play smart brandbook

pre-game game time post-game

table of contents

pre-game

problem

High School athletes want to play sports in college.

So What?Many do not know how to get in touch with colleges and college coaches.

So What?Students often don’t realize how soon they need to start sending out letters.

So What?Many students miss out on the chance to play sports after high school.

So What?Student athletes would benefit from knowing recruitment information and be able to take advantage of many opportunities.

Recruitment services offer a lot of information.

So What?There are rules and regulations on what students and coaches can and can’t do.

So What?These rules and regulations are not easily found or clearly laid out for audience.

So What?This information is important to high schoolers looking to play sports in college.

So What?Student-athletes would like guidance on what to do and when to do it.

High school counselors lack knowledge about college sports.

So What?Students look to their counselors for advice on colleges and opportunities after graduating.

So What?Students may not know all of their options.

So What?Counselors don’t have a way of getting that information to them.

So What?Students may miss out on scholarships or the chance to take their interest/talent to the next level.

mental

When I receive a letter or offer from a college it makes me feel good. It gives me confidence and hope.

spiritual

It is challenging to see top rated schools and have people say you can play there but not know how to make that happen.

social

We need someone who understands the challenges we are going through.You hear people say you can play at any college you want but it takes one letter or acknowledgment from a college to make it seem real.

functional

As a recruit you have to search through multiple services and websites to collect all the information needed.

opportunity

- help all high school athletes get recruited by colleges

- develop a personal relationship with athletes

- support, encourage, and inform student athletes and families

- reach out to athletes by expanding from the web

game time

audience

Jonathan Danielsparent of student athlete

Jonathan Daniels is the father of two. His son Austin is a

sophomore in high school and plays basketball for the school.

Johnathan Daniels is looking for ways to help his son prepare for

college. His son wants to play basketball in college but doesn’t

believe he is good enough to play Division 1 basketball. His son

wants to try the juinor college level first before trying to play at a

four year college. He is unsure what he wants to study and how

much time he wants to dedicate to basketball. Although Austin is

only a sophomore many people keep asking if he’s thought about

college and that he needs to start sending letters out to coaches.

Jonathan Daniels wants to give his son the best chance possible

of playing basketball at any level but does not know much about

recruiting, rules and regulations of the recruitment process, or

when it is the best time to send out letters to coaches.

Paige Harrisonsoccer player

Paige Harrison is a junior at Portage Central High School in

Michigan. She is one of the top soccer players in the state. She

loves to play soccer and would like to continue playing in

college. On the field she is a leader and team captain. In her

freshman year of high school she suffered a knee injury and

was out for the season. Harrison is now 100 percent and

looking for a way to show her talents off to college coaches.

She is involved with Key Club, StuCo, and the National Honor

Society. In her free time she enjoys hanging out with her friends,

going to movies, and attending sporting events. Harrison has

three younger siblings. She is looking to attend college close to

home so she can stay close to her family and hometown.

heroes

Darrell Stuckey

High School: Washington High School

College: University of Kansas

Professional Team: San Diego Chargers

Darrell Stuckey has a large family and grew up in Kansas City, Kansas.

He played football, baseball, and basketball at a small high school

in Kansas City. He went on to play Division I college football at the

University of Kansas. He is a natural leader on and off the field. He

puts all his effort into anything he does. While at KU he was involved

in many organizations, events, and activities. He was constantly

dividing his time to volunteer and spend time with Special Olympians,

participate in READ Across America, help with Habitat for Humanity

and atttend SAAC meetings. Stuckey is someone people love to be

around and brings out the good in everyone. He is full of energy and

enthusiasm. Darrell Stuckey was drafted in the fourth round by the

San Diego Chargers after completing his senior at KU.

Leigh Anne Tuohy

The adoptive mother of Michael Oher. Michael Oher was in and out of

foster homes for 17 years. Tuohy opened up her home to Oher and he

eventually became a part of the family. Tuohy was a well-off wife and

mother of two, who helped a kid off the streets and get started down the

right track. Oher learned to play football in high school with the help of

the Tuoys. Leigh Anne hired a tutor to help Michael keep his grades up

and her son S.J. sent out videos of Michael playing football to college

coaches. Oher chose to play football for Ole Miss and was then drafted

by the Baltimore Ravens in 2009. Leigh Anne Tuohy went out of her way

to help someone she didn’t know. She gave him a home, a family, and a

chance to have a dream and have something he could be proud of.

collegiate sports recruitment service

playsmart is a mentor service for high school athletes looking to play

sports at the college level. It’s goal is to help you get connected with

college coaches, take advantage of scholarship opportunities, and help

you gain knowledge about recruitment for college level sports. playsmart

provides a calendar of what to do each year in high school, rules of the

NCAA, knowledge about each division, and advice when speaking to a

college coach. playsmart wants to give you the best chance at living out

your dreams and furthering your career in athletics. playsmart can help

take the stress out of finding the right college by giving you someone to

meet with in person and guide you through the process.

Why choose playsmart?

At playsmart you are able to meet with a representative in person

and develop a relationship with them as they help guide you through

recruitment and preparation for college.

Courtney was a natural when it came to playing golf. She

grew up in a family of golfers and had a love for the game.

Courtney played junior tournaments, state and nationwide, as

a teenager and was the top player on her high school team.

Attending a smaller high school meant less notice from the

media and outside people. Courtney had friends who played

college golf and gave her insight to what it would be like.

She had the talent to continue playing golf at a higher level

and decided she wanted to try to play in college. Once the

decision was made, the search began.

Courtney asked her friends who played college golf what she

needed to do to get in contact with coaches. Everyone kept

telling her to “get started early,” “send letters out early,”

“you think you have a lot of time to figure things out, but you

really don’t.” It all seemed so overwhelming and stressful.

Her high school coach did her best to search for scholarship

opportunities, apply for awards, and contact local coaches.

She heard from some friends about recruitment services to try,

but they all costed money. People would mention rules that

had to be followed and how coaches couldn’t contact her until

a certain time but it was all confusing for Courtney and her

family. They just wanted something that had all the rules listed

out so they didn’t jeopardize her chances.

Through the help of her friends, her high school golf coach,

and various websites, Courtney was able to get letters sent out

to schools she was interested in and make contact with several

coaches. There are two signing periods for Women’s golf.

Once Courtney made her final decision for where she would

attend college and signed her Letter of Intent the greatest

feeling she felt was relief. She was so happy and relieved to

have the decision over with and not have to worry about where

she would go to school. She was able to enjoy her senior year

more and feel the stress dissipate.

Courtney needed a service to help relieve

the stress of choosing a college and the

college athletics recruitment process.

By having several people telling her what

she needed to do it made it difficult to

know what was right and wrong and if

everything was true. She didn’t want to

jeopardize her chances of playing golf

in college by breaking any rules before

she even got there. Courtney was in need

of a service that was easy, organized,

knowledgeable, and personable.

creation myth

“It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.”

— John Wooden

product/benefit

A service to connect athletes and coaches and help athletes pursue their talent at a college level.

mission

To help high school athletes get connected with colleges and gain exposure.

positioning

A personal connection between athlete

and advisor

vision

All high school athletes should have a chance to play their sport at the college level and continue to develop their skills.

styling Approachable

KnowledgeableIn good hands

InspiringHopefulHonest

Sophisticated

values

SupportiveApproachableInspiringConsiderateWelcomingKnowledgeable

who is playsmart?

supportive

knowledgeable

personable

mentor

....where dreams are becoming reality.

playsmart lives...

“All your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them.”

— Walt Disney

wants to give all high school athletes the best chance at living out their dreams and furthering their athletic careers.

playsmart makes me feel

important, successfu

l and like

I know all of my options.

I appreciate that playsmart went

the extra distance of getting in touch

with my high school counselor and

gettting the information to me early.

I like playsmart because I can

talk to them personally and feel

confident that I am in good hands

when preparing for college.

By using playsmart I feel I have

been thoroughly informed, have the

best chance of getting connected

with a coach or scholarship.

informedhaving or showing knowledge of a particular subject

mentoran experienced and trusted adviser

confidencea feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities

personablehaving a pleasant appearance or manner

supportiveproviding encourament or emotional help

confidencesupportimportancecomfortdevelopmentpreparedoverwhelmingsuccessinspireapproachableinformed honestreliableeasyexcitementdiscoveredreliefconnectioncontrolrecognizedhelpactioncommunicateguidesophisticatedsmarthopefulconsiderateassistwelcomingpleasantacknowledgelikeablementoreducatedfriendlyfuturenewassuranceprocessfaithtrustcertaintychallengelovedbeconsultanttalent

potentialadviseaspirevisionpossibilitybolddeterminedcrucialexposurerelationshipsrefreshingchancerecruitmentorganizedpersonableinformedselfcollegeathleticsathletetellknowledgeableintroductionwantedchoiceencouragementengagingunderstandingcoachcorrespondenceplayerteamdreamactiverosterdraftrelationshipjointfuture expertcommitmentwinnercollaborateseekgoalfacilitatewishreach

to suggest athletics

to suggest fun

to suggest recruitment

to suggest sophistication

to suggest excitement

to suggest experience

to suggest everyone

to suggest potential

to suggest planning

to suggest preparation

to suggest flexibility

to suggest goals

to suggest involvement

to suggest personable

to suggest hands-on

to suggest students

to suggest action

to suggest success

to suggest encouragment

to suggest stress-free

to suggest ease

to suggest friendliness

to suggest simplicity

to suggest opportunities

to suggest help

to suggest development

to suggest connection

to suggest participation

post-game

a mentor for college recruitment preparation

a mentor for college recruitment preparation a mentor for college recruitment preparation a mentor for college recruitment preparation

name

The words, play smart, combine the idea of sports and activity with making the right decisions.

signature

The serif typeface adds a more personal appearance. The texture gives the idea of different surfaces and definition to the words. play is always displayed in a lighter tint than smart.

tagline

The tagline gives the audience an explanation of what playsmart is. The tagline is always in futura book and in the same color as the signature.

C: 100M: 61Y: 37K: 64

C: 79M: 42Y: 100K: 39

C: 0M: 85Y: 75K: 64

C: 7M: 9Y: 9K: 78

color palette

The colors shown above were chosen to give a more sophisticated athletic appearance. Colors that are sports related or are taken from within a photo

may also be used for marketing material.

adobe caslon

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

123456789

futura

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

123456789

typography

Adobe Caslon bold is always used for the logo. It is also used to add a more personal touch to text, for pull quotes, for example. Futura is used as the primary typeface. Futura was chosen to convey an athletic appearance and to create a balance between informational and casual, friendliness.

image and texture palettes

Photos used by playsmart are action shots of athletes taken at events.They should show qualities of confidence, good work ethic, determination, and success. Photos should primarily be full color but can also be black and white. Graphics used are layouts of a field, the lines on a ball, or a play taken from a playbook. Textures were chosen to achieve a look of chalk lines painted on grass or a rough surface.

business system

The business cards are individualized toward different sports. The name on each sport corresponds with a mentor who specializes with that particular sport.

The simplicity of the front of each letterhead is contrasted with a texture and graphic on the back. Letterheads are available for specific sports or with the “play” on the back for a general audience.

The grass envelope is used to mail packets to student athletes, as well as, any larger printed material to schools, counselors, and coaches. A generic envelope is used for letters with the inside color corresponding with the color of the letterhead.

advertising

packet for student athletes

This packet is mailed out to student athletes who are interested in competing in college. The packet includes information on different divisions and the NCAA, a calendar of events, and recommended questions to be asked on college visits or when conversing with coaches. The folder is always black and white, while the information cards are in color.

DVD front back

t-shirt design: front and back

inside

send resumes to colleges

meet with a

playsmart

representative

sign National Letter of Intent

official visit to college

913.432.1824www.playsmart.com

7801 Shawnee Mission PkwyOverland Park, KS 66204


Inside:

- overview of college athletics

- information on the NCAA

- calendar of events during recruitment

- advice for future college athletes

- resume building

- stories from current college athletes

be prepared. take action. get recruited.

promotional materials

T-shirts can be handed out or sold when playsmart visits high schools.

A DVD provides student athletes with a digital form of the all the information. A special feature of the DVD includes videos of current college athletes telling their story from the time they started looking at colleges to where they are now.

poster series

advertising cards hand-outs for coaches and players

banners displayed at exhibitions or college days put on at high schools

brochures for parents of student athletes

website

The website was designed to give users access to information in a digital format. One of it’s goals is to allow users to connect with other people in their same situation. There is a discussion board to post questions and advice. Current college athletes can also post advice or answer questions about their own experience. Users can contact playsmart through the website to request information or get connected with a representative.

Discussion BoardSteps to Recruitment National Letter of Intent NCAA GalleryContact

Advice

1

2

1

2

1

Questions

NewPosts Topics Views Replies Last Post

making your decision 35 21 12.1.10 2:05 PM

scholarships 86 74 1.29.10 7:34 AM

facilities 14 6 7.2.10 10:20 PM

tutoring 67 51 12.4.10 9:20 AM

college visits 123 87 10.5.10 8:21 AM

college visits 94 56 11.14.10 9:20 AM

letters 23 5 9.23.10 2:45 PM

scholarships 78 32 12.1.10 1:27 PM

facilities 81 43 11.13.10 4:56 PM

new topic back to discussion board


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VIEW

as slide show

view by sport m. basketball w. basketball football swimming m.golf w. golf volleyball m. soccer w. soccer track and fi eld cross country

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basketball at a small high school in Kansas City. He went on to play Division I college football at the University of Kansas. He is a natural leader on and off the fi eld. He puts all his effort into anything he does. While at KU he was involved in many organizations, events, and activities. He was constantly dividing his time to volunteer and spend time with Special Olympians, participate in READ Across America, help with Habitat for Humanity and atttend SAAC meetings, while keeping his grades up and playing football. Stuckey was someone people loved to be around and brought out the good in everyone. He is full of energy and enthusiasm. Darrell Stuckey was drafted in the fourth round by the San Diego Chargers after completing his senior at KU.


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playsmart


Meet with a Mentor

playsmart provides mentors for student athletes to meet with personally. Each mentor is experienced and knowledgable with the

recruitment process. Mentors specialize in particular sports but can help any athlete begin preparation on fi nding the right college to

play their sport at. Players and parents can meet with a playsmart representative in person at an offi ce, contact them by phone

or email. playsmart wants to help take the stress out of the recruitment process and make fi nding the right college team a fun and

successful process for athletes.

Contact playsmart

7801 Shawnee Mission Pkwy

Overland Park, KS 66204

913.432.1824

sendemail address


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playsmart

relax. have fun.

Jennifer ClarkVISC 520 Designing for ChangeFall 2010Professor Jeremy Shellhorn

play smart brandbook

Documents

college sports

college coaches

year college

student athletes

juinor college level

athletes support

recruitment information

portage central high