrying about what anyone else is doing."

Are you inspired by his story and journey?

Alex Perez is a standout athlete at Bishop Gorman High School, not just for his on-field capabilities but also for the intangible qualities he possesses.

As I am sure you are aware, Bishop Gorman keeps their athletes until 7-8 PM at night during the season.

Despite this, Alex finds a way to do what he needs to off the field, still making phone calls and sending emails in the morning and evening.

He shows the same energy, hard work, and toughness that the best college athletes possess.

He's incredibly dedicated, serving as an example for other young athletes to emulate.

He frequently mentions getting attention and taking action above.

Even at Bishop Gorman, he refuses to leave it solely in the hands of his coaches but instead actively pursues what he wants.

He says nobody can market themselves as well as he can, and he's right.

This is why he is having so much success both off and on the field.

Going from a non-starter to a starter.

His refusal to rely solely on others, including his coaches, for his success has propelled him both on and off the field, epitomizing the essence of a 'Next Play Athlete.'

Moreover, he has made significant strides as a communicator, leader, and businessman.

Although his journey is just beginning, I can't wait to see what he accomplishes next.

--

Richie Contartesi, Founder of Next Play

Discover the strategy used:

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