Pre-Draft
The focus during this period is to mentally and physically prepare you for your upcoming exposure opportunities before pro scouts and scouting services. These exposure opportunities include the college all-star games such as the East-West Shrine Game, the Las Vegas All-Star Classic, and the Senior Bowl; the NFL combine, on campus Pro Days, private workouts, regional combines are other opportunities for scouts to evaluate a player’s abilities.
While on the field training is crucial, off-the-field preparations are just as important. Aregatta works with each client to determine the strengths and weaknesses of their player profiles to help them address issues or emphasize strengths. More and more, character issues factor into player evaluations and can impact a player’s opportunities. Furthermore, attitude testing such as the infamous Wonderlic test and other similar barometers help pro teams to determine how players will handle the rigors and complexities of playing at the professional level.
The draft is just as much an off-the-field chess match as it is a display of on-the-field talent. Aregatta ensures that each client will be fully prepared for both.
There is a significant difference in playing at the college versus the professional levels. Aregatta maintains relationships with several elite performance training facilities to help athletes prepare for their exposure opportunities. The pre-draft training is essential for players to improve their strength, speed, and technique in preparation for pro performance testing such as the combine. By maintaining a structured program where players are consistently monitored and evaluated, players are ensured that they are taking all of the proper steps to successfully prepare for their big days.
Additionally, Aregatta’s training partners also conduct extensive positional training with former professional players and coaches to help players refine their positional skills and understand the nuances of the positions at the professional level. The positional training is also important to help players understand the skills and other fine points that pro scouts are grading them so that players are able to achieve the highest level of success.
While on the field training is crucial, off-the-field preparations are just as important. Aregatta works with each client to determine the strengths and weaknesses of their player profiles to help them to address issues or emphasize strengths. More and more, character issues factor into player evaluations and can impact a player’s opportunities. Furthermore, attitude testing such as the infamous Wonderlic test and other similar barometers help pro teams to determine how players will handle the rigors and complexities of playing at the professional level.
Throughout the pre-draft process, Aregatta is in constant interaction with clients and pro personnel to boost their “draft stock.” From the beginning, Aregatta develops a game plan to guide the process. Each player has very different goals and objectives and requires individualized attention for addressing their particular needs. Communication is a key to understanding a player’s objectives and helping Aregatta to ensure that it is best leveraging its capabilities on each client’s behalf. The dialogue is also crucial to developing a strategy and evaluating all potential opportunities so that each client has the best opportunity for success on and off the field.
The draft is just as much an off-the-field chess match as it is a display of on the field talent. Aregatta ensures that each client will be fully prepared for both.
Post-Draft
Once a client has determined which team they are heading to, Aregatta helps that client to finalize his contract prepare for training camp and the transition.
Aregatta believes it is imperative for young players to take full advantage of training camp. Therefore, there is a major sense of urgency in working out a satisfactory contract as quickly as possible so that players are not subjected to a hold-out or another scenario where they will lose valuable time. A prolonged holdout can often cost a player a chance at earning significant playing time his rookie year and, in some cases, relegate players entirely from being in consideration. The focus is to work in the best overall interests of each player to ensure they have the best opportunity to succeed in both the short and long term.
In addition to the contract negotiations, Aregatta works with each player to make the transition to the professional ranks and their new environs. Each player has different needs and Aregatta maintains the flexibility to help smooth that transition as much as possible.
Aregatta also works with each player to solidify his off the field needs. Whether it is working with other professional representatives or leveraging Aregatta’s in-house capabilities, Aregatta offers a comprehensive package of services to manage a players off the field needs.