St. Pius X coach excited about new NM-based 7-on-7 team
When St. Pius X assistant coach Ramar Watson was a student athlete at De Soto (TX) High School just south of Dallas, he knew he would get recruited by college coaches if he was considered good enough. Seeing high profile…
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Continue ReadingWhen St. Pius X assistant coach Ramar Watson was a student athlete at De Soto (TX) High School just south of Dallas, he knew he would get recruited by college coaches if he was considered good enough. Seeing high profile coaches at practice was an everyday occurrence.
Unfortunately, many New Mexico prospects capable of playing at the next level don’t enjoy that luxury.
So Watson is aiming to close the football ‘recruiting gap’ between New Mexico and its neighbor states. He’s established a traveling 7×7 team consisting solely of players from the Land of Enchantment to compete against teams in regional and national tournaments.
An open tryout for Watson’s new team are Saturday from 2-4 p.m. at Arroyo Del Oso Park on Wyoming Boulevard in northeast Albuquerque.
“Kids in New Mexico need another way to get looked at,” Watson told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “I keep hearing that New Mexico kids are getting overlooked. So, this is a way for me to help the kids. Many kids have reached out to me since the beginning of last summer to help them get recruited. It’s been a huge issue and something I keep hearing about.”
Watson, who said word of Saturday’s tryout has attracted interest from throughout the state, plans to have the new team compete in two or three 7×7 events in the next couple of months, and possibly expand from there.
“Believe it or not, 7-on-7 is where a lot of college coaches are going these days (to find prospects),” Watson said. “They’re going to camps and they’re going to 7-on-7. It’s something that has never been done here.”
Watson plans to have 20 players on this year’s 7×7 team. The final roster will be announced no later than Sunday or Monday.
”I want to see how it goes and what the costs are going to be,” Watson said. “I have to get 20 jerseys and deal with travel costs. I pray it goes great so we’ll be able to do it next year so we can have two teams and 30 kids.”
Pylon is one of the biggest companies in the rapidly growing 7×7 market, organizing tournaments from January to May. The first 7×7 tournament on Pylon’s 2022 schedule is scheduled for Bullhead City, AZ from Jan. 22-23. Two events are scheduled for the Dallas, TX area on Feb. 5-6 and March 19-20.
Watson said his fledgling team has already been invited to a big 7×7 event in Plano, TX in February and a national event in March in Dallas. Long-term, he hopes to host a national 7×7 event in Albuquerque where dozens of teams from surrounding states and perhaps California converge on the Duke City.
“An event like that would bring enormous attention to New Mexico,” Watson said. “It would change the entire dynamic of New Mexico high school football. That would be a massive opportunity for our kids, and for programs like New Mexico and New Mexico State.”
Watson has encountered some resistance to his plans to establish a 7×7 team with the best players from New Mexico. He tweeted Tuesday that a player had told him his coach wouldn’t allow him to try out for the new 7×7 team, but that he was going to come anyway.
“Some high school coaches here look down on it,” Watson said. “They’re very territorial when it comes to their kids. They don’t want their kids going outside their program. That’s just hurting their players. These coaches should be OK with their players going to play 7-on-7 because it’s not only going to help the coach’s program but help the kids as well for recruiting.
Overall, though, Watson said the reaction to his plans for establishing a New Mexico-based 7×7 team has been overwhelmingly positive from parents and players.
“I’m getting more positive vibes and positive input than negative input,” Watson said. “I knew the negative input was going to come because I’m doing something that has never been done before and I’m an outsider, not being from New Mexico. I just love coaching and helping kids. That’s what I’m good at. I’ve been coaching for seven years in both college and high school.”
Watson said he will pursue corporate sponsors to help defray costs but will not charge the players for participating in the 7×7 team.
“I’ve told all the parents I’ve spoken with that I don’t want any money from you,” Watson said. “This is for the kids and helping them see what’s outside New Mexico. There’s plenty of talent here. It’s just not getting noticed. These kids need help. They need more exposure. There are more than one or two guys who are really good. Hopefully, this 7-on-7 team will help. I want my guys to compete and to see who they’re competing against.
“Hopefully, this will help the 2023 and 2024 kids with their recruiting.”
CAPSULE:
WHAT: Tryouts for New Mexico 7-on-7 Team
WHERE: Arroyo Del Oso Park, 7001 Osuna Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM.
WHEN: Sat., Jan. 8, 2-4 p.m.
COST: Free.
https://twitter.com/RamarWatson/status/1478162346660925444
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