Cody Wallace – Moorestown High School Offensive Lineman
By Anthony Caruso III for NJSI.net
Cody Wallace, a Senior Moorestown High School Offensive Lineman, recently took time to do a Q & A feature interview with njsi.net. His Q & A feature interview is about his playing career.
njsi.net: Could you talk about your overall experience playing football for Moorestown High School?
Cody Wallace: “It was a great experience the past couple of years, especially with the coaches. We had a great coaching staff and they really worked hard to help us (the players). They brought out the best in all of the players. It’s a great team to play for and a great town to play for.”
njsi.net: Your head coach at Moorestown High School is Russ Horton. Could you talk about playing for him the past few years?
CW: “He’s a really great coach to play for. He sets high standards and you really have to play hard. He’s a really good guy to play for, and he brings out the best in most of the players.”
njsi.net: What is the best advice that you have ever received from Coach Horton from your time playing for him?
CW: “Just to play hard and never have any regrets when you play.”
njsi.net: What did it mean to you guys to go to the State Championship game last year at Rutgers Stadium and winning it?
CW: “It was unbelievable. No words can really describe it. It was a long road to get there and we won when we got there. It’s the great feeling ever!”
njsi.net: During your sophomore year, Coach Horton and some of his coaching staff knew that you were starting to get recognized for your play on the field by colleges. Could you talk about getting recognized, starting your sophomore year and building off of that this year, your senior year?
CW: “I was surprised that I was getting as much recognition sophomore year as I did. But it was all a positive thing and its still soaking in with what has happened. Coming up through these years, I’ve gotten better each year and getting more recognition. Its been great!”
njsi.net: You’ve also played on the defensive line in high school. And some media outlets were saying that you were being recruited to play defense in college by some schools, which is still possible. Would you just like to be an offensive lineman in college or play both ways, even though the majority of the players do not play both ways in college?
CW: “I would rather play offense. That’s where my strong point is rather than playing defense.”
njsi.net: You also were a member of the wrestling team at Moorestown. Could you talk about being a member of the wrestling team at Moorestown?
CW: “Again, we have very good coaches. I am not wrestling this year, though. The head coach Bill Clark is a really great guy, and does everything he can to help the team win. He’s also another great coach to play for. Words can’t describe what a great guy he is to his family and to his players. He really cares about the sport and his players.”
njsi.net: Some reports say you were recruited by UCF (University of Central Florida), Rutgers, Maryland, Penn St., Miami, and Virginia. Why did you chose to go to Virginia?
CW: “I took a visit in June, and I really liked the campus and the town — the community and the atmosphere around it was unbelievable. I think it was a really great pick for me, and I can’t wait to get down there.”
njsi.net: During your recruiting visit, were you able to meet with Virginia head coach Al Groh? And what was it like meeting with him?
CW: “It was brief, because it was before a game. And he was really excited about the game that day. Prior to the game, I talked to him in his office and its really good down there. He’s a really good coach and its more family-based, which I liked. He really cares about the players and he puts the players in a position to succeed from what he was telling me.”
njsi.net: Al Groh was previously the New York Jets head coach, before arriving in Charlottesville, Virginia. Did his prior coaching experience in the NFL have anything to do with you signing there?
CW: “Sort of, but not really, though. I just really liked the team. His prior coaching experience is pretty impressive and he’s had a really good coaching career. His knowledge of the game and the way he coaches the game helped. I really liked the team and the community in general.”
njsi.net: In June, you were the third offensive lineman to sign with Virginia at that time. Why do you think colleges are signing players so early on in the recruiting process?
CW: “I would assume that they would like to get a jump on the players early on, because there’s a lot more competition between schools. There’s only so many lineman and so many other players to go around. They just want to get a jump, before other schools do.”
njsi.net: As you are probably aware of, Chris Long — 2008 first-round pick, D’Brickashaw Ferguson —2006 first-round pick, among others, have went on to the NFL from the University of Virginia. Do you realize that you could go on to the next level from playing at Virginia?
CW: “That would be unbelievable. Virginia is a really good team and really brings out the best in most of its players to help them go onto the next level. And I hope that works out for me, too. They really bring out the best in the offensive lineman at the school. Its just a really good situation for me.”
Lacrosse: What Coaches Want in a Recruit
Here are a couple of nice videos presented by Kudda, which has thousands of free youth sports coaching videos. Georgetown Head Coach Ricky Fried explains some of the things he looks for in a recruit, while Johns Hopkins Head Coach Janine Tucker explains her views as well.
Time to Get Your Early College Applications Out
Early Decision and Early Action deadlines are fast approaching for many universities and colleges. Just a quick heads up for you high school seniors out there. You may think you have plenty of time but you do not. Some schools have a November 1st deadline and those need to be post marked by today. Some are as late as December 15th. If you have not done so, you better get moving. Your parents and high school guidance counselor are ready and willing to help, but you still need to just do it. Here are some things to double check and make sure: 1) your teachers and guidance counselor mailed in their recommendations and your high school has sent your transcripts for early schools; 2) you sent scores (AP scores, SAT scores, ACT scores) to all early schools; you SIGNED your application; 4) you included payment; 5) you track your package so you see when it arrives. In fact, we would recommend using only UPS or Federal Express and NOT the US Post Office; and 6) you make copies of the common application and other application materials in case it’s lost in the mail.
If you still are a sophomore or junior, I suggest you get someone to supplement your school’s guidance counselor so you can start planning NOW. We used Mimi Doe and Michelle Hernandez Consulting. They were a tremendous help in assisting us plan the summer of senior year and have all our kids applications done before the start of senior year. Two kids and 22 applications filed by the end of September and we already have started to hear back from schools with rolling admissions. It’s a great relief to get those early acceptance letters in the mail!!!
If you are an athlete, you better start thinking about creating a recruiting video during your junior year. When you start visiting schools and meeting with coaches, many are going to ask for a copy of your video. College coaches just do not have the resources to come and see everyone play so a recruiting video is the ony resource that will enable them to evaluate your abilities. You do not have to use us, but use somebody other than an aunt, uncle or friend who may or may not know how to use their video camera and, ABOVE ALL, start the process during your junior year. It could be the difference between getting and not getting a scholarship, but more importantly it could be the difference between getting into your stretch school or not. Think education first, sports second!
Profile on Running Back Dan Dash
Dan Dash, the Holy Cross High School Senior Running Back, recently took time to do an interview with njsi.net. His Q & A Feature Interview is about his playing career.
njsi.net: You are from Willingboro. Did you ever think about going to Willingboro High School? And why did you chose to go to Holy Cross?
Dan Dash: “I thought about going to Willingboro High School. Both my two older brothers and sisters go there now. And my two younger brothers and sister are going to go there, as she is a cheerleader and would like to be a cheerleader there. I wanted to be different and go somewhere different than them. I knew Holy Cross had good academics and a good football team.”
Volleyball: Profile on Marika Racibarskas
Chatham, NJ (Anthony Caruso III for www.njsi.net): Marika Racibarskas, a Senior Chatham Volleyball player, recently took time to do an interview with njsi.net. Her Q & A feature interview is about her playing career.
Lacrosse Profile: Roger McGlynn Midfielder
Millburn, NJ (Written by Lou Rossi for NJSI): As you can see from his video below, Roger McGlynn is a force to be reckoned with on the Lacrosse field. His power and speed do justice to his ability to survey the playing ground and determine where his presence is best allocated, allotting his team a valuable, versatile player, that effects the game from the moment he arrives at the field. Roger’s presence is not only felt on the Lacrosse field, however: Roger is a dual-sport athlete that excels as both a team leader and star performer; he is also a talented musician, stellar student, and a devoted contributor to his community.
Recruiting Video for the High School Athlete
The college admissions process can be a daunting experience. I know! My twin boys will be seniors this year at Seton Hall Prep. The process can be even more complex for athletes who are interested in competing on the college level. Regardless of whom you turn to for advice, one of the most often asked question is how to increase your visibility with college coaches and recruiters. One of the most important factors when a recruiter is deciding whether or not you are a good prospect is for them to have a chance to see you compete with their own eyes. A well-prepared college recruiting video is of tremendous value in helping you to be successfully recruited. The recruiting video is especially important for coaches who may not get the opportunity to see you in person in order to accurately evaluate your skills. The video will enable the coach to assess your abilities personally and decide if you are a good prospect without having to rely on someone else’s possibly biased evaluation. If you are some distance from your choice of schools, then the recruiting video is a must in our opinion.
If you would like a recruiting video prepared for your athlete, please contact us for more details. In fact, you can view recruiting videos prepared by our partners at Net Edge Training, LLC.
Football: Become a Better Prospect
Bob Chmiel, NCSA’s Director of Football Operations and Educational Speaker, comments on the college recruitment process and gives tips on how to become a better student-athlete prospect. The segments were aired on a TV station in Buffalo and on FoxSPorts. Chmiel spent seven years as Notre Dame’s Director of Football Operations and Recruiting Coordinator/Assistant Coach. Prior, Chmiel was the University of Michigan’s Football Recruiting Coordinator, where he also served as an assistant coach.
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Nov 03, 2008 | Categories: College, High School, Recruit | Tags: assistant football recruiting, assists, bob, buffalo, chmiel, coach, college ment, director of football, educational speaker, football operations, ncsa s, Notre Dame, Recruit, recruiter, recruiters, seven years, speaker comments, sport, Sports, student athlete, tv station, university of michigan | Leave A Comment »